Chapter : 8

Long ago in the East, it was said that farming is the foundation of the world.

It was a term that meant farming is the most fundamental of all things under heaven, so nothing should be valued more than agriculture.

This was no different in the modern era, as every nation, more than ever, poured its heart and soul into food security.

But now, in this world of [Pangea Universalise], which had just passed the late Middle Ages and entered the Renaissance period?

What more needs to be said.

Farming was insanely important.

Did they have modern chemical fertilizers? Or had agricultural technology developed at all? In [Pangea Universalise], they were still using the three-field system.

On top of that, the efficiency of the crudely made compost was also poor because of the nature of wheat farming in separate fields.

‘Ah, speaking of which, I should also introduce the Norfolk farming method while I’m reclaiming the land.’

A farming method that rotated barley, clover, wheat, and turnips on a four-year cycle.

Through this, Europe succeeded in more than doubling its agricultural productivity and was able to raise livestock year-round, leading to a great development in animal husbandry as well.

England’s population increased from 5 million to 8 million in a short period, a truly enormous population-supporting capacity.

In short, it was a cheat key in this era.

‘The problem is that large-scale farming requires less labor than before….’

However, this characteristic was rather suitable for my domain.

The Bellua Margraviate, unlike other domains, currently had an extreme shortage of population relative to its land. Moreover, I could use this to break down the traditional manor structure.

If I mixed in a few methods, it would be a very good weapon for weakening the power of the nobles who owned tax-exempt land.

And that wasn't the only advantage.

‘Mass production of livestock is also possible.’

In the existing three-field system, it was essential to slaughter livestock in the winter, but with the Norfolk farming method as a foundation, there was no need to slaughter them.

This was because stockpiled turnips could be used as livestock feed.

And since livestock, then as now, were expensive commodities, it would surely be a great help to my domain’s finances.

But there was an even bigger game-changer.

‘Turnips. This was insane. Especially in [Pangea Universalise].’

They were turnips used for livestock feed, but there was a secret to them.

The secret that the turnips grown in [Pangea Universalise] were actually sugar beets.

It was something that would only be discovered after 250 years in [Pangea Universalise]'s timeline, but wasn't I a player? I already knew everything.

From the sugar extraction method to the manufacturing process.

“Eheheheheh.”

To think I could make sugar, as precious as gold, from that ecstatic sweetness.

Although the production cost would be high, considering the price of sugar in [Pangea Universalise] right now, it was still a profitable business. I could imagine gold coins raining down before my eyes.

“Good. Very good.”

The plan was being drawn up in my head step by step.

It was not a problem that could be solved in a short period, but it was a sufficient timeline to prepare for the [Great Famine] that would come in 5 years.

In the meantime, if I suppressed the nobles, developed agriculture, and promoted commerce with the surplus produce, the domain would surely become prosperous and strong again.

Of course, sugar would be a cheat key.

I grinned and wrote vigorously on the paper.

-Ssk ssk.

[Five-Year Domain Development Plan]

I was planning to make the whole domain resound with the cry for a better life.

* * *

Several days and nights were spent drafting the domain development plan.

Once the main framework was roughly decided, I immediately convened a council of vassals.

There were too many matters for me to handle alone, and there were also various issues to give instructions on.

“Well. It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve seen you all. Have you been well?”

Saying so, I sat at the head of the conference room table and scanned the left and right sides.

To my immediate right was my closest aide, Chamberlain Hamil, and on the opposite side was Bishop Marco.

Seeing the familiar vassals lined up behind them, it seemed factions had already formed.

‘It seems the two who helped me have become the representatives.’

Chamberlain Hamil's side consisted of relatively young nobles of knightly origin, while Bishop Marco's side was mainly composed of old administrators and nobles of clerical origin.

Roughly thinking in terms of the Joseon Dynasty era, it looked like a confrontational structure of military officials versus civil officials.

It was pathetic to see them squabbling over what little there was in this poor domain, but it wasn't a bad thing.

‘The more divided they are, the easier they are to control.’

If I moderately provoked them to compete with each other, they would be busy attacking the opposing faction, not me.

They might even compete for my loyalty. Of course, that wasn't the important thing right now.

“After the recent unfortunate incident, I have now brought the aftermath under control to some extent and have summoned you. I felt that I could not leave the domain as it is.”

As soon as my words ended, the vassals on both sides' eyes sparkled. They probably misunderstood something.

Sure enough, a vassal who had sided with Bishop Marco stood up and spoke. It was the Treasurer, Palmer.

“Are you referring to the confiscated property? I heard that among the confiscated property this time, there are about 40,000 acres of manors.”

As Treasurer Palmer finished speaking, anticipation filled the vassals' faces. It was the custom of medieval nobles to receive a fitting reward if they had achieved merits.

Especially in a case like this, with many ownerless manors, they could receive quite a generous manor depending on their merits.

However, I had no intention of sharing it with the vassals.

‘Are you crazy? This is directly-managed land that I just recovered.’

Tax-exempt manors had to be continuously reduced.

Only then would the domain's finances become abundant. I needed to centralize the finances and, through that, centralize the military system as well.

Not by turning the nobles' private soldiers into soldiers as it was now, but by forming and operating a central army.

“This time, all the manors will be incorporated into directly-managed land.”

“Ah….”

“I understand, My Lord.”

As I drew the line like that, sighs erupted from all over.

They had been secretly hoping, so it was understandable that they would be disappointed when I shattered that hope.

However, this was not a good choice for me either.

It was a matter of breaking a long-standing custom. I had been the first to break the trust between the lord and the nobles.

This could later become a justification for them not to fulfill their contractual obligations to me.

Especially Chamberlain Hamil and his faction.

There was a high possibility that they would be dissatisfied because they had achieved many merits during this purge.

Especially the young knights with poor financial situations, even more so.

“But it would not be right to let this pass just like that.”

Therefore, I hastily stated the measures to quell their dissatisfaction.

“Of the 30,000 gold recovered this time, I will grant 10,000 gold as a reward. Chamberlain Hamil and Bishop Marco, please discuss and sort out the merits.

I will distribute the prize money differentially according to the merits.”

The quick-witted Bishop Marco would understand well what these words meant. Anyway, as I said that, the vassals' dissatisfaction seemed to subside a little.

But if it were to end here, I wouldn't have agonized over it for the past few days.

“I will reclaim the Great Forest.”

I cleared my throat and made another bombshell announcement.

“As many monsters live in the Great Forest, we need a lot of soldiers.

If you participate with your soldiers, I will distribute the land obtained after reclamation.”

No matter how much I had 20,000 gold, or rather, 10,000 gold given as a reward, it was impossible for me to carry out the reclamation project alone.

The Great Forest was that dangerous, and reclaiming a forest was a business that cost a lot of money.

Therefore, I needed the help of the vassals.

Especially the power of the private soldiers that the vassals were raising.

“What will be the criteria for distribution, My Lord?”

“It will depend on the merits. For knights who participate directly, it will be distributed appropriately according to how many monsters of the Great Forest they have dealt with, and for vassals who provide indirect support, according to how many soldiers they have provided.”

At that, the vassals' pupils sparkled with excitement.

Especially Chamberlain Hamil and the young knights. The young knights probably thought it was an unexpected opportunity to obtain a manor.

Chamberlain Hamil seemed to be pleased for a somewhat different reason.

Anyway, I opened my mouth again to clear up their misunderstanding.

“However, you will have to pay taxes on the distributed land. It is not a tax-exempt manor.”

Own it, but pay taxes.

As soon as my words ended, the vassals' faces darkened.

“Meeeh~ My Lord. Then the burden will be too great.”

“That's right. If we have to pay taxes, it will be impossible to mobilize the most important soldiers.”

“This will actually worsen our military power.”

“Ah, I know.”

Various concerned opinions poured in from both sides.

In the traditional feudal structure, if manors were distributed in this way, the nobles would be left with nothing.

“So, for the land obtained by participating this time, I am thinking of eliminating the military mobilization duty. Instead, you can pay 30 percent of the grain harvested from the land as tax.”

Only then did the vassals' faces brighten.

This changed the story. The tax imposed on free peasants was half of the harvest.

Therefore, by this standard, it was a great benefit to the vassals.

Of course, this was my trap.

“So, do not worry. I have no intention of placing a burden on you. Do you understand?”

“I understand, My Lord.”

“If that is so, then we must naturally follow.”

This was a kind of shield tax.

If they paid with money instead of fulfilling their military service duty, at some point, the soldiers I operated would far outnumber the soldiers they held. If that happened, all the obstacles to the reforms I would push for in the future would be cleared.

I was planning to slowly turn the nobles in the domain into simple landlords.

[A Devious Stratagem!]

[You have persuaded the nobles while hiding your true intentions. Prestige increases by 5.]

Hearing the pleasant notification, I scanned the room.

“Then, we will conclude this matter for now…. Treasurer, please ascertain the exact number of participating vassals and report to me later.”

“I understand, My Lord.”

As the issues of rewards and reclamation were roughly settled, I moved on to the next agenda item.

“Good. For your information, I plan to apply a new farming method to the farmland being reclaimed this time and to my directly-managed land. I am telling you this in advance because we will be reclaiming the land in accordance with this farming method from the reclamation stage.”

“A new farming method, you say?”

“How can you proceed so rashly, My Lord….”

“That's right. You must verify it and introduce it slowly….”

Various concerned opinions erupted once again. So, I waved my hand to cut them off.

Their opinions were valid, but there was no time.

The clock of the global event called the [Great Famine] was ticking, so it had to be applied immediately. And I also knew well how to quell such concerns.

“I know that too. That is why I intend to dispatch an investigator.”

“An investigator, to where?”

“I heard long ago that in the lowland region of the Duchy of Bourgogne, there is a farming method that cultivates in rotation without fallow land, unlike the traditional three-field system. That method is said to be so great that its agricultural productivity is outstanding, and it is good for raising livestock.”

“Meeeh~! That place, you say? That's right. Reports are often sent to the Holy See, but…. Meeeh~ how did you know that? I understood that to be a secret of that region.”

Then, Bishop Marco backed me up. I hadn't known that, so it was a relief. The power of the Holy See's authority was great.

The mouths of the vassals who had opposed were now shut, as if they had never spoken.

I looked at them for a moment and then asked Bishop Marco.

“I have my ways of knowing. Why? Is something strange?”

“Me, meeeh~. No, sir.”

“Right, anyway, I plan to dispatch an investigator there. The investigator will go and investigate, and I plan to secretly move those who are well-versed in that farming method to our domain. What do you think?”

At that, the vassals silently exchanged glances. They seemed unable to judge whether this was good or bad.

As the silence lengthened, Chamberlain Hamil stepped forward to take the lead.

“Hmm…. Well, do as you please. However….”

“However?”

“If the investigator's investigation reveals that the farming method is not so special, how about we withdraw this new farming method?”

If he proposed it like this, I was grateful.

I nodded at the suggestion.

“I understand. I will withdraw it at any time.”

Of course, there was no way that would happen.

I knew very well. That this new farming method would be very special.

Rather, when the investigator returned, they would be itching to do it first.