Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 504 The Ambitious Land Reclamation Movement and the Huge Profits of Wine
While the knights and farmers of the territory were busy planning for their manors and fields, Su Li, as the ruler of the Black Forest Territory, naturally had his sights set on the big picture. After listening to Fandral's detailed report on the autumn harvest and winter planting plans, he did not stop, but went straight to his directly administered fantasy manor, the Bauhinia Manor, located on the outskirts of Black Forest Castle.

This place is not only his private property as lord, but also a testing and demonstration field for many new crops, technologies, and methods. It is also a concentrated area of ​​various fantastic plants and extraordinary crops, and the core of the Black Forest's fantastic territory.

Standing on the high ground in the center of the manor, Su Li looked down at this well-ordered land, and the agricultural landscape of the entire Black Forest Territory clearly appeared in his mind.

“Fandar, I have carefully considered the figures you reported earlier,” Su Li said. “This autumn harvest, my Black Forest Territory, from the shores of Lake Aisonic in the east to the newly developed lands of the Twilight Mountains in the west, from the pastures at the foot of Gray Mountain in the north to the edge of the Blackwater Swamp in the south, has a total of 34,500 hectares of registered and stably productive arable land.”

He listed them out in great detail: "Of these, the main grain fields used to ensure the food supply for the people and the army account for about 19,800 hectares; the vineyards (mainly various wine grapes, including the amethyst grape which is being expanded) that we exchange for a large amount of gold coins account for about 6,500 hectares; and the remaining fields for cash crops, dyes, herbs and vegetables account for about 10,000 hectares."

He turned and looked intently at his Minister of Agriculture: “This scale has enabled us to win last year’s war, feed our rapidly growing population, and even have a huge surplus of grain to trade with our dwarven allies. But this is far from enough.”

Fandall immediately bowed in response, his eyes gleaming with the same ambition as his lord: "Yes, my lord! This is precisely what my colleagues in the church and I have been planning day and night. If there is no large-scale war to conscript laborers, based solely on the current population growth in the territory and the increase in the number of nuns in the Church of Dawn, we are fully capable of launching a large-scale 'reclamation movement' in the coming autumn and winter seasons!"

He stated his goal with great enthusiasm: "Our plan is to increase the actual cultivated area of ​​the Hessian Territory from 34,500 hectares to over 40,000 hectares by the start of spring planting next year! That's a net increase of 5,500 hectares of fertile land!"

"Oh? Five thousand five hundred hectares?" Su Li's eyes showed interest. "Tell me your detailed plan. Expanding the land is not simply about plowing up wasteland. The proportion of various crops and the division of areas all need to be carefully considered."

“As you command, sir.” Fandall was clearly confident, and he reported in a professional and clear tone, having prepared well in advance:
"Firstly, the expansion of staple food fields. This is the foundation for ensuring the security of the territory and must not be shaken. The 19,800 hectares of staple food fields that have already been cultivated will be mainly allocated to rye, wheat, and most importantly, steel wheat. The new areas will be concentrated in the western part of the Flashspear Plains and the northern part of the Blue Mirror Territory, where the land is relatively flat and water sources can be covered by extending the dwarven irrigation canals. The total area of ​​staple food fields is expected to increase to 22,000 hectares."

“Secondly, the strategic growth of vineyards and cash crops,” Van Dahl continued. “Wine and specialty cash crops are key to our ability to earn gold and attract caravans. Of the 6,500 hectares of new vineyards, 2,000 hectares will be used to expand the planting of the in-demand Amethyst grape, while the remainder will be planted with other high-quality wine grapes. These vineyards will be prioritized in the Green Hills and the hilly areas near the Rothen Valley, where there is ample sunshine, and the mists from the Brienne River, the Blackwater River, and various lakesides will give the grapes a more unique flavor.”

“In addition,” he added, “the planting area of ​​high-value cash crops such as moonflower cabbage, ember root leeks, and moon mulberry (for feeding rainbow silkworms) will also increase by 1,500 hectares, mainly distributed near the sacred pool or near manors with special microenvironments, so that the nuns can take care of them in a concentrated manner. In this way, the total area of ​​cash crops will reach about 12,000 hectares.”

"Thirdly, the allocation and preparation of newly reclaimed land," Van Dahl concluded. "The remaining 1,200 hectares of new land will serve as reserve and experimental fields. Some will be used to plant fast-growing legumes to fertilize the soil, while others will be used to try introducing some high-yield crops, or cold-resistant and barren-tolerant species recommended by the Druids. This will ensure that our agricultural structure is both robust and flexible for future development."

After listening to the detailed and professional plan, Su Li nodded in satisfaction. The plan not only reflected quantitative growth but also considered the optimization of crop structure, the rationality of regional distribution, and future sustainability.

“Excellent plan, Fandral,” Su Li praised. “Execute this plan. Tell the church and all agricultural officials that I need to see a bountiful harvest from these 40,000 hectares of land next harvest season that not only fills everyone’s stomachs, but also brings more gold coins, stronger warriors, and more stable prosperity to the Black Forest Territory!”

His words were filled with confidence in the future. This vigorous land reclamation movement, supported by the powerful organizational capabilities of the Black Forest Territory, the natural magic of the Church of Dawn, and the lord's unwavering will, was bound to yield a bountiful harvest.

This newly acquired 5,500 hectares of land will be another solid foundation for the Hessen Territory's path to prosperity.

Fandall's excitement faded slightly, replaced by a more serious expression. He coughed lightly and said, "Oh, by the way, my lord, if you are not in a hurry, there is another crucial matter that I need to report to you in detail. This matter concerns the very foundation of the territory's development—population."

As a cabinet minister, he was well aware that the lord had always kept this matter in mind. After all, the situation in the Black Forest Territory had long been "distorted": its territory was vast, comparable to or even surpassing many earls, but its population was always pitifully small, with only a little over 20,000, less than 30,000 people, yet it had to maintain an elite mixed infantry and cavalry legion of 3,000 to 4,000 men.

This radical military-civilian ratio put unimaginable pressure on the treasury, causing the territory's finances to be in a deficit for a long time. It was only thanks to the miraculous output of extraordinary crops and spirit fields that the balance was barely maintained. Otherwise, Su Li would have been labeled a "tyrant" rather than a "benevolent father."

“After a detailed review and registration by the State Council and the Church recently,” Fandall said with a relieved joy, “I can report some good news to you: as of the end of the autumn harvest festival, the number of legal residents registered in the Hessian Territory has increased from over 30,000 at the same time last year to more than 35,700 today!”

"How many?!" Upon hearing this, even with his composure, Su Li couldn't help but reveal a look of surprise and delight. "Thirty-five thousand seven hundred people? In less than a year, the population has increased by nearly five thousand?! This... this growth rate far exceeds my expectations! Fandral, how did you do this? This is definitely not something that can be achieved through ordinary natural growth!"

Faced with the lord's surprise and further questions, Fandall smiled and explained in detail: "My lord, such a significant increase is naturally not entirely due to newborns. Its main sources can be divided into the following categories, all of which are very much in line with the 'characteristics' of the border princely territory."

"Firstly, and most importantly, is the power of Lord Dantin, the Saint of the Sun," Fandral said with reverence. "His light of purification and redemption attracts and transforms the lost souls of the borderlands like a magnet. In the past year, more than two thousand former forest bandits, refugee gangs, and even some slightly corrupted but redeemed members of warbands who were active on the edge of the Twilight Mountains and deep in the Dark Forest have laid down their weapons, repented their sins, sworn allegiance to you, and accepted resettlement under Lord Dantin's influence. Most of them have been incorporated into newly developed villages, becoming farmers who cultivate the land or reserves for the border patrol."

“Secondly, there was organized immigration and attraction,” he continued. “We spread the word through merchant guilds and the Church of the Sun Goddess, and offered generous resettlement conditions (mainly land and tax reductions for the first few years), attracting about a thousand people from other war-torn or heavily taxed regions of the empire. Most of them were farmers and artisans with families, yearning for a stable land, and also staunch believers of the Sun Goddess. After all, the priests of the Church of the Sun Goddess had always encouraged people from the north of the empire to migrate south, and believers were the mainstream of the immigrants.”

“Thirdly, the naturalization and incorporation of non-human races,” Fandall added, “which fully reflects the diversity of this world. “Thanks to our close alliance with the Grey Mountain Kingdom and the relatively relaxed environment of the territory, about two hundred dwarven artisans, miners (mainly to assist in the development of newly discovered mineral veins) and their families have been granted long-term residency permits. They mainly live in Blackhamburg and Whiteburg.”

“In addition,” he smiled, “there are about a hundred halflings who have been drawn to our territory by its cuisine (especially the newly developed fantasy crops) and peaceful life, and have moved here with their families. Most of them live near Bjorn Bay and the Halfling Baran Dominion, where they utilize their natural talents in agriculture and cooking. We have even taken in a small number (about a few dozen) of members from other races, including a few wood elf rangers seeking tranquility, a few slaves from other worlds who escaped the enslavement of the Chaos dwarves, including dark elves, alchemists from Saurian, tiger-men, snake-men, and so on, as well as a few Kisliv anthropologists seeking knowledge exchange. However, these are very few in number, probably only one in a city or a small town, and they all live in buildings with very different architectural styles, working as diviners, apothecaries, and the like.”

"Fourthly, there is the normal natural growth," Fandral concluded. "With sufficient food in the territory, a more stable life, and the efforts of the Dawn Church nuns to promote fertility blessings and medical knowledge, the birth rate in the territory has indeed increased significantly, with nearly three hundred more newborns than in the same period last year, while the mortality rate has decreased due to improved medical care and enhanced defenses."

After listening to the detailed population report, Su Li was overjoyed. A population increase of nearly five thousand meant more labor, a larger tax base, and a greater potential source of soldiers. The distorted situation of "vast land and sparse population" in the Black Forest Territory had finally been effectively alleviated.

"Good! Excellent! Fandral, this is a treasure more valuable than any harvest or trade surplus!" Su Li patted Fandral on the shoulder heavily. "Make sure all new residents are properly settled, whether human or of other races. As long as they abide by the law and are loyal to the territory, Blacksin Territory will have a place for them! Continue with the current policies. I hope that by next spring, we can move towards a population of 40,000!"

The robust population growth is like injecting fresh blood into the increasingly sophisticated war machine of the Hessian Territory, making its foundation more solid and its future more promising.

With the affairs of the territory well managed, Su Li finally had the leisure to focus on her own estate. For nobles in this world, their most important asset was their vineyards, and Su Li was no exception.

The autumn sun was more intense than the spring sun, bathing the Bauhinia Manor in a radiant golden glow. The air was no longer filled with the fresh scent of tender leaves, but with the rich aroma of ripe grapes and the intoxicating fragrance of fermenting wine. Accompanied by Vandal and his entourage, Su Li once again stepped into this manor that held such profound significance for him.

Compared to early spring, the scene before me had changed dramatically. In the vast vineyards, vines were laden with heavy fruit; the deep purple amethyst grapes, like countless jewels imbued with sunlight and magic, shimmered alluringly among the leaves. Farmers and winemakers moved about, carrying out the final harvest, their laughter and the joy of the harvest filling the air. Soon, Sister Merian Safir, having received the news, hurried to the scene. In autumn, her figure remained exquisitely graceful—a permanent transformation brought about by the fiery rose—but her demeanor was much more composed and reserved. The barely contained springtime passion and anxiety between her brows had been replaced by peace and certainty. Her nun's robes seemed to have been slightly altered, fitting her better; while still unable to conceal her stunning curves, they now appeared considerably more dignified.

"My lord, may the bountiful autumn harvest be with you." Merian bowed with a smile, her eyes clear and calm.

“Merlian,” Su Li looked her over and nodded with satisfaction, “it seems that taking over from Sister Lina has brought you inner peace.”

“Thank you for the arrangement, Lord.” Merian’s tone was full of gratitude. “Sister Lina has an exceptional talent for controlling life energy, and she has taken over the care of the core area of ​​the Emerald Garden very well. The power of that Fiery Rose was neutralized and directed towards a purer vitality by her using a magic circle from some herb garden, rather than… well, the kind of influence you know. I am now mainly responsible for guiding and controlling the quality of the ‘Gilon Wind’ in the outer vineyards, which allows me to better balance my faith and my duties.”

Looking out, Su Li could see Sister Lina with her short, reddish-brown hair busy with several assistants in the heart of the Emerald Garden in the distance, everything in perfect order.

"So, how was this year's harvest?" Su Li asked with concern, as this was the core purpose of his trip.

Merian's face immediately lit up with excitement: "Thanks to the Lord's blessing and the Goddess's supreme grace, this year is an unprecedentedly bountiful year! The total size of the Bauhinia Manor's vineyards has stabilized at 1,200 acres! Among them, the core area of ​​the Emerald Garden, under the management of the Lina sisters, has stabilized at 25 acres, and its output quality is even better than last year!"

She pointed to the baskets laden with grapes: "Thanks to the successful expansion of planting in the spring and favorable weather throughout the growing season—and of course, the tireless magical nourishment of our nuns—all the vineyards have achieved full fruit production this year! The yield per mu in the core area is expected to remain stable at around 2,000 jin; while the 100 mu of high-quality vineyards newly established last year are in their first peak fruiting period this year, with an expected yield of 1,800 jin per mu; and the average yield per mu in the remaining peripheral vineyards has also reached around 1,200 jin!"

Su Li quickly calculated in her mind, a surprised smile appearing on her face. This meant that the total yield of Purple Crystal Grapes would be an astonishing figure, far exceeding last year's.

"Where is Annalis? How is the brewing going this year?" Su Li couldn't wait to meet that eccentric master brewer.

Outside the brewery, they met Annalise. She was still dressed in red, her white stockings spotless. To their delight, the corrosive mark on her left eye had faded considerably, leaving only faint traces. The amethyst eye no longer seemed so jarring, but rather added a touch of mysterious beauty. Beside her, the "water-friendly" girl named Sophia was handling the tasks with even greater skill.

Upon seeing Su Li, Annalis nodded slightly, her tone still calm, but one could detect a hint of satisfaction: "Lord, the quality of this year's grapes is excellent, especially the fruit from the core area, which is rich in stable life energy. The success rate of activating the 'nectar' characteristic has increased by 30% compared to last year."

"How many can be produced in total?" Su Li asked directly.

“Based on the current progress of fermentation and distillation,” Annalise calmly stated the figures, “we estimate that we can produce about 120 bottles of the perfect grade (aquatic characteristics) Amethyst Gold Brandy. We estimate that we can produce about 3,000 bottles of the fine grade (powerful for a light buzz and for inducing love).

She paused, then added, "In addition, the production of ordinary brandy made from the remaining fruit and some secondary fruit, simply bearing the name 'Amethyst,' is expected to exceed 15,000 bottles."

Upon hearing the figures announced by Annalis, Su Li, even though he was somewhat prepared, couldn't help but gasp. Behind these figures lay a torrent of wealth, like a golden river!
Fandall's mind raced with calculations, his eyes gleaming with unbelievable surprise:
"My lord, according to market prices, even the most ordinary 'Amethyst' brandy, given its name and the current reputation of Blackwood, is worth at least two gold crowns per bottle! These 15,000 bottles are the foundation for 30,000 gold crowns! This is almost equivalent to the total annual tax revenue of a small barony."

"Exquisite quality..." Su Li's voice carried a strange tone. He recalled its "powerful intoxication and ability to evoke love," making it an unparalleled delight for salon banquets and private rendezvous. "Its effects are exquisite, easily stirring the most tender and romantic feelings in one's heart, making eyes sparkle when they meet, making even the most reserved lady's gaze flutter, and making even the most conservative gentleman's heart flutter... Such a fine wine, even at 60 gold crowns per bottle, would probably be fought over! Three thousand bottles would be 180,000 gold crowns!"

Finally, his gaze fell upon the most precious perfect grade, and his Adam's apple even bobbed involuntarily.

“And this perfect grade—'nectar'…” Fandall’s voice lowered, as if afraid of disturbing the magic of this ultimate temptation, “It is not just wine, it is… the nectar of desire, the key to returning to youthful passion.”

He imagined the scene, his tone involuntarily taking on a seductive charm: "Just one cup, and the rich aroma of roses and ripe fruit, so intense it seems to melt away, can awaken the deepest desires within the body. It can bring a girlish blush to a noblewoman's pale cheeks, make her eyes moist as spring water, and make her cold fingertips burn with a yearning for touch; it can make a lord forget his weariness and the ravages of time, rekindle his almost savage impulses and vitality, and return him to that age when he could party all night without ever getting tired."

"A night of passion, unaware of the dawn. This is not an exaggeration, but a true description of its efficacy. It is the most secret legend in the finest salons, the ultimate pleasure that nobles are willing to spend a fortune for. Priceless? No, for those who yearn to rekindle their passion and experience ultimate pleasure, its value cannot be measured in money! If a price had to be set, a bottle worth a thousand gold crowns would only make those people flock to it! One hundred and twenty bottles... that's a hundred and twenty thousand gold crowns!"

Fandral exhaled slowly, finally summarizing the astronomical figure: "Thirty thousand, plus eighteen thousand, plus one hundred and twenty thousand," his eyes seemed to burn with golden flames, "three hundred and thirty thousand gold crowns!"

This final figure was like a thunderclap, exploding in the silent autumn sky.

Fandall nearly dropped the ledger from his hand; his mouth gaped open, and his white beard trembled. Even the guards around him, who tried their best to maintain a solemn expression, couldn't help but exchange shocked glances.

Three hundred and thirty thousand gold crowns!

What does this mean? It means that the annual income of the Black Forest Territory, relying solely on the output of the Bauhinia Manor, has already surpassed that of many powerful earls and even approached that of some impoverished duchies! This is enough to arm a legion fully clad in fine rune armor, enough to build a formidable fortress stretching for dozens of miles, and enough to give Su Li almost unlimited financial resources to implement any grand strategy!

It can be said that the value of amethyst, gold, and brandy perfectly matches the economic distribution system of this world. Just like the military configuration of this world: the most expensive are not the large number of low-level soldiers—even with thousands of armed attendants, their value is only a few thousand gold crowns; nor are they the very few people at the top of the military, such as the champion knights in a territory, whose annual maintenance cost is no more than two thousand gold crowns.

The real focus of expenditure lies in the elite knights who form the backbone of the military. If a count's territory were to train three thousand elite knights, it would cost over fifteen thousand gold crowns in just one month, and the annual military expenditure would reach a staggering eighteen thousand!

This is why the profits from the top-quality brandy produced by the Bauhinia Manor perfectly offset Su Li's military expenditures, allowing him to confidently expand his army without being constrained by financial pressure. As for the large group of dwarven engineers, master blacksmiths, and other artisans within the territory, as well as the bureaucratic system and clergy, these were supported by other fiscal revenues.

The size of three thousand elite knights is just right for the military configuration of a count's territory. More importantly, this army will become a powerful backing for the newly emerging legend, Saint Lily Knight Hilde, allowing her to fully display her skills, expand her territory, and usher in her glorious era.

“Good…good…” Su Li said “good” twice, his joy overflowing. He looked at Annalis and Merian with admiration. “You…you have given me a wonderful surprise! Bauhinia Manor shall be the ‘immortal treasury’ of my Black Forest Territory!”

This surging torrent of wealth will completely reverse the long-standing fiscal deficit of the Black Forest Territory and propel it to an unprecedented level of prosperity!
(End of this chapter)