Chapter 498: Chapter 498 - 308: Talent Is the Most Important Asset in the Northern Territory

Dim light fell between the thick maps, scrolls, and drafts, carrying a faint scent of ink in the air.At the end near the bookshelf, Lanna stood silently in a simple dark blue robe, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the parchment book clip in her hand, a barely noticeable hint of nervousness between her brows.Lanna Verdi, once the famous daughter of the Verdi family in the northwestern frontier of the Empire, known for her literary and historical talent from a young age.If everything had gone as usual, her life would have been one accompanied by poetry and books, later marrying other nobles and spending her life leisurely.But the gears of fate suddenly broke when her father openly opposed the Imperial Capital's proposal on land annexation.The Verdi family instantaneously became abandoned; noble feudal lands were revoked, family private soldiers were purged, her brother disappeared, and her mother passed away.Wearing civilian clothes, Lanna, escorted by several family knights, eventually arrived at Red Tide along with a group of Northern Territory refugees from the war with Snow Vow.Because she knew how to read and write, she taught children in school to read and write, thinking this would be her life.Until Louis approached her, handing her a bill draft: "Write a pilot education program."From then on, Lanna hid the Verdi name, only referring to herself as "Lanna," gradually taking over the educational affairs across Red Tide.Two years later, on the day the Department of Education was officially established, she finally became one of the youngest core officials within the Red Tide system under the title of director.But she always remembered the plain words Louis said when handing over the bill draft: "Do something meaningful."No pity, no probing, only trust.At that moment, Lanna suddenly realized she was no longer a fleeing noble orphan, but a useful person.In this rebuilt land, she found long-lost dignity and purpose, and found a lord worth following.Of course, Lanna did not disappoint Louis's expectations.During the rapid development in the Red Tide Territory over these two years, she earned Louis's trust and full support,leading the creation of a network of primary school points covering the main city, establishing twelve elementary schools in total, and setting up numerous adult literacy classes.The courses she designed followed the principle of "practical first, order as the framework," systematically teaching the following three basic modules:Basic literacy connected with the Red Tide's official document system, covering everything from social etiquette to basic contract formats;Practical arithmetic matched the Red Tide's rationing system and market trading system, ensuring students can independently calculate distribution and conversion;Code education, selectively teaching straightforward clauses from the "Red Tide Basic Code," supplemented with storytelling, subtly spreading the awareness of rule of law and public order.As of now, nearly three thousand children aged seven to fourteen among the returning citizens have entered the classroom.In adult education, young people are continually being selected for the local positions of town clerk, grain allocation assistant, and border post recorder after becoming literate.More importantly, Lanna assisted in constructing a "teacher assessment and recruitment" system, slowly integrating the teaching workforce into the Red Tide's civil system, elevating the status of the education profession.All these achievements not only earned her the respectful title of Lady Lanna but laid the first foundation of order inheritance for the Red Tide Territory.And today, she was here to report the Department of Education's five-year plan to Louis."It's the five-year planning document from the Department of Education, please have a look."