1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 359 No destruction, no establishment
Startled, Julie put down the dessert she was about to eat, and solemnly said to Ronan:

"Are you crazy? I deliberately avoided Lourmaran to prevent this place from being affected. Lourmaran has only recently become lively, with so many artists and new residents. If a farmers' riot breaks out, all our previous efforts will be in vain."

News of the large group of artists emerging in Lourmaran has reached the ears of many officials in the province of Vaucluse.

Lourmaran is now the focus of attention for many departments.

Juliet wanted to avoid this sensitive area, and also considered that Ronan lived there, so she deliberately avoided implementing the 'purge plan' in Lourmaran.

To put it bluntly, whichever piece of land the Ministry of Agriculture takes a fancy to and wants to implement a "removal plan" is going to be in trouble.

This is a truth that everyone in the department understands perfectly well, even if they don't say it outright.

According to information obtained by the Vaucluse Department of Agriculture, in the areas where the program was implemented in Bordeaux, only farmers over 60 years old readily agreed to receive compensation; young farmers rejected the measure entirely.

This plan has caused numerous setbacks for Bordeaux's agricultural sector.

Now this big trouble has come to Provence, and it has fallen on her head—Juliette is in charge of implementing the 'purge plan'.

Ronan paused, realizing Juliet's importance in this matter, and asked:
"Where can you decide to implement it?"

Juliet didn't have the same confidence as Ines. Although she was in charge, she still had layers upon layers of superiors above her, so she said in a flat tone:
"I can offer some effective suggestions."

Ronan recalled conversations at rosé wine enthusiasts' gatherings, where Juliet would occasionally bring up her dissatisfaction with her years of hard work at the Department of Agriculture without ever getting a promotion.

On one occasion, Corentin comforted her, saying that she already had a lot of influence, and that no other colleague in the department could compare to her, so she should be content.

Therefore, it is highly likely that Juliet will be able to decide where this initiative will be implemented.

Ronan asked tentatively:
"What is the government's attitude towards this measure? Must it be forcefully implemented, or is it acceptable to just 'go through the motions'?"

Juliet finally put the dessert in her mouth. The sweet taste relaxed her, and she revealed some 'secrets' that she shouldn't have said:
"It must be pushed forward. If we can't find a breakthrough, we'll have to resort to tough measures. In short, it can't be worse than the situation in Bordeaux. We need to at least have some respectable results. You know, these production areas are in competition with each other."

Ronan was overjoyed and continued to ask:

"If they perform much better than Bordeaux, will there be any extra 'bonus'?"

Juliet said in a joking tone:

“If any pilot program succeeds and allows us to outdo Bordeaux in this matter, there will certainly be an extra reward, but it won’t be funding. Instead, it will be support and assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture. Although we are not as prominent as the Tourism Board, we are one of the most important departments in the Vaucluse department.”

There was one more thing Juliet didn't say.

She will not only receive rewards in this region, but also receive huge rewards if any region successfully pilots the program.

Imagine a huge problem falling into your hands, but it ends up turning into a success. How would your superiors view you?

Juliet has enough work experience; she's just a little bit of luck away from a promotion.

After considering his words for a few seconds, Ronan said:

“I’ll try to implement it in Lourmaran. If it’s well-received, I’ll contact you, and you can set up the pilot program here.”

Juliet looked at Ronan with a strange expression:
"Are you serious?"

Ronan smiled and shrugged:

"Just trying it out."

Juliet has a certain say in this matter; if it fails, they can bypass Lourmarin and try it elsewhere.

Juliet stopped chewing and began to carefully examine Ronan across from her.

Astrid personally promoted Ronan's restaurant, and Ines also showed great care for Ronan.

The fact that two important figures attach so much importance to this suggests that he may indeed possess some remarkable skills and abilities.
Juliet finally got serious and shed her lazy, relaxed state:
"Alright, then give it a try. I'll give you six months. If you can successfully implement this initiative in Lourmaran within six months, I will try to improve the compensation terms as additional compensation for your positive cooperation here."

Ronan's eyes lit up:
"Better compensation terms?"

Juliet forcefully shoved the dessert in front of her, reminding Ronan:
"You should first consider the farmers' attitude; the grape growers' riot in Bordeaux has blocked several highways."

Ronan smiled, spread his hands, and cracked a Provençal joke:
"I swear that the Lourmaran section of Highway D943 will always be open to traffic."

Learning about the 'removal plan' was a pleasant surprise.

Ronan had intended to discuss with Juliet the weather system and disaster warning system in Provence.

This is absolutely terrible!!

Juliet did not shirk her responsibility, telling the Ronan Ministry of Agriculture that they had learned a lesson from this cold wave and were committed to technological innovation and variety upgrading.

Ronan asked about technological innovation; he had heard similar things from Llorente, but the guy didn't want to tell Ronan the specifics.

Juliet didn't elaborate much, only explaining that they were currently experimenting with some new directions, importing more advanced agricultural equipment from other countries, and that widespread adoption would take some time. "Llorente can access new equipment and try new things, but I can't?" Ronan asked jokingly.

Juliet waved the fork in front of her:

"Do you know how much revenue the livestock family behind Lon Lütt can bring to the Ministry of Agriculture in a year? When you can make such a huge contribution to the Ministry of Agriculture, I'll give you the best stuff first."

Ronan shrugged.

I'm not qualified to handle technological innovation yet, but what about product upgrades?
"Can we apply for government subsidies to grow introduced grape varieties in Provence?" He poured Juliet a glass of wine.

If the 'removal plan' is successfully implemented in Lourmarin, Ronan plans to try planting some new grape varieties.

The area may not be very large, but Ronan felt it was a necessary investment and attempt.

Juliet stated that introduced varieties are not subject to the restrictions on compensation and can be cultivated.

When you upgrade to level 4 [Planting], the system gives you the ability to identify soil.

Combining the plant knowledge provided by [Gathering], Ronan knew that the soil near Lourmaran could grow many varieties of grapes, far more than the dozen or so that people were familiar with.

However, he will have to decide which new varieties to plant after consulting with brewing techniques.

Rosé wines from Provence are made using "Old World techniques" within an "Old World region," and some bold attempts are needed to break this mold.

There is an old Chinese saying: "No destruction, no construction."

They've maintained traditional techniques for hundreds of years without breaking free from their constraints. What if they 'innovate' and things change?

Moreover, even if the promotion plan for rosé wine in Provence falls short of expectations, Ronan can still expand its sales channels by opening up the 'New World wine regions'.

Ronan wasn't a conservative person; he didn't care about the 'old world' or the 'new world'—as long as it could make money, it was a 'good world'.

If we take a two-pronged approach and make both aspects strong, we might even be able to invent a 'new world'!
In fact, these are all things that must be considered before taking over the winery, and Juliet pushed Ronan to start thinking about this matter earlier.

Ronan silently sighed in his heart:

Opening a winery is too complicated; there are just too many things he needs to learn, prepare, and research.

“No, it doesn’t meet the subsidy requirements,” Juliet blurted out.

Just as Ronan was feeling frustrated at not being able to "fleece" the government, the expert Juliet gave him other advice:
“It’s impossible to apply for subsidies directly, but you can apply for the ‘experimental field’ project. That will give you free seedlings and necessary technical guidance. If the cultivation is successful and you can prove that it has economic value, such as boosting sales of wine products, or prove its ecological value, such as being a cold-resistant variety that can be planted for a long time, then you can apply for special subsidy funds.”

Ronan was initially excited, then asked with a slight headache:

"Are the pilot field project and this special subsidy easy to apply for?"

Juliet finished the last bite of dessert and wiped her mouth:

"It's definitely more complicated for others to apply; it could take one or two years. But for you..."

Ronan said gratefully:

"Can you help me?"

The people in the Rosé Wine Association are amazing!

Juliet shook her head and said reproachfully:
"But you're overthinking it! Why are you asking these questions?"

Ronan smiled and brushed it off:

"I'd like to know more."

Juliet put down the napkin, glanced at the time on her hand, and casually said:
"I can get you anything, and I can get you even more than these two, but can you actually do it? Okay, stop thinking about these things and focus on what's in front of us."

It was already 4 p.m. when the EEC group left. Juliet stayed a little longer, but as it was getting dark, she had to leave.

When they parted, Ronan told Juliet that he wouldn't be moving forward with the 'removal plan' anytime soon and that he would let her know around the end of March.

Juliet didn't urge Ronan because she never expected him to succeed. She just repeatedly told him to act within his capabilities, not to be reckless, and especially not to provoke a peasant uprising. If things got to that point, she wouldn't be able to save Ronan even if she wanted to.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Ronan drove Juliet to the parking lot, to her car. Juliet had brought him so much today, and he wanted to see her off a little further away as a way of showing his gratitude.

"Take care on the road." Ronan's words were exceptionally sweet. "The president said there might not be a chance to organize a gathering recently, but come often if you have time. You won't have to pay for meals when you come."

Those future subsidies will depend on Juliet!
“I wouldn’t dare not pay. Astrid has already promoted it for you, how could I dare to dine and dash?” Juliet waved to Ronan, signaling him to go back. “We’ll meet soon. I’ll bring people to Lourmaran next month to promote ‘weather insurance’.”

After watching Juliet's car disappear around the corner, Ronan opened his system.

It's time to study the [Brewing] skill.

(End of this chapter)