The World Online

Chapter 198: Faction Selection

*Note: "King Zhou of Shang" should not be confused with "Zhou dynasty / Zhou"

The savanna was now a pile of dry wood, a slight spark could ignite the whole.

The flame had yet to burn in the savanna, the market outside of Friendship County had quietly flourished.

These few days, there would be anonymous pastoralists bringing in a large quantity of sheep herds, pelts, and even Qingfu horses to the market, intending to use these goods to exchange foods and ironworks from Friendship County.

Foods were fine, but ironworks were controlled items. Friendship County's magistrate Zhou Haichen dared not make his own decisions, immediately sending a letter to the main base, requesting for instructions from the territory lord.

Ouyang Shuo's strategic purpose was to drag and involve the nomadic tribes into a war. That way, he could reduce the threat towards Friendship County and also profit from the war.

These anonymous secret buyers, needless to say, was of course representatives from the tribes, mostly from the middle-sized tribes. One could easily understand the reason for the acquisition of foods and ironworks by the tribes.

Therefore, in his replies, Ouyang Shuo denoted that ironworks could not be traded directly, but he would release the restriction on iron ores and allow them to be freely traded in the market.

Ouyang Shuo wasn't worried at all that selling the iron ores to the nomadic tribes would feed the wolves to his own detriment. The growth of nomadic tribes were far less than the speed of the development of Shanhai County. One couldn't say for sure that after the settlement in the savanna, Shanhai County might already have the strength to crush them all together, so what would these little iron ores matter in comparison?

Last month, while Jiu Duanxian was leading the team to draw the map of the territory, he found another iron mine 20 kilometers out in the west. The Material Reserves Department had already arranged workers and miners to excavate the new mining field.

The new iron mining site was only 10 kilometers away from the riverside of Friendship river.

Hence, the iron ores would be transported using a combination of land and water, first with the wooden-ox horse to the riverside, then shipped back to the dock of Shanhai County.

Shanhai County now have no worries over their stocks of iron ores.

Ouyang Shuo also denoted in the reply that when tradings with the nomadic tribes, foods would be sold at twice the market price, which was 20 coppers per unit; iron ores at 3 times the market price, which was 300 coppers per unit.

Ouyang Shuo wasn't taking advantage of the nomadic tribes.

First off, the prices of foods were now seeing fluctuations. In estimation at the end of August, it would then soar high and keep on rising. If he now traded foods at the market price of 10 coppers per unit, he would then deficit from the tradings.

As for iron ores, iron ores were originally controlled items, in order to sell it, of course he would increase the trading price. Shanhai County wasn't a living Lei Feng[1], it wouldn't be a free porter for the nomadic tribes.

Ouyang Shuo had already shown his courtesy and generosity by not charging them any tariffs.

Upon receiving Ouyang Shuo's permission, Zhou Haichen was filled with with great enthusiasm and energy. Friendship County and the Material Reserves Department worked hand in hand to transport iron ores to the dock of Friendship County and sent it for trading at the market.

August 10th, Xunlong Town promotion bandit siege test.

Ouyang Shuo was not there to watch the battle, but he stayed in the his territory to handle government affairs.