Chapter 619: The Wheel of Wealth
"Our people are too poor to buy many of the goods that the merchants from High Fen City brought with them," Heila said with a heavy sigh as she looked at the two pouches stuffed full of coins that Ashlynn had handed her.
She hadn’t realized how poor the Vale of Mists had truly become until she reached High Fen City and learned about the vast differences between the living standards of the people in the Vale of Mists and the people of the High Fen. While it was true that the most common folk, the farmers, woodsmen, and laborers all lived very similar lives no matter where they were, many people in High Fen City enjoyed things that simply weren’t a part of life in the Vale of Mists.
Heila’s own wealth had grown exponentially after fighting in the arena in High Fen City, and the chest in her room contained just as many tails of silver as the pouches in her hands with several tails of gold as well, but the gift Ashlynn was giving her felt far heavier in her small hands than just the value of the coins.
They were a reminder of a life and lifestyle that she had only briefly experienced on the far side of the mountains... and a style of life she wished she could share with her family and the other people of the Vale.
"You want us to spend this money so the merchants see hope in the Vale," Heila said, looking into Ashlynn’s soft, emerald green eyes and smiling as understanding dawned on her. "You’re hoping that if they see success early on, they’ll work harder over the winter to find ways to make their business work here."
"That’s part of it," Ashlynn agreed. "But I don’t just want you to spend money on foreign merchants," she added. "Many of the merchants in the festival came from across the mountains, but the people running games and selling food, most of them are local to the Vale. The more you spend at their stalls, the more they have to spend elsewhere on the things they couldn’t otherwise afford."
"But then, but then doesn’t all of the money go to the foreign merchants anyway?" Talauia asked as her wings fluttered in agitation. "Then what’s the point of spreading it around if they get all the money in the end?"
"Pride," Ollie said as he looked at Ashlynn in understanding. "Our people’s pride has been ground down since Lady Nyrielle’s army arrived. The merchants from across the mountains are wealthier, many of the warriors are mightier, and everyone knows that Lady Nyrielle had to go across the mountains for help because the Vale can’t hope to win the next war fighting by itself."