章 20: Road Drafts

Yesterday was a successful day for Harsha. He had not only completed the test for the new road construction method but had also received approval to begin building the roads. However, his work was far from over. He still needed to draft a comprehensive plan to ensure the roads would be future-proof and sustainable.

Early the next morning, Harsha was in the Royal training hall, stretching his limbs and neck in preparation for sparring. He was becoming more accustomed to his body and steadily increasing his training workload.

Narayana, who had rejoined the training after recovering from his previous injuries, was on the ground, huffing and breathing heavily, his eyes dizzy from exhaustion. "What the hell is this training?! It's not normal," he thought, struggling to keep up with the intensity.

Narayana gazed at Varun, who was in the same boat as him, lying on the ground after a grueling training session. "Did you do this daily?" he whispered softly.

"Oh! This is the easiest part. Sparring with that monster is literally Hell on earth," Varun whispered back, his tone a mix of exhaustion.

"Hey, tone it down! Varun, you don't want to get executed!" Narayana warned in a hushed voice.

"You don't understand! I'll let you experience it first, then hope you have the same opinion about this," Varun retorted, shaking his head.

' I wonder What happened to Varun! ' Narayana thought.

Their conversation was interrupted by Harsha, who approached them with a calm yet commanding presence. "Enough resting, you two. We have sparring left,"

As they got to their feet, Harsha continued, "Since Narayana joined us today, you both can fight me together."

"What?" Both of them gasped in unison at Harsha's order.

"Don't sweat it. You guys are not even at the level to beat me yet," he smirked, resting his wooden sword on his shoulder.

Both fell silent at the statement. It was an undeniable fact that the prince was far stronger than them despite being the youngest. Narayana and Varun saw an insurmountable wall in Harsha, its top nowhere in sight. Narayana experienced this feeling for the first time in his life, having always been considered a talented individual. The realization that he was not the strongest hit him hard, but it also sparked a desire to overcome this new challenge.

Varun, on the other hand, felt a familiar thrill. A sense of challenge lit up within him, pushing him to try his best to climb this insurmountable wall. It had been a long time since he felt such a drive.

Harsha pointed the sword at both of them, "Get ready, Let's begin the session."

Narayana and Varun exchanged a glance, a silent agreement passing between them. They moved into position, circling Harsha, trying to anticipate his moves. Harsha stood relaxed

"Good decision," he said with a smirk as the fight began.

Varun made the first move, lunging forward with a quick thrust. Harsha deflected his thrust with ease, anticipating a lower kick from Narayana. He sidestepped, covering his blind spot and positioning himself to face both opponents.

Both Varun and Narayana split and attacked from opposite sides. Harsha blocked Varun's quick swipe at his torso and turned around to dodge Narayana's vertical cut. They continued their relentless attacks, but Harsha exploited the weaknesses in their teamwork to break their flow.

After a few minutes of back and forth between him and the duo, He went on a final offensive to end the spar.

Blocking a heavy blow from Narayana, Harsha anticipated a stab from Varun. He flicked his wrist to direct Narayana's blocked sword to the other side, moving out of the way for Varun's stab to land on Narayana's thigh.

"What are you doing? ARGH!" Narayana winced and screamed in pain, instructing Varun to stay focused.

Seeing an opportunity to end the battle, Harsha charged at disoriented Narayana, dodging his swing. He moved to the side of Narayana using him as a deterrent for Varun's swing, who was momentarily distracted by the unexpected move. Simultaneously, Harsha grabbed Narayana's arm, pulling it back and delivering a solid kick to his back, pushing him onto the distracted Varun.

The two guards fell to the ground in a heap, their breaths ragged from the intense sparring. Harsha stood over them, his breathing steady and his expression calm.

"Good effort, both of you," Harsha said, his voice steady. "But you need to work on your coordination and anticipate each other's moves better."

"That hit the spot," Harsha exclaimed, tossing the wooden sword onto the ground. He did some final stretches and shifted his gaze to the collapsed duo on the ground, panting heavily.

"Clean this up before you leave," he ordered, then left the training hall.

"What a monster!" Narayana exclaimed.

"Didn't I tell you the sparring would be the hardest? Thankfully, the Prince didn't do three rounds as usual today," Varun replied.

"Three rounds??? and we couldn't land a single hit on the Prince," Narayana said, hanging his head in shame. His ego had been shattered from the prior sparring, but he let go of it, resolving to learn more and become stronger.

"Don't sweat it! We should improve our coordination and teamwork along with our individual skills. This is a great opportunity to prove ourselves," Varun encouraged.

Narayana nodded, taking a deep breath. "You're right. We have to treat this as a chance to grow."

After the spar, Harsha took a bath and was with Prashant discussing the drafting of the road's construction guidelines.

"Your Highness, where do we start the road construction?" Prashant asked, setting down the documents of road building and the sealed approval for access to treasury funds.

"Since port cities and nearby cities already have some road infrastructure, it would be easy to start there, so I was thinking of that," Harsha replied.

"Oh, I see," Prashant nodded.

"But first, we have to deal with some things before drafting a final plan," Harsha continued.

"What may those things be, Your Highness?" Prashant inquired, curious.

"Future-proofing, maintenance, and efficiency," Harsha explained. "We need to ensure that the roads we build now can accommodate future growth and heavier traffic. Maintenance should be straightforward and not too resource-intensive. And of course, the construction process itself must be efficient to make the best use of our time and resources."

"We have ports in Goa, Kozhikode, Kochi, Machilipatnam, Pulicat, and Nagapattinam. Which ones are the most heavily trafficked and developed so far?" Harsha inquired.

"Currently, Kochi, Machilipatnam, and Nagapattinam handle the most traffic and are the most developed, Your Highness," Prashant replied.

Harsha nodded thoughtfully. "We need overseers to look over the road connections to these major ports. It's either the merchants or local nobility. What do you recommend?"

Prashant considered this for a moment. "Merchants have a vested interest in ensuring the roads are in good condition, as their businesses depend on it. They might push for faster and more efficient construction. However, they might also prioritize routes that benefit them directly, potentially neglecting less profitable areas. For places like Goa and Machilipatnam, the merchants would be better."

"Why though?" Harsha inquired

Prashant explained that the merchants' influence in these areas was quite high due to the increased trade with the Portuguese and other European nations. This makes them very influential, so it is a wise decision to include them.

"And what about the local nobility?" Harsha asked.

"Local nobility has the power and resources to oversee large projects and ensure that they are completed properly. They might have a broader view of the needs of their regions. However, there is a risk of them diverting resources for personal gain or getting bogged down in political rivalries," Prashant explained.

"So for places like Kochi, Kozhikode, and Nagapattinam, we should utilize the former royals of Kochi, the Nairs, and the Nayakas to oversee. This way, smaller local nobles wouldn't create much of a nuisance," Harsha concluded.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"I will include some agreements in the drafts, We also need inspectors to check road quality and ensure proper implementation of guidelines."

Prashant carefully considered the various noble factions within the Empire. The Nayaka's Patriarch had always stood out to him due to his unwavering commitment to fairness and justice. As one of the strongest neutral factions, the Nayakas had always pledged allegiance to the throne without aligning with any particular prince.

"So, the Nayakas, you say?" Harsha inquired.

"Yes, Your Highness. I strongly recommend meeting the Patriarch in person. He is a... unique individual," Prashant replied.

"I plan to call the representatives of the three noble families to present the plan," Harsha stated.

"Your Highness, meeting the Patriarch personally will have a greater impact," Prashant suggested earnestly.

After a moment of consideration, Harsha nodded in agreement. "Alright, I'll arrange a meeting with the Patriarch."

After a few hours of intense work and route decisions, the final draft agreement for the road development was ready to move forward.

"Bidar-Gulbarga-Hampi road route, Your Highness?" Prashant inquired.

"Those are major cities. Although the route needs repairs, connecting them will significantly boost trade," Harsha replied thoughtfully.

"Very well," Prashant acknowledged. "I'll send a message to the representatives and arrange a meeting with the Nayaka Patriarch as soon as possible."

Contents of the Draft

Vijayanagar Empire Road Development Agreement

Objective: To construct, maintain, and manage a comprehensive network of roads across the Vijayanagar Empire, ensuring accessibility, efficiency, and safety for all users.

Major Road Provisions:

1. Lane Specifications:

- Major roads will consist of two lanes specifically designed for carts and wagons, each lane being 2 Dhanu (approximately 4 meters) in width.

-Additionally, there will be one pedestrian lane on each side of the road, each lane being 1 Dhanu (approximately 2 meters) in width

2. Parallel Drains:

-Parallel drainage systems will be constructed on both sides of the road to ensure proper water runoff and prevent waterlogging

3. Grasslands for Cavalry Passage:

-Every major road must have 20 Dhanu (approximately 40 meters) wide grasslands beside it to facilitate the passage of cavalry and military movements

4. Rest Areas:

-Rest areas equipped with Bhavi (draw wells for water) will be established at intervals of 1 Kos (approximately 3 kilometers) along major roads

5. Village Connectivity:

-Major roads must pass through the outskirts of major villages to ensure connectivity and accessibility for local communities

6. Horse Rests:

-Resting stations for horses will be provided every 2 Kos (approximately 6 kilometers) along major roads

7. Stone Tablets:

-Every 4 Kos (approximately 12 kilometers), stone tablets will be erected with directions to the nearest city and its distance from the tablet.

Minor Road Provisions:

1. Lane Specifications:

-Minor roads will consist of two lanes, each 1 Dhanu (approximately 2 meters) in width, with an additional pedestrian lane of 1/2 Dhanu (approximately 1 meter) on each side

2. Parallel Drains:

-Similar to major roads, minor roads will also include parallel drainage systems

3. Connectivity:

-Minor roads will primarily connect small villages and towns within the empire

4. Land Reservation:

-A 3 Dhanu (approximately 6 meters) wide land will be reserved alongside minor roads for future expansion and development.

-This provision for land reservation can be lowered and adapted depending on the local terrain and village locality

Provisions for Road Tax:

-Toll taxes will be levied on major roads for merchants and pedestrians.

-Merchants transporting goods will be subject to higher toll rates than pedestrians.

Provisions for Patrol:

-Local nobles are responsible for ensuring road safety by regularly deploying soldiers to patrol the roads.

-Patrols deployed by local nobles must promptly address distress calls along the roads.

Provisions for Inspections:

-Inspectors will conduct regular inspections to ensure strict adherence to the road construction guidelines.

-Inspectors have the authority to arrest and report any misappropriation of funds or deviation from the agreed guidelines.

Penalties for Misappropriations:

-Nobles found guilty of misappropriating funds will be judged by the Emperor himself.

-Merchants found guilty will face severe penalties including the confiscation of wealth and corporal punishment.

Implementation and Oversight:

-Overseers appointed for road development must strictly adhere to these guidelines upon signing the agreement, ensuring that roads are constructed and maintained to the highest standards.

Additional Provisions:

Confidentiality of Road Building Method:

-The specific method for road construction, as detailed in the attached document, is classified information vital to the security and development of the Vijayanagar Empire. Any disclosure or leakage of this method to neighboring countries or Europeans, whether intentionally or unintentionally, through word of mouth or any other means, shall be deemed a severe breach of trust. Offenders will be subject to corporal punishment as per the laws of the Empire.

Dispute Resolution:

-In the event of any disagreements or disputes arising during the implementation or interpretation of this agreement, the involved parties shall promptly report the matter to Prince Harsha Deva Raya and Road Development Supervisor Prashant. They will work together to mediate and resolve the dispute in a fair and just manner, ensuring the continued progress and success of the road development project.

Signatories:

Harsha Deva Raya

Prince, Vijayanagar Empire

Prashant

Road Development Supervisor

Overseer of [Specified Location]

[Name]

[Affiliation]

Date:

These provisions further safeguard the integrity of the road-building method and ensure efficient conflict resolution, promoting the successful implementation of the road development initiative across the Vijayanagar Empire.