A timeless code of law can hardly ever be implemented if one waits for it to be completely perfected. All things and developments change rapidly; nothing stays the same forever.
Aililan’s idea was: you compile yours, but if I need something urgently now, just get it out for me first. The Commercial Act urgently needed to be implemented now.
How to encourage and stimulate merchants, and how to restrict them. This became the most important matter in the act.
“Killing them with one strike is clearly unrealistic, because I still need the nascent merchant class to impact the old noble class.”
“But if we let them develop unchecked, allowing merchants to become oligarchic unicorns, that would be even worse.”
“Moreover, the old nobles are essentially the true supporters of the Church, that is, my stratum. I cannot undermine my own roots.”
It could be said that this was walking a tightrope. One wrong step and everything would be lost.
Aililan had thought about whether the old nobles could be transformed into a new merchant capitalist class. But she dismissed the idea, because the old nobles’ greed would only make them rely on power and means to become privileged merchants.
And for Aililan, what troubled her most? It wasn’t that the nobles had too much power. Rather, it was that a large number of fiefs were in the hands of nobles, who had extremely high authority within their own tribute territories, to the extent that within a single region, there might be dozens of different types of taxes.
Therefore, the first step of the “Commercial Act” should be to allow nobles to borrow from the central treasury, or from merchants, by mortgaging their economic privileges or even their lands.
Aililan’s brows relaxed slightly; she had a glimmer of an idea.
“The central treasury here should naturally be based on Atester’s finances, and we can establish a gold bank institution.”
“But our own financial resources are limited.”
“So we can introduce merchant capital, which is to say, borrowing a chicken to lay eggs.”
“Although at the beginning, many of the lands and economic privileges mortgaged by nobles will fall into the hands of those merchants.”
“But as the saying goes, a grain of sand in an era can be a mountain when it falls on an individual.”
“With just a small policy adjustment, we can completely reap the merchants.”
Aililan wrote furiously, producing a thick stack of plans. Then she immediately called in the people from the Ministry of Finance to discuss together.
After Grace read it, her brows deeply furrowed. She said, “Saintess, this plan of yours is really a bit too fanciful.”
Aililan asked, “Do you mean it’s impossible to implement?”
Grace shook her head and said, “On the contrary, it should receive an enormous response and acclaim. Merchants have long coveted the economic privileges of the nobles. Many nobles, though bearing the name of nobility, are actually down-and-out—either bankrupt or on the verge of bankruptcy. Being able to mortgage and sell makes them happy too. And the great nobles can also take the opportunity to merge.”
“Saintess, how do we restrict merchants when they grow too big? And how do we deal with nobles becoming even greater nobles?”
Aililan: “Then why are you worried?”
“Merchants are nothing to fear.”
“But they have the backing of the Continental Chamber of Commerce.”
“Then stipulate in the Commercial Act that only local merchants can participate, and they must act according to Atester’s laws. Simply put, if they want a piece of the pie, they must sever ties with the Continental Chamber of Commerce.”
“And what about the great nobles?”
“As long as we regulate the Commercial Act properly, keep a close watch on the great nobles’ abuse of power, and let them compete fairly with merchants in a relatively fair business environment. Trust me, the speed of merchant evolution will sweep them away into pieces.”
“Well, Saintess, what you say might be right. But when merchants rise, what if they raise private armies and become powerful?”
“My dear Finance Chief Grace, we cannot achieve everything in one step, nor can we put a halter around their necks from the start. You want the horse to run but not let it eat—is that possible?”
Aililan took a deep breath and continued, “Regarding your concerns, it only takes a small rebellion, or a major case, or we can actively trigger one, and then we can strike like thunder. At that time, we can enact a law to forbid merchants from having private armies.”
“But such a law should absolutely not appear now.”
The group discussed for a long time before finally settling on a plan. The Ministry of Finance acted extremely quickly, announcing it to the public almost the next day.
It almost instantly ignited the entire Atester, and then the trend gradually spread to the surrounding major cities.
The most excited were undoubtedly the merchants and the great nobles. The merchants craved privileges. The great nobles wanted larger territories.
And those most impacted were undoubtedly the middle and lower nobles. Those on the verge of bankruptcy were naturally overjoyed, but there were also many with worried expressions.
“It’s not that I want to criticize, but who can guarantee that their descendants will always be smart? If a fool appears, they can squander the family fortune in a few years.”
“Don’t criticize the Saintess’s decision. After all, for those who can’t manage their territories well, this is also a way out.”
“Is this aimed at us?”
“You’re right. Before, there was at least a safety net; as long as the family name continued, there would always be a day of recovery. Now I feel there’s a big net.”
“What big net?”
“A net of merchants and great nobles. Once we make the slightest mistake, they’ll pounce and devour us clean. Once we cross the kill line, we’re done for.”
But even if there were clear-sighted people, what could they do? The highest echelons and the great nobles were all enthusiastic about this matter, and even many middle and lower nobles were eager to cash out to sustain their lives. They were not united internally.
Therefore, although there were some objections, the voices were never loud and were drowned in the waves.
On the contrary, the Continental Chamber of Commerce actually protested against Aililan’s restriction on their participation. But it was useless. Most merchants would never step out of the Church’s territory in their lifetime. As for those big merchants? The cake was placed there anyway; they could eat it or leave it.
Aililan didn’t even want to bother with them, and instead threw herself into an even grander activity.
She looked at the two location options for building a city sent by the Jackal and War Pig tribes.
“The show is finally about to begin.”
“Since ancient times, commercial development can certainly bring prosperity and wealth, but to advance all industries, large-scale infrastructure is more effective and faster.”
This was a grand narrative. Relying on the Jackal, War Pig, and their affiliated total of twenty-four orc tribal states as the foundation, using that Golden Sand River, that silver mine, and countless orc products, to borrow their chickens to lay their own eggs, carrying out a massive infrastructure project.
The benefits within were nothing short of a feast and carnival.
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