123: Chapter 123 Triple Authority! Taking stock of territory resources! No one available!

After roughly clarifying the subsequent cultivation plan for Elena, Rowan began to think about the issue of managing the territory.

When he inherited the title of Count Golden Flame, he simultaneously obtained the position of Gino City Lord and a seat on the Gino County Council.

Count Golden Flame was his foundation; it was the hereditary title and fief that legally belonged to him personally and the Flynn Family.

On this vast land, the cities, manors, villages, mineral veins, forests, and the serfs attached to the land were theoretically all his private property.

He possessed near-absolute power over the serfs, including labor, marriage, and even a certain degree of control over their physical persons.

This was based on a relationship of personal attachment.

As for Gino City Lord, that was a real-power official position granted to him by the imperial bureaucratic system.

As the county seat, Gino City's free citizens within its jurisdiction, as well as the city's tax, public security, construction, and other affairs, all fell under the jurisdiction of him, the City Lord.

This was a concrete extension of the Empire's administrative power at the local level, and he could exert influence directly through administrative decrees.

The Gino County Council seat was a platform for local aristocratic autonomy and negotiation.

Its sphere of influence extended to all nobles and free citizens within the county.

Matters including public affairs in other noble territories, cross-territorial disputes, asset income taxation, and the proposal and voting on local regulations all required negotiation within this council composed of the county's various nobles.

As a member of the County Council, he could indirectly intervene in the territorial affairs of other nobles through the council.

These triple identities, with their overlapping and intertwined jurisdictions, formed the prototype of his ruling framework for Gino County.

However, possessing nominal authority and being able to wield it as easily as moving one's own arm were two completely different things.

For him, population... was the foundation of everything!

Serfs were his private property, but their numbers were limited, and their productivity was low. Anyone with a bit of ability would try to find ways to become a free citizen; this was something no lord could avoid.

The vast group of free citizens was the main source of taxes, military recruits, labor, and even potential Garden seeds.

But how to effectively influence, manage, and even screen out high-quality seeds from among them, and then use territorial resources to cultivate them, was a problem he had to face...

After pondering for a moment, his gaze turned to the rough list of assets for the Golden Flame Territory provided by the Church at his side.

First was the land assets.

The most core asset was naturally Gino City, the county seat that dominated the strategic points of the North, which was of extremely high value.

In addition, the list also listed six towns of varying sizes, which were secondary hubs of the territory, either located at trade route nodes, possessing specialty industries, or guarding strategic passes.

There were also dozens of villages and manors scattered across the plains, hills, lakesides, and forests.

Like chess pieces scattered across a board, they formed the basic grid of the territory.

The serfs lived and farmed within these grids for generations, providing the most basic food for the entire territory.

Then, there were the resource categories. They were categorized and dizzyingly complex.

Mundane resources: four proven high-quality iron ore veins, five large quarries, nine logging camps, high-grade farmland, fishing grounds, salt wells...

Supernatural resources: one small low-tier magic crystal mine, three magical plant cultivation gardens containing elemental energy, four raw supernatural material mines, and a hot spring area said to be influenced by a faint dragon vein...

Behind every item of resources represented output and profit, as well as the accompanying problems of management and distribution.

These things, numerous and dense, made him feel a bit dizzy.

However, the income from these complex assets could not be enjoyed by him alone as the lord.

In the remarks column at the end of the list, it was clearly marked in small print:

"Note: For all the above assets that generate actual income, corresponding taxes, management fees, and contribution shares must be paid to the Imperial Tax Administration, the Will Province Governor's Office, and the local diocese of the Church of Dawn, in accordance with the 'Imperial Tax Code', 'Provincial Resource Management Regulations', 'Church Tithe and Special Contribution Agreement', etc."

"For specific collection ratios and inspection procedures, please refer to the attachment..."

That's right, taxes had to be paid on everything!

The Empire embedded its influence firmly into every inch of land and every piece of output through a precise and complex tax system.

Even the resource income on a lord's land had to be shared by the Empire and the Church.

Taking that most important magic crystal mine as an example, the approximate division ratio was one-third each for the local lord, the Empire, and the Church.

Imperial tax officials, provincial resource inspectors, and Church Saint Law Monks would audit the accounts every year.

Any attempt to conceal asset income could attract the attention of the Imperial Tax Court or even the Church's Saint Law Court.

"So many threads to untangle..." He rubbed his temples, feeling somewhat helpless.

The Flynn Family was not like the Farrell Family, an old aristocratic family that had operated for many years and possessed a complete staff team and foundation.

His rise was too fast, his foundation too shallow. The number of people under him who were truly trustworthy and capable of handling these complex government affairs was countable on one hand, or rather, there was not a single one.

Elise was loyal and meticulous; she could help him handle internal affairs, take care of the children, and manage the castle servants, but in the face of professional fields such as taxation, law, resource management, and local governance, she was equally powerless.

Butler Henry's ability level was only enough to manage a castle, not to mention the others.

Mira, Elena, and Vanessa each had their own territories to worry about.

"No one to use..." He let out a soft sigh.

This was the price of a humble family suddenly becoming prominent; the family foundation was too weak. He had the high position but lacked sufficient confidants and professional talents to fill every node of the power structure.

Therefore, he could only make some small adjustments based on the existing system, and then select talent.

He pondered for a long time and finally made a decision.

Internal territorial affairs could be deferred for now; after all, it was all staying within his grasp.

His primary goal was to establish effective rule on the basis of the entire county and obtain stable resources of all kinds, so that he could subsequently roll out the Garden Plan.

As for the County Council, it could also be temporarily shelved.

He counted the votes; adding Mira, Elena, and Vanessa, there were only four votes in total, which was not enough to form an overwhelming advantage, so it was not suitable as a primary target.

Only the City Hall... Thinking of this, Rowan's gaze became a bit sharper.

As Gino City Lord, he was the chief administrative officer appointed by the Empire, possessing absolute legal sovereignty.

This was part of the imperial bureaucratic system. Although it would also be subject to certain constraints from the Provincial Governor's Office and the Council, for now, the remaining prestige of the Church after sorting out Gino County was still present. Even if someone wanted to play some tricks, they wouldn't jump out so quickly.

Those old foxes in the province, before figuring out his background and the extent of the Church's support, could not reach out their hands yet.

Moreover, after Aria left, was his relationship with the Church really that unbreakable?