themonasnovels Chapter 224 What he was most worried about
Chapter 224 What he was most worried about
Upon hearing Richard's plan, Lucy raised her hand to cover her mouth, afraid that she would cry out in surprise.
Ten copper coins are really not expensive; they can only buy a few kilograms of grain, which free citizens can certainly afford.
Even if all ten members of a large family are infected, it would only cost a single silver coin.
This is the monthly wage for the cheapest labor, barely enough to keep a family alive, and it's not even worth mentioning.
However, for Richard, ten copper coins were a small amount, but the large population base made up for it!
The Northern Territory comprises dozens of territories, large and small. Some, like Frostfowl and Wolves, have populations of hundreds of thousands, while others, like Snow Deer and Snow Fox, still have tens of thousands.
If you add it all up, even if it's just ten copper coins, it would amount to at least several thousand gold coins. More importantly, the idea of providing free treatment for serfs is simply brilliant!
Serfs were the private property of the lord and the core force for cultivating and working the land.
If a large number of serfs die, agricultural production in the territory will inevitably collapse unless new serfs are purchased from the East or South after the plague ends.
That's a huge sum of money!
Richard's free treatment of the serfs was tantamount to helping other lords preserve their power and protect their wealth.
Those lords would certainly be grateful and would not refuse his request to treat the free people; they might even actively cooperate in the propaganda.
More importantly, Chiffon's reputation for benevolence will spread throughout the North, making it much easier to recruit exceptional talent and expand her influence in the future.
"Richard, you're so smart!"
Lucy's eyes were full of adoration, and she tightened her grip on his arm, as if she was afraid he would suddenly run away.
"This way, you can not only make a lot of money, but also gain the favor of all the lords in the North—a win-win situation!"
...
Richard smiled slightly and said nothing.
This practice of charging for treatment is absolutely profiteering from a national crisis, but let's not forget that this is a feudal society.
Free treatment?
what do you want?
Trying to show off how great you are, trying to show off how awesome you are, huh?
If it's a paid treatment, other nobles might think this guy is annoying and despicable, that he can actually make money that I can't.
But at the same time, you'll also think this guy is really amazing, so awesome, that he can actually make a fortune at a time like this!
Of course, there is an even more reckless method, which is to only help the three families in the far north. Doing so would definitely make them the public enemy of the entire North.
...
Actually...
When Richard learned of the plague's spread, he was not most worried about Lucy, because she was a superhuman and immune to the plague.
It wasn't Karl's side either, since he was with an Apostle of Life.
Since his other older siblings weren't in the North, there wasn't much to be afraid of, so he didn't initially think about making money from it.
His biggest worry was Katherine.
If I had known a plague would occur, I should have stopped her then, instead of letting her leave out of respect for her choice.
It's only been a few days since she left, so the most likely scenario is that she's in Frost City.
So Richard didn't hesitate, gathered his troops and set off, intending to rescue everyone in the town.
He didn't see himself as a pushover; he simply couldn't bear to watch those loyal to him die.
If she is already infected, that's alright; the apostles of life can indirectly help her get through this natural disaster.
If she is already dead...
"Lucy."
Richard pulled a portrait from his pocket, his tone slightly wistful.
"When the frost begins to collect the corpses of those who died of disease in the city, check if this person is among them. If so, seal him in a coffin and send him to Chiffon."
Lucy took the portrait, which depicted a girl with an extremely ordinary appearance.
"Who is she?"
"A soldier who dares not return to Chiffon."
"Okay, I'll have all the artists make several hundred copies, and then distribute them."
Richard nodded and said thank you.
Regardless, Qifeng City will be completed soon. If she really dies outside, she must be brought back for a proper burial.
...
...
Next, all the soldiers and knights of Frost City were mobilized, and they dispersed in groups of several throughout the streets and alleys, loudly announcing the Frost Princess's orders.
"Frosthold has issued an order! All infected individuals must immediately proceed to the designated area. Miss Lucy will send personnel to provide free treatment!"
"Gods, protect us! The plague is over! No need to stay home and wait to die any longer! Come out and gather!"
Those who are alive will always try to grasp at the last straw.
Those people who were huddled in their houses waiting for death to come, upon hearing the soldiers' shouts, burst forth with a desire to survive!
Those who could move helped those who couldn't; a father carried his feverish son on his back, and a wife dragged her husband who was coughing up blood.
The crowd moved slowly but steadily in the direction indicated by the soldier, like sewage flowing into a stream.
However, many families are filled with seriously ill patients who are unable to move at all, and even crawling out onto the street has become a luxury.
An orphan and his widow struggled to climb out of their own door, but were too weak to take another step. They could only weep silently in the torment of their illness.
...
"Give me a hand."
It's unclear who spoke first, but the uninfected free citizens all came out of their homes and offered their help without prior arrangement.
They dismantled door panels to use as stretchers, and in groups of several, they carefully carried out the seriously ill infected people from house to house.
Everyone is striving towards the hope of survival.
Once the crowd had gathered, a shower of light fell from nowhere.
Pure, gentle, and imbued with the life force of spring sunshine, it gently and densely showers upon everyone.
"I...I'm all better?"
"Gods above! My wife is finally healed! Hahahaha!"
"Son! You... Waaah!"
Some people knelt on the ground and kissed the soil, some hugged the strangers next to them and cried loudly, and some even kowtowed repeatedly towards Frostholdt.
This scene unfolded throughout Frost City: the castle square in the north, the market street in the east, the warehouse grounds in the west, the training grounds in the south...
Rains of light, imbued with pure vitality, fell from the sky, landing on all those who were infected or not.
The Apostle of Life, escorted by the Frost Knight, arrived at the gathering point, healed the crowd, and then rushed to the next location without stopping.
...
The Black Serpent Plague contained a faint magical power and spread at an extremely terrifying speed, sweeping across the entire city like wildfire.
Those who were not infected have demonstrated that their bodies are immune to the disease.
Those who have been infected and cured have developed antibodies and no longer need to worry about relapse or reinfection.
This means that every batch cured is one less batch available, and the shadow of the plague is dissipating much faster than expected.
Three hours later...
When the black snake markings on the last infected person completely disappeared, there were no more infected people in the entire Frost City.
Hundreds of thousands of people, frozen in the cold, gathered in the streets and squares, looking up and shouting deafeningly towards the castle!
...
"Long live frost!!"
"Long live Miss Lucy!!"
The entire town roared in a frenzy, the sound soaring to the heavens, shattering the despair and deathly silence that had shrouded the area for days!