After I died, my personal maid rebelled.

Upon returning to the Duke's mansion, Elena began her routine check-up.

Oswald had no idea what she was checking; it was a habit she'd had in her previous life. From the Duke's mansion's entry and exit records to the purchasing lists, to personnel changes and hygiene conditions within the mansion…

In short, after Eleanor had completed all the examinations, Oswald, who was almost asleep in front of the fireplace, finally saw her.

After changing into a clean maid's outfit, Elena respectfully handed the report to Oswald.

"You've worked hard, please have a seat."

After Eleanor sat down, Oswald began to carefully read the report on the establishment of the coal yard.

Food, energy, finance, population.

Of these four major problems, perhaps the only one that can give Oswald a slight respite is energy.

Elena did an excellent job; she led more than 500 miners to not only successfully open up roads, but also establish settlements near the coalfield.

Before she left, they had already built a wooden house that could shelter them from the wind and rain, and could produce hundreds of tons of high-quality coal every day.

With a stable coal supply secured, the next step is iron smelting.

This year and in the coming years, the entire territory needs to recuperate and rebuild, but the construction of the army cannot be delayed for even a day, especially in terms of the supply rate of weapons and equipment.

Iron armor is unsuitable for the northern climate and was something Oswald abandoned in his previous life. In contrast, soldiers in cotton armor have a higher survival rate and combat effectiveness on the battlefield, which has pointed him in the direction of future military development.

In addition, the development of cavalry and archers, two elite forces, should also be put on the agenda.

However, taking too big a step can easily backfire. After the defeat, the total number of troops under the Duke's control had plummeted to 35,000, completely losing the ability to launch an offensive.

Tower defense games always involve defending towers.

Therefore, Oswald decided to select 2,000 elite cavalry and 3,000 archers from these 35,000 men for separate training, with the location set in the city of Kuogu.

Kuogu City is located between Bingcheng, the capital of the northern lord, and Xingluo City, a majestic pass in the north. It is situated in a basin-like terrain between two vertical mountains.

In front of the city was a narrow, green forest path, making it a strategically important location; behind the city were large tracts of flat land, rich in water and grass, suitable for settlement and raising troops.

As for the mountains on both sides, although steep, they are rich in iron ore resources. Given these favorable conditions, this place has become the perfect choice for building a military camp.

Of the remaining 30,000 soldiers, 5,000 elite troops under Red's command were needed to guard Ice City and could not be transferred away. This was one of the few troops under Oswald that could still engage in field battles.

Oswald planned to divide the remaining troops into five regiments of five thousand men each, consisting of two garrison regiments and three reserve regiments.

The two garrison regiments were mainly composed of veterans who were still capable of fighting, and were assigned to guard the two passes of Xingluo City and Kuogu City respectively, with priority given to supplying them with military resources.

The three reserve regiments underwent collective training in the newly established military camp, while also undertaking land reclamation tasks.

When Oswald handed the project document, titled "Iron and Fire," to Elene, Elene's eyelids twitched involuntarily a few times.

After a long while, she finally managed to make out two words from between the densely packed characters: money and grain!

They want to open mines, establish military camps, and carry out a series of production activities... This is no longer just about tightening their belts; it's about pouring the entire Northern Territory's finances into the military.

"Duke," Elena took a deep breath, gently set down the plan, and looked up to ask, "Where will the funding for implementing this plan come from?"

Could it be that they're going to raid the home of some nobleman again?

"I am quite wealthy."

Oswald turned his head and inadvertently met Elene's bright eyes, then lost in thought for a moment.

Without making a sound, he picked up a glass of cheap ale, the kind only the poor would drink, forced a smile, and greeted Elena.

Elena quickly looked away, fiddling with the wrinkles in her skirt. Coming to her senses, she realized the Duke wasn't even sparing her; he intended to confiscate her property.

"Go and recruit disaster victims. Also, announce to all residents of the Northern Territory that the poor who have little or no land can come to the Duke's Mansion to sign a document and obtain the right to use the Marquis's land. Taxes will remain unchanged, and no land rent will be charged!"

With Oswald's command, the entire Northern Territory burst forth with vibrant life, as if spring had returned.

An era of great change has begun. As soon as March arrived, the spring breeze had just awakened the green buds, and the main roads in the northern territory were bustling with soldiers and civilians coming and going.

Most of the army headed north towards the vicinity of Kuogu City, accompanied by a large number of disaster victims who, with their families in tow, were escorted by cavalry to build new homes.

Many more people went east, where the main agricultural production areas were located. In addition to those returning to their hometowns, there was also a group of new farmers carrying documents from the Duke's mansion.

They didn't quite understand the term "right of use," but they understood the phrase "although the land isn't theirs, they can cultivate it for free for thirty years."

Thirty years from now, if they still want to farm, they can sign another contract and pass it down from generation to generation.

This was truly a windfall, a once-in-a-century stroke of luck. The Marquis's mansion was a renowned landowning family, owning only the finest properties. In the past, even selling oneself to them to farm would have been out of the question for these emaciated poor people.

Now, with just a word from the Duke, the land has been divided up, with each person receiving dozens of acres, all in one continuous block, as big and flat as a pancake.

What business is there with marquises? Don't they know that the entire north belongs to the dukes?

On the other hand, the departure of a large number of people has allowed the ice city to return to its former tranquility.

However, as the earth-shattering news of the division of the Marquis's estate spread, undercurrents began to stir beneath the calm surface.

The nobles were filled with unease. Red hurried along and knocked on the door of the Duke's office.

"Enter!"

Pushing open the door, Red froze, his mouth agape. Before the desk, the Duke's usual tyrannical and domineering face was nowhere to be seen; all that remained was a pair of calm eyes.

He took a deep breath, pointed at the other woman, and roared angrily, "Elena, what are you trying to do, sitting in the Duke's seat like that?!"

Alini, who was busy with official business, ignored it. She put down her pen, took a piece of paper from her desk drawer, placed it on the table, and smiled faintly.

"Leave this to you, Duke."

Red glanced at her suspiciously, then quickly stepped forward, grabbed the letter, and was immediately terrified, breaking out in a cold sweat after just one glance.

There was only one sentence on it, not even a signature, but he still recognized the Duke's handwriting. The elegant, flowing characters read: "Of the money the nobles gave you, you keep ten percent, and hand over the rest. Furthermore, if a noble rebellion breaks out while I am away, you will come to me with your head."

Swallowing hard, Red had completely lost the imposing manner he had displayed when criticizing Elena. He then asked a question weakly to another loyal subject of the Duke's mansion, who was of the same type.

"What percentage will you hand over?"

Elena smiled smugly, revealing her canine teeth, and spread out her five fingers with a bright smile.

"What?!" Red screamed sharply. It's unfair! It's so unfair! He could tell from the last reward that the Duke was exceptionally biased. Apart from not being able to be a maid, in terms of loyalty and merit, in what way was he inferior to her!

"On what grounds?"

Red stiffened his neck, displaying an air of determination that he wouldn't leave the ground until he received an explanation.

"You scoundrel! A soldier's fame and fortune are all earned on horseback. As long as you win battles, what rewards will you receive?"

Elena glanced at him, snorted coldly, and continued, "You call yourself the commander of a knightly order? Taking bribes is not something you should be doing! That's my daily job as your personal maid! That money can only pass through my hands!"

"Corrupt officials..."

Red walked away dejectedly. There was nothing he could do but pay up. Oswald was no saint; if he didn't obey, he wouldn't even be able to keep his position as the Grand Master of the Knights.

However, Elena is right about one thing: a soldier's wealth lies on horseback. If he can't win battles, then he's truly nothing...

At the same time that Reid was struggling to hold onto his position, Oswald led a troop of cavalry off the main road and into an unknown village.

The village is small, built against the mountain, with low houses scattered along several streams, creating a peaceful and serene scene.

Upon seeing a large cavalry force approaching, the villagers who were farming in the fields straightened up and curiously looked around, leaning on their hoes.

The children, being bolder, climbed onto the top of the wall and shouted excitedly.

Although the place is remote, people still recognize the insignia of the Duke's cavalry. After all, the north is constantly at war, and if someone can't recognize their own troops or know which way to run, they're dumber than a pig.

Lately, passersby occasionally stop by the village to rest, and they all tell stories about the big city. I heard that the newly appointed duke is a kind-hearted man who not only distributes food for disaster relief but also allocates land for others to cultivate.

Every time the strong young men in the village heard passersby talk about it, they would beat their chests and sigh with regret, wondering why they weren't there when such a good thing happened.

That's land! Land you can get just by signing the papers!

I wonder which nobleman the duke will arrest next, and whether he will even take their land.

In short, now, surrounded by children, the cavalrymen dismounted at the village entrance and slowly walked into the village.

A respected elderly man, leaning on a cane, approached and asked shakily, "May I ask what brings you here?"

Oswald, dressed in military uniform, stepped forward and politely replied, "I'm here to see someone named Federico."

The old man nodded emphatically upon hearing this, and pointed to a young, burly man idly picking lice under a large tree not far away, saying, "That's him."

Oswald's lips twitched. He had heard that Federico was a scoundrel before he joined the army, but to be so idle as to pick lice during the busy farming season... that's true, seeing is believing.

Federico's father was once the most powerful bandit in the royal city area. He was brave and warlike, and fearless of the powerful and wealthy. At its peak, he had nearly 10,000 men under his command.

However, the tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind. After the bandits were wiped out and his father died, Federico, who escaped alone, disguised himself as a vagrant and came to the territory of the Duke of the North in order to avoid being investigated.

This person was a legendary figure in the Northern Army in his previous life.

In just four years, he won dozens of battles, rising from a common soldier to a junior officer, and eventually becoming a general commanding the three armies.

Not only was his resume astonishing, but he also amassed numerous military achievements, including beheading generals, capturing flags, and being the first to scale enemy lines, which aroused the envy and admiration of countless soldiers.

However, standing in front of this person again, Oswald couldn't help but wonder if he had arrived too early.

What is this rotten person in front of me?! I'm asking you, what exactly is this stinking, smelly rotten person who picks their nose and then their toes?!

Federico had just glanced at the newcomer with a sidelong squint when Oswald lashed his riding crop across him with a sharp crack.

"Get up!" Oswald roared, lashing out with the whip again.

Federico let out a few strange cries, covered his face, and stood up unsteadily, looking at Oswald with a mixture of confusion and fear.

This soldier is so unreasonable, why did he hit me for no reason?

"Stand up straight!"

When the third lash fell, Federico finally behaved, taut his back, which hadn't been straightened for years, and a few crisp, rusty sounds rang out.

Oswald was still furious. Before coming here, he had thought of many classic cases of talented people finding their mentors, and even hoped for a touching story of a country meeting a good general and a wise ruler.

It is said that Shun rose from the fields, Fu Yue was raised from the construction site, and Jiao Ge was raised from the fish and salt trade... Many of those great historical figures, those who could be called the people to whom Heaven bestows great responsibilities, were, before they rose to prominence, even greater working people.

Look at this guy, he's doing nothing during the busy farming season. A perfectly good young laborer has turned into a beggar!

Oswald now strongly suspects that Federico's initial reason for joining the army was likely due to years of war, when his village had no surplus food to provide for him, and he had no choice but to enter the army to fill his stomach.

Having lost interest in testing Federico's abilities, Oswald coldly tossed out a single sentence before turning and leaving: "From now on, you are one of my soldiers. Follow me immediately!"