Novel Bin Chapter 26: Reclaim The Territory (5)
Chapter 26: Reclaim The Territory (5)
After a month of punishing those who exploited the farmers under the previous lords, I was sitting in my office, agonizingly clutching my head in both hands, looking over the agricultural reports from the village heads who played roles similar to the chiefs of each territory, and lamenting their lack of solutions.
I would lose dignity if the soldiers saw me like this, but it was okay since I was alone in this office.
Still, to be sure, I opened the door, looked around to make sure no one was there, closed the door again, and exclaimed.
“Damn, it’s a fantasy world, and they can barely survive with this level of farming. If they farmed like this in medieval Europe, everyone would have starved to death!”
And I could definitively say,
‘Even in our country’s history, during the Goryeo period, they farmed more efficiently than these people!’
Some might think it was improbable in a country with modern institutions like academies and had the separation between lords and armies for centralized power.
But the farming methods of this empire were a complete mess, just one step away from total chaos.
A successful harvest in a year requires proper field preparation, seed sowing with correct spacing, and appropriate watering and fertilization.
However, the farming methods of this age were rough and inadequate. They were just crudely plowing the fields, sowing seeds recklessly without creating furrows, and using a mixture of straw and cattle dung as fertilizer.
I didn’t expect them to farm using the Four-Course System that saved England, but hoping for no famine with such farming methods was too unreasonable, wasn’t it?
So, I began to recall knowledge from the introductory military science and history books I had read previously and succeeded in devising decent farming methods.
Now all I had to do was teach them these methods and command them so they could implement them. I wished they would come quickly…
And, just like the old saying, ‘Speak of the devil, and he shall appear’, the local lords of the territories appeared and greeted me as I thought of them coming quickly.
“I, Peter Yaeger, the Lord of Bruno territory, present myself.”
“You’ve traveled far. Please, take a seat.”
In fact, the territory wasn’t that large, so they could reach here in about four hours by horse. It wasn’t a significant distance by fantasy world standards.
But perhaps my words significantly touched those who had suffered excessive abuse and torment from the previous lords.
Some of the lords and village heads were already on the verge of tears.
Then I reached out to calm them and said,
“How has life been lately? I request one representative among you. Please step forward and respond.”
Following my words, a lord in his 50s, who seemed healthier than a month ago, stepped forward and responded.
“The lives of the peasants have improved beyond words. Just a month ago, we were all on the brink of starvation. But since your lordship assumed power, reduced taxes, and provided flour and oxen for farming, we are slowly regaining our strength. Everyone in the village is praising your grace and merit.”
In front of any lord, the local lords usually had no choice but to praise them as if everything was well, unless the lord was extremely tyrannical and indulged in excessive exploitation.
Therefore, just because they praised me in front of everyone, that didn’t mean they were 100% sincere.
However, I could see the sincerity in the eyes of the lord in front of me.
He spoke as a representative, and the other lords and village heads continuously nodded and echoed his words,
“Yes, we agree.”
Thus, I could somewhat confidently feel what they thought about my policies and the punishment or forced labor that I had implemented for the corrupt soldiers.
“A month has passed since I distributed food and lent oxen. What are the peasants doing now?”
“Most are working on weekdays to receive food, and on Saturdays, they are expanding new fields from dawn to late hours. It was unimaginable when families didn’t have an ox in the past.”
For about 30 minutes, I received reports from the lords about the general situation of the territories and the economic status of the peasants.
When the report was almost over, I distributed booklets containing revolutionary farming methods and usage of agricultural tools to them and said,
“I called you here today not only to check the condition of the territories and the sentiments of the peasants but to command the introduction of new farming methods in our territory. The details are in the booklets I gave you, so just follow them.”
Their faces crumpled as if protesting.
‘Are you mad? New farming methods?’
They started to protest as if they had forgotten that I, their lord, could execute them if I turned against them.
“Even with your grace, this is too much. Our lives depend on the success or failure of a year’s farming. Changing such crucial farming methods overnight is like asking us to die!”
“We understand your urgency to rebuild the territory, so we’ll go back and tell the peasants to work right after Sunday services. Please withdraw your command.”
“Lord, please spare our humble selves.”
Changing and applying unverified new farming methods in this era, as they were protesting seemingly with their lives on the line, was equivalent to taking a life-threatening risk. This was because if the yield decreased due to the introduction of new farming methods, many would starve in this era where surplus food was scarce. Therefore, instead of getting angry and reprimanding them for their almost ridiculous protests, it was important to reassure them by promising compensation for any failures incurred.
“You all make valid points. So, if introducing new farming methods results in failure, I’ll take responsibility and provide food for the people of this territory for a year. I swear that I will not ask you to farm like this again. Now, are you willing to give it a try?”
The local lords seemed relieved at my words and nodded, and I ordered them to open their books.
“First off, there is a major flaw in your farming methods. According to the reports you’ve sent, it’s difficult to distinguish between wheat and weeds from spring to summer due to the haphazard sowing of seeds, and the seeds are not properly buried in the soil, so they remain on the surface. It seems like you would have to scare away the sparrows until the sprouts appear, doesn’t it?”
This was a simple inference anyone living in the modern world could make because it was natural for birds to pick at scattered seeds in the fields. Elementary school textbooks even stated that it was crucial to remove weeds when farming, so it was common knowledge to anyone paying attention in class.
However, people here would probably think,
‘Such a high-ranking person has studied farming.’Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.𝘤𝑜𝓂 for the best novel reading experience
And their trust would grow.
“So, before sowing the seeds, roll the frame I’ve made on the prepared field to mark the outline, and plant the seeds by digging holes at the intersecting parts of the cross. Then, even if weeds grow, it will be easier to remove them since grains like wheat are planted in a regular pattern. Now, turn to the next page.”
Upon my words, the lords turned the pages to where other farming methods were written, and I continued speaking while watching them.
“Also, instead of letting weeds grow on the fallow lands for grazing livestock, plant beans on them. Collect the dung from the oxen I lent and mix it with human waste and straw as written in the book. After a certain period, use it as fertilizer. Also, build stables next to each house and keep all the animals, only using them during farming.”
This way, it would be possible to collect the dung from the oxen and grow beans to feed both humans and oxen.
“Also, it will be difficult to make fertilizer. As I mentioned, before this year’s farming starts, scrape the dark-colored soil accumulated on the surface of nearby forests or mountains and spread it over the entire field before plowing the field with a hoe. Follow the rest as written in the book.”