Hearing this, Xiulote’s face showed surprise. He had thought about these matters before and had heard a little about them from his grandfather. Each time, his grandfather had mentioned them dispassionately, but Xiulote had never imagined things were so intense behind the scenes.
"Heavenly Fire Island now employs thousands of salt workers and laborers, excavating saltpeter, cutting timber, boiling natural nitrates, and collecting plant ash. There are also several hundred Samurai and patrolling Naval Forces on alert, with their daily food consumption being extremely shocking. Following that, papermaking and printing workshops are quickly expanded, employing hundreds of Craftsmen and thousands of laborers. Making paper armor, rattan shields, and rattan helmets requires a thousand people. Charcoal burning requires a great deal of timber and also employs a thousand people. Making and firing bricks take hundreds of people. The first shipment of copper ore from the south has arrived, and it takes hundreds of people to forge bronze spears and tools. Even the research into ’glass’ involves a hundred people..."
As Xiulote listened to the detailed report of the Intelligence Officer, recounting it as if it were household knowledge, his expression became distant. Had he really embarked on so many scientific research projects without realizing it? Could the output of the Lake Capital City and even the Lake Region keep up... After a moment, a chill ran through the young man’s heart. The Intelligence Officer knew the details of what he was responsible for even better than he did...
Gillim observed Xiulote’s expression, his tone becoming even more sincere.
"Your Highness, these large-scale projects are consuming an extremely large amount of manpower and resources, already exceeding an entire Samurai legion! And next, you will also be training a complete Militia legion! Your Highness, the resources and manpower of the Alliance have all been exhausted..."
Upon hearing the words of the Intelligence Officer, Xiulote’s face sobered. He refocused, looking at Gillim with seriousness.
"The Long Spears legion and the Longbow Militia are very important, Aweit has promised me! When can the six thousand miners be in place? The conscription of village Hunters must also begin immediately!"
Gillim fell silent, a helpless sigh deep inside him. After a lengthy pause, the Intelligence Officer solemnly bowed.
"Your Highness, the six thousand miner slots have all been allocated, and the Samurais overseeing the mines are ready. As soon as the laborers from the northern strongholds of the Otomi fill the ranks, we can immediately hand them over to you. The tax officers levying the new year’s Tribute have also relayed a message, allowing village Elders to use qualified Hunters to replace parts of the autumn Tribute...
But Your Highness, the Alliance’s treasury has nearly been used up, with only assets from a few large confiscations remaining, and even the maintenance of the Capital City’s Samurais still relies on Tribute from foreign states..."
Xiulote shook his head firmly, his eyes ablaze with conviction.
"Gillim, I am raising a new army not for personal gain, but for the greater strategy of western conquest and even future reform! I give you five days. Five days hence, on the first day of March, I want to see six thousand miners assembled on the drill ground outside the city. Their training must start at that time!"
Gillim silently looked at the youth, feeling the brightness and sincerity in his eyes, along with an indomitable determination. After a moment, the Intelligence Officer sighed deeply and knelt down heavily, bowing his head to receive his orders.
Xiulote didn’t look at Gillim. He raised his head, looking at the incessantly busy Craftsmen and laborers, then turned his gaze towards the ships transporting raw materials on Lake Texcoco, his thoughts far-reaching.
With his involvement, the Empire was exploring new technology research, making improvements to old techniques, manufacturing new equipment on a large scale, maintaining a vast legion... Each of these consumed labor by the thousands and relied on continuous resource supplies.
A Divine Revelator could push military technology rapidly forward within a few months. Yet, he couldn’t change the most crucial foundation of the Empire’s production_force in mere months. Now, the manpower and resources of the Alliance had indeed run out!
At this moment, Xiulote truly understood the content he had studied in the past, the profound truths hidden within dry books.
Production_force is the cornerstone of civilization. And the advancement of production_force requires the accumulation of time. After acquiring metals, this would be a yearly innovation, following the will of the great. And he, too, would start from this land of innovation to truly forge the foundation of civilization!