I'm not a lord

Chapter 163 As long as the Duke launches an attack
The day after the meeting ended, the mayor of Sanhe, Jürgen, accompanied by several members of parliament, went to several warehouses in the city to inspect the city's grain and ale reserves.

Generally speaking, cities will store enough food to last at least six months to cope with various emergencies.

For a large autonomous city like Sanhe City, the storage capacity is sufficient to last for about a year.

In the event of war, it can withstand a siege lasting up to a year.

Of course, this only includes the food and beer consumption of the city's eight thousand permanent residents, and does not include the needs for export.

However, due to multiple factors, the city's current grain reserves can only last for about three months.

Grain reserves are at their lowest point in recent decades.

The most important factor, of course, was war.

Because of the war, the six baronies in the White River Valley chose to hoard grain and sold only a small amount of it last autumn.

Because of the war, the Marshland Duchy, which served as the granary of the North, was engulfed in flames, and its main grain-producing areas were plundered by two other dukes.

Because of the war, refugees from the Crown Territory migrated to the vicinity of Three Rivers City, and then launched a rebellion, destroying many large manors in the western suburbs of the city.

Beset by internal and external troubles, Sanhe City is now facing a severe food shortage.

Just then, the rebel Lynn suddenly rose to power.

In Jürgen's view, this man swiftly defeated several barons and inexplicably unified the White River region.

But he felt that this might not necessarily be a bad thing.

The former barons all wanted to sell the grain at a high price, and perhaps Lynn was easy to fool.

In the end, Lynn was a thousand times more cunning than the barons.

Those barons just wanted to earn more Northern Gold Shields by betting against the city, but Lynn wanted to undermine Three Rivers City!
He first deceived the city council by feigning weakness, and then preemptively purchased a large number of iron ingots and cloth. He then turned on them in an instant, offering a grain purchase price that was far beyond the city council's tolerance limit.

This person had even prepared iron chains and various defensive fortifications in advance, which withstood multiple attacks from the armed merchant ships and killed dozens of armed crew members. It can be said that he had planned this for a long time.

Jürgen is indeed at a loss right now.

He is the mayor, not the lord.

His power is subject to the constraints of the city council, and he cannot have absolute authority in the city.

He couldn't use all the city's resources; mobilizing a militia of three hundred men was his limit.

Should the citizens be armed and attacked in Shirakawa territory?

The citizens will most likely tear down his house first.

But even though things have come to this point, Jürgen has not despaired.

With three months' worth of stored grain, if we are frugal and buy some more expensive grain from other places, we can barely make it until this autumn harvest.

At that time, the output from the numerous manors in the western suburbs of the city alone will be enough to feed the citizens for a whole year.

The western part of the Crown Territory, newly occupied by the Duke of the Swamp, should also be able to provide some food.

The only problem is that the brewing guild in the city will suffer, and the infamy will be borne by the bandit leader Lynn.

The citizens can still rely on the old wine stored in the warehouse.

But the brewers are destined to shut down for the next few months, the entire brewing industry will come to a standstill due to food shortages, and the ale exports that Three Rivers City is so proud of will also come to a halt.

Apart from grain, the city has a relatively sufficient reserve of other raw materials, including sheepskin and honey.

These raw materials are usually purchased in a unified manner every autumn, and the batch purchased last year is enough to last until this autumn.

After confirming the grain reserves, Jürgen convened a meeting of all the grain merchants and brewers in the city council.

"As you all know, Lynn, who occupies the White River basin, has imposed a trade embargo on us and refuses to sell us grain and many raw materials."

The city will be going through a difficult period, and I hope that food prices will remain stable so that everyone can afford to buy food.

As for brewing, unfortunately, it will have to be suspended for a while.

At first, Jürgen's tone was very gloomy, and the mood of everyone present also dropped.

But the next moment, he raised his right arm and made a fist: "But I can assure you that I and the city council will always stand with you, and the difficult times will not last long!"
From last year until now, the Duke has achieved a series of brilliant victories in the Crown Territory, and at this moment, he is less than 100 kilometers away from Amber Harbor!
In another two weeks, we may hear the good news that he has been crowned King of the North!

"At that time, he will surely send his most elite troops to sweep across the White River basin and cut off the head of that traitor Lynn, hanging it on the city wall of Three Rivers!"

As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted in the audience.

Including Jürgen, most citizens of Three Rivers believed that the Duke of the Marshland would wear the crown of the North.

The Duke's record over the past few months has been too strong.

They cleverly seized River Bend, defeated the royal army, massacred the city of Coron, and then successively persuaded or captured several important cities along the Jing River.

According to the latest reports, the Duke of the Marshland, leading his ever-growing army, is advancing toward Amber Harbor at a rate of ten kilometers per day, and is about to enter his loyal Amber Harbor Cathedral.

Over the years, Three Rivers City has paid so much tax to the Duke, and last year it paid a full 50% war tax without missing a single penny.

Once the Duke ascends the throne, he should help Three Rivers City get rid of Lynn, this big problem, both morally and logically. At the same time, this is also to help him eliminate the rebels in his territory.

In short, everything will be fine as long as the Duke launches an attack!
The rebel Lynn's head will be covered in lime and hung on the walls of Three Rivers for two whole years.

So that everyone can see: this is what happens when you go against a municipality!
Of course, Jürgen didn't entirely rely on the Duke of the Marsh's 'heavenly army'.

He did his best within his assigned limits.

Armed merchant ships have blockaded the Baihe River.

The city's militia has also been mobilized to closely monitor the two land routes.

A land and water blockade was imposed to prevent any smugglers from entering or leaving White River Territory, ensuring that Lynn could no longer obtain any luxury goods or weapons from Three Rivers City.

This is a trade war, with both sides cutting off all trade and ending up in a lose-lose situation.

It's all about who has a thicker health bar and who can withstand bleeding for a longer period of time.

As for Lynn, the person in question, he has already arrived at Shallows Territory.

As early as last winter, he had already made arrangements for this year's agricultural production in the shallow waters.

Including the territory's steward Robert, all the stewards had gone to the White Bear Territory for further training and had a full understanding of the most advanced agricultural technologies available at the time.

In early April, spring plowing operations have fully commenced in the shallow waters.

The people drove their draft horses and drove their heavy plows across the wide fields.

Lynn and Robert stood on the edge of the field inspecting the spring planting, and the latter respectfully explained:
"Sir, this year the average cultivated area per household has been reduced to about eighty mu, which can ensure that each mu receives meticulous care, and the yield per mu will certainly not be inferior to that of White Bear Territory."

Last year, when Lynn first arrived in White Bear Territory, he did not reduce the acreage of each serf household, resulting in many serfs not having time to cultivate their allotted land intensively.

When the autumn harvest came, the difference in income between the lord's public lands and the serfs' allotted lands was enormous.

The yield per mu of public land generally exceeds 100 kilograms, while the yield per mu of private land mostly fluctuates around 70 kilograms.

Robert learned from this lesson and directly reduced the cultivated area per household. With eighty mu of land, according to the two-field rotation system, each household only needed to cultivate forty mu per year.

Under the intensive farming model, the working hours of the farmers are basically the same as those of cultivating 60 mu in the past.

According to Robert's estimate, as long as the weather in the shallow waters is favorable this year, the average yield per mu (unit of land area) will most likely reach 100 kilograms.

After deducting the 10 kilograms of seeds per mu, the net income from 40 mu of cultivated land will far exceed that of 60 mu in previous years.

It should be noted that the average yield per mu in Qiantanling last year was only over 40 kilograms, while the seed consumption per mu was as high as 15 kilograms.

This autumn, after deducting about 50 percent for taxes, the people's final harvest will be at least twice that of previous years.

More food can feed more livestock, and also more artisans and full-time soldiers.

With ample food supplies, the entire territory will flourish.

"Your method is excellent. If it succeeds in Shallows Territory, it can be promoted to the entire White River Territory next year." Lynn smiled and nodded in recognition.

Confiscating serfs' allotted lands hastily in newly occupied territories could easily provoke their rebellious tendencies.

Lynn continued to adopt a gradual approach in the four new territories to the south.

This year, we will first promote new technologies so that the serfs can see tangible results and experience the intensity of intensive farming.

Next year, they will naturally accept the reduction in their land allocation.

If you give them too much land, they won't be able to take care of it all.

Although the land area has shrunk, they are able to obtain more food.

In addition, with the large-scale cultivation of high-yield forage grasses like alfalfa, their livestock can also eat more feed.

Overall, reducing arable land is a win-win-win situation.

The people, the livestock, and Lynn, who was in charge of collecting taxes, were all winners.

As for these vacant cultivated fields, they should naturally be distributed to the abandoned people.

The lowland tribes had worked diligently in the mines for more than half a year and had also contributed two hundred brave and skilled barbarian archers, so they deserved some reward.

This also serves as an incentive for the later 'High Cliff Tribe,' allowing these newly arrived wilderness dwellers and their livestock to actually see the carrots hanging in front of them.

According to Lynn's plan, the Lowland tribes would be scattered across White Bear Territory and Shallows Territory.

The house and land are already in place; they just need to move in with their bags.

The steward in charge of teaching the barbarians how to farm is also ready; he will be the first batch of outstanding graduates from the White Bear Territory School.

These young cadres are highly loyal, energetic, and even understand the local dialect.

Lynn also prepared some farm tools and livestock, and the wastelanders could seamlessly integrate into the agricultural society through the exclusive 'Wasteland Loan'.

This "farm loan" is essentially an exchange of high taxes from the next few years for free farm tools and livestock in the present.

Lynn now occupies six baronies and has seized most of the property from the original ruling class, so he can easily cover this expense.

In White Bear Territory, under the command of the newly appointed governor, Little Albert, the reduction of the territory's cultivated land has been completed this year.

Even the free citizens who received land last year have obediently accepted the new land reduction policy this year.

To put it bluntly, as long as they can see tangible benefits, there is no problem in implementing any policy.

What I fear most is making empty promises without actually delivering.

On the Shallow Beach Territory side, Robert used his reputation as the territorial steward for many years as a guarantee, and the example of the neighboring White Bear Territory was too vivid, so he was able to promote the new policy a year ahead of schedule.

Robert couldn't help but give it his all.

After all, the master really meant what he said; he could cook anything he promised.

In March, the school in White Bear Territory began to expand its enrollment, and Robert's two sons were successfully admitted.

This school teaches practical skills; as long as you graduate successfully, you can get a high-paying job.

As far as Robert knew, the first batch of graduates had already taken up positions in White Bear Territory, including tax collectors, clerks, manor stewards, and trading post stewards.

The minimum annual salary for these positions is five Northern Gold Shields, comparable to that of a skilled knight's squire—definitely a high-paying job.

The salary is high, the social status is high, and the promotion path is very clear.

When ordinary farmers see them, they must respectfully address them as "Sir".

His greatest wish was that his two sons could successfully graduate from school so that the Robert family's social class would not decline.

The only one who could fulfill his wish was Lord Lynn.

He now hopes that the master can keep winning, so that his family can climb up this rapidly growing tree and see a higher and farther view.

What? You're saying the master is a traitor?
Who are you calling a traitor?!

Your Excellency is Earl Shirakawa!

It is the only sky in the Baihe River basin!

Didn't you see that even the Duke of the Marsh acknowledged the Lord's special privileges?

After inspecting the spring plowing, Robert made a timely suggestion:

"My lord, the new blacksmith workshop in Shallow Beach Territory has been completed. The blacksmiths are full of praise for the new water-powered forging hammer. They all hope to express their gratitude to you in person. Moreover, if you could give them some valuable guidance, the quality of ironware in Shallow Beach Territory will surely be raised to a new level in the future."

Robert once led the blacksmiths of his territory to White Bear Territory for an on-site inspection and replicated the blacksmith workshop of White Bear Territory in Shallow Beach Territory at a near one-to-one scale.

Lynn knew perfectly well that he was trying to take credit.

Seeing that Robert was sincere in his work, he readily agreed: "Okay, let's go take a look."

When they arrived at the location, Lynn found that the workshop was indeed quite beautiful.

Moreover, the blacksmiths are quite skilled; one middle-aged blacksmith even has a one-star rating. With a little training, he should be able to undertake the task of forging plate armor.

As the army expanded, Lynn's demand for armor also increased steadily.

Moreover, he no longer has access to Sanhe City and cannot purchase armor on a large scale from outside, so he has to make it himself.

Therefore, it is necessary to expand armor production capacity, especially plate armor that can be mass-produced.

Plate armor has replaceable parts, making it very flexible, but its defensive capabilities are slightly inferior to plate armor.

If Lynn could muster a 500-strong elite plate-armored brigade, he would even dare to face off against the Duke of the Swamp's elite court knights.

That evening, Lynn hosted a banquet at the Shallows Castle, inviting all the stewards of the territory.

After the banquet, he didn't rush to get intimate with Yagena, whom he hadn't seen for many days. Instead, he enjoyed drinks with his second brother, Hugh, on the balcony.

(End of this chapter)