Norton City, the heart of the continent, once the jewel of the empire, and now known as a place of "tranquility." Everyone, no matter where they live, knows that Norton City is the most prosperous city under the sky. It has maintained peace through countless turbulent years. During the "Dark Ages," when famine and chaos plagued the lands, Norton was the only city without a curfew, where the night was as lively as the day. People could revel through the night, with taverns never closing, and the music and dancing never stopping—a veritable paradise.
Of course, this is the exaggerated version passed down among the common folk. Norton is indeed prosperous, but it still has curfews, especially during times of tension and crisis, as evidenced by the weathered marks on its city walls. Even though the walls have been continuously repaired over the centuries, new scars are added each day. Norton City's prosperity is rooted in its location—at the center of the world—and in the arrival of the Time River, which nourishes all known civilizations, like a crown jewel set upon a diadem. The river divides Norton into northern and southern districts, and its numerous tributaries weave through the city like capillaries, forming a highly developed water transportation system. Thanks to this, Norton has become a hub for countless goods, attracting merchants from far and wide. In Norton, every household at least runs a small shop and never worries about a lack of business. All sorts of rare and common goods pass through the city, so there's no concern for scarcity—at least, not for this generation.
Norton's agriculture is also extremely prosperous. The fertile plains, fed by the Time River, yield abundant crops, and there is never a shortage of irrigation. The land grows whatever is planted. While solely relying on farming may not lead to great wealth, it's more than enough to sustain a large family of four generations. But what's most remarkable is that, while the middle and lower reaches of the Time River frequently flood, destroying villages and towns, Norton remains unscathed. A natural water conservancy system upstream, consisting of three uniquely aligned dams, tames the river at Norton's stretch. The great sage of Norton even led the people to strengthen and optimize this natural barrier, completely eliminating the threat of flooding. Combined with the urban waterways constructed during the sage's time, Norton City can truly be described as a place of peace and prosperity.
However, because of this, Norton lacks many essential things. It has almost no independent handicraft industry, and apart from farming tools, the farmers are entirely self-sufficient. There are ores in the mountains near the northern district, but mining operations were halted long ago due to various reasons. As a result, all metal tools and handmade goods have to be imported or brought in through trade. The only things in abundant supply are food and shiny copper coins.
The extent of this city's distorted development exceeded Wen Xian's imagination after just one day of exploration. He had also heard that the rest of the Norton Kingdom was much the same, benefiting from the bounty of the Time River. Norton City feasts on the meat, while other towns drink the soup. A town might have an extra blacksmith or two, but even those shops mostly sell goods brought in from elsewhere. There are no industrial workers, only small farmers, city dwellers, and wealthy merchants. The economy is dominated by the tertiary and primary sectors, with only a scant amount of basic handicraft.
"This country is playing a dangerous game," Wen Xian concluded after his day of investigation. He couldn't help but complain to Ai Wei: "You're completely neglecting everything. No, even a shepherd takes better care of their flock than you do. This city is like a porcelain vase—beautiful but fragile, with no solid industry to support it and relying entirely on external supplies. What happens when the city is surrounded, and the enemy starts harvesting the fields outside? You think the city walls and the imperial guard will protect you? Oh, I almost forgot, even your army is filled with shady characters sent by the feudal lords…"
"For centuries, no one has dared to covet this city. Feudal lords have schemed, emperors of the empire have drooled over it, but after their desires cool, even the most tyrannical and irrational ruler, like the Zhao emperor who once held control of the three passes, eventually retreats. During times of chaos, Norton absorbs countless refugees. That's when the sleeping mines will awaken, and workshops will spring up like mushrooms after the rain. This is a city that breathes, and it doesn't need anyone to take care of it," Ai Wei said, gazing out the carriage window. She had lived in this city for countless years. Even though, like Wen Xian, she had spent most of that time in slumber, her time here was far longer. She also knew that Wen Xian was just venting; the old him might have called her a "lazy dog" outright. Today's complaints were much gentler in comparison.
"I just hope you'll pay more attention. But I have a bad feeling. We both know this isn't some 'heavenly kingdom' on earth. There's no such thing as an invincible city, so reforming the military is crucial, and the city needs to change." Seeing Ai Wei's "I'm not listening" expression, Wen Xian could only move on to other matters, ignoring the unbothered princess.
Reorganizing the military was the top priority. There were too many spies in the ranks—Wen Xian had never seen a situation where the fish outnumbered the bait. But cleaning out such a large number of people left the question of how to replenish the forces. Recruiting young men from Norton was the best option, but would the relatively affluent and peaceful Nortoners be willing to enlist? Wen Xian had his doubts. "Are you worried about recruitment?" Ai Wei's sudden question caught Wen Xian off guard, but he nodded gently. "I've been 'away' for too long, and I don't know enough about the citizens. From your perspective, would Nortoners be willing to join the army?"
"The citizens and merchants probably wouldn't be eager. They prefer peace to keep their businesses running. Even if they're on the defensive in a war, as long as they can find some semblance of peace, they're likely to stay quiet. Wealthy merchants might even switch sides if they anticipate unfavorable outcomes. But small farmers are different. Their land is fixed, and in this era, wars are fought over land. When it comes to their own interests, they'll fight to the death. However, a standing army isn't something they'd want. They won't be willing to leave their land for long." Ai Wei's analysis matched Wen Xian's thoughts, and both fell into a moment of silence before simultaneously saying, "The refugees."
Around the neighboring feudal states roamed bandits and brigands, along with large numbers of displaced people. Some were refugees from fallen countries with no place to call home, others were descendants of wild tribes who never assimilated, and still others were wandering clans and tribes. "Not ideal, but workable. It'd be best to recruit a batch of 'good families,' then the refugees, the wild tribes, and finally, the wanderers," Wen Xian and Ai Wei quickly slipped into their usual mode of discussion, planning every detail.
"We need propaganda. The surrounding bandits and roving soldiers are a 'threat,' but they're also great for stirring up support. If used correctly, we might even get the merchants and citizens on our side."
"They wouldn't dare provoke Norton."
"But they could disrupt the flow of goods to Norton. If shipments are delayed by just one day, the middlemen in this city will lose money. They're the ones who want the trade routes to stay open, and they're very powerful."
"Simply raising pay won't appeal to the farmers. But what if we offer them higher social status?"
"Through propaganda, it could work, but it still won't be stable."
"Then we'll have to resort to…"
"…Let's not go there unless absolutely necessary."
"Norton needs more craftsmen. We should hire a batch with high pay. Their skills need to be up to standard, as they'll be crucial later. Even if we don't use them for the military, the city's workshops will need them."
"That'll still lead to the situation we just discussed."
"If we manage it carefully, the process will be much smoother."
…
By the time the carriage returned to the palace, the moon was high in the sky. Wen Xian and Ai Wei had even gotten out to walk along a street known as "The Sleepless City," where Ai Wei bought some sugar figures and a yogurt-like drink from a shop. By the time they reached the palace, the carriage was filled with strange trinkets and sweets.
"Aren't you worried about ruining your teeth?" Wen Xian glanced at the pile of sweets and then at Ai Wei, who was still chewing on a sugar figure.
"With teeth like ours, how could we possibly have toothaches?"
"True enough, but still, go easy on the sweets." The two shared a smile.