Chapter 697: The Good Days Are Over

By the time they leave Cellarwine City, it is already November.

They encounter a heavy snowstorm on the road, and the year is nearly over by the time they return to Peace Haven.

After resting for only one day, Henwell announces a meeting of Peace Haven's middle and senior leadership.

Military and administrative officials from every region are to assemble at Peace Hall in half a month.

Peace Hall was originally the Blood Hill Banquet Hall, built for Henwell's wedding.

Henwell had planned to turn it into a luxury hotel and fleece the wealthy travelers passing through his territory.

His wife and every official around him opposed the idea. In the end, they renamed it Peace Hall and reserved it for enlarged leadership meetings.

It still accepts dining and lodging reservations, but only from middle- and senior-ranking military and administrative officials.

To keep the place from turning into some exclusive private club, Henwell spends a considerable sum of his own money and buys it directly from Peace Haven.

After several years of renovations, he still gets his way in the end: it becomes Peace Haven's most prestigious reception venue.

Today, many of Peace Haven's most capable people gather outside Peace Hall.

Old friends trade greetings and make dinner plans, filling the grounds with lively conversation.

After a buffet lunch, everyone enters the main hall.

The hall has been temporarily converted into a tiered auditorium, and the attendees find their seats according to the numbers on their badges.

Once everyone has taken their seat, Henwell steps onto the dais.

More than a thousand military and administrative officials rise in perfect unison and salute him.

Henwell motions for them to sit, then lightly taps the small metal bell on the table. "The Seventh Plenary Meeting of Peace Haven is now in session."

"You all know the subject of this meeting: the territory that has just been granted to us."

The excitement on their faces is impossible to hide. None of them expected the gains to be so enormous.

Only a few senior officials in the front rows remain calm, not because they are more composed, but because they understand how many difficulties lie behind those gains.

Henwell surveys the room. "I will dispense with the formalities. I am issuing orders now."

Everyone rises again, but Henwell waves them down. "Sit. The orders are long, so listen carefully."

"First, the military. In addition to our existing five military districts, we will establish the Cloud Tree City Military District and the Liverpool Military District."

"We will draw troops from the paramilitary units of the Central Garrison District and from every military district to form the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Legions."

"Their ranks must be filled within one year, and they must become combat-ready within two."

"The Seventh Legion, also known as the Formation Breaker Legion, and the newly formed Eighth Legion will be stationed in the Cloud Tree City Military District, with Augusta as commander-in-chief."

"The newly formed Ninth and Tenth Legions will be stationed in the Liverpool Military District, with Wizet appointed commander-in-chief."

"Each military district will also command four border garrison warbands. For the time being, royal troops will man those units."

"Within two years, every one of them must be replaced by our own people. The commanders of the two military districts will be responsible for that process."

"The Cavalry Patrol Legion will be disbanded. Its personnel, together with troops transferred from the First Cavalry Legion, will form Peace Haven's Second and Third Cavalry Legions."

"Dodoro will command the Second Cavalry Legion, which will join the Cloud Tree City Military District."

"Samul will command the Third Cavalry Legion, which will reinforce the Liverpool Military District..."

The string of military appointments leaves the officers visibly excited.

Henwell then announces the administrative changes. Each of the two military districts will receive an administrator.

He turns to the administrative officials led by Victor. "After spring begins next year, you will transfer five thousand administrators to each of the two regions..."

Victor grimaces. "My lord, we don't have that many people."

"The Southern District and the expeditionary zone have already taken one round of transfers."

"If we transfer any more, the other districts will struggle to function."

Henwell shakes his head. "That is your problem. Only the Southern District and the expeditionary zone are exempt from this transfer."

"The other four districts, including our central headquarters, will all provide personnel."

"Every department will send one-third of its staff to support the two new regions."

"Do not play games with me, and do not force me to send the two new administrators into your departments to choose people for themselves."

"If you do not have enough personnel, train more as quickly as possible."

"From now on, everyone in your departments must be prepared to do the work of two people."

"Whether the problem is military or administrative, I do not want excuses. I will hold the people in charge responsible."

"In short, finding the personnel is your problem, but the work must still be done properly."

The departmental officials look miserable, but none of them dares to object.

Henwell continues, "In addition, every factory directly controlled by Peace Haven will transfer one-third of its people to establish new factories in the two new regions."

Eulen, Director of the Industrial Office, immediately objects. "No, my lord! That will paralyze many of our factories!"

Henwell sneers. "I understand better than you whether they will be paralyzed."

"Every factory is already fully staffed with workers and engineers."

"Many of them simply don't want to leave. Larger crews mean lighter workloads, and they've grown complacent."

"Send the order to every factory. Tell them it comes directly from me."

"After losing one-third of their workforce, the workers will simply have to put in another three or four hours a day."

"When Peace Haven was first established, workers put in fifteen-hour days."

"Conditions have improved, the workforce has grown, and our technology has advanced, which is why the workday fell to nine hours."

"Starting next year, we will restore the twelve-hour workday."

"Anyone who cannot endure it may leave. There are plenty of people eager to earn a factory wage."

When no one speaks, Henwell gives a cold laugh. "Weren't all of you clamoring for expansion?"

"Didn't all of you want to make this decision for me?"

"This is the price of making those decisions. If you want Peace Haven to grow stronger, then you must endure the strain that comes with it."

"From me at the top to the serfs at the bottom, everyone's workload is about to multiply."

"As I said, the good days are over."

No one dares look up for fear that Henwell will choose a new target.

Henwell turns to Victor. "How many serfs does the Peace Haven government currently own?"

A secretary immediately hands Victor a document. Victor rises and answers, "One hundred seventeen thousand, four hundred forty-nine."

"How many have received at least one year of training?"

"...A little over forty thousand."

Henwell nods. "Issue an order emancipating those forty thousand serfs. Half will enter Peace Haven's industrial and agricultural systems."

"The other half will accompany the free workers transferred from those systems and be assigned to the two new regions."

"Issue another order: private ownership of serfs is now forbidden in Peace Haven."

"The Administrative Office will purchase every privately owned serf at market price, by force if necessary. Anyone who conceals serfs will receive three years of penal labor. Anyone who resists enforcement will be executed."

"The Administrative Office, Military Intelligence Office, Constabulary, and Lord Iron Guards will conduct the operation jointly."

The officials immediately fall silent in fear. The warning is aimed at them; wealthy households may own serfs, but they would never dare resist enforcement.

These officials are rich, and every one of their households owns a considerable number of serfs.

Judging by Henwell's attitude, they will all have to surrender them.