The huge aerial gunboat departed from Ascatla and flew northeast along the land route, passing through the large areas of cloud and mist mountains to the north and south of the Chongsa River. The area originally known as the green wilderness was soon cultivated by many people.
The farmer observed.
Because now this great plain has been completely developed into the farmland and pastures of the empire's granary, and is home to more than 1.5 million people.
It can almost be said to be the most important large granary in the entire Amn and West Heartland regions, continuously providing cheap enough food, vegetables, meat, eggs, milk and other supplies for the growing urban population.
Through large-scale water conservancy construction, the Chongsa River and abundant water resources were diverted by canals, irrigating the thriving food and pasture.
Tens of thousands of cattle and sheep are grazing leisurely, and the herdsmen are resting on horseback with their hounds. They don't have to worry about it all day long in case a beast or monster suddenly rushes out of the dense forest and attacks them.
Or the herd attacks.
Because under the orders of the Imperial Cabinet, whether it is the Cloak Forest, the Sharptooth Forest, or the Viper Forest sandwiched between the two mountainous areas, they have become smaller and smaller due to crazy cutting day and night, and it is estimated that they will disappear completely in a short time.
High-quality wood is sent to the city for shipbuilding and fine furniture, while cheap wood is used to build houses for local people, make fences and fences, and even worse wood is simply chopped into firewood.
In short, in order to build a safe granary, the important ministers of the West Coast Empire did everything they could.
As for the animals that were previously protected by druids, as well as the ferocious monsters living in the forest, all of them were encircled and suppressed by adventurers and patrols.
They will sell goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, half-orcs, gnolls and other intelligent creatures as trophies to slave traders.
Either as a supporting role in a duel show, they use their blood and life to perform for the bloodthirsty audience, or they are transported to countries where slavery is still practiced.
Ordinary beasts will decide how to deal with it based on the market price.
Some pets that are sought after by the upper class will be captured alive and sent to animal trainers for domestication. Those with expensive fur will be killed and skinned. Those with research value, such as giant spiders, pterosaurs, and itter monsters, are often sold.
To the mage.
Since there was no obstruction from the Druids, everything went smoothly.
As the spiritual structure of the three forests was severely damaged, the number of various monsters and beasts decreased sharply. It became a problem for them to even protect themselves, let alone running out to attack the villages.
Some tribes wanted to flee south into the Yunwu Mountains to survive, but they were easily annihilated by the cavalry deployed in the mining town of Naxikai.
Facts have proved that when a unified and powerful empire rises, these threats scattered all over Faerûn are nothing at all.
This is why during the unprecedented prosperity of Netheril, there were almost no records of monsters and beasts attacking human towns and villages.
Even the dragons who always think highly of themselves will stay far away from the rule of the Netherese.
Otherwise, they will either be captured and enslaved, or they will be killed directly and turned into casting materials and raw materials for various weapons and equipment.
With the help of powerful magic and technological power, the so-called "great nature" is nothing more than a plaything that can be kneaded, transformed and reshaped at will.
Respect nature?
Follow nature?
Protect nature?
Stop it!
As the emperor of the empire, Zuo Sicai did not believe this.
Similarly, his legendary lichs and a large number of arcane spellcasters also disdain this.
Even the Carlin Desert in the south came to life again in the face of Marvin's worldweaving skills, and a large number of low vegetation had grown on its edges.
All the cloudy mountains, Broken Tooth Mountains, Xingxuan Mountains that hinder coastal land transportation, or the Alamere Mountains in the south that block the connection with Steam Lake, are all directly split through the tenth ring, eleventh ring and legendary spells. At the critical moment.
Build castles, fortresses and passes at the location, and station a certain number of troops at the same time.
With this kind of land, sea and air transportation being completely connected, you can imagine how prosperous trade and commerce will be.
In addition, after a series of negotiations and the mediation of Kelben and Lyra, Waterdeep also nominally joined the empire and became an autonomous city, no longer having independent diplomatic and military powers.
There is no longer any force on the west coast of the entire continent that can prevent the empire from completely annexing the north, whether it is openly or secretly.
Since they had done their homework in advance when they came, the senior officials of the Eternal Judgment Island Elf Army were very aware of the terrifying potential of this rapidly rising human empire.
Especially the scenes they saw along the way on the airship deeply shocked many of them.
Although in the perception of most elves, the continent of Faerûn, with the exception of Evermeet Island, is a rural place not worth mentioning. It is barren and backward, and is also full of vulgarity and savagery.
But the West Coast Empire is clearly not one of them.
Because even during the most prosperous period when the elves controlled the hegemony of the continent, they had never had any country rule over such a large population and such a vast land, let alone millions of people gathered together to form huge urban communities.
When the gunboat passed by Simon Harbor and officially entered the sky over the Sea of ​​Fallen Stars, the top commander of this army, Severil Militar, finally couldn't help but ask: "How on earth do they manage such a huge country?"
So prosperous and well organized?”
"It's very simple, relying on a complex and professional bureaucracy, as well as ubiquitous surveillance and gruesome punishment methods.
Officials with outstanding performance in the administrative system of the West Coast Empire have the opportunity to go to the ninth level of Baator Hell to learn and practice the advanced concepts and management methods there.
When they come back, their understanding of politics, economics, and public opinion control will be elevated to a level that is unimaginable for ordinary people in this world.
Under the command of these elites, instead of being bloated and slow like other huge empires, the bureaucracy will operate efficiently.
This is why in just a few years, the entire west coast of Faerûn has shown a completely different scene from the central and eastern parts.
Otherwise, why do you think Her Majesty Queen Amratnu would take the initiative to show her kindness to a human country?
Why does the great Corellon look at Soth in a different light?"
Silinxi bluntly stated the information she had.
Since she had been to the ninth level of Baator Hell and met the bureaucrats who were "internships" there, she understood that the West Coast Empire's rapid rise was not a fluke or an accident.
Moreover, there are currently many key positions in the empire system that are held by people who have signed contracts and intend to go to hell after death. Some are simply devils who have transformed into humans.
Therefore, the lawfulness and stability of the West Coast Empire are full from the beginning.
Coupled with Zuo Si's own evil tendencies, he will not show mercy at all when suppressing rebellions and exterminating threats. Even if there are external forces who want to cause trouble, the result will most likely end in dismal failure.
"So our strategy in the next few hundred years is to maintain the friendship with the West Coast Empire, or to be precise, maintain the friendship with His Majesty Soth, and then use his power to ensure the presence and voice of the elves on the continent?"
A thoughtful expression appeared on Severil Militar's face.
As a noble elite of Yongju Island, it is naturally impossible for him to be unaware of the worries of Yongju Island's senior officials.
From DR837 to DR1343, the elves of Faerûn entered an era that historians call the "Great Retreat."
Countless elves voluntarily abandoned their homes and migrated back to Evermeet Island.
Although there are rumors from the outside that this is due to the rise of humans and the fact that many elven territories are crumbling under external threats.
The fall of the Kingdom of Cormanthor in particular intensified this process.
But the sun elf commander knew very well that the reason for the elf retreat was not from an external threat, but from an ancient prophecy, a prophecy about the destruction of the world.
It originates from a book called "The Mysteries of Tirantil", which records the prophecies related to elves made by many well-known prophets, including Arando the Wise.
Of the more than two thousand prophecies, a quarter of them have been fulfilled or are about to be fulfilled.
Among them, a great prophet named Galalith Durothor made a prediction, which roughly means that when the end of the world comes, seven disasters will come at the same time.
One of them comes from the north, one from the south, two from the distant eastern continent Karatu, one from the hot southern subcontinent Zakara connected to Karatu, one from the Maztec continent, and the last one comes from a mysterious place beyond the giant sea.
Place.
The seven disasters will combine with the orcs, giants, dragons and other evil creatures in this world to form a terrifying army that sweeps the world.
In order to preserve their strength and avoid a war with the rising humans for continental hegemony, the elven leaders actively chose to give in after discussion.
In fact, as early as the era of Netheril, the elves had discussed whether to completely destroy this human magical civilization to ensure that they would remain the undisputed overlord of Faerûn.
Don't think this is a joke!
As long as they were willing, they really had such strength at that time, but they would also suffer heavy losses.
But in the end the elves chose to give in, and officially confirmed in DR837 that they would retreat from the mainland in order to accumulate strength to deal with the predicted disaster.
Moreover, an organization called the Council of the Seven in Avery-Everlon was specially established to take charge of this matter.
The leader, Lalandre Silversong, is not only a powerful high-level elf mage lord, but also the oldest known elf in Faerûn. It is said that the blood of the Lord God Corellon flows in his body.
But the problem is that with the evacuation basically completed, the senior officials of Yongju Island suddenly realized that it would still take a long time before the prophecy became a reality.
The overly safe environment of Everjum Island also caused a large number of elves to lose their vigilance and tenacious will to fight.
In addition, the disappearance of a large number of elves has also made other races on the continent take elves less and less seriously.
There have even been cases of large-scale hunting of elves as slaves on a national basis.
To be continued...