The ringing of the bell, coming from a high tower, made all the inhabitants of the principality quit their business and gather in the central square.

The last time the prince gathered everyone was on the day the war ended. The repair of the defensive wall encircling the entire principality exhausted the inhabitants so much that they were already ready to surrender, and the news of the surrender of Webman's troops was sweeter than honey and had a strong influence on the development of the entire principality. No one knows how many barrels of intoxicating kvass poured into the stomachs of happy residents, and the fire in the wine cellar, which hid the real picture of the victory celebration, was not an accident...

The residents were businesslike discussing the possible reasons for the general gathering, thus creating a gradually growing rumble.

- Quiet! The prince will speak! - the princess shouted in a loud voice and the inhabitants fell silent, afraid to miss at least one word. The prince always spoke little, quietly, and always without frills, so every sentence was worth its weight in gold.

- We're in a drought. How long it will last is unknown. Rivers will dry up, underground springs will dry up. There is time to solve the problem, so before the New Year should be done.

The prince expected a different reaction of his inhabitants to this news, but there was silence on the square and only the lowing of a half-eaten cow broke the picture of general silence.

- What should I do, prince? one of the more agile and courageous peasants asked in a quiet voice. - We'll die, by God we'll die, if we don't do anything...

- The action plan is as follows. A couple of business executives are required, who today are sent to the Overseas Lands. We will supply the treasury, we need to rebuild a couple of farms there. Only in the Conquered Lands will water remain in underground sources - which means you will have to dig a well. One well, for our entire prince, will not be enough, for our own needs we need at least a couple ... This is first.

“Secondly,” the prince continued, scratching his palms and squinting slyly, “we want to earn money, we will have to build a third farm and dig a well there too. Our emperor says that water will be ten times more valuable than black gold.

“Well, well, prince,” another bright peasant uttered, stuttering quietly from excitement, downright ten times?

“Well, maybe not at ten,” the prince said, after a little hesitation. I thought for a few seconds and added more confidently. - Maybe twenty or thirty times more expensive!

-And how will we transport water to us? one of the noblewomen asked. Should portals be built there? Yes, and we will not have time to master such a complex structure here and there. There will not be enough workers to get a portal in the mines in such a short time.

- And we will not build portals yet. We will rent. According to intelligence, there are at the very least enough portals, and there will not be enough water at all. Everything! That's what they decided on. Today I'll choose who to send. The heat is near. We just have to make it, we can't waste a day. Let's go home! If you want to get rich, please come to my castle. I will choose the quickest.

The inhabitants parted ways with a light heart. The prince explained everything so easily and in simple words. How everyone wanted to visit the conquered lands, and to benefit their homeland! Here it is, a vein of gold. Someone cries, but someone is not afraid and labors for himself.

Author: Dzmitro , Editor: DarkSilver