Chapter 290: Forming the Council

"Fellow kin, let us thank the Ancestor Gods for their protection here; without their guidance and help, we would not have our wonderful life today!"

Sinuoli presided over the first sacrificial ceremony of the Nan Shijie Bianyuan Shanmai as usual. To better alleviate the negative emotions of his clansmen, he spared no effort in travel and specifically ran to Zhuwangshan to hold an additional one.

In the early stages of the territory's construction, supplies were not so abundant. Certain high-demand goods, represented by alcohol, were limited in quota for each clansman; being unable to consume them freely inevitably led to some complaints.

Sinuoli certainly knew that the best way to solve this problem was to build breweries or even form a Brewers' Guild, but under the premise that even food could not be self-sufficient, using these precious resources for brewing was by no means a wise move.

"A telegram from Everpeak, my King!"

On the first workday after the New Year, the telegraph operator knocked on Sinuoli's office door.

"Grudge Council?" the Lord of the Southlands muttered while reading. This year was 6950 of the Dwarf calendar; the Grudge Council, held every fifty years, was right on time. "Why notify us so early? Shouldn't it be held at the end of the year?"

"Oh, oh, that's because there was no telegraph equipment before!" Sinuoli patted his head. In the past, communication between various Shanbao could only rely on messengers, and the Grudge Council, in addition to summarizing the articles of grudges, had to perform many extra functions, all of which required time to prepare.

"Reply to the telegram for me; I will attend in person!"

Sinuoli stroked his beard. Reasonably and emotionally, he should go in person. Firstly, this was the first meeting after he became King; secondly, Karaz-a-Karak was his hometown, and after being away from home for so long, it was time to go back.

"I should set off early. Besides the possibility of being late, setting off at the last minute might also lead to being intercepted by hostile forces!"

After dismissing Noli, Sinuoli muttered to himself. There was a precedent for high-ranking Dwarfs attending the meeting being intercepted; the main culprits were once Elves, but now the Skaven had taken over the banner.

Having made up his mind, Sinuoli returned to his daily work. He needed to establish a system as soon as possible to ensure that the territory could continue to operate normally while he was away at the meeting. If it were an ordinary Dwarf lord, they would just arrange for their own blood relatives and be done with it, but Sinuoli did not have the conditions to do so.

The Clan he was born into suffered heavy losses during the Great Holy War, otherwise, it would not have been Thorgrim's turn, a collateral branch, to take charge. His only elder brother was a lord at Shanbao, and the remaining relatives were too distant to be entrusted with the heavy responsibility of being a city lord.

"Let's set up a Council of Elders system; it seems that such political soil is quite suitable now. But the issue of the Humans needs to be discussed. How many quotas should be given to them?"

Sinuoli began to tap the table again. He felt that a total of seven elder quotas for each fortress would be very appropriate—not too many, not too few, and it was an odd number, which was more convenient for voting.

"Just give one quota for now and send a representative to build a bridge of communication. For now, the Humans' main energy must be placed on reclaiming land; it won't be too late to make adjustments after they solve their own affairs."

The lord's will was quickly executed, and the order to elect a Council of Elders was conveyed to the three cities and one large construction site. This news caused a large number of immigrants to move in, and the Southlands, which were already undercurrents, boiled over.

The response from his kin was very strong. Didn't they travel thousands of miles here just for more opportunities? Even in Gaoyuanbao, where Sinuoli himself was stationed, there were open and secret lobbying activities, not to mention the other fortresses.

The newly established Western Depot began to operate. The Dwarfs were not yet clear about the role of secret police. Many people did not know that when they were forming cliques and colluding with each other in the taverns, there were pairs of sharp eyes watching in the dark.

"The means of struggle are still quite primitive!"

Looking at the several reports organized by Andemuge, Sinuoli showed a look of relaxation. What satisfied him was that the clansmen participating in the competition did not use any despicable means such as framing or assassination; basically, the competition was still limited to the traditional public order and good customs of the Dwarfs.

"Take the list I circled and approved as the standard!" Sinuoli threw out a notice with twenty-eight names written on it.

"This... even me? I can't afford the position of an elder!"

Andemuge was slightly stunned. He found his name among the seven people in Gaoyuanbao, but the title was not "Superintendent of the Western Depot," but the overt person in charge of the special Ranger unit.

"Beards and craftsmanship are of course important references, but the era of taking them as the guiding principle is over!" Sinuoli looked at the young man opposite him. He had inserted a few relatively young but capable guys into the list, and Ailike of the Heerhaiyin Clan was also among them.

The transmigrator knew what he wanted. He had to concentrate power in his own hands so that he could accomplish the major things that followed.

What the Southlands were going to build was a "Municipal Council" to implement his policies, not the policy-making body composed of large clans and guilds like in the Old World.

"There are Cathayans asking to see you!"

Half a year had passed. Sinuoli was observing the effectiveness of the council's trusteeship while packing the things he was going to take back to Everpeak. Just then, the messenger knocked on his office door again.

"Please, I can just go back with the caravan!" Thinking of something and it arrives, Sinuoli was just wondering about the gifts to take back, and the Cathayans had delivered themselves to his door.

"Greetings to you, King Sinuoli!" Linghu Zhengde walked in with a beaming face; it seemed that his future and financial prospects were very bright.

"Long time no see, what good..." The Dwarf King hadn't finished his greeting when he was attracted by the person behind the translator.

That was a gorgeously dressed Cathayan woman, looking as delicate as a willow in the wind, but that was not the key; Sinuoli felt the power of darkness from her.

"Bang!"

Reaching out with a beckon, the Warhammer flew into his hand. Sinuoli weighed it; the tacit understanding of being as handy as an arm brought a strong sense of security.

"Hmph!"

Gotrek was on duty today. Although he didn't smell the enemy's aura at the first moment, he reacted immediately upon seeing the lord's movements.

"Vampire, what are you doing here? My Qunshan does not welcome you blasphemous creations!" Sinuoli pointed at the Cathayan woman with his hammer.

"Oh, Dwarf King who possesses both wealth and wisdom, listen to Wan'er's words! I am the Ceremonial Attendant before the Mistress of the Blue Sea, and I have come under the order of the Patriarch!" The woman performed a cupped-hand salute and held her hands out in front of Sinuoli to indicate no hostility.

"Do Cathayans also have Vampires? Can the Dragons tolerate you?"

"Vampire? It seems this is our appellation in the Western Lands. In Zhendan, we are called the Jade Blood Clan, serving His Majesty and his descendants." This Vampire who called herself Wan'er had learned the common language in her long life, and there was no obstacle in communication.