I heard the heated discussion between Mauve, one of the old council members that I had allowed to remain, and Zui, the cultivator I had recently recruited. Zui was a savant when it came to logistics and organization. If her Cleithrophobia hadn't forced her to leave the Sect, she would have become one of the administrators of Contribution Hall. I was confident she would advance beyond the Qi Gathering Realm.

"How do you rationalize spending so much of our resources, scarce as they are on the Dojo and the cultivators?" I heard Gwen ask, entering the ongoing debate between Zui and Mauve.

Her question let me know what was happening. I'd tasked Zui with not only creating a working plan to distribute my House resources, prioritizing those resources to include my Fief. Gwen, who had been my nominal second in command while away, had already allocated some of those resources.

She had acted within the scope of the authority I had given her. The repair of the eight trigrams formation had exposed how badly the town had been neglected, and I'd given her instructions to get those areas demolished or repaired.

Gwen's focus had been completing the goals I'd set, and unfortunately, those goals only concerned the Fief. I had given Zui a much broader mandate, and I had asked to flesh out a system that would tie my territory, my House, my Dojo together while increasing the scope and size of my capital from a town to a city.

The task was daunting, and if not for Zui's unique talents and ability to see the permutations and ramifications of resource allocation, impossible for one person to accomplish. Gwen was well suited for the role I had given her; I hadn't had the time to explain how my plans had evolved.

What I didn't understand was why Mauve was involved in this discussion. I had removed her from her position as a council member. I'd found her ineffective, and although Lord Chon might not have corrupted her, she might as well have been. She was either useless or lazy at her job, neither of which I could afford to ignore.

"Because those cultivators and the training they receive at the Dojo will have an increasing effect on who and how more resources are gathered," Zui explained. "There will be an upfront cost, but that cost will be repaid within the first six months, and every month after that, our resources will only grow as more and more cultivators are trained or attain higher levels and can go out to explore and complete missions."

"Wouldn't that be true if you spent those resources on wider territory concerns?" Gwen asked. "If non-cultivators are given the tools they need, they can make a real difference, a difference that can reach a wider range of people. Especially for those resources that can be farmed or mined."

"It would, but the cost to House Myche will be exorbitantly higher in the long run. If Baroness Jai hopes to expand the entire population's production, she needs a foundation for the expansion to build on. If we concentrate on the cultivators first, implement a Contribution Hall style business model similar to the Hunter's Hall, and create one in each town, we lay the framework for expanding a sustainable economy.

"The top-down economic model has existed for a long time. And while there are shortcomings to this type of resource allocation, as long as those in charge make an effort to redistribute what is harvested and collected equitably, it is the most efficient way to build up the type of economy that is robust enough to thrive" Zui explained.

"And how do you make sure redistribution is done equitably?" I asked as I entered the room, breaking into their conversation simultaneously. I made it evident that I had been listening for a while, but Zui probably already knew I was near. Her Qi perception was high enough to have detected my approach and noticed as I paused at the door.

All three women rose and bowed as I entered. It was interesting to see the difference in their actions. Zui's bow was one a House member would give to the head of House, while Gwen and Mauve's bow was one a commoner would provide to any Baron. It was an interesting juxtaposition of their positions.

One I was not happy with. I had assumed that Gwen realized that she was more than a servant, but her actions, while precise, suggested otherize. She gave me a full Dogeza bow, her movements distinct. She was taking no liberties, making no assumptions, her bow made when uncertain of the response or fearful that she had made a mistake.

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For Mauve, that was acceptable, I had barely interacted with the woman, but coming from Gwen, it was worrisome.

"Gwen," I greeted her first. I intended to make sure she understood that she was a vital part of my staff, and by acknowledging her before Zui, I made that point. "Perhaps I haven't made your position clear. I'd thought leaving you in charge when I wasn't here made your position and my trust in you obvious.

"Your greeting suggests otherwise, so let me say it now and clear any doubts you or others might have. Your work and dedication have been noticed, and I would be proud to accept you as an adviser. I have come to depend on you. Trust you. And I would be pleased if you would take a position within my inner circle.

"But the choice is yours. If you would rather not. If you have plans to immigrate or retire, I will respect your decision. I will even help if you intend to leave Xiwang," I said, offering her a position to serve with me and an opportunity to leave if she wasn't happy.

"I am grateful, Baroness," Gwen replied, bowing again. This time her bow wasn't as obsequious as her first. She bowed, retainer to Lord, an acceptable improvement, one that filled me with relief. I had judged her interest or determination to change the circumstances of her fellow citizens correctly.

She would serve me and my territory, maybe even better now that she understood her position and I had given words to that position in front of others. I was sure Mauve would spread this discussion and Gwen's new role when this meeting ended.

"Now that that is settled," Zui exclaimed, going on to answer my earlier question as if no time had passed. "There is no way to guarantee that resources are redistributed equitable, not with a 100 percent assurance. But there are measures that we can take, laws that can be implemented that will ensure most of the goods and services we want to flow to the right people.

"The banking structure you have created will help. Tax incentives, audits, inventory manifests, fines when abuse is found, and a system of Judges and justice that is fair and open for every citizen will help even more.

"Just as important as these new programs, there need to be systemic changes that root out corruption and punish those involved no matter who they are or what their rank or cultivation realm are will establish an environment that will filter through and into every stratum of your territory.

"Real consequence for illegal activities will also help. Start with the seizure of unlawful resources and monies from those involved. Monetary fines coupled with criminal punishments for lawbreakers or those officials found to be corrupt and venal.

"Decide what you can accept, draw a line in the sand, and stand firm once you have made your position clear," Zui finished.

"Assuming I implement a top-down economic model, where do we start?" I asked.

"Determining what we have, what we have access to, and how gathering resources are currently handled. Inventories of already gathered resources, and how the distribution of those resources are handled," Zui answered without pause.

"Once we know what we are dealing with, where it is going, and who the interested parties are, we can begin allocation and redistribution in line with the economic incentives you would introduce.

"Tax advantages for those responsible for vital commodities like foods. An incentive program that rewards businesses that hire and train apprentices. And the use of cultivators to map and find resources while gathering the most needed resources immediately.

"We have a rough idea of what resources your towns are already collecting. For example, you have a jade mine that is barely working because there is no one to buy the mined jade. More importantly, you should find iron or other metal veins nearby when you find jade.

"The island was partially formed by volcanic activity, and the mountains that the jade was discovered in should be filled with a vast untouched trove of mineral deposits, gold, silver, aluminum, copper, and iron. We need to have prospectors out searching for those deposits.

"The forests are resplendent with herbs and foods, some of which have yet to be discovered. I know you want to repair the deforestation the previous Lord encouraged here in Xiwang. Still, the other prefectures can engage in healthy, sustainable harvesting without damaging the forest or harming the environment.

"You need to collect working inventories of every town in your territory and begin moving that inventory to where it can be best used. For now, that is here in Xiwang. Your Dojo will have the people and infrastructure to turn the herbs gathered, the gems mined, and the ores forged into products that can be redistributed.

"Your Fief needs finished products, goods and services, and trade goods that will allow them to grow stronger. Even when they fail, innovation and research are good investments and are needed more than we need warehouses of raw product languishing to rot. Have your people find new products to make to use the inventories stockpiles or find a way to sell the surplus," Zui suggested.

"That means finding new markets. The Sect will undoubtedly serve as one point of interest, but you will need to send out feelers to the other towns and cities across the island to gauge their needs and interests.

"You should also consider creating an island-wide trade consortium, formed by any interested party to serve as a means to make the trade with the mainland worth the effort. One ship or flying beast making that trip isn't worth the effort, but a convoy of loaded barges or flying animals? That could be a means to revitalize the island quickly."