The Lord of the Rings: Lords of Middle-earth.

Chapter 1062 Roland's Wrist

"We have to try no matter what. You understand the kingdom's current predicament. Internal circulation will only lead to depletion of resources. Without external support, we could starve to death at any time..." Roland said seriously. The reason why the Kingdom of Lagrang has not yet entered a famine is simply because the food in the north is supporting them. However, this support is not endless. The food reserves in the north are also running low. In addition, Roland has been using points and gold coins in the system to buy food and feed the army, which has kept the kingdom on the fragile famine line.

"Is the kingdom facing another famine?" Apophis Breo's eyes narrowed. As the de facto leader of the North, the security of the Kingdom of Lagrange was not only their own concern, but also the security of the entire Lonely Mountain Alliance. Without the long defensive line of Lagrange, the Lonely Mountain Alliance had almost no strategic depth, as history had already proven. In the end, the humans and dwarves could only defend Lonely Mountain to the death!
“No, Marquis Al-Tegran Franz brought supplies for the 14th Legion of the East, a huge amount, but the other kingdoms in the North don’t have much surplus food. We’re running out of resources now!” Roland said.

"Impossible! With supplies in hand, the Fourteenth Legion of the Eastern Territory should be able to hold out for several years, right?" Apophis Breo asked doubtfully. Even if Roland's family raised hundreds of thousands of pigs, they wouldn't be able to afford such a waste!

“That’s true, but based on the current harvest, the kingdom’s food supply can still reach a safe level if it’s not supplied to the army. But I can’t keep the army out of the kingdom’s system indefinitely…” Roland said solemnly to Apophis Breo.

“Raising dragons is a huge expense. Do you know how many pastures the kingdom has designated in the north to feed those giant dragons and that flock of flying dragons? Add to that the griffin colony, and our warhorse stables… By the Dragon God! This isn’t just fodder! It’s high-quality grain!” Roland said with a headache.

The food expenses for nearly ten dragons are enough to feed the entire populace of the kingdom. Add to that the dragon flocks and griffins supported by the kingdom, and this is now the largest expense for the Kingdom of Lagrang. Vast amounts of pasture and grain are being consumed to provide meat for these carnivores. Furthermore, warhorses need to eat concentrated feed, especially the magical warhorses; they simply can't carry those sturdy knights on fodder!

“Dragon God! But have you considered the transportation costs? Even if the grain from the Sharl can be transported here... the transportation costs will be terrifyingly high! After all, the journey from the Sharl to the City of Swiftflow would take a month or two even if you travel light!” Apophis Breo asked, puzzled. How could Roland not see something with such poor cost-effectiveness?

"Why go to Swiftstream City?" Roland countered.

"Huh?" Apophis Breo was stunned and hadn't yet realized what Roland meant.

“Look at this! The distance from the Shire to King’s Landing isn’t long, is it? As long as the Eastern Road is opened up, the whole way will be smooth sailing! Is there any difference between delivering it to the King’s Landing family’s territory and delivering it to Stream City?” Roland smiled, a sly look on his face.

“Don’t forget! Those merchants may not have massive spatial equipment, but the kingdom definitely does! Compared to traversing half of the Central Plains, it’s much safer to use large-capacity spatial equipment within a controlled area!” Roland said calmly.

If he were truly willing to take the risk, he could easily send a dragon knight with large-capacity spatial equipment to raid the Shire. However, as he said, the winds are too strong. Losing either the currently irreplaceable large-capacity spatial equipment or the dragon knight would be a major blow to the Lagrang Kingdom. Therefore, Roland prioritizes controllable risk! If they are forced to retreat while traversing the Dark Forest, then Roland is out of options!

“This method is feasible!” Apophis Breo silently calculated for a moment. After all, he was a son of the King's Landing family, and he had a thorough understanding of the various nobles' shady dealings and abilities. He only needed to do a mental calculation to come to the conclusion that it was cost-effective. “As for the goods brought by the other merchants, those are just incidental and can be used as compensation for you!” Roland pointed to the map. It was foreseeable that once this road was reopened, the King's Landing Fortress, as a transit point, would undoubtedly be the biggest beneficiary. The fortress, straddling both sides of the Misty Mountains, controlled the only passageway, and the tax revenue alone would be enough to make the King's Landing family extremely wealthy.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Duke Apophis Breo stood up and bowed respectfully. He had to admit that Roland's political skills were quite exquisite. This set of political operations could be said to have both obtained the external support he wanted and benefited various forces along the way. Such a method of bestowing favors was rare among the emperors of the Lagrange Empire. After all, you can't expect those brutes who only have horses and swords in their minds to have much political skill.

“It is only right. This is a reward for the loyalty of the King’s Landing family. The Empire owes you a debt…” Roland waved his hand. Five thousand years of political wisdom materialized at this moment. Roland understood that in this magical world, the feudal system was the best solution. A unified county system was undoubtedly a pipe dream. Rather than letting the nobles become disloyal, it was better to deepen their loyalty. After all, in this era, the virtue and reputation of nobles were indeed more important than life!

"What does the King's Family need to give up?" Duke Apophis Breo was undoubtedly a qualified nobleman. When Roland presented the gifts that belonged to his lord, he immediately asked about the price for all of this. After all, the obligations and responsibilities between the two parties were the highest contractual transaction, and loyalty was just the core price!

“It’s very simple: keep the roads clear and ensure the safety of the merchants!” Roland nodded, indicating that Duke Apophis Breo was quite shrewd; it’s always good to deal with smart people!

"Uh, do you have some misunderstanding about the strength of the King's Landing family? The current King's Landing is not the King's Landing of the Imperial era..." Duke Apophis Breo said with some embarrassment and bitterness. If it were the King's Landing family in the past, even if it was only the last King's Landing family, they could have broken through the Eastern Avenue on their own, let alone simple maintenance and patrols.

"You're overthinking it! You're only responsible for this section!" Roland rolled his eyes at Apophis Breo and gestured on the map with his hand. He wasn't crazy enough to let a crippled family control a vast wilderness.

“No problem here! The King’s Landing family can guarantee the safety of this place!” Apophis Breo looked at the area Roland was gesturing to, from Brunan Ferry (the only way to reach Rivendell across the River of Roar) to Old Ferry. The east was the King’s Landing family’s fixed defense zone, and the Valley Elves were there to assist in the west. Duke Apophis Breo did not think there was any problem.

"Alright, now we just need to figure out how to get the elves and the Dúnedan people on board!" Roland smiled, and ideas began to pop into his head.

"I'm afraid they won't agree easily, will they?" Duke Apophis Breo said with some difficulty. Everyone knew that the elves were xenophobic and aloof. Whether the Dunedan people, who were used to wandering, could be properly negotiated was another matter. He felt that Roland was being too optimistic.

“As long as Elrond isn’t a fool, and the Dúnedan don’t want to be wiped out, they’ll take the bait!” Roland said calmly, confident as he held the script, because he knew Elrond wasn’t a fool, and the Dúnedan didn’t want to be wiped out!
I've been discharged from the hospital; my stomach problems have been taken to the hospital. I'll resume updates soon.