You were made to farm, and now you're the emperor of an empire?

Chapter 242 Farming is never a smooth journey
Roman's literacy campaign and special tutoring were in full swing.

Merchant ships from the Papacy have also arrived in Origin City.

A merchant ship could carry a load ranging from several tons to more than ten tons, filled with saltpeter and sulfur.

The Vatican was puzzled by Roman's demands.

For a moment, I couldn't figure out what the King of the Valley wanted these things for.

If I don't understand it, I won't bother.

After all, saltpeter and sulfur are much cheaper than gemstones.

Sinnoh and Narrow Sea are closely connected, and Narrow Sea has many volcanoes that can be mined for large quantities of sulfur.

The Papacy controls many resources on Earth, including saltpeter.

Roman wasn't afraid of having his gunpowder technology cracked.

First of all, for now, he plans to focus on development for a few years and avoid war—or rather, large-scale war—because he really can't handle another full-scale war.

Therefore, at present, black powder is only used for production and not for military purposes, so it is impossible for it to be leaked.

Do they really think his fog of war is just for show?
Secondly, if his development speed is not as fast as the opponent's, then he will jump into the sword-making furnace.

……

The Vatican sent a shipment of saltpeter and sulfur, amounting to about twenty tons.

Since the full amount cannot be paid in one lump sum, the Vatican plans to pay it off over a year.

One of the few advantages of this era is that those in power truly abide by contracts and promises, which can be described as a simple and honest social atmosphere.

Roman also places great importance on reputation and commitment.

He was cruel to the nobles simply because he had never made any promises to them.

Once a promise is made, it must be kept; there is no room for negotiation.

There is a tacit understanding and consensus between them.

This batch of saltpeter and sulfur raw materials was sufficient for the initial stage.

Roman had an enormous demand for black powder.

Let's order a ton or two first.

Since they couldn't produce that many in a short time, Roman wasn't in a hurry. He would slowly refine the saltpeter and sulfur first.

Having more people is one of the advantages; it makes everything more convenient, and you don't have to squeeze people out of various positions.

He took some time to visit the swamp and found that the laborers were doing a good job.

The pond is almost finished, and now they are digging the irrigation canal.

Food is the basis of everything.

Roman took this issue very seriously. When there was a shortage of manpower, he wished he could disband the army and have them farm.

Oxen and horse-drawn tractors pulled heavy plows, tilling the fields through the mud.

It is necessary to plow the soil once to level its structure and lay a good foundation before planting rice.

During this period, cotton, sugarcane, sugar beets, and other crops are also buried in the ground.

Roman looked at the condition of the crops; they had all sprouted and were growing well.

The sugarcane, in particular, grows very abundantly.

The disadvantage of sugarcane is that it requires deep, loose, and fertile soil.

Even setting aside the climate issue, the backward agricultural technology in the Black Iron Land makes it impossible to grow sugarcane even if it were introduced.

Even if it could be grown, it would be quite troublesome to take care of.

The advantage of sugarcane is that its yield per mu is also incredibly high, easily reaching three to four thousand jin.

This is normal; pasture can also yield thousands of kilograms per acre because the high moisture content naturally increases its weight.

Sugarcane can be boiled down to make sugar, and once it is planted on a large scale, sugar can be obtained continuously.

With a sugar yield of 8%, one acre can produce about 200 catties of sugar.

Unlike maltose, sucrose is a true strategic resource.

Roman's farming business flourished smoothly here.

But as it has been said before, farming is never a smooth journey.

……

Late spring.

When the banner of the Black Iron Throne arrived in this valley, the entire city of Origin was alarmed.

Roman had no choice but to greet him personally.

"Emissary of the Black Iron King, Your Excellency Damon, welcome to this place." Seth presided over the welcoming ceremony.

Damon is the treasurer of the Iron King, and he has come to discuss tax issues with the Lord of the Vale.

Therefore, the retinue was ridiculously large, a mighty procession of over a hundred people, adorned with gold and silver, to display the king's power.

The ten royal knights, with their striking black silhouettes, were no less impressive than the Judgment Knights.

“Your Highness Roman, you have inherited a vast and fertile land,” he said.

Damon was about forty years old, with a plump but agile figure. He wore a silk dress, and each of his ten fair fingers was adorned with a ring made of rare gemstones.

Roman didn't like dealing with people like that.

He's smooth-talking, like a loach, with a fatty smell; you can't fool him at all.

Roman frowned slightly, looking at the largest cat's eye stone among Damon's ten fingers.

The gemstone was bright green and translucent, with an excellent luster. It contained narrow beams of light, like the shimmering light in a cat's eye, and was extremely penetrating.

It is said that if used properly, cat's eye stones can reveal people's hearts and distinguish lies.

Damon noticed Roman's gaze, and with his other hand, he stroked the cat's eye stone, smiling as he waited for his reply.

“It was Ulster who gave me this land.”

"The old lord was assassinated and died as a result. The King of Black Iron was deeply grieved and sent me to offer my condolences last year. At that time, the Dragon Fortress was filled with armored soldiers, but I did not see your troops arrive."

"I will go in person when the time is right," Roman said calmly.

“I believe you can do it,” Damon smiled. “After all, you are already a king, and a young king at that. Your future is bright.”

Roman looked at him quietly, his face showing neither arrogance nor smugness.

Damon's smile remained unchanged, but there was a hint of surprise in his brown eyes.

He spoke again, saying, "His Majesty the King has sent me with his decree, appointing you as the descendant of the first Cracked Armor, the ruler of the Valley Inhabitants and the Eternal King, the Lord of the Conquerors, the guardian of the Seven Kingdoms' order, and the hand of war that balances the land!"

He recited the long list of titles and ranks, second only in length to the Duke of Dark Iron and the King of Dark Iron.

"Lord Conqueror?" He astutely grasped the key point.

“Yes, it’s you,” Chancellor of the Exchequer Dimon said with a smile.

Roman's brow furrowed even more deeply.

This title is a remnant from the conqueror era.

A special title conferred by the conqueror himself.

Only three Black Iron Dukes, the land kings of various countries, royal guardian knights, conquering knights, and the Black Iron King himself can receive this honor.

They were all people in high positions of power.

"What is the price?" Lord asked.

"You should send troops to quell the rebellion. Pirates, barbarians, demons, alien races—whatever threatens our safety, go and fight it," the Chancellor of the Exchequer said casually.

Being a lord is an honor.

Those who possess this title will shoulder the heavy responsibility of maintaining the order of the conquerors.

"What if I don't go?"

“That won’t do, my lord, it’s your duty. According to the regulations, you must at least mobilize ten thousand conscripts, two thousand riders, five hundred war knights, and fifty standard knights…” He gestured with a hand that smelled of rouge and waved it in front of Roman.

"Alright, Lord Damon, there's no point in saying more. I don't have that many troops." Roman casually rested his chin on his hand, crossed his legs, and moved with an elegant and relaxed demeanor.

He looked at the smiling minister in front of him and really wanted to punch him.

But reason prevailed over this action.

This is a key minister of the Black Iron King. If force is used against him, he can forget about developing properly in the future.

"Not now, at least not." He told himself.

“Then you’ll have to pay the shield tax. Let me calculate it for you,” Damon said, counting on his fingers.
He knew, of course, that Roman couldn't muster that many troops. The population of the valley was estimated to be only tens of thousands. If he were to actually pull out 10,000 conscripts, it would probably scare the Black Iron King out of his crown.

“If you plan not to send any troops, you will have to pay a shield tax of about five thousand gold coins—that’s the amount for this year. As you know, there are wars everywhere, and you’ll have to pay the same amount or more next year.”

"Furthermore, Your Excellency, having inherited this rich land, you must also pay His Majesty the King a tax on rights, investiture, trade, war, land, property, poll tax, and illegal activities..."

"A portion of the war ransom you received after defeating Lord Gael and the Papacy must also go to His Majesty the King, and as far as I know, it's no small sum..."

"Oh, right, you also need to give me a separate sum of money. After all, I brought you His Majesty the King's good news. I won't ask for much for the stamp; just give me five hundred gold coins."

(End of this chapter)