When the Saintess Arrives, No King Exist-Chapter 662 - 620 Reform in South Mangde County and Kasha County

The lead-gray clouds clumped together, flying low in the overcast sky.

Amber sunlight languidly fell on the surface of the Parra River, not even reflecting a shimmering glint.

Magpies skimmed low over the wheat fields, occasionally landing in the dark yellow wheat fields of Autumn Dusk Island, searching for lost grains of wheat, before being startled by Beastmen holding slingshots.

On the mortared road from New Life Bridge to ry Court Barracks, carriages came and went, carrying displaced people from all over, converging toward the ry Court Barracks.

When they stood on the old bridge of the Parra River and looked, they would always see that tall building in Mansion Square, known locally as the "Pope's Palace," the Holy Seat Mansion.

As the saying goes, where the Pope is, there the Pope's Palace is.

Although people outside referred to Horn as the Shepherd Leader, putting him on par with Moliat, in the eyes of the ry Court Barracks people, there cannot be two suns in the sky; in their hearts, there is only one sun, and that is His Holiness the Saint Grandson Pope!

A red maple leaf, from who knows where, glided in the desolate autumn wind through a window slightly ajar, into the Stag Chamber where ordinary people could not enter, landing precisely on Horn's knee.

Stretching out his hand, Horn picked up the fiery red maple leaf, feeling a sudden daze.

In the blink of an eye, it was already mid-October, and this time last year felt just like last year.

Since returning to the ry Court Barracks in July, over three months had passed like water slipping through his fingers.

He had initially thought of using these few months to elevate his breathing technique to the third level, but he ended up being overwhelmed by a flood-like torrent of administrative affairs.

"Your Holiness, Your Holiness?" the monk reporting to him quietly reminded, "Do you have any instructions for this edition of the Truth Court?"

Only then did Horn wake up from his reverie, placing the maple leaf in a book: "No, I'm sorry, I was distracted, please continue."

Madlan ran off to preside over the perpetual lease reform in South Mangde County, so naturally, the affairs of the Truth Court fell into Horn's hands.

Having received Horn's confirmation, the monk continued with his report: "Ansel and Bryson are among the examples. Over in Kasha County, an Assistant Monk named Fouché was actually suppressed by our Wandering Cultivators, and the Hundred Households District transformation was completed..."

Although Ansel and Bryson had battled wits and courage in Adrian Manor, taking medicine on a rainy night, exchanging sincerity for sincerity, and eventually even with a determination to die, led the mountain folk to defend the church.

But to Horn, they were just one of the dozens of monks worthy of commendation.

There were more thrilling cases than Ansel, such as the monks who mobilized the mountain folk to rescue during mountain floods, and monks with more ingenious tactics than Ansel, like Fouché, who incited the estate managers to battle the knights.

In Bryson's eyes, Brother Ansel did tremendously well, but among the hundreds and thousands of monks diligently working in the countryside doing the same work —

Ansel's experiences and tactics could only be rated as top middle tier.

"Regarding the Truth Court, we could devote more space to news from South Mangde County during this period," Horn tapped the table, "Brother Fouché's story is quite legendary, it could be written as a standalone piece, while the rest can be integrated."

"Yes, Your Holiness."

"Draft an article under the theme 'Constitution has power, perpetual lease has warmth, piety has attitude; loving one small family, loving a hundred households more,' and make it quick."

"Yes, Your Holiness."

After the Second Priest of the Truth Court shook hands and exchanged salutations with Horn, he left the room with a red lacquered briefcase.

Just as he left, Boned, who had been waiting for quite some time, poked his head in under Petier's guidance.

This office was divided into two parts, inside and outside; in the outer, smaller study, sat four Secret Monks, with Petier leading, mainly deciding who could meet Horn and the order of meetings.

This role was originally Armand's, but Horn had specially sent Armand to Kasha County to preside over the Hundred Households District reform, so it fell to Petier.

Compared to the cramped and crowded outer area, though Horn's office only had him and Raphael, who was responsible for security, it was much more spacious than outside.

"Long time no see, Brother Boned, you've finally returned from the wilderness," Horn said with a smile, "How does it feel?"

Earlier, he had sent Brother Boned to various locations to measure pendulums. It took half a year, and now they had completed measurements in all four Pingyuan Counties.

Coincidentally, more skilled engineers and Artisans joined, so Horn called Boned back.

"To be honest with you, although the countryside is nice, I still prefer the city, where it's more lively," Boned replied cautiously, not daring to be careless.

"No sense of humor," Horn shrugged. "How about it? How is the unrest in Mason District?"

"It's all settled, yet still three Wandering Cultivators and five Assistant Monks were casualties. As for Mason District, per your instructions, the Hundred Households District reform was halted there." Boned asked, "Even though we suppressed them, why stop?"

"A forced melon is not sweet. Once they see how the Neighboring District is faring, they'll want to reform on their own," Horn took the report from Kasha County from Boned.

The pale yellow sunlight slanted across the carpet as Horn held the report in one hand, reading it carefully.

Alongside the implementation of Horn's Local Monastery system, things like these rare statistical books composed of tables and pie charts were also being promoted.

It should be known that even the Church's tax records back then were quite chaotic, purely in textual form, jam-packed and hard to decipher.

After the incremental management by Horn, the Local Monastery could maintain such a high level of administrative efficiency thanks to advances in information management technology.

According to the report format devised by Horn, the first page should be a summary and overview, for an easy overview, and when details are needed, they can be looked up in the table of contents.

And the first page was precisely the promotion status of the Hundred Households District and perpetual lease right in Kasha County.

Kasha County had about 140,000 households, with approximately 820,000 people, of which around 110,000 households engaged in agriculture and lived in the countryside, accounting for 80% of the total population.

The last note on this sentence clearly stated that the estimated total population was 160,000 households, meaning at least 20,000 hidden households were in the hands of Counts and major Monasteries.

Even the monks had already investigated it clearly, yet could not truly reclaim them, at least not before the internal and external troubles ended.

The vast majority of these 110,000 households had signed perpetual lease agreements and joined the Hundred Households District, forming 1,180 Hundred Households Districts and 17 Priestly Orders, with an expected tax revenue of 30,000 to 40,000 gold pounds.

Due to this year's wars and the reforms of the Hundred Households District, only 20,000 gold pounds were estimated, with even a partial grain subsidy required.

Though many conflicts erupted, resulting in 15 monk casualties, it pales in comparison to the 25 casualties in South Mangde County.

It's noteworthy that Kasha County's population is five times that of South Mangde County, yet the monk casualties in the reform of South Mangde County almost doubled those in Kasha County.

"Has the situation in South Mangde County been summarized yet?"

Boned handed over a thin briefing: "The formal report might have to wait until winter; this is the current situation's synopsis."

Compared to Kasha County's report, this briefing only had two or three pages, equivalent to just the summary and overview content of Kasha County's report's first page.

Yet Horn still energized himself, reading it attentively.

South Mangde County had 32,000 households, approximately 160,000 people, with 28,000 households engaged in agriculture, a higher proportion than Kasha County, reaching nearly 90%.

Excluding the more than 2,000 people and around 400 households in Mason District, the vast majority had signed perpetual lease rights and joined the Hundred Households District, with an estimated 324 Hundred Households Districts and 5 Priestly Orders.

As for this year's taxes, 2,000 gold pounds would already be decent.

In fact, not only have the taxes in Kasha and South Mangde counties halved this year, but the entire Thousand River Valley has also halved in revenue due to military disasters, floods, damage to water infrastructure, and a series of issues.

The only places able to defy this trend and achieve growth might only be Langsande County and a few nearby villages.

And the first fiscal meeting of the Thousand River Valley is about to be held at the ry Court Barracks.

"Has His Highness the Despot arrived?"

"He has already reached Joan of Arc Castle and is expected to arrive in the next day or two."