"It's population and talent that we need the most! Our town needs everything to be built up. Money can be earned later, but what we lack the most right now are people and skilled individuals!"
Galen Veritas was still puzzled, his face full of confusion. "But how does this population and talent relate to your order for me to join those merchants in inflating grain prices?"
Magnus Valorion explained in detail since Galen still hadn't grasped the meaning.
"Galen, think about it. If the grain prices in Greenwood Town and Willowbrook Town are high, but they somehow find out that our Green River Town's grain is very cheap, what will the people in those towns do?"
Galen's eyes lit up with understanding.
"If the merchants in Greenwood Town and Willowbrook Town raise the grain prices so high that the common people can't afford it, and then they learn that Green River Town has cheap grain, they will naturally come to our town."
Galen praised excitedly, "Brilliant! So you plan to use this method to help the people of those towns!"
"By doing this, the people from those towns will move to Green River Town. This will solve our shortage of population and labor."
Magnus continued explaining his plan to Galen. "Find some clever individuals, and in a few days, set up a grain store in Greenwood Town and Willowbrook Town. Make good relations with the local merchants, and then together raise the grain prices so high that the people can't afford to eat."
Understanding Magnus' intentions, Galen quickly went to find suitable candidates in the town. He eventually chose John Falstaff, who had once been caught drinking porridge among the conscripts.
Besides this plan, Magnus also began distributing sacred mountain potato seeds to the town's people.
Upon learning that these potato seeds could yield 3000 jin per mu, the people of Green River Town were astonished. However, having witnessed the miracle of the Eternal Spring Well, they believed in Magnus without question.
Magnus also announced his talent recruitment plan to the entire town.
Anyone who could bring a laborer to settle in Green River Town would receive 100 jin of rice as a resettlement allowance, and the local introducer would get 10 jin of rice.
Those who could bring skilled workers like stonemasons, carpenters, or blacksmiths would receive 200 jin of rice, and the introducer would get 30 jin of rice.
Anyone who could bring literate and educated individuals would receive 300 jin of rice, and the introducer would get 50 jin of rice.
The townspeople of Green River Town were eager to participate in this rewarding plan. They sought out literate individuals to write letters to their relatives in Greenwood Town and Willowbrook Town, inviting them to settle in Green River Town.
At first, the people in Greenwood Town and Willowbrook Town didn't believe the letters from their relatives in Green River Town.
They knew that Green River Town had been ravaged by the Altai Tribe a year ago, with many killed and the town's leaders beheaded.
It seemed improbable that Green River Town could become a paradise in just one year.
However, as the grain prices continued to rise and more people received similar letters, the people of Greenwood Town and Willowbrook Town began to reconsider.
"Why not go to Green River Town and see for ourselves?" This thought began to take root among the townspeople.
The life of the people in Greenwood Town and Willowbrook Town was similar to that in Green River Town. They all struggled for survival, relying on the mercy of the heavens for their livelihood.
Last year, the Altai Tribe took advantage of the main army's departure from Ironclad Pass to resist the Sami Tribe's invasion. A group of 4-5 thousand Altai cavalry bypassed the defenses and directly attacked Green River Town, capturing many people.
Even though Ironclad Pass had 50,000 soldiers, the commander feared it was a trap to lure them out and didn't send aid, allowing Green River Town to be ravaged.
Now, the people of Greenwood Town and Willowbrook Town received letters from their relatives in Green River Town.
The letters described a life of abundance, eating refined rice and pickled vegetables with oil and salt.
The letters invited them to move to Green River Town to live a blessed life.
Refined rice? Pickled vegetables with oil and salt?
The people of Greenwood Town and Willowbrook Town couldn't imagine such luxuries, especially after last year's disaster.
If it were the information age, they might suspect a scam.
But with grain prices soaring, now reaching nearly one tael of silver per jin of coarse grain, they couldn't afford it.
These hardworking farmers barely earned a few taels of silver a year.
Now, one tael only bought a jin of coarse grain, which wouldn't last long.
The people couldn't survive and remembered the letters from Green River Town.
If they couldn't live in Greenwood Town or Willowbrook Town, they might as well escape to Green River Town.
They hoped to find the low grain prices as described.
Robert Miller, a blacksmith in Greenwood Town, was among those fleeing to Green River Town.
In the Great Latium Imperium, traveling required official permits.
But with the nation in turmoil, these permits were largely ignored, especially in disaster-stricken border towns.
Robert Miller, a free blacksmith and cousin of James Miller from Green River Town, heeded his cousin's advice and moved his family to Green River Town.