Chapter 446: proposal

After the fishermen departed, O’Neill returned to Simon’s side.

"Congratulations, Your Highness."

Simon raised an eyebrow.

"Congratulations for what?"

O’Neill’s expression was perfectly serious.

"You have won both the people’s hearts and a basket of Greenville Island abalone. That is quite an achievement."

Simon stared at him for a moment.

He had expected a comment about the navy, the fishermen, or perhaps the development of Ashenford’s fisheries.

Instead, O’Neill had managed to combine the people’s gratitude with his own favourite delicacy.

Simon could not help finding the remark amusing.

"Stop flattering me. The improvement in morale here is also thanks to your work. You have been managing Ashenford’s fisheries and dealing with those stubborn fishermen for a long time."

He gestured toward the basket.

"Stay for dinner tonight. We can enjoy the abalone together."

O’Neill’s eyes immediately brightened.

His mouth nearly watered at the thought.

Greenville Island abalone was among his favourite foods. In fact, his fondness for seafood had been one of the reasons he had chosen to serve in Ashenford.

Now, with Simon personally inviting him to dinner, he had no intention of refusing.

"Your Highness, you can count on me!"

Simon laughed at his enthusiastic response.

O’Neill quickly composed himself and continued.

"Besides the abalone, the fishermen caught plenty of other fish today. More supplies should arrive shortly."

He paused before adding, "Since Your Highness has come all the way to Ashenford, you should take the opportunity to enjoy the local seafood."

Then his expression became more serious.

"There’s something else I wanted to report. The fishermen are extremely impressed with your dragnet. Several of them said that if they could obtain fishing boats equipped with those nets, an entire village might be able to secure enough food from a single voyage."

Simon nodded.

The dragnet was a relatively simple invention, but its practical value was enormous.

Unlike traditional fishing methods, which relied heavily on individual skill and often yielded inconsistent results, a dragnet could be towed behind a moving vessel to gather large quantities of fish.

The net was shaped like a pouch, allowing fish to enter while making it difficult for them to escape.

With suitable boats, strong ropes, and experienced crews, fishermen could harvest far more fish in a single trip than they could through ordinary angling or hand-casting nets.

The productivity improvement could be dramatic.

For Simon, however, the dragnet represented more than a better fishing tool.

It was an opportunity to transform Ashenford’s entire fishing industry.

At present, the domain’s fisheries are still limited by the number of available boats and the methods used to catch fish. Even if the demand for seafood continued to rise, the existing fleet could not supply the entire market.

The result was an obvious bottleneck.

If Simon wanted Ashenford to become a major centre of maritime commerce, he needed more than a handful of government-operated fishing boats.

He needed thousands of people participating in the industry.

He needed independent fishermen, private merchants, boatbuilders, netmakers, fish processors, transport operators, and traders willing to invest their own money in expanding production.

In short, he needed to unleash the productive capacity of the people.

Simon considered the matter for a moment before speaking.

"In that case, tell the fishermen that my merchant ships will sell fishing equipment at clearly established prices. Anyone who wishes to purchase the necessary supplies can do so through the proper channels."

O’Neill stared at him in surprise.

"Your Highness, you intend to sell these things to ordinary fishermen?"

"Why not?"

Simon looked at him.

"Ashenford’s fishing industry cannot develop through a few government-owned boats alone. There are too many fishing grounds to exploit and too many markets to supply."

He continued patiently.

"If we want to expand production, we must allow more people to participate. The government cannot build every boat, operate every vessel, and catch every fish itself."

O’Neill listened carefully.

Simon pointed toward the courtyard, beyond which lay the bustling harbour.

"Consider the situation. We provide the technology and establish reasonable standards. Private fishermen invest their own money, purchase equipment, and expand their operations. As their businesses grow, they hire workers, purchase supplies, and sell more fish."

He paused.

"The benefits spread throughout the economy."

O’Neill slowly nodded.

He could understand the advantages of having more fishing boats, but Simon was looking at something much larger.

For Simon, the fishing industry was not an isolated business.

It was the foundation of an entire economic network.

More boats would create demand for shipbuilders.

More nets would create work for rope makers.

Larger catches would require storage facilities, processing workshops, and transportation.

More seafood reaching the markets would encourage merchants to expand their distribution networks.

And as the fishermen earned more money, they would have more to spend on clothing, tools, household goods, and other necessities.

Every stage of the process would generate additional economic activity.

The resulting prosperity would eventually benefit Brambleford’s treasury as well.

After all, a prosperous population could support a stronger tax base far more effectively than an impoverished one struggling merely to survive.

That was the principle Simon wanted to establish.

The government should not attempt to conduct every business itself. It should create the conditions in which ordinary people could build successful businesses of their own.

When the people prospered, commerce would expand.

When commerce expanded, production would increase.

And when production and trade flourished, the domain’s revenue would grow alongside them.

That revenue could then be invested in roads, ports, shipyards, schools, and the military, further strengthening Brambleford’s foundations.

A virtuous cycle would begin.

Of course, such a transformation would not happen overnight. Access to equipment, affordable credit, reliable markets, and protection from piracy would all be necessary.

But Simon had already begun addressing those obstacles.

The navy would protect the fishing grounds.

The merchant fleet would distribute equipment and transport goods.

The government would establish the rules.

And the fishermen themselves would provide the labour, initiative, and investment needed to expand the industry.

Once those elements began working together, Ashenford’s potential would be enormous.

Simon glanced at O’Neill.

"Remember, our goal isn’t merely to catch more fish. It’s to make Ashenford prosperous enough that its people no longer have to struggle just to make a living."

O’Neill’s expression grew solemn.

"I understand, Your Highness. I’ll make the arrangements."

Simon nodded.

The naval battle had demonstrated that Brambleford could defend its people.

Now he intended to demonstrate something equally important.

That under his rule, those same people could build better lives for themselves.

And that, ultimately, would make Brambleford stronger than any fleet of warships alone ever could.