Construction projects in the city of Bathsheba, including city walls, public infrastructure, and establishments like roads, have been underway for years and are still incomplete. This prolonged construction process has significantly impacted the city's economy.
If Ryan didn't have the system, it would surely give him a headache. However, the system rewarded him with a blueprint for a kiln featuring an advanced design capable of reaching high temperatures. This blueprint offered Ryan a potential solution to many of the city's construction problems.
Ryan then utilized the blueprint to construct the kiln, hiring local citizens who possessed the necessary skills for the job. While the design of the kiln was advanced by the standards of Ryan's current world, it was still feasible to build with the medieval technology available in this world.
The blueprint provided by the system was ingenious, detailing the construction of the kiln as either a vertical or slightly inclined cylindrical shaft. It was to be made from heat-resistant materials such as stone or brick. To maintain and increase temperature, the kiln's inner wall was to be lined with clay or an early form of refractory material. Although true refractories were not available, certain types of clay or clay mixtures could still provide some level of insulation and heat resistance.
The kiln featured a system for regulating air intake and exhaust, equipped with adjustable vents or bellows. This is why Ryan enlisted the help of a blacksmith.
This innovation would allow Ryan to construct a kiln unlike any seen in this world before.
However, Ryan was aware that building grind mills was essential for producing cement. While the cement wouldn't match modern standards, it would be revolutionary in this medieval world.
The main issue was financial: Ryan didn't have sufficient funds to support the construction of both the kiln and the grind mills. His budget was stretched thin, barely covering the kiln's construction.
Therefore, Ryan realized he needed to engage in business. During his time in the city, he had closely studied the reasons behind the local economy's struggles.
He identified that, aside from corruption, the city's trade suffered because merchants, who had previously bribed city officials Ryan had arrested, were buying goods at unfairly low prices. Additionally, Bathsheba's isolation, compounded by dense forests and the lack of navigable roads and waterways, significantly hampered trade and escalated transportation costs for goods and resources.
The city of Bathsheba has been overlooked and neglected by its kingdom and lords for years, leading to insufficient investment in infrastructure, education, and public services. This neglect has inevitably resulted in economic stagnation and a host of other problems. In short, Bathsheba's poverty stems not only from corruption and mismanagement but from these deeper systemic issues, which have only exacerbated the situation.
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Strolling along the city's uneven paths in the morning light, Ryan, accompanied by Gilbert and Nalia, a hooded and robed elf concealing her identity, heads towards the newly started kiln construction site. As they walk, residents, initially wary of Ryan, now greet him while going about their daily routines.
"Good morning, Lord," an elder says, nodding respectfully as Ryan passes by.
"Good morning..." the greetings continue, more and more citizens acknowledging Ryan with a sense of newfound respect.
While Ryan managed a smile and nodded to the citizens, he actually felt uncomfortable and hastened past them, sighing in relief once they were beyond the residential area.
"What's wrong, Your Highness? You seem uncomfortable," Gilbert inquired as they continued towards the kiln construction site, with Nalia also casting a curious glance at Ryan.
Ryan responded with a wry smile, "How could I not feel uncomfortable with the foul stench lingering in the streets?"
Hearing this, Gilbert and Nalia shared a sense of helplessness.
"There's little we can do; such odors have become a part of this city," Gilbert sighed, seemingly resigned to the city's condition.
But Ryan, determined to address the issue, replied firmly, "I refuse to accept this. As the lord of this city, it's my duty to tackle its problems, and improving sanitation is one of the major challenges I intend to overcome."
Nalia looked genuinely surprised and asked, "How do you plan to tackle that?"
Ryan, slightly taken aback by Nalia's straightforward question, replied, "A key strategy is educating the populace. We need to construct public bathhouses and washrooms, develop a sewer system, establish waste management facilities, ensure a clean water supply, and more..."
As Gilbert and Nalia listened, their expressions revealed a mix of understanding and confusion. Ryan's plan seemed increasingly complex as he detailed it further.
Noticing their silence, Ryan reassured them, "Of course, all of these changes will be implemented slowly but surely. We'll adapt our construction plans as we progress, depending on our available funds."
Ryan looked ahead with a determined gaze, the weight of financial concerns on his mind.
"Money..." This thought sporadically danced through Ryan's mind. To increase revenue, he knew he had to improve the trade routes for merchants, which would lower transaction costs. However, his first step was to bolster the military forces to counter the bandits that sporadically harassed the merchants along these routes.
Negotiations with merchants for better terms were also on the horizon. Since the city's officials and elders had been arrested, no merchants had yet entered Bathsheba during Ryan's tenure. He had yet to discuss trade with them. Meanwhile, Ryan planned to leverage his modern knowledge from a past life to create unique products, setting Bathsheba apart and attracting wealth, though he was aware that progress would be gradual.
With the recent upgrade to the system, Ryan unlocked new features: the "System Shop" and "Currency Points." This development allowed him to purchase valuable items such as blueprints, books, and product designs that could be actualized in his current medieval world, complete with their manufacturing methods, ingredients, and formulas. What's more, these could be acquired using the world actual currency.
While Ryan already harbored ideas for unique products to manufacture and sell to the merchants, he realized that purchasing a prototype from the "System Shop" could enhance his understanding with precise methods, detailed ingredients, and formulas.
Deep in thought, Ryan suddenly recalled that his "first mission" remained unfinished. Perhaps, by bolstering the city's defenses, he could fulfill this initial goal and finally unlock the coveted "construction" feature.