Heavy Plow and Conscription

After finishing his exchange with Number 1, Victor shook off his fatigue and began a new day's work.

He had also received the heavy plow design drawings, so he decided to go straight to the Weaponry Workshop that morning and produce a sample heavy plow as soon as possible.

Victor brought several guards directly to Fenggu Town, the agricultural center of Golden Sunflower Territory. The land here was fertile and water was abundant, making it the territory's most important grain-producing base. Fenggu Town not only possessed vast farmlands, but was also surrounded by eight villages and seven farms, which jointly cultivated this river valley plain. The population here accounted for roughly half of Golden Sunflower Territory's total population, making it the essence of the territory.

Victor soon arrived at the Weaponry Workshop. It had been established at his suggestion and was responsible for producing and repairing farming tools for the territory's farms. Later, it had also taken on the manufacture and maintenance of weapons and armor.

However, in his next development plan for the territory, Victor intended to separate these two functions and establish an Agricultural Machinery Factory and an Arms Factory respectively.

After entering the Weaponry Workshop, Victor saw Agricultural Director Linde approaching him. "My lord, you've arrived. I came today to convey the instructions you issued. Since you're here, I'll call everyone over."

After saying that, Linde summoned several carpenters and blacksmiths. They were all skilled hands from the Weaponry Workshop, and Victor had met some of them before.

Linde then addressed the carpenters and blacksmiths he had gathered. "Lord Victor wants to improve the territory's existing farming tools so that all those mud-legged peasants can grow more food. You are to do this properly under my lord's guidance. Do well, and there will be great rewards."

After that, he turned to Victor with an excessively fawning expression. "My lord, would you like to say a few words?"

For the first time, Victor felt that Linde had the qualities of a traitorous lackey.

Still, the meaning was not wrong, so he addressed the crowd directly. "Anyone who meets my requirements will be rewarded. Each person will receive at least one Silver Maple." At once, everyone's eyes, including Linde's, widened.

Seeing this, Victor immediately called several craftsmen over and got to work.

"I sent you the drawings earlier. You already understand the general shape, so let's begin."

Inside the territory's Weaponry Workshop, Victor busily guided the craftsmen in making the Saxon heavy plow.

He stood beside a massive anvil, studying the drawings in his hand with focused eyes and occasionally issuing instructions to the blacksmiths and carpenters around him.

"Pay attention to this curve." Victor pointed to a detail on the drawing. "This is the key part of the plowshare. It must be able to cut smoothly into the soil."

The blacksmiths gathered around the furnace, sweat dripping from their foreheads, yet their eyes were filled with focus and enthusiasm. Following Victor's instructions, they carefully forged every part of the plowshare. Every hammer blow was precise and powerful, as though they were having a silent conversation with the metal.

Meanwhile, the carpenters worked just as intensely. They were responsible for making the handles and connecting parts, which needed to be sturdy yet lightweight so farmers could operate them easily. The carpenters selected the finest wood, carefully polished and assembled it, and ensured that every component fit perfectly.

Victor walked over to a young carpenter carving a connector and said softly, "Remember, make this groove a little deeper. That way, the plowshare can be fixed more securely to the handle." The young carpenter nodded and carefully adjusted it as instructed.

After several hours of effort, the first Saxon heavy plow was finally complete. Victor picked up a brush and gently swept away the dust on it, nodding in satisfaction. This heavy plow was not only beautifully made, but also sturdy in construction, with many unique features and advantages.

First, the Saxon heavy plow was made from special steel, making the plowshare more durable and less prone to rust. Second, its design accounted for the needs of different soil types. Whether clay or sandy soil, it could handle them with ease. In addition, the heavy plow's weight was evenly distributed, making cultivation less strenuous for farmers while reducing the burden on the horses.

Victor gathered all the craftsmen and farmer representatives and showed them the newly made heavy plow. He explained its features and advantages in detail and encouraged everyone to offer their opinions and suggestions. They all expressed admiration and support, believing it would greatly improve the territory's agricultural efficiency.

Next came the testing. Victor directly led everyone and the heavy plow to a field.

Linde pointed at the land and said, "My lord, look. This land was only reclaimed this year. The clearing has just been completed, and it still needs to be leveled and left to recover. It can be cultivated for the first time next year."

Victor nodded and immediately called for them to begin. Several workers led over a Draft Horse, one of those bought last time. It had already been trained and was accustomed to pulling a plow. The workers put the harness on the horse and connected it to the heavy plow.

They began their first attempt. At first, both the men and horse were unfamiliar with it, and the plow lurched crookedly from side to side. But they quickly got the hang of it. The plow moved faster and faster, turning over increasingly deeper soil while large amounts of gravel and tree roots were unearthed.

The surrounding craftsmen all stared wide-eyed. They had acknowledged the advantages of the heavy plow, but they had not expected it to be this effective.

One older carpenter said, "This is at least ten times better than those old light plows. One day's work equals ten days' labor. If the entire territory switched to these heavy plows, the land we have now might not even be enough."

Another carpenter said, "It works well, but one heavy plow uses five times as much wood and iron as an old light plow. It takes longer to make and requires more labor, and it also needs a large animal like a Draft Horse. How could ordinary farming households afford it?"

Victor had been listening to the conversation. He turned to the crowd and said, "That's true. This heavy plow is expensive, but its efficiency has increased many times over. Still, considering the need for widespread adoption, I can give you a task. Whoever can reduce its cost to one-third of the current amount while retaining roughly half its efficiency will receive one gold coin." As he spoke, he took out a gold coin and waved it in his hand.

Under a great reward, brave men would emerge. One gold coin was indeed far too precious to these craftsmen. Their eyes all gleamed red, and it seemed their enthusiasm had been thoroughly stirred.

Victor nodded in satisfaction and told Linde, "Continue making these heavy plows and training Draft Horses. You also need to notify the managers of every farm and have them send people here. I require every farm to be equipped with three sets of heavy plows and Draft Horses. They must learn how to use these heavy plows as quickly as possible. I want to roll them out on the farms first."

After saying that, he left with several people. It was already afternoon, and they needed to hurry.

Victor led his men to the military camp. This camp was the Main Camp of Golden Sunflower Territory.

All new recruits came here and were assigned to different types of soldiers based on their physical conditions. Those who were intelligent and physically gifted could be selected as Cavalry; those of moderate build with outstanding arm strength could become Longbowmen or Crossbowmen; those who were tall and strong became Pikemen.

Golden Sunflower Territory's forces were basically composed of these branches. There had once been Halberdiers, Sword-and-Shield Soldiers, Spearmen, and others, but Victor had eliminated them all at once. The territory's army was not large enough to warrant so many troop types, and the costs and maintenance expenses would be too high.

When Victor arrived, Ron was organizing the Pikemen's training.

The pikemen wore uniform military attire, held long spear shafts, and stood in neat square formations across the broad training ground.

At Ron's command, the pikemen swiftly entered a combat stance. Their feet were planted firmly on the ground, their bodies leaned slightly forward, both hands gripped their long spears, and their determined eyes fixed on the front.

Ron began issuing a series of complex commands, and the pikemen had to perform the corresponding movements.

First, they practiced basic thrusting. The pikemen extended their spears forward, swiftly drew them back, then thrust again with force, striving to make every strike accurate. The movement looked simple, but it actually required extremely high coordination and control of strength. The pikemen had to ensure their movements were both fast and steady so they could effectively attack enemies in battle.

Next, they began practicing formation changes and movement. The pikemen needed to learn how to swiftly switch between different formations in response to all kinds of battlefield situations. At times, they packed tightly together to form an impregnable defensive line; at others, they spread out to form a flexible and mobile attacking force. Every change required precise steps and seamless cooperation, or the entire formation would fall into chaos.

Victor waited until Ron had finished the training before walking over.

"Uncle, this batch of soldiers looks very well trained. Once they make a round on the battlefield, they'll count as elite troops."

"They train every day, focusing on formation coordination, with plenty of food to eat. Even pigs could be trained into something presentable."

"Then I'm relieved. Not many people supported my reforms at first, but fortunately, all the brothers performed well in this battle. Now we can finally move on to the next stage of the plan."

"When do you plan to start recruiting?" Ron asked.

"Tomorrow. Freemen will still be recruited through voluntary enlistment. As for the serfs, Uncle, I'll need you to make the rounds with me personally. We'll go to every farm and inspect all the young people of suitable age."

"No wonder you're starting tomorrow. Just visiting all those farms will take several days. But, Victor, are you really sure you want to recruit Serf Soldiers?"

"Yes. There aren't that many Freemen in the territory. If we keep recruiting Freemen, the territory probably won't even be able to collect commercial taxes. Besides, recruiting serf soldiers costs relatively less."

"This time, I want to recruit eight hundred men. One hundred will be selected as Light Cavalry, while the remaining seven hundred will replenish the infantry units."

"However, they must undergo unified training. They need to master at least basic formations, weapon use, and military discipline before they can be assigned to their respective units. My plan this time is not to establish new units, but to insert the recruits into the old units and directly expand the existing formations."

"But that will affect the combat strength of the original units."

"Although I'm in a hurry to expand the army, the overall situation has not reached such a dire point. We have enough time to train and integrate the troops."

"Fine, then I have no objections. I'll just follow you tomorrow."

"Good, Uncle Ron. We can discuss the details as well. The key to this recruitment drive is how to enlist motivated Serf Soldiers."

"I plan to heavily promote the treatment Serf Soldiers will receive from the beginning, so they understand it clearly. I intend to lure them with benefits. I need them to actively volunteer for recruitment and strive for a better life for themselves and their families."

"Once they pass the selection and join the army, their entire serf household will immediately be moved to a centralized farm. It will serve exclusively as a residential area for the families of Serf Soldiers. The territory will cover all their expenses, provide housing and land, and offer them loans to buy livestock, farming tools, and improved seeds. Through this, the lives of serf households will see immediate and visible improvements. Serf Soldiers will also be allowed to return home to visit their families, so they understand their responsibilities and can fight bravely in battle."

"It's a good idea, but many serf families aren't harmonious. This method won't work completely," Ron countered.

"Of course. But that's where we come in. I'll require the farm managers to report these people's circumstances to me immediately. Those without family burdens will be eliminated outright."

Even the heartless companies from his previous life knew to hire beasts of burden with homes, cars, loans, and children. As long as you had a weakness, you had no choice but to grit your teeth and endure.

Compared to his previous life, however, serfs had lower demands, and the cost Victor needed to pay was lower as well.

Still, Victor certainly would not offer them poor treatment. After all, he intended to recruit soldiers who could fight and lay down their lives.

"For these Serf Soldiers, recruit brothers whenever possible. After training, assign them to different units to prevent small cliques from forming."

"Also, the Main Camp probably does not have enough barracks. Tomorrow, I'll notify Steward Boon and have him send people to expand and repair the Main Camp, ensuring there are enough barracks."

"You can handle the arrangements. I'll just be responsible for training and fighting."

Victor could do nothing about Ron's laziness, but everyone had their own specialty. As the territory's chief instructor, Ron was indeed highly qualified. He excelled at all kinds of weapon techniques and formation changes, and his presence was of great significance to the territory's military reforms.

Victor hoped to build a modern army, relying on benefits and the whip to cultivate sufficient fighting spirit and strict battlefield discipline.

As long as he achieved those things, he would possess strength that absolutely crushed the other nobles.

Afterward, Victor returned to the manor. Before falling asleep, he checked his consciousness space. The new recruitment plan and new compensation plan had not yet been completed, and they would likely take shape by tomorrow morning.

"I'll check again tomorrow morning. If there are no problems, I'll have the messengers promote the new compensation plan throughout the territory."