Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 431 A Grand and Ambitious Plan

The goddess of dawn and her followers may have had many problems; for example, the goddess of dawn was very harsh on those who disrespected her and those who were greedy. This goddess was full of hope, but she was never gentle.

The nuns of the Dawn Goddess were weak in combat and had almost no church-affiliated armed forces.

All these various things can always find many faults in them.

But one thing stands out: the principle of generosity practiced by their church from top to bottom is universally recognized and admired, regardless of whether they are friend or foe.

Twenty-eight slender nuns generously displayed their figures, continuing this sacred dance of "symbiotic beings" for a long time. By the time the last nun donned her robes, it was nearly noon. Golden sunlight streamed down almost vertically.

Su Li took the torch, symbolizing the flame of life, from Fandral and strode towards the altar in the center of the Ogan stele. There, piled not only were withered grains and straw, but also ears of wheat, fruits, and handicrafts offered spontaneously by the people, symbolizing the hard work and harvest of the past year. The flame was lit, instantly rising into a golden, sacred flame, more intense and pure than the previous year.

Then, Su Li picked up the pearl wheat from the moonstone plate, raised it high above his head, and spoke in a solemn and clear voice that reached everyone's ears:

"Rhea, the most holy goddess of dawn! Your radiance dispels the eternal night and nourishes all things!"

"The people of the Black Forest, with their blood as the strings and their heartbeats as the drums, offer you their fervent prayers—"

"We offer the first cracking sound of ice breaking when the permafrost thaws as a sacrifice!"

We offer the rumbling of fetal movement in the womb of a female animal, like the thunder of spring, as a sacrifice!

"Offering as a sacrifice the crimson hue of a maiden's fingertips, stained with the first ripe berries, a symbol of abundance!"

"In exchange for your golden ears of grain bowing your head, and your boundless grace!"
May the five grains bear three times the yield in the reflection of the sacred pool!
The stream gushed forth milk, honey, and salt crystals beneath Giron's staff!
The pain of labor is transformed into the joyful morning song of larks!
May every inch of black soil sprout strong hands capable of gripping a steel scythe!

"Our plowshares will be engraved with your holy emblem, plowing open the sleeping wasteland!"
The beams for the barn must be made from the sacred oak from which the dome of the Cathedral of Dawn was built!

The first cry of a newborn child is surely the purest hymn in the world, offered to you!

As he chanted his prayers, precious pearl wheat was cast into the golden holy flames, instantly transforming into a dazzling stream of light that shot straight into the sky. At the same time, Fandral gave a command, and the linen covering the blood sacrifice materials was abruptly ripped off! The Dawn Priests, who were already prepared, simultaneously began chanting their most powerful purification and sacrifice prayers, and the twelve Poleviks emitted a deep hum, their mysterious runes on their carapaces suddenly lighting up!
"boom--!"

It was as if the entire earth was responding! Centered on the Ogan stele of the Maiden's Ring, a beam of light, solid as liquid gold, shot into the sky! Immediately afterwards, throughout the entire Black Forest Territory, hundreds of altars and steles of all sizes seemed to be connected by an invisible force, simultaneously erupting with towering golden holy flames! The beams of light were like a forest, piercing straight into the clouds!

The sky was instantly painted a magnificent gold. Countless thicker, more condensed golden streams of light descended from the heavens, no longer merely lines, but like tangible waterfalls of light, carrying immense life energy, precisely irrigating the prepared 20 hectares of land! Wherever the light waterfalls passed, the soil seemed to come alive, greedily absorbing the divine grace, emitting a misty, vibrant, pale golden haze. The wheat fields were instantly dyed a flowing amber hue, and the streams emitted iridescent rainbows.

As the final cascade of light fell, all the towering pillars of light converged and swirled in the high heavens, eventually intertwining to form a magnificent, sacred crown of abundance composed of countless ears of wheat, vines, and starlight! The crown slowly rotated, casting down a warm, motherly glow that enveloped the entire Maiden's Ring.

Fandral was trembling with excitement, barely able to speak. He gripped Su Li's arm tightly, his lips quivering as he stammered, "Crown of Abundance... Her Majesty Rhea... This is divine favor! An unprecedented divine favor! Lord... Black Forest Territory... will surely become the most dazzling jewel of the border princely territories!"

Su Li gazed up at the sacred crown in the sky, symbolizing endless vitality, and felt the real pulse of the earth beneath his feet, brimming with divine grace. A smile appeared on his lips. The 20 hectares of divine grace blood field were complete! Fandral had indeed been right; during the Springtime Bringing All Things Ritual, the entire territory would offer sacrifices together, which would indeed bring even stronger divine blessings.

However, since he was not a believer of the Dawn Goddess, he was far less excited than Fandral when he saw this divine manifestation. After all, in a world where gods exist, it is not uncommon for gods to personally descend to earth and control the bodies of chosen ones in battle.

As a follower of the Church of the Dawn Goddess, he naturally wouldn't be too excited about the Dawn Goddess's miracle. So he patted Fandral on the arm and said, "My minister, don't get too excited. Calm down and prepare for the upcoming spring planting."

Fandall quickly composed himself, then reached out and led Su Li toward the bottom of the Maiden's Ring, saying, "My lord, after we drive the spring ox, we will begin the spring planting season in our territory!"

Su Li was already very familiar with the spring ox driving technique; last year, he and Fan Dahl personally plowed over a hundred meters together.

Although some people in this world believe that it is a degrading act and a laughing stock for a noble lord to personally engage in the labor of peasants.

However, there were also lords who valued agriculture, personally overseeing production and placing the importance of farming and a bountiful harvest above all else.

Su Li's prestige in the Black Forest Territory had undoubtedly reached its peak, unchallenged and at its zenith. No one dared oppose his every move; on the contrary, many would defend him.

With his command, the spring planting season in the territory officially began!
Nowadays, the territory is no longer the simple and unassuming manual work it once was.

Fandall personally led Su Li up to the embankment of Bjorn Bay and pointed down, saying, "My lord, we have prepared 700 halfling harvesting machines this year. The farmland in Bjorn Bay and the Maiden's Ring can be cultivated in just 2 to 3 days. With the remaining time, we can focus on developing the wasteland."

"This year we have a grand plan: to remove 1000 dwarven engineers, 3000 slaves, and 1000 ogre construction workers to expand Lake Raeflin to over 50 miles! At the same time, we will expand the farmland below Bjorn Bay and the Maiden's Ring to over 5000 hectares."

Upon hearing this, Su Li raised an eyebrow and said, "This is indeed a grand and ambitious plan. Are you confident in it?"

He looked down, following Fandral's finger, and saw that against the backdrop of slaves sweating profusely, the roar of the halfling farm machinery was the most striking melody. Those "Fighting Ram" heavy plows, painted in bright colors and decorated with twigs and ribbons, crisscrossed the flat valley. Six rows of gleaming steel teeth cut deep into the soil, pulverizing and turning over stubborn clods of earth like a hot knife through butter, leaving behind straight, dark brown furrows exuding the fragrance of soil.

700台半身人“战斗公羊”重型犁地机在日光下列阵推进，六排钢齿翻起黑油般的沃土。每台机械由2名农奴、1名半身人驭手和2头披挂彩绸的战斗公羊协作，一小时可犁出标准田垄10亩。

Lake Rivelin's water is lifted 20 meters by a waterwheel and flows down a spiral grass path. The water is infused with the divinity of the goddess of dawn, and the soil shimmers wherever it passes.

The priestesses of the Church of Dawn, dressed in simple robes and carrying oak branches symbolizing abundance and silver holy water bottles, guided the serfs in their farming in the fields, while softly chanting prayers of blessing.

"When the whip falls, it is winter."

Springtime arrives when the golden crown rises.

Wheat awns are sharper than swords.
Freedom tastes sweeter than blood.

The clear and sacred voice echoed across the fields, filling the farming business with extraordinary hope and peace.

Su Li listened with a smile, feeling that the song resembled a Yuefu poem, matching the rhythm of folk songs sung in the fields. The combination of farming and folk songs was making the Black Forest Territory increasingly civilized and prosperous.

Vandall replied with great enthusiasm: “We are fully confident in this ambitious plan. The main reason is that the two can be carried out simultaneously. Last year, we blasted open a section of the dam at Lake Reverlyn, extending the farmland of Bjorn Bay downstream several miles eastward, covering an area of ​​2800 hectares.”

"With this foundation, we are extremely confident. This year's speed and efficiency will far exceed last year's, and we will definitely be able to reach a scale of 5000 hectares!"

"The only problem is that we are concerned that as Lake Lovelyne expands, the psionic energy in the water will be diluted."

Su Li pondered for a moment and replied, "Your plan is excellent. It's better to build the lake first and wait for the Demon Tide Pearl than to wait until you have the Demon Tide Pearl and then start digging the lake. Leave the pearl matter to me; you just need to implement the plan."

The reason Lake Lovelyne possesses such powerful psionic energy is not only due to its unique location, but also primarily because some extraordinary creatures live on its surface, generating psionic energy throughout the lake.

Du Yin's Claw was one, and the Demon Tide Clam was another. Last year, Su Li obtained three Demon Tide Pearls, two of which were given to her by Phyllis.

Therefore, if we want to maintain Lake Leveline's status as a sacred site after nearly doubling its size this year, we must increase the number of Magic Tide Pearls.

But this is something that can only be encountered by chance; whether you'll have the opportunity depends on luck.

Su Li planned to take this trip to Maleburg to see if he could buy a few there.

As he pondered, Fandral said excitedly, "With your promise, Lord, we can confidently expand our territory. We plan to convert this area below the Maiden's Ring into a planting ground for extraordinary wheat, while moving the ordinary wheat fields as far east as possible."

Just as Fandral had planned, the main extraordinary wheat variety cultivated here in the Maiden's Ring was the Steel Wheat. As they spoke, the Dawn Sisters, along with a large number of slaves, were already preparing to cultivate these extraordinary seeds on the newly cleared fields.

Beneath the mound of the Maiden's Ring, beside a specially designated plot of land near a water source and bathed in the sun, the atmosphere was exceptionally solemn. Sister Isabella personally led several high priestesses, their expressions serene, as they carefully opened a sealed oak box lined with lead plates. Inside were steel wheat seeds, gleaming with an eerie metallic sheen and sharp as blades. Each seed was wrapped in soft cloth soaked in water from Lake Reveryn and the holy dew of dawn by the priestesses, and then, with an almost reverent gesture, slaves wearing thick leather gloves carefully sowed them into the specially fertilized furrows. The Grain Fathers, the Poleviks, had been temporarily relocated to the edge of this experimental field. Their small faces on the wheat stalks curiously "watched" these strange kin, their bloodthirsty runes flickering slightly, seemingly instinctively sensing the unusual "sharpness" contained within these seeds. The stone steward also quietly built a row of small stone piles along the edge of the field, silently reinforcing this land that carries both hope and risk.

Su Li stood on the embankment of Bjorn Bay, overlooking this magnificent panorama. Golden sunlight bathed the earth, slaves toiled like ants, halfling machines roared forward, dwarves laid their foundations on the mounds, priestesses sowed sharp hopes, and spirits silently watched over the fields.

This is the core and foundation of his territory's business.

Su Li asked with great enthusiasm, "How many acres of steel wheat seeds do you plan to plant this year?"

"Last year, we planted 100 mu (approximately 6.7 hectares) of steel-growing wheat and had a bumper harvest, yielding 30000 jin (approximately 15,000 catties) of seeds. This year, we plan to increase the planting area of ​​steel-growing wheat to over 1000 mu (approximately 67 hectares)!"

"A harvest of 30 catties of extraordinary wheat seeds?!" Su Li gasped deeply and said, "My minister, this number is very clear to me. When we first came to the territory, the entire harvest of grain in the first harvest season was only 30 catties."

Now, the scale of the harvest of extraordinary wheat seeds alone in the territory is comparable to the harvest of ordinary wheat in the Black Forest Territory back then.

This is truly evident; the territory's strength has increased by leaps and bounds.

This 300,000 jin of grain is enough to feed 10000 elite infantry and cavalry for 30 days! After all, this is extraordinary grain. Even for elite soldiers, eating 1 jin a day is enough to maintain their powerful physical strength and provide them with great assistance.

With this extraordinary ration for all three meals a day, soldiers become like people of steel, with significant increases in strength and defense.

To be honest, such a squad of elite knights would be completely fearless even against a single champion-level monster. Twelve elite knights could easily shatter a powerful giant or a manticore.

But what surprised Su Li even more was that there was more to it than that.

Fandall continued, “My lord, in fact, the extraordinary wheat varieties we can harvest are far more than this. After all, we still have many farms and fertile fields, and plenty of opportunities to produce extraordinary ears of wheat. For example, Emerald Pools. There are already hundreds of villages in the territory that have built Emerald Pools, and various kinds of pearl wheat, emerald ears of wheat, etc. can be produced around various villages, monasteries, and holy sites.”

"Therefore, we estimate that the territory will produce at least 40 catties of extraordinary grain in the first harvest season."

Su Li felt an overwhelming joy and laughed loudly, "Hahaha, good! Good! Good! My minister, our farming has finally yielded results! With this accumulation of 40 catties of extraordinary grain, we can gain an overwhelming advantage in our battle against other forces."

How many acres of wheat fields are there in the territory now?

Fandall replied as if reciting a familiar list: "According to statistics, after conquering Blue Mirror Territory, our territory's farming areas can be mainly divided into four modules. One is the fertile basin around Blue Mirror Lake, another is the well-developed plain around Flash Spear, another is the central plain of Black Forest Territory, including the halfling manor of the Baran Autonomous Territory, the vast land around Lake Lovelyn, and a large number of villages, and the third is the occupied area in the western part of the Black Pine Great Forest. We have cultivated a total of 34500 hectares of fertile land."

Vast fields of fertile land!

Su Li finally achieved this.

Moreover, much of this land is fertile, like sacred sites such as the Ring of Maidens, yielding extremely high output.

Fandral then reported, "The Blood Field, Spirit Field, and Holy Land Wheat Field together comprise 96 hectares. Based on our agricultural income, we can earn over 80000 gold crowns a year!"

There are 80000 gold crowns a year, with about 26000 in each harvest season. The average monthly income is 6500 to 7000 gold crowns.

这个数字委实是在暴增，翻了1倍以上。只单依靠农业收入，都解决军队每个月维持费用的1/3~1/2了。

Golden sunlight poured down on the vast land, the flat and fertile soil, the neat rows of fields and the belts of trees, and the spirits of nature and nuns that roamed the fields together to create a perfect pastoral scene.

Su Li felt a sense of accomplishment and smiled at Fandral, saying, "My ministers, all of this is the result of your hard work day and night. I am very confident in entrusting the agriculture and administration of the territory to you. I will have the bishops invest 10000 gold crowns in your church to help it develop, so that you can nurture more nuns and build more monasteries and holy sites."

Su Li's treasury is now truly abundant. It is no exaggeration to say that the granaries are full of grain, the wealth is plentiful, a good harvest in one season means hunger is forgotten for several years, and the treasury can last for several years.

Especially after dealing with the Red Dragon Drake, who took away two-thirds of its wealth accumulated over hundreds of years, Su Li's current treasury contains nearly 200,000 gold crowns.

Buying a count's title might be quite difficult and would require a certain amount of time to accumulate.

But if he were willing to collude with the empire's henchmen and corrupt officials, buying a baronship would be a piece of cake.

This also proves that, from any perspective, he possesses the strength of a baron.

His purpose in going to Maleburg was to check on the results of the nobility assessment. If things didn't go as planned, then war with the Swamp Territory would be inevitable!

Of course, on the other hand, he also needed to visit Mrs. Bayonetta.

This lady has probably been harboring deep resentment towards Su Li for almost a year now. Her emotions have been building up for a long time, and what she hasn't forgotten is bound to come to pass.

After Su Li finished speaking, Fandall immediately asked with concern, "Lord, is your inspection over? We have prepared more ceremonies to introduce you to the achievements of promoting agriculture and sericulture in the territory."

Su Li waved his hand and said, "The territory is already so large, I can't possibly oversee everything. I'll leave the matter of encouraging agriculture to you. I trust the abilities of your Dawn Church. I only care about the results. I hope that by the summer harvest, we can obtain enough extraordinary grains and silkworm silk."

Seeing this, Fandral didn't say anything more. He nodded and said, "Our church will definitely do everything in its power!"

"However, my lord, there is one thing I think you should personally pay attention to, and that is the vineyards and wine production in the territory!"

"For an imperial lord, two things cannot be ignored: farms and vineyards. We have planted enough Amethyst grapes at Bauhinia Manor, and the vines have already grown and matured this year."

Hmm? About the vineyards? That's indeed the thing that the imperial nobles care about most besides farming.

Su Li did not object to Fandral's suggestion, and waved his hand, saying, "Then you can continue to oversee the spring planting here. I can go to the vineyard myself. I'll be taking a batch of golden amethyst brandy with me on this trip to Maleburg."

The Church of Dawn was handling matters related to promoting agriculture and sericulture, so Su Li didn't need to worry about it. However, as Vandal had said, the wine industry was generally managed personally by the nobility.

The main ones were in other territories, such as farms and wheat fields, which might belong to farmers, rich peasants, or large landowners, but vineyards were generally the property of lords.

Therefore, the bountiful harvest of the vineyards and the yield of wine were directly related to the tangible profits of a noble family.

Su Li was not very sensitive to the profits from the vineyard because he had 3000 to 4000 slaves.

However, the vineyard currently contains Fiery Rose, which will cause the Golden Amethyst Brandy to have the effect of an aphrodisiac, with a powerful aphrodisiac effect, causing its value to skyrocket.

When Commissioner Smith met with Su Li last time, he mentioned that a bottle of Golden Amethyst Brandy costs as much as 60 gold crowns in Maleburg.

However, a bottle of this brandy already easily costs over 100 gold crowns in the Hessian Territory. Once it's transported to Maleiburg, the price will undoubtedly exceed 200 gold crowns!

Therefore, this Amethyst Vineyard is indeed worth Su Li's inspection. Moreover, it is located on the north slope of the Bauhinia Manor, very close to the manor. For the griffin's flight speed, it is just a matter of passing by.

Su Li glanced at the sky; it was still early, just approaching evening. He had enough time to inspect the vineyards before dusk, and then set off for Maleburg the next day.

He then led his guards directly north of the manor, where scenes of hard work were everywhere. From Bjorn Bay all the way to the walls of the Forbidden City, all the flat land had been cultivated into fertile farmland, with manors and farms built interspersed among them.

Su Li felt the growth of the territory's civilization more deeply now. You should know that there was a grassland between Zijing Fortress and Bjorn Shallow Bay, with a few small groves of trees in between.

Now all of this has been cultivated into fertile land. The entire eastern part of the Forbidden City is covered with vast farmland, with no barren land left!
(End of this chapter)