"Before the emergence of the vassal system, when our human territories encountered foreign enemies, the situation that often occurred was that the armies of lords and churches fought at the front, while the people fled. When the army retreated to the castle to rest, there was not even a hot soup to drink.

, the soldiers had no way to rest, because there were no militiamen in the castle to assist in the defense, and those who retreated had to continue to defend the city wall. Without logistics and support, the outcome of the battle can be imagined."

"The vassal system solves this problem. It unites the people and lords to face threats together. In fact, if they have the ability, the lord hopes that all the people can become their subjects. The essence of the vassal system is

Let the lords give the people more private property and a higher status. Only in this way will the people support their lords, and the richer the people, the more firmly they will defend their homes."

"The biggest difference between subjects and free people is that they can rent land from vassals or lords. A subject can rent up to 50 acres of cultivated land, of which the harvest of 10 acres belongs entirely to him. However, it takes at least four hours to cultivate 50 acres of land.

With a strong labor force, plus the young children and elderly parents in the family, there are still 8 people in this family. The people do not need to bear seeds for farming, but in the best years, 10 acres of real estate

The grain produced will not exceed 3,000 pounds. 3,000 pounds of grain is only enough for a family of eight for 150 days. They rely on employment to provide part of the remaining rations and gather and hunt for the rest. Victor, did you find out?

, based on this calculation, the people have not saved any private property!"

"That's right? Where does the property of the citizens come from?"

Victor was at a loss. His people had been eating from the big pot, but the shortcomings of the big pot were gradually becoming apparent. Members of the work-point system were fine, after all, they still had the carrot of vassal status hanging in front of them, while those newly joined freemen and farm laborers were

There has been a phenomenon of inactivity, and they prefer to spend time on their own plots. Victor realized that it was time for the big pot rice to come to an end. In order to prevent the loss of population, it was necessary to start transforming the free people into more stable territorial citizens. However,

Victor had never thought about how the neighboring families accumulated wealth, and the village chiefs had never raised this issue. Obviously this was common sense that did not need to be reminded, but Victor did not know.

Master Edwin did not show off and explained: "Those wheat straws are the main source of income for the families of the residents."

"Wheat straw?!"

"Hehe, isn't it just wheat straw?" Edwin smiled and said: "The lords store wheat to prepare for war, but you see that noble eats wheat porridge and bread as their main food, and we eat more

Meat, milk, vegetables and fruits. Compared with these cheap grains, cattle and sheep are the main wealth of lords and vassals, and those wheat straws are the food for cattle and sheep to survive the water season. The price for lords to purchase wheat straws is approximately

There is 1 copper sole per pound, and each mu of wheat field produces 400 pounds of wheat straw. Ten acres is 4,000 pounds. The annual income of the subject families from selling wheat straw is 3 gold soles. In order to encourage the subjects to grow wheat, some lords would

More wheat straw is counted on the heads of the people, some are twenty acres, and some are all. The people call such a lord a kind and generous master, and conversely, he is called a stingy lord."

Victor was stunned for a while and said bitterly: "My village chief never reminded me!"

"Well, this is the cleverness of the people. The church hopes that the lords will be kind and generous masters, not stingy adults, so there is an unwritten agreement. If the lord does not explain it, all 50 acres of wheat straw will be counted in the claim.

This is also a common practice for most lords and vassals. After all, it will be more convenient to gain the favor of the church and the people. You don't want to be called a stingy lord, do you?" Edwin teased.

road.

Victor smiled bitterly, shook his head, and said: "So, the farming and animal husbandry system I designed has cut off the financial resources of the people in the territory."

Edwin nodded and sighed: "When you graze cattle and sheep in the wild, wheat straw becomes worthless. Wild boars don't eat wheat straw, not to mention wild boars are not as valuable as cattle and sheep. Which lord will use copper soles to purchase wild boars?

Where’s the food?”

Victor thought for a while and asked: "Why will my subjects lose patience after three years? Also, Sylvia is also implementing my farming and animal husbandry system. It is impossible for her not to know this flaw, why not

remind me?"

"Another unwritten rule is that people who follow their lords to open up new territories can obtain the status of territorial citizens after three years. Without this rule, no one would be willing to open up new territories."

"This is what it should be." Victor nodded in agreement. Not only was life in the pioneer land more dangerous, it also required heavy labor. Moreover, the savings of the pioneer lord had to be invested in construction, and the people could only live with food and clothing, and they would die from exhaustion.

It's really unjustifiable to work hard for nothing for three years and then not be granted the status of a citizen.

Victor currently does not plant much wheat, less than 10,000 acres, and this year the main focus is on breeding. It doesn't matter that the free peasants and farmhands have worked for Victor for three years in vain, but when they find out that they will have no income even if they become territorial citizens, most of them will

A smart person who knows how to leave may find his own way out in less than three years.

Edwin continued: "Sylvia certainly knows about this problem. Regardless of the problems, your method is very suitable for the current situation in terms of efficiency. Raise wild boars in captivity so that cattle and sheep have more abundant food, and use pork instead.

The number of beef, mutton, and cattle and sheep can be doubled. In three years, the cattle and sheep in the Seungma Hills will be able to return to the pre-war scale, or even greatly exceed it."

"It's not too late to change things after three years, right? But why didn't Sylvia remind me?" Victor asked dissatisfied.

"Haha." Master Edwin laughed dryly and said: "You are Sylvia's baby now. She doesn't want anyone to interfere with you. Maybe you can solve the problem yourself... Anyway, even if

If you fail, the York family will support you."

The corner of Victor's mouth twitched. Edwin said it nicely. The York family didn't use him as an experimental field. If he succeeded, the York family would learn from their experience. If he failed, the York family would also open their arms to him. Of course,

This is also the environment Victor needs. Facts have proved that without power, pursuing development behind closed doors will only lead to a dead end. If not for Sylvia's support, Victor would have become the queen's puppet. Moreover, the York family's manpower

Material resources were originally an important part of his plan. Thinking of this, Victor had nothing to complain about.

"Victor, you are very special. You have not received the orthodox education of a lord, and you have many novel ideas that are very similar to mine. Being a scholar of the White Tower means being able to solve problems, but I am already old and I don't have Sylvie."

You are so patient, I would like to hear more of your thoughts." Master Edwin smiled heartily.

Victor also smiled. As Edwin is the master scholar of the Silver Tower and the uncle of the Duke of York, he does not need to be restricted by Sylvia. There is nothing wrong with Sylvia not raising this issue.

A good idea, but they are afraid that Victor will be timid, stop moving forward, and become a cautious and mediocre lord. But how do they know that Victor comes from a world of information explosion and has many successful experiences?

Learn from.

Victor pondered for a moment and said, "Master, the income problem of the residents is not difficult to solve. I can expand the rental area and income ratio of the residents from 50 acres to 70 acres, and from 20% to 30%."

Edwin stayed for a long time and said disappointedly: "This is your solution? What about the vassals? This is harming the interests of the vassals and lords themselves. You must know that it is the vassals and lords who farm the land.

Providing seeds.”

"Of course I know. If you knew that I sow 70 pounds of wheat seeds per acre and expect to harvest 350 pounds of wheat, you wouldn't be so disappointed." Victor said calmly.

"What did you say?! This is impossible!" Edwin shouted in disbelief.

From the perspective of income, the vassal would prefer to plant more forage, but growing wheat is a mandatory requirement of the lord. The first batch of seeds for the vassal is also provided by the lord for free, because when castles and villages and towns are besieged, wheat is easy to store.

It is an important material that maintains human survival.

However, the agricultural technology in this world is very backward, and the annual harvest is not good. When the year is good, the harvest is only three times as much as the sowing, and when the year is bad, the harvest is at most twice as much. With 50 acres of land, input per acre

Calculating 120 pounds of seeds and 300 pounds of harvest, the vassal invested a total of 6,000 pounds of wheat seeds and earned 15,000 pounds of wheat. After deducting the 3,000 pounds of income from the subject family, the vassal harvested 12,000 pounds of grain, and the net income after deducting the seeds was 6,000.

pounds, and then pay half of it to the lord, the vassal will only get 3,000 pounds of grain, which is the same as the subject's family. If the subject's income is increased from 20% to 30%, then the vassal's income is not as good as that of the subject. Therefore, the ratio of planting to harvest is

The main reason that restricts farmers' income.

Looking at the history of human development on earth, it is not difficult to find that increasing people’s income is what rulers strive for. If this rule is violated, any kingdom will collapse. This world is no exception. Without the support of the people, lords will become mere commanders.

Even a castle cannot be built, and it is impossible for the family to have a golden knight for generations. Victor understands this truth and has the ability to solve problems.

In modern Chinese society, wheat seeds per acre are about 20 kilograms, and the harvest is 900 kilograms. The seed-to-harvest ratio is 1:45. Eliminating the factors of chemical fertilizers and fine wheat seeds, we adopt methods of deep plowing, frequent irrigation, and frequent fertilization.

Victor thinks that the harvest ratio of 1:5 can be achieved somehow.

According to the calculation based on the 70 acres of farmland rented by the subjects, 4,900 pounds of wheat seeds were invested and 24,500 pounds were harvested. The subjects' families took away 30% of the wheat, which became 7,350 pounds. The remaining 17,150 pounds of wheat were deducted from the wheat seeds. The vassals and lords each received 6,125 pounds of wheat.

.On the surface, the income of vassals and lords is not as good as that of their subjects, but the actual income per acre has increased by 17 pounds compared with the original. Moreover, intensive cultivation has reduced seed input, but it has greatly increased labor costs and increased farmers' income by 10%.

The income will allow them to cultivate the land with peace of mind. This distribution method can be said to be happy to everyone.

Edwin counted the branches on the ground for a long time, and he was stunned for a long time when he came up with the result. Then he asked: "Victor, how can you be sure that there will be a harvest of 1:5?"

Victor smiled and said, "I guessed."

Edwin: "..."

"Won't you know when the harvest comes this year? Even if there isn't such a harvest, it won't be too late to change it back."

Edwin stared at Victor for a long time and said in a deep voice: "Victor, I don't even ask where this farming method came from. If you really have a 1:5 harvest, you are not generous and kind.

He is no longer a master, but should be called a great lord. I am looking forward to this day."

Victor lowered his head and said: "Master, it doesn't matter if I tell you. Haven't you noticed that the roots of purple cane are very long? This means that the deep soil is more fertile. Anyway, I have fewer people and more land now, and my territory has not been established yet. Try

Nothing to lose by trying, right?"

"Victor, your greatest advantage is your courage to try." Edwin sighed.

Victor continued: "In fact, internal defects are easy to solve, but deep cultivation cannot be separated from fertilizers, and wild boars are an indispensable part of the agricultural and animal husbandry system. Therefore, external defects are the problem."

"Indeed." Edwin frowned and said: "Cattle and sheep have no ability to resist wild beasts in the wild. If this problem cannot be solved, your agricultural and animal husbandry system will not be implemented. Sylvia is even prepared to wait for wild beasts to appear.

All the wild boars raised in captivity were slaughtered and the cattle and sheep were reared again.”

Victor did not speak, nor did he rush to recommend the artificial river plan. As long as the harvest ratio is 1:5 or even higher this year, the York family will definitely not abandon the new farming and animal husbandry system. By then, they will slowly guide them to

Not too late. What needs to be done now is to convince Edwin to dig out the reservoir and ditch.

"Master, let's talk about what happens next. Let's go see how Nicole is doing first."
Chapter completed!