Road To The Crown 175 First Batch

30th May 1574

"You might want to know, why I forced all of you to go through the construction site on the White River. But the answer to this question is also the answer to all the others that you might pose about the crux of your presence here."

After dividing all the people that I wanted to employ into four groups, I left the first three of them that would be educated to serve as various kinds of low and high-rank managers, either helping out under the experienced craftsmen at the Mining Town or taking the full control over the projects that were simply too far from my seat of power to control them personally.

As for the five of the rather excelled young men who Matsu recommended the most, rather than departing from Tarnow as soon as the few hours that I would use to teach them the basic aspects of managing my project would pa.s.s, they would spend the entire month with me, listening to my lecture for two hours daily, solving the mathematical and economical problems for another two hours only to move under Matsu's disciplined eye for the second round of the teaching.

With how deeply religious the Commonwealth was, even the huge degree of tolerance present in the country wouldn't change my fate if I dared to open a proper school and teach knowledge surpa.s.sing what was commonly accepted by everyone. While there were various schools created by the different kinds of protestants that could operate without a problem, what I had to teach all of the chosen candidates was a knowledge simply too devious and practical to be spread to a greater public.

Yet as my position in the commonwealth would grow, it would be only a matter of time when the mindset of those hesitant to accept my inventions would be forcefully changed, as all aspects of their life would be influenced by the onslaught of my products!

"I wanted you lot to see the construction of the greatest market in the entire country. Greatest not because the current area that is under construction make it the biggest one. It couldn't be called greatest by how far the trade routes flowing through it could read, nor by its current influence over the entire trade situation in the country. It is the greatest market in the entire country because it will be the focal point for all the inventions that will revolutionalise our lives to spread!"

After scanning the small group sitting in the front row of the auditorium, that any modern person would only dare to call an oversized school cla.s.s, I moved to the special wardrobe that held a variety of simple maps that outlined all sorts of information about both the land around the Tarnow-Pilzno-Ropian area, Mining Town and the simple sketch of the steppe land that I hoped to use for the creation of the trade outpost.

"The first guy who will understand the reason behind you to see it will be rewarded with a red-golden."

For the incentives, there was nothing greater than money. While I directed all the benefits from the beer industry back to its expansion, the number of coins that already acc.u.mulated in my treasury coupled with the incoming support from the crown, I could throw my wealth left and right. 

And just by placing myself in the place of the people currently waiting for me to find the right map, I couldn't help but tense from excitement. While they came here only because a n.o.ble summoned them with the offer of work, they would receive no wages for the time they would be learning whatsoever. 

Only by answering the hard questions like the one I just asked would make them capable of earning any money… But at the same time, doing it just once was equal to earning more than two weeks worth of their wage at their previous jobs!

"Is it because its what we will need to take care off?"

The first voice of reason sadly turned out to be a failure. The people who would manage my projects belonged to the other groups. If I wanted some simple supervisors or managers, I wouldn't pick such a talented bunch as them.

"You did it because you wanted to see how the future will be built, and how this process differs from the methods used previously."

Suddenly, a smart answer broke through the silence of the room, even managing to stop my hands from moving over the maps and turn my head back to the group.

"Go on."

Rather than ignoring the first attempt of the other guy, I encouraged the speaker to continue. While the point he brought was close to the correct answer, he had to nail it right on the point to be rewarded.

"Ughm… Seeing how the first answer was ignored, then your intention, my lord, wasn't to get us to manage this place. But how else could our experience be of use for you, sir? When this question appeared in my head, I couldn't help but think about the difference between how we saw the road being built in just a fraction of the time that the people that I once had the chance to manage took to build something of far worse quality. Connecting those two facts, I dare to say that rather than looking at the effect and seeking to replicate it, you want… you want us to understand the underlying reason behind the effect in the first place, sir!"

Seeing that I completely moved away from the wardrobe and focused all my attention on him, the young man continued speaking more and more confident with every word he said.

"Ding dong, you just earned yourself a ducat. Good job!"

Reaching to my poach, I pulled out one of the thick coins and threw it towards the seat occupied by the witty guy. 

"Listen up guys. I don't want you to waste your talent in managing my projects. This can be done by simpler and even, dumber people. Just like your colleague said, I want you to understand why rather than how. Why something works, not how to make it to work. And that's because I don't want you to - as I said a moment ago - manage my projects, but teach others how to do so later on!"