White Bear Territory's farming workload was especially heavy this year.
Because of the many new techniques Lynn had introduced, the serfs abandoned their old extensive methods and began cultivating the land with greater care.
They had to make compost, plow deeply, select seeds, and sow in rows.
The workload had increased, but the acreage of strip fields that needed planting had not changed, nor had the labor force increased.
In previous years, the serfs could generally finish planting over thirty thousand mu of farmland in just two weeks.
But this year, eleven days had passed since Spring Planting officially began, and the serfs had only just finished tending the lord's eighteen thousand mu of land.
That was only because Old Albert and a group of supervisors and farm managers had been rigorously pushing production every day.
Since many serfs had been unable to plant their own allotment land for so long, slacking off had become widespread.
A small number of bolder serfs had even secretly begun planting their own allotment land early, casting the assigned public land out of their minds.
Fortunately, Old Albert discovered it in time and singled out several offenders for whipping, barely managing to curb this wave of idleness.
"My lord, these new techniques truly are good, but they take far more time. The serfs have only just begun planting their own allotment land. If they miss the rainy season, they'll have a hard time this winter."
After finally supervising the serfs through the planting of the public land, Old Albert could no longer hold back and came to the castle to complain to Lynn.
As the bridge between the lord and the serfs, he had to consider both sides and naturally took abuse from both.
He had to complete the tasks assigned by the lord with all his strength while also caring whether the serfs lived or died. He did not even dare whip too hard, afraid of crippling the precious labor force.
He had been running about everywhere these past days and often missed meals. His already lean body had grown noticeably thinner.
"You've worked hard."
Lynn patted Old Albert on the shoulder, though what he was really considering was having Old Albert oversee the road construction.
After all, he was White Bear Territory's only Territory Steward.
Some jobs truly could not be done by anyone else.
Since he could endure hardship, there would naturally be endless hardship waiting for him.
Having his hard work acknowledged by the lord, Old Albert's face bloomed with a radiant smile.
"Working for you, my lord, is no hardship."
Through his observations these past days, Old Albert knew that Lynn was by no means a cruel lord who imposed harsh taxes, but a good lord willing to protect his territory and serfs.
What lord inspected serf villages the moment he arrived in his territory?
And what lord dared risk his life to personally fight a gigantic Magic Beast?
In truth, Lynn had not been idle these past days either. Every day, he personally inspected the territory, supervising and guiding the serfs in their work.
He had also specifically ordered Yagna to take out twice as much salt and cured sausage from the stores and add them to the serfs' work lunches, terrified that this excellent labor force would work themselves to death in the fields.
To give the serfs extra food, he had even used up all the cured sausages in storage, while the salt was nearly depleted as well.
Afterward, Lynn took Old Albert out to inspect the land once more.
They left the castle and gazed out over the fields.
As far as the eye could see, the dark, level furrows stretched endlessly, radiating a majestic beauty. The entire land brimmed with boundless vitality.
Old Albert was likewise shaken by the sight. Only after a long while did he sigh.
"My lord, this is all thanks to the heavy plows you brought. In past years, these furrows would definitely have been crooked and uneven, like a child's random scribbles with a branch."
Lynn narrowed his eyes in thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Albert, are there still many uncultivated flatlands west of the territory?"
"Yes, but those flatlands have not been completely abandoned. They serve as public pastureland, and pasture grass seeds are scattered there every year."
As he answered, Old Albert suddenly had a bad feeling.
Surely the lord was not planning to reclaim that land as farmland too?
Sure enough, Lynn gave his orders next.
"Heavy plows can not only till fields deeply, but also reclaim wasteland. Next year, I plan to develop the western lands. Over the past few days, I personally surveyed the
area. There are at least twenty thousand mu of flatland suitable for reclamation. If the gentle slopes are included, there may be seventy or eighty thousand mu. Leaving all that land unused is far too wasteful."
"My lord, with White Bear Territory's current population, we simply cannot support that much farmland!" Old Albert's vision went dark. Was White Bear Territory lacking land?
It lacked people!
Even if they added another twenty thousand mu of farmland, the serfs of White Bear Territory would not be able to finish planting it even if they worked themselves to death!
"Don't worry. People will come to cultivate those lands." Lynn smiled and asked, "Have you never considered why I ordered you to plant all the public land with rye?"
In previous years, the main crop on the lord's public land had actually been barley.
The main crop on the serfs' allotment land, meanwhile, had been rye.
Barley tasted even worse than rye and was generally not used as food. Instead, it was used to brew ale or beer.
Large coastal cities had a tremendous demand for alcohol. Growing barley made it easier to export and brought in more gold coins.
Yet this year, Lynn had broken with convention and ordered rye to become the main crop on the public land, planting only a small amount of barley and oats.
Old Albert had been wondering these past days why they were planting rye, which was harder to sell. When Lynn asked him that now, he finally understood.
The lord intended to bring in people on a massive scale!
That was why he had planted rye in advance: to feed more serfs!
Serfs who had just moved into the territory could not survive on their own. They would need the lord's relief to live until the next Autumn Harvest.
But Old Albert then became puzzled again.
In the Northern Border's current conditions, where could they find several thousand more people to farm?
Hadn't the Southern Border's wave of migration already passed?
Could they be planning to seize them by force?
Of course. They had to be taking them by force. It was impossible that they would buy them, right?
Serfs were the treasures of lords everywhere. How could anyone possibly buy serfs in large numbers?
Shallow Beach Territory in the south did have people, and its new lord was still just a little child.
Given his lord's temperament, he really might make a move against Shallow Beach Territory.
No wonder the lord was keeping Yagna in the castle. He must have his eyes on Shallow Beach Territory's land and population!
It all fit. Every bit of it fit!
But would that not mean going to war?
The more Old Albert thought about it, the more alarmed he became.
He was not afraid of war. The lords, great and small, of the Northern Border often started fighting over the slightest disagreement.
They fought over forests, prey, people, even wives and lovers. No reason for a fight was too strange.
What he feared was losing, or drawing the Marsh Duke's punishment.
"My lord, if we are going to wage war, we must prepare early. The public land has just finished being planted, so I'll have the supervisors and farm managers begin training at once."
As Territory Steward, Old Albert was naturally responsible for managing the levied soldiers.
The supervisors and farm managers were White Bear Territory's levied soldiers.
His son, Little Albert, had never relaxed his training in ordinary times. He was skilled at riding and could wield a sword proficiently from horseback.
Though he was still far inferior to a true [Warrior], he could at least be of some use on the battlefield.
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