After resolving the riot issues, the dock area quickly restored order.

At the dock where three rivers meet, the pier supported by wooden stakes stretches into the foam-covered waters, with rotten ropes entwined with water plants on the piles.

On the deck, one can see the sailors shirtless as they repair the sails, while the dock workers laboriously throw bags of flour, sugar, sausages, and spices into the holds.

Of course, coffee, beer, fruit candies, and other side foods are indispensable.

Currently, the frontline can resist so many attacks with fewer troops, thanks to not only the solid fortresses but also the morale boosters, which are far more effective than imagined.

The sweet scents mingled with the asphalt sweat make many North People who visit the city docks for the first time feel nauseous.

The early summer heat waves rise, and the shadows of the dock bell tower and ship masts cross over each other, resembling a giant sundial.

Standing in the shadow of this sundial, Jia Li finished reviewing Griz's work summary but called in the two bosses of Rapids City to explain themselves under the scorching sun.

"Clearly, each level of the Hundred Households District has enough rice cake flour to supply the city, so why did these riots occur?"

"Someone is hoarding..."

"I will address this later with Catherine, but even so, it wouldn't escalate to famine and food shortage!"

At this point, Ge Angqi couldn't help but vent his woes: "Lady Jia Li, Rapids City inside and out has a population of sixty to seventy thousand.

Moreover, most people have no meat or fat in their bowls, and I'm already estimating a daily consumption of one and a half pounds of flour per person (not the refined flour of later times, but stone-milled with high gluten content).

According to the latest metric, with losses included, that's approximately 56 tons of flour needed per day.

The watermill can only grind less than one ton of flour a day.

Buying from rural mills, these are controlled by the Hundred Households Captain and even the Monastic Leader, who ostensibly support the front line.

Furthermore, the road conditions to the rural mills are poor, unlike the mortar highway built later, making transportation costs high.

When they are finally transported, the price is just slightly lower than post-hoarding, and even then we have to scramble for it."

"Can't new watermills be built?" Jia Li frowned.

"Lady Jia Li, you may not know, but watermills can't just be built anywhere.

On average, only one suitable spot for a watermill exists every ten kilometers of riverway.

The food balance in Rapids City was already fragile, with previously ample rural surplus keeping prices in check.

Now, most food has been sent to the front line. Though we've suppressed the efforts to prevent most citizens from starving, it's still... sigh..."

"Enough." Jia Li impatiently waved her hand, as she always hated listening to these trivial political affairs, "Save these words for Horn."

"Lady Jia Li, I want to ask you, regarding these guild people, how do you intend to deal with them?" Mitney inquired tentatively.

"Either hang them or exile them to Black Snake Bay; we just happen to need artisans in Long Embankment City." Jia Li, nonchalantly, trimmed her nails with a small knife.

This iron hand is indeed more practical than an iron fist, especially since Jia Li herself is well-versed in extraordinary martial arts, enabling her to control arm muscles and manipulate the mechanical hand like a real hand.

Mitney leaned in and whispered, "But the guild lacks too many people; many of our industries can't operate without them. You know, several factories' capacities are still temporarily..."

"Operate what? In this state of war, what orders and outputs do they have? Isn't everything relying on army orders?" Jia Li continued trimming her nails, "Just take this opportunity to cut off this rotten flesh."

"And what about the missing artisans, lawyers, and accountants?"

"We have our own Holy Machinery Court University and so many middle schools, besides, finding three-legged toads is difficult, but are two-legged notaries hard to find?

As for the vacant positions... Have you forgotten about the agreement with the Falan people signed earlier, where we accepted thousands of exiled Falan citizens?"

Mitney glanced behind him, pursed his lips, and shook his head.

The guild masters and notaries behind frantically signaled the character for "Grass" to him and were almost kneeling.

He could only turn his head again, just as he met Jia Li's meaningful gaze.

Bolstering his courage, Mitney continued, "I know you think I'm not sincere, but recklessly canceling a large number of guilds will indeed cause turmoil.

And even if they are canceled publicly, perhaps they will rebrand themselves into the shadows, which are harder to guard against. Surely, we can't kill them all?

The guilds do have positive functions, please reconsider."

Bowing his head, Jia Li silently continued trimming her nails, but the surrounding people dared not make a sound or remind her.

It was not until she finished trimming the nails of all five fingers that she finally put down the small knife, shook the nails off her sleeve, and said, "Leaders and traitors must be exiled, and guilds seriously involved must be canceled."

"That is natural."

"I will establish a Trinity Education Team in the Priest Town near Rapids City, where accomplices must enter the Trinity Education Team for labor.

Each master must train at least ten certified official artisans locally before they can return.

For the remaining guilds, all guild members must undergo a unified artisan qualification exam and certification, and guild members must be supervised.

Moreover, you need to pass a bill allowing monks of the Holy Path to reside in the guilds and establish the Saint Father Association."

Although many restrictions were placed on the guilds, at least "Lady" Jia Li was not as capriciously brutal as Lady Moliat.

Currently, the guilds have accusations of treason inside and face war and Falan people competition outside, with a ninety to ninety percent chance of agreeing to the conditions.

As long as it does not directly lead to guild dissolution, Mitney is confident in controlling the situation.

Just as Mitney was about to leave, Jia Li caught him by the back collar: "And."

"And?"

"I also want to set up an artisan school specifically for training artisans."

This idea was proposed by Horn long ago, but unfortunately, they didn't have technical staff or had guild obstruction at the time.

To resolve the main contradictions (war and economic pressure), this plan had to be temporarily shelved.

Now that the guild's power is monitored and with Dwarf artisans at hand, Jia Li intends to implement this plan immediately.

"That might be difficult." Mitney laughed bitterly, "This, along with the previous conditions, may mean choosing one of the two."

Establishing an artisan school is almost tantamount to disbanding the guild, coupled with bringing monks to organize the Saint Father Association...

It's estimated that many guild masters would rather relocate than continue staying in Rapids City.

If they move away, what will happen to Rapids City's economy and Mitney's political achievements?

He had already clarified with the Gospel Court that as long as he doesn't make a mistake in these two years of being mayor of Rapids City, he could enter the Gospel Court as the director of Falan Division.

"I am not offering a choice between two; I want them all." Jia Li responded bluntly, "How to handle it specifically is up to you, but I will say one thing."

"Please, go ahead."

"The artisan school will not only have a dyeing institute but also a blacksmith and cutlery maker institute, and a gunsmith and clockmaker institute." Jia Li pointed at the land under her feet, "If you manage to accomplish this, here will be the location for establishing the artisan school."

"Not in the Holy Machinery Court or Joan of Arc Castle?!" Mitney couldn't help exclaiming.

"It can be elsewhere." Jia Li smiled, "The Holy Alliance doesn't lack hungry soldiers."

Despite being intrigued, Mitney didn't dare to make a full promise: "Then I will try my best; if possible, I'll report to you within five days."

"Mm, I believe you can manage, and there's no need for a report." Jia Li squinted, placing her right foot on a dock rope post, "I'll soon head north, and you can liaise with Griz for Rapids City's affairs."

"Suddenly heading north, why?"

"No harm in telling you." Jia Li raised her eyes and looked at the endless grain boats and stevedores on the river, "I am going to receive a troop, and then, finish a war that was left unfinished."