There were many ore resources in the Western Region, so it was not surprising that mining was the primary industry of Stronghold. However, this was the first mention of the salt industry, and Prince Roland had no knowledge of local specialties. In Roland's opinion, salt should be the main industry in coastal cities.

"Stronghold, the Elk Family, and the Honeysuckle Family each have one salt well. In fact, the three salt wells are very close to each other and basically located on the borders of their domains. I heard that over 200 years ago, civil wars in the Western Region often happened there and lasted for 50 years." Barov stroked his mustache.

Roland wondered if the three n.o.bilities occupying the area had then become the biggest winners. He asked with great interest, "What’s the output of these salt wells?"

"Besides supplying the Western Region, the salt was also sold to Fallen Dragon Ridge, Redwater City, and some other small villages along the way." Barov leafed through his notebook. "It accounted for almost 15% of the Stronghold income."

"Why such a low percentage?" Roland asked in surprise. "The market price for salt isn't low."

"It's too hard to get the salt out of the deep pit." Barov shook his head. "I know a n.o.bleman in Silver City who has a salt well in his domain. It’s about the size of a human head and too small for a cask. People mine it by putting water in and scooping it up with a bamboo stick after the salt melts."

"Why not expand the well?"

Barov smiled smugly. "Your Highness, the salt bed is too deep. If we dig it like a water well, its walls will collapse. According to him, the salt well has been mined from his grandfather's generation, and now the well is as deep as a belfry in King's City."

"I see," Roland thought. Limited by the depth, people here mined salt wells using the brine method, but the process could be improved. Lifting the salt mine with Lotus's power or extracting the brine with a steam engine would be more efficient.

An abundant salt supply would not only bring great profits to the City of Neverwinter, but also popularize healthier and more delicious food to the subjects. The salt they had at present was crude and saline with all kinds of impurities and foreign substance.

"I see." At this thought, the prince nodded with satisfaction. "You can go now. Don't forget to do population expansion work. The Months of Demons just pa.s.sed, so it's a good time to recruit before refugees starve without their crops."

"I had the same thought, Your Highness," Barrow said with his hand on his chest, "The new emissary delegation will leave soon, and I think they will gain more than last year."

After the chief left, Roland was about to plan how to deal with the Stronghold resources, when he heard a knocking on the window.

He turned his head and found a gray falcon lying on the window grille with a note on its foot.

Nightingale opened the window and let the flying messenger in.

It was a letter from Petrov Hull in Longsong.

Roland read the letter quickly and could not help but laugh. After Nightingale came back to Border Area with him, it had been difficult to continue the fight against crime. They received all kinds of reports from the ma.s.ses, and it was difficult to identify what was true, and what had been made up for the cash reward. Less than half of the Rats had applied for jobs. The new Minister of Justice, Rene Medde was busy all day long and could not control the Black Street Forces. If it went on like this, public safety would deteriorate.

Petrov had written at the end of the letter that he wanted the prince to help him with manpower and technology, but Roland knew he actually wanted Nightingale and Vader to help the Earl of the Elk Family.

He gave the letter to Nightingale. She glanced at it and said, "They can't hold Stronghold anymore?"

"The former Ragingfire was just a response to the war among the ma.s.ses. He has no experience in battling or capturing the Rats." Roland smiled and said, "As I expected, they have a long way to go in fighting the Rats, and there’ll be many relapses. But they’ll eventually be destroyed with powerful measures and given a better way of life. Once they're on the right track, it'll be hard to stray into evil again. This is the case for both people and cities."

"Do you want me to go?" Nightingale sighed.

"Don't forget that Longsong and Border Town are one city now. Don't separate them from each other." He shrugged. "I said at the expansion meeting that there’ll be a day when we could have breakfast in Border Area and work in Longsong Area half an hour later. And you are in charge of the Security Bureau, you are expected to travel between the two places and inspect the work."

"If I go, what will protect you?" She shook her head. "Don't tell me there’ll be no danger. You are the thorn in Timothy and the church's side, and only I can stop a.s.sa.s.sin witches."

Roland wanted to say that he had the G.o.d's Stone of Retaliation and would not be hurt by a normal witch, but he realized that was not what she was worried about. "Listen to me."

She cut in, "You can't make me promise anything, and Wendy and Scroll will agree with me. You’re the most important person in the Witch Union—"

"I'll go with you."

"Ahem, re-really… " Nightingale choked in shock and turned her head to avoid his gaze. "I guess I'm the only one who can help them."

The prince could not help but laugh. "Take Summer with you. It's time for her to practice."

"And Sylvie and Soraya should go too to establish the identification systems while checking out the mines, and maybe even build up the City Hall," he thought. "I wonder how the training of the n.o.bility in Longsong Stronghold is going."

...

Three days later, Roland boarded with the witches and the n.o.bility in Stronghold to go to Longsong Area.

Looking at the cement paddle steamer and the coal cinder in the deck seams in the Redwater River, he sighed. It seemed impossible to reach Longsong Stronghold in one day, this speed was still too slow for him. After all, time was money. Roland planned to build an exclusive luxury high-speed s.h.i.+p.