When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist-Chapter 626 - 4k)

"Only when Public Register Farmers have perpetual tenancy rights will they have the willingness to improve the land and agricultural techniques, resulting in increased output, which means more rent for you, right?"

"Don't talk nonsense." Count Nathaniel snorted dismissively, "The land is just that much, and for hundreds of years, the yield per acre hasn't changed. Increased output? Don't make up stuff like that, agriculture is very difficult."

Armand smiled slightly, returned to his seat, and took out a stack of bound booklets, distributing them to the seats on the left, center, and right one by one.

Holding the booklet, as he passed the group of three observing, Armand hesitated initially due to unfamiliar faces, but still smiled and handed the booklet to Lupher.

Opening the booklet, Lupher immediately saw the bold words "Agricultural Survey Report of Thousand River Valley".

"Everyone, please look at the second page of the booklet. In the same Nao'an River Basin, in the Golden Plains, wheat yield can reach 120 pounds or even 140 pounds per acre. Why is ours only 80-90 pounds here?

During the two hundred years since the migration from Kush to the Thousand River Valley Kingdom, the wheat yield per acre in Thousand River Valley increased from 40 pounds to 80 pounds. Now, to rotate high-yield crops like millet berries just to push the yield to 90 pounds.

In other words, over three hundred years, not only has there been no progress, but there's even a regression.

What happened at that crucial moment was the feudalization, converting tribal people into serfs on a large scale.

Why is it that what our ancestors could achieve a hundred years ago, we cannot?"

Armand slowly walked to the nobles owning large estates in Pingyuan County: "Counts, you have enough land. Increasing the yield on just part of it can bring substantial long-term benefits and there is enough room for error.

Perpetual tenancy rights encourage Public Register Farmers to invest and improve agricultural techniques, which is a no-loss deal for you.

If the yield per acre increases from 90 pounds to 120 pounds, your benefits grow not just by a third, but double, as no extra management is needed.

Next will be the selection of the County Governor and Village Magistrate. If you spend a lot of time on agriculture each year, His Highness the Despot and future County Governor will find it hard to consider you, won't they?"

The counts first showed disdain, then their expressions slowly changed, especially after hearing about the County Governor and Village Magistrate, they became more upright.

Clovin immediately sensed something amiss, tugged at their arms, and asked harshly: "Improving agriculture? Can you guarantee an increase from 90 pounds to 120 pounds? Improve improve, the more you improve, the colder it gets!"

"It's very simple." Armand raised a page from the booklet in his hand, "Change wheat to millet, replacing wheat with a rotation of wheat-green manure/beans-millet- tuber roots.

Millet doesn't need a stone mill, just shelling to eat, while beans and green manure fertilize the land, and tuber roots feed livestock and are edible themselves.

But this requires the farmers themselves to carefully manage, and if it's not their own land, will Public Register Farmers devote such large amounts of energy and time?

Look at the achievements in Langsande County, just last year there was a 20% increase in production, and more than ten percent more meat, eggs, milk, and other agricultural products in the market than the previous year. Where do you think the grain supplies after Rapids City's military disaster came from?"

Now, even the small nobles on the middle seats began whispering.

"What's the point of saying so much?" Herman crossed his legs and leaned back, "Our mountainous region is so cold, the land is so barren, wheat has to be planted every other year. How can millet be planted?"

Facing Herman's challenge, Armand flipped through the booklet and walked towards the end of the first row to Seching: "Count Enrico, agricultural director of the Saint Scythe Monastery, invented the new Enrico Crop Rotation Method, specifically for mountainous areas, rotating four crops on each plot: beans, wheat, green manure, and barley.

30 acres of land can support a group of up to three adults and three children, making bread with wheat, brewing beer with barley, and raising cattle, pigs, sheep, and chickens for meat, milk, eggs, and other agricultural products.

Am I right, Count Seching?"

Seching silently cursed Enrico for never bringing him good news while forcing a difficult smile: "I have contracted one of my estates to the Saint Scythe Monastery, signed a betting agreement, and we will see the results by autumn."

"Your Excellency Herman, you know the mountainous region is barren, relying on traditional tax models makes it difficult to improve living standards, and you can't move all mountain inhabitants to the plains.

If Pingyuan County increases its grain production, the price will surely drop, allowing you to exchange mountainous livestock, furs, timber, and minerals for more grains.

Considering transport issues, setting up private checkpoints is already prohibited, and except for North County, other mountainous counties have waterways connecting to Pingyuan County.

North County is also about to construct gravel roads; I don't understand why you oppose this?"

Herman was initially stunned, his eyeballs shifted, muttering somewhat, suddenly let down his crossed legs, leaned back, and closed his eyes, resting.

The other nobles knew at once he was no longer planning to voice opposition.

Originally almost persuaded, Sanboli suddenly turned his gaze, as if realizing something exclaimed: "Wait, millet and tuber roots need to be steamed and boiled, almost let you kid lead me astray."

Upon hearing this keyword, the previously hesitant nobles suddenly understood and loudly protested.

"I knew there wasn't such a good thing."

"Almost got tricked by this kid."

Millet needs to be steamed and cooked, which requires firewood, but cities and plains areas don't have enough forests; wood has to be transported from further away.