Chapter 738: Chapter 71: Academy Tech Tree and Unlocking Technological Advancement
Hearing Governor Rong’en’s reply, Su Li immediately shifted his gaze to Oliver beside him.
He instantly remembered that Rong’en’s title was Eye of the Eagle-Falcon! As the Divine Chosen of the Goddess of Justice, he had eyes like those of an eagle-falcon, ensuring that any bloodline with the potential to break through and become a Knight would not be overlooked.
Just like the distant Eastern proverb he quoted: Within ten steps, there must be fragrant grass; within ten rooms of a town, can there be no outstanding talent?
So, when he initially replaced Rong’en to become the Governor of the Provincial Affairs Council, the effect had already changed, shifting from the rapid attraction of the Sun Goddess’s followers during Rong’en’s time to significantly enhancing the chances of Knight promotion and breakthroughs. All talented individuals were selected by the Territory, causing rebels, coup plotters, and Treachery followers to disappear rapidly.
While internal struggles and corruption in the Territory were greatly alleviated, corruption plummeted, revenues improved, and construction costs significantly decreased.
This effect seemed ethereal and vague, often difficult to perceive directly.
But at this moment, his powerful traits as the Divine Chosen of the Goddess of Justice and Knowledge appeared vividly before the entire Territory.
His Eye of the Eagle-Falcon truly achieved the possibility of selecting all the potential Knight reserves to the Academy for training.
Su Li sighed, "Doesn’t this mean that within less than half a year since the Academy’s establishment, over 100 Apprentice Knights have been cultivated? And many reserve Knights are still learning and growing?"
Now he truly understood the concerns of the Empire’s high-level nobles. Throughout the Empire, there were highly trained, well-educated Knights of Chivalry with nowhere to go, having nothing to do.
Even for positions like stable guards for Kingdom Knights, there were a dozen Knights of Chivalry competing for the job.
Therefore, if they didn’t organize a sacred grand expedition from time to time to reduce these Knights, who only knew how to wield a Broken Iron Sword recklessly, they would truly only become rebels, raiders, and coup plotters, no different from marauding bandits. If there’s any difference, it’s that they have a horse, making them even more troublesome and harder to capture. If they decide to commit crimes, it’s really difficult for the rural and village civilians to resist and contain them.
And in the Hesse Territory, undoubtedly it was the same situation. Becoming an Apprentice Knight was like becoming a university student; employment was their biggest challenge.
Saying that the Kingdom Knights’ stable guard work had a dozen Knights of Chivalry competing is not an exaggeration, since even the Pioneer Knight Su Li, who wasn’t even a formal noble, had no shortage of Knights applying and working.
Su Li had to ask, "Do we really need to train so many Knights?"
It’s important to know that Knights are different from other extraordinary professions; in a certain sense, they resemble Eastern monks and scholars. Once they become part of the privileged class, they stop producing while enjoying various privileges.
So, Su Li doesn’t oppose cultivating roles such as engineers, Dawn Church nuns, Tal maidens, Druids, and the like for the Territory. But training so many Knights, doesn’t it affect the Territory’s production?
"Of course!" Rong’en, even more impetuous than Oliver, had a fervor coming from the heart for cultivating the Sun Goddess’s followers and Knights as the Shepherd Leader of the Sun Goddess Church: "Lord, you must know that the Sun Goddess is the Divine Spirit most fond of launching a human version of waaagh. We only meet the teachings of the Sun Goddess by breeding plenty of Knights, so we can sweep the Peach Court and launch expeditions against monster lairs."
"Moreover, as long as they become an Apprentice Knight, they can earn a minimum monthly income of 50 Silver Coins. Although they do not engage in production, they do not have tax-exemption privileges. The fiscal revenue a single Apprentice Knight can provide is at least equivalent to six farmers."
Su Li opened his hands, immediately identifying the crux of the issue: "But the problem is, we first need to have enough positions to offer these Knights."
When village students finally graduated, they struggled to become part of the privileged class, only to find upon entering society that there were no nobles to serve nor expeditions for justice, wouldn’t such a gap cause their mindset to collapse immediately? At that point, they would become the biggest rebels and coup plotters in the Territory!
Rong’en, being a consultant in religious and military matters, only cared about how to proselytize and did not consider production, so he confidently stated: "Therefore, it’s extremely necessary to construct more temples and monasteries in the Territory, which will provide more jobs for these Knights."
Su Li, with a teasing smile, asked: "My advisory minister, have you ever thought from another perspective? The more temples there are, the more Knights there will be. The more Knights there are, the less productivity there is. The less productivity there is, the fewer temples there will be! Therefore, the more temples, the fewer temples!"
"The more temples, the fewer temples!?" Rong’en was confused, can this really be deduced this way?
Fortunately, at this moment, Dean Oliver stepped in to help him out: "Lord, I believe you actually don’t need to worry about the destinations for these Knights. You must know the reason why this Academy was able to be built so quickly, and the funding from wealthy merchants is an important reason."
"They fund this Academy mainly for two reasons. First, undoubtedly, to find a better way out for their family descendants. They also hope that more family members can become Knights and then become part of the ruling class, thus receiving noble recognition through future conquests and military merit, becoming an honorable Kingdom Knight."
