Chapter 104 104: The Empire's Future Breadbasket

----------------------------- If there are spelling mistakes, please let me know. Leave a comment; support is always appreciated. I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see. ------------------------------- Nachhexen 24-Jahrdrung-15,2490 IC At last, the know-it-alls from Altdorf had arrived, the best my influence could attract. Unfortunately, the very best in the Empire always served the Emperor, the Elector Counts, or the high local nobility—margraves and dukes—but I was no longer the last link in the political chain, so I could bring in more capable people. And I was already seeing the benefits... although, of course, I wasn't about to let those fools, just because they had good grades, get their sticky hands on all my income. That's why I decided to ask my friend Durán if he could provide me with some trusted dawi to help manage my lands. And damn it, every man lost and every pension paid to reclaim the fortress had been worth it. Not only did I get the group of dawi I needed for this kind of work, but I also had the luxury of more dawi than I requested gladly volunteering to work for me... they even fought over the positions. And when the dawi fight for the privilege of serving you, you know you've done something right in life. Even so, I only needed six for the moment. I didn't want to flood my administration with dwarfs, as Reinsfeld still had sky-high racism problems, especially with the forced coexistence with the Bretonnians living in these lands. I set up a suite of government offices in my old castle, which would now serve as a workplace for the dawi and the new administrators. They would handle all the tedious paperwork, and I would only step in for major matters, such as complex trials or the admission of guilds into my domains. However, I had much to do: I had spent almost all my gold reserves on reclaiming the farmland of Reinsfeld and, above all, on paying the new migrants in gold coins instead of granting them land. The new gamble was that agriculture in Reinsfeld and the lands of Merxheim—reclaimed from the forest—would serve to feed the Empire. I had many ideas to revolutionize Imperial agriculture and, now that I had almost the entire population of Reinsfeld under my labor control, the goal was clear: achieve maximum efficiency using the Norfolk system, industrial fertilizers to shorten cycles, and keep the land producing all year round. Of course... I knew the basics, but that's what Thorek was for, the dawi who had established his people's underground farms, so efficient they produced inside enclosed caverns. With his help, I provided the raw ideas, and he, using his ingenuity and centuries of agricultural experience, guided me in applying them correctly. The goal was for the land never to rest. "So, dawongi... from what I understand, you want a farm system that produces food constantly, with no years where the land has to lie fallow," the dawi said, running a hand through his beard. "Exactly, honorable dawi. I will follow all your recommendations for this work. Your duty here is to ensure everything is done according to your great expertise, and that the scholars I've gathered for you help my workers bring your plans to life," I replied. "I see... I notice you've already built an irrigation system. A simple but functional construction, by the looks of it... and from what I see, you're installing it in all the fields," the dawi observed. "That's right. It was one of my first improvements to increase my city's agricultural production. I wanted my peasants to have easier access to water, reducing the labor of hauling it from the well," I answered. "I see... then we should start planting legumes as soon as possible. It's well known that when you plant legumes, they help the growth of the crops that follow," the dawi said. "I suppose it has to do with helping the nitrification of the soil, right? Then it would be wise to use my nitrate-based fertilizers so that, at this time of year, the nitrogen settles well in the soil before planting wheat," I asked. "Hmmm... we usually use saltpeter in the caves so our mushrooms and crops grow healthy and strong," the dawi replied, analyzing my words. "Yes, Master Dawi. My fertilizer is based on saltpeter and ash potash to increase nitrogen absorption in the soil. So, do we plant legumes and then move to wheat?" I said, trying to understand the process better. "If it's based on saltpeter, there shouldn't be any problems, as that's the dawi system. We should start immediately, because we're a bit late... if I'm not mistaken, we're approaching a dangerous date for the wheat to be ready. If it rains too much, it could affect your harvests, so the sooner the better," the dawi concluded. "So it shall be, honorable dawi. Instruct your workers to help the peasants guide their work in the right way," I replied, going to fetch the workers. Thus began the days with thousands of my draft horses and hundreds of heavy plows forged by my smiths. They immediately set about plowing the farmland of Reinsfeld, using all the local village labor for this unified effort. Working toward a common goal proved far more efficient than working separate family plots. Progress was incredibly fast; it took only minutes to leave hectares fully plowed and ready for the next group of peasants to sow the seeds. Clearly, we lacked an automatic seeder, but, being behind schedule on my agricultural plan, I couldn't wait for the most efficient option. We had to take the most direct route: using large amounts of human and animal labor. Thus, day by day, field by field, all of Reinsfeld's farmland was plowed and sown. And, to keep the massive number of workers from sitting idle, we also began cultivating new lands, building irrigation canals, and expanding agricultural zones. The dawi and his assistants oversaw everything, ensuring the plan was followed to the letter. The same was happening in Merxheim. With the abundant Bretonnian labor available, the work progressed with fewer problems. The Bretonnians worked with such energy that it was a source of pride to watch them. In the following days, with everything already planted, we moved on to less intensive tasks: caring for the plants, inspecting for pests, and clearing weeds that could hinder growth. "So this is your greenhouse..." said Thorek, examining the structure and looking over the many beehives I had brought from other towns, as well as the flowers now growing. "That's right. Everything here is designed for wheat to grow in the best possible conditions. Most of the other greenhouses are used for planting cotton with Bretonnian labor, but here we make sure to raise the best wheat seeds," I replied, leading him inside the building. "Warm," was the first thing he said upon entering. "Exactly. As I said, ideal conditions. Look at how beautifully that wheat grows: it has everything it needs... fertilizer, water, light, and controlled temperature. Here we choose the best wheat strains for the next harvests. Look at this," I said, taking the head of one of the plants. "Normally, wheat has twenty grains per head, but this strain, now in its second generation, has thirty-two. Thanks to these ideal conditions, its genetic potential is expressed to the fullest. We'll save these seeds for future use and continue the selection so that this good genetic line can be reproduced in mass later." The dawi took a book from a satchel he carried and began writing. "This is interesting... I like your ideas, dawongi. I might request one of these greenhouses to work with plants we use in the caverns. Of course, it would need to be modified to remove sunlight, but the temperature and water control could be very useful for my work," he said, making neat sketches with quick strokes of his hand. "Of course, no problem, honorable dawi... as long as you can later share your research with us. I'd like to start producing mushrooms in the future, so your findings could be of great help to us in the Empire," I replied. "I'll see what I can give you. You know, it takes a lot of trial-and-error experiments before something is considered safe to use, dawongi... at least two centuries to make sure everything is correct," said the dawi. "Yes... a prudent time frame, honorable dawi," I answered, a little deflated, forgetting that for dwarfs two centuries really is a prudent time frame. In the days that followed, I dedicated myself entirely to making sure everything ran smoothly. I visited the borders, inspecting the dawi work on my new river fortifications toward Marienburg. I inspected the dawi tunnels, especially the fortification with Bretonnia, ensuring it was heavily guarded. I oversaw the delivery of more dawi cannons before heading to Drakwald. I made sure my gunsmiths were producing the new muskets adapted to fire the new ammunition, with the speed needed to replace all the weapons in my personal army. I verified that the daily tons of gunpowder kept flowing to the Dawi Kingdom, maintaining those enormous gold reserves that financed my industry. In Merxheim, the influx of trade flooded the city. Now all merchants traveling by river tried to stop there to buy goods and later sell them in Reinsfeld. When overland trade resumed in force, rumors began circulating again. The Empire was still bogged down in Bretonnia. Bretonnian merchants spoke of les voleurs en bleu, thieves in blue: apparently, some Imperial forces had completely cleared certain areas of Bretonnia, abducting all the inhabitants. It was said they were necromancers, who then raised the captives as dead and added them to their army. As for the campaign, it was at a standstill. The Bretonnian king had all his knights mobilized, and the strong presence of Damsels and Grail Knights had dealt heavy blows to the Imperial nobles, who had begun acting on their own. This showed that the Imperial general had lost cohesion after his earlier defeat, and his forces were quickly dissolving. As for the Empire... the usual. Averland suffered a greenskin attack that entire granaries were destroyed and thousands of heads of cattle were taken. In Middenland, pacified areas ceased to be so, and beastmen reappeared in the forests. Nordland had to face a Norscan raid that burned two villages before being repelled. Ostland and Ostermark dealt with problems caused by Kislevites who, as almost always, attacked to steal the Imperial harvest from its granaries to make their winters more bearable. In Stirland, rumors spoke of an increase in necromantic activity. According to merchants, many new necromancers had been seen in Sylvania... although that sounded like the usual tale, since there's no reason for a merchant to venture into a place with no towns where everything is cursed. But one of the best pieces of news was that the von Kesselheim had finished their investigation with the witch hunters... and it hadn't gone well for them. Several of their members were burned as heretics, and much of their property in Altdorf was confiscated by order of the Emperor, leaving them only their farmland outside the city. That put them out of the official scope of the witch hunters, leaving them exposed to retaliation for attacking me while I was away. Still, it was best to wait a little longer, because I know how the witch hunter captain of Reinsfeld works: even if someone is released, he rarely takes his eyes off them if he's convinced of their guilt, and many times his instincts have allowed him to catch heretics with patience. So those fools will keep breathing... for now. ----------------------------- If there are spelling mistakes, please let me know. Leave a comment; support is always appreciated. I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see. -------------------------------