My territory is filled with block creations.

Chapter 52 The Way of Loyalty

That is a problem. Although there are seventy gold coins, five caravan members, ten guards, and fifteen people, each person only has a little over four gold coins and silver coins on average.

One person isn't much; they can't buy a house or land elsewhere. This shows the benefits of Thorne building houses and distributing basic supplies and food to all the villagers free of charge.

When the benefits aren't significant enough, the villagers won't change their minds for petty gains.

But what if the benefits are big enough? For example, internal chaos, where a few people kill others, resulting in a significant increase in the amount of gold coins distributed among individuals.

In that situation, how can loyalty be maintained given the temptation of such a high level of welfare comparable to that of a village?

"How do other city-states solve this kind of problem?" Alex asked Naro first, wanting to ask for the opinion of a professional.

"Most chambers of commerce are private. If it's a lord's personal chamber of commerce, it usually just takes care of hostages, keeping the families of the chamber members under their care," Naro explained.

Alex sighed and looked at Naro: "What a pity, none of them have families. Why don't you forcibly assign them a family, and then you supervise them to make them hurry up and reproduce to use as hostages?"

Naro shook his head: "Putting aside whether it's even possible, there are far fewer women than men in the village. After all, the slave warehouse is full of male slaves, while the original villagers only had five women, distributed among the caravan members. What about the guards?"

"How about we do it together? Play a psychological game? Like... what if the child is mine?" Alex thought for a moment and offered a relatively constructive suggestion.

Thorne, watching the two aces face off, could hardly believe that he was hearing human language.

It's absolutely gorgeous.

At this moment, Alex and Naro also sensed the eerie aura emanating from Thorne. Alex immediately looked over and asked, "So you really don't have that mysterious thing that can accelerate reproduction?"

"That kind of thing doesn't even exist, right? And even if it did, it would be illegal. Even if the lord makes the laws of the territory, morality should at least be observed."

Thorne looked at the two shameless people in front of him with a speechless expression.

"Then what do you suggest we do? The minimum is seventy gold coins from each sale. Embezzlement is normal and tacitly accepted, but what if they really run away?" Alex asked quietly.

"Hmm, how about giving the caravan members and guards higher profits? For example, give them a share of the gold coins, so they can both get their own benefits and continue to enjoy the village's welfare."

"The combination of the two should be much better than simply running away with the gold coins." After Thorne finished speaking, Naro finally broke free from Alex's low-class thoughts.

"Furthermore, village chief, you also need to establish a class among the villagers, with corresponding status and remuneration."

Thorne and Alex both looked over, the former raising an eyebrow as if to say that Naro was finally getting serious.

The latter was somewhat helpless, feeling that he couldn't understand such serious administrative matters, which was a pity; he found the underhanded methods more interesting.

Naro quickly continued, "Actually, the meaning is similar to your purpose in allocating houses to them, lord; it's still about letting them own their own property."

"However, this industry is not just about tangible benefits like housing, food, and wages; it should also include honor and a future."

"For example, caravan members and guards should be respected by the villagers and have special titles, such as caravan leaders and guard captains. These leaders should have better treatment."

"We have all of these. The caravan leader is Doug, and the two guard team leaders are also villagers from the beginning, Aqui and Pete," Thorne explained.

"Then let's add the future, let the ordinary members see the future, see that if they work for a few months or a few years, they can also become a leader like Doug and make a lot of gold coins every time they go on a business trip. If they have a future, they won't go to extremes because of a moment of passion."

After Naro finished speaking, he took two breaths and continued, "This can be done now. Start with the three group leaders, acknowledge their superior status, and then select two members from each group, give them senior or outstanding members, raise their salaries, and create a gap between them and the lowest-ranking members so that they are not of one mind."

"This way, they won't all agree to run away at once, and it will also put pressure on members who want to run away. When the number of beneficiaries is relatively equal to that of the purely grassroots, it will be able to suppress them to a certain extent."

"It also tells the members at the bottom that they are not destined to stay at the bottom forever, and that there is enough room for them at the top, giving them the opportunity to become members of the top as well."

Thorne's eyes lit up as he listened.

"Very good, Naro, is there anything else?"

Naro stroked his sparse stubble: "Anything more would be sugar-coated bullets and controlling their families, but they have neither families now, and we have no sugar-coated bullets either."

"Actually, it's fine if you don't mention the hostages or anything like that. Let's continue talking about what you mean by acknowledging the superior status of the three team leaders."

Thorne asked with great anticipation, while also feeling a strange sense of unease, hoping it wouldn't be anything too damn bad.

Naro's final answer put him at ease: "It varies from person to person. It is difficult for some people in power to gain the respect of the villagers, because those people in power may not be respected themselves, but only feared."

"But you clearly don't fall into that category. For you, perhaps just a verbal affirmation or a pat on the shoulder in front of others is enough. Do you prefer that?"

After Naro finished speaking, Thorne was also a little troubled. In the end, he felt that what Naro said was too abstract, and he preferred something more practical.

But the question is, what is substantial enough? Money is certainly necessary, but Redstone Village isn't a place where poverty is mocked but prostitution is not. Money is clearly not enough to earn the respect of the other villagers. Perhaps something else is needed.

At that moment, Alex suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, didn't you say you could make clothes? Maybe you could make a custom-made outfit for each of those villagers?"

As soon as Alex finished speaking, Thorne's eyes lit up. It was indeed true; it would earn the villagers respect, and they certainly needed decent clothes. This suggestion was perfect.

The only thing missing is one small problem.

For some reason, Alex suddenly had a bad feeling.

Sure enough, Thorne looked at her with a smile: "Can you make a sewing machine?"