Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 273 The Miracle of the North
Outside the warehouse of Mailangling, workers shouted as they carried bags of wheat into the warehouse.

Footsteps, ropes, and the dull thud of sacks hitting wooden frames echoed through the valley, mingled with laughter and shouts.

On the drying ground in front of the warehouse, golden piles of wheat looked like small mountains, reflecting a warm light in the sun.

The valley was bathed in gold, and the bottom of the valley looked like a giant bowl being filled little by little. The autumn wind swept by, carrying the fragrance of wheat.

Louis stood at the top of the hill, squinting as he watched everything, his eyes filled with undisguised joy. Then he said to Green beside him, "Green, call all the representatives over. Let's hold the autumn harvest summary meeting right here."

Before long, Mick, Green, and representatives from various villages, workshops, and patrol teams arrived one after another, forming a semicircle as is customary.

A canvas was laid out in front of the haystack, wooden stakes were driven into the ground, and stone slabs were used to mark the corners, serving as a makeshift conference table.

Green stood at the front, his face still damp with sweat, but he straightened his clothes and stood ramrod straight.

He looked at the vast expanse of grain, which resembled rolling waves, took a deep breath, and raised his voice to say, "Your Excellency, distinguished representatives, as of today, the autumn harvest in Wheat Waves Territory is 80% complete. The preliminary statistics are as follows."

He then unfolded the sheepskin ledger in his hand, his tone filled with undisguised pride: "A total of 115,000 tons of grain were harvested."

Then, pointing to each line of the ledger, he said: "Fifty-one thousand tons of green wheat, which is our staple food and accounts for the largest proportion. It mainly comes from the flat land on the southern slope and the fields outside the greenhouses."

Nineteen thousand tons of rice came from the middle layer of greenhouses and terraced fields at the foot of the mountain. Nine thousand tons of miscellaneous beans were all produced in dry land and on the side of greenhouses.

He turned the page and continued: "23,000 tons of root crops, mainly sweet potatoes, white-rooted turnips, and radishes."

The total amount of dried vegetables and oilseeds is 11,000 tons, of which oilseeds account for a little over 7,000 tons and dried vegetables account for more than 3,000 tons. The vegetables are mainly produced in greenhouses and warm hills, enough to render oil and pickle for winter.

Finally, there are 5,000 tons of forage and miscellaneous crops, prepared for livestock winter feeding and spring plowing.

Green closed the ledger, his tone softening, but each word struck like a stone hitting the ground:
"It is estimated that the total edible grain is 95,000 tons, enough to feed 100,000 people in the red tide for a whole year. In addition, there are tens of thousands of tons of surplus grain, which have been allocated to military reserves or emergency reserves."

Currently, approximately 33,000 tons of grain have been deposited into public warehouses, accounting for 45% of the amount due. Two of the five major warehouses have already been sealed off.

The drying ovens, ventilation walls, and other facilities have all been tested several times without any problems. As long as the snow doesn't come too early, the grain will definitely be harvested completely, allowing this autumn harvest to conclude successfully.

Finally, Green looked around at everyone present and said, "This is the first truly comprehensive harvest since the establishment of Wheat Wave Territory!"

After he finished speaking, the crowd fell silent, as if the entire valley was holding its breath to listen.

A gust of wind blew up a corner of a wheat stalk, causing it to flutter past the heavy ledger page in Green's hand.

The village and community representatives stared at the page, at the string of dry yet burning numbers.

They were mentally prepared and had more or less estimated the harvest in their minds.

But now, with the numbers presented in such a precise and naked form, it's like a hammer, relentlessly pounding into my chest.

The silence lasted for a few seconds.

An old village chief's Adam's apple bobbed, and he finally couldn't help but murmur softly, "...Are there really that many?"

His voice was like the first needle breaking the stillness, followed by an almost uncontrollable surge of emotion that exploded among the crowd.

"A year's worth of food for 100,000 households..." someone murmured, as if repeating in a dream.

"We really did it!"

"This is the grain we grew!"

"God help us, long live the lord!"

"This warehouse is almost bursting at the seams! Hahaha!"

Laughter and shouts mingled together, and some people even excitedly wiped their faces, as if wiping away tears or sweat.

The village representatives patted each other on the shoulder, and several old village chiefs simply squatted down, hugged their heads and laughed loudly: "I've lived most of my life, and this is the first time I've ever seen so much grain!"

Someone shouted towards the valley: "The wheat fields will surely yield a bountiful harvest!"

The others immediately echoed, "Long live the lord! May the wheat fields yield a bountiful harvest!"

The sound grew louder and louder, echoing across the golden fields and attracting the attention of the farmers who were working, who all turned to look.

Louis, who was sitting in the main seat, did not speak, but slowly looked at the people, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

This was to maintain the lord's dignity, but he was also very excited inside.

Not to mention in this barren and cold northern border, even in the entire empire, no other territory can produce such mountains of grain piled up to the top of the valley in a single year.

This was a complete reversal.

It was the result of a whole set of systems and a whole set of ideas that were forcibly suppressed.

It wasn't good luck, nor was it a year of abundant harvests.

It was Louis who, from the very first day of spring when he took his first hoe, meticulously timed the battle and kept a close eye on the rhythm, fighting it step by step.

No one in the North had ever done such a thing before, let alone succeeded, but he did it and succeeded.

The villagers also knew very well that it was Louis who brought everything, pushing the land forward little by little from the day he set foot on it.

He established rules and regulations, sorted out land ownership, and integrated labor allocation, turning the previously scattered and chaotic migrants into a real production force.

He brought with him an almost fanatical pragmatism.

For example, they built irrigation canals, promoted high-yield crops, and replaced old wooden harrows with more efficient iron roller plows...

Even the sowing and irrigation times are divided into segments according to the hour, as precise as military scheduling.

Spring plowing, irrigation, agricultural tool reform, three-shift farming, frost protection and harvesting... every step is like laying the track for this harvest.

Farmers who used to rely solely on the weather for their livelihood now work in large-scale farmlands, with crop blocks arranged according to wind direction and soil temperature behind them.

Even winter is no longer desolate. Geothermal pipes bring warmth into the greenhouses, and places where no seedlings could be frozen in the past can now yield two harvests of cabbage and carrots a year.

They are no longer a lone boat being led by fate, but truly using their hands and wisdom to leverage the future of the entire land.

Everyone saw it all clearly, all because of a man named Louis, who hung like the sun above the wheat fields. For these people, his light shone into every ridge, warming this northern land eroded by the cold winds.

His warmth burned away the hunger of the winter night, allowing people to rediscover the boundaries of life and dignity in the desert.

Just as wheat waves ripple in the morning light, his presence shapes the rhythm of the harvest; just as rice seedlings flourish under the blazing summer sun, that is the order he brings.

In their hearts, Louis gave them not just a wheat field, but a ray of hope, making them believe that even in the cold, icy earth, golden waves of wheat could bloom.

After a thunderous cheer that lasted for more than ten minutes, the fervent emotions still lingered in the air, as if they had not completely dissipated, but the meeting had to continue.

Louis coughed lightly twice, and everyone stopped their enthusiastic chatter and automatically returned to their semi-circular seats.

The paper was laid out again, the pen tip fell once more, and the voice shifted from passion to pragmatism.

Green opened the plan written by Lewis and began again: "Let's continue with the finishing touches, the disposal of crop residues."

He turned to the second page of the record: "The green wheat stalks and bean seedlings are bundled and sealed to be used as winter feed and firewood; they are first distributed to the livestock cooperative, and the rest are sent to the open space behind the warehouse for centralized storage."

Don't throw away diseased wheat or moldy beans. They can be used for brewing, feeding livestock, and fertilizing the land. Specialists will sort them and put them into barrels according to their type. The brewery and fertilization team are already prepared.

As for the potato peels and rotten roots, they should all go into the compost pit. After a month of composting, they can be turned over and used as organic fertilizer in winter and spring.

He paused, then looked towards the wheat field and gestured: "Next is land preparation and rotational cropping."

After harvesting, freeze the land as soon as possible. Cover the land with dry grass, press it down firmly, and prevent it from cracking due to frost.

As for those high-yield fields on the south slope, I suggest tilling them once and mixing in wheat husks and bean stalks to nourish the soil. Planting them again in the spring will yield good results.

The water level is stable along the river. Next year we can try rice cultivation, or reed weaving would also be an option. Let's keep that in mind.

After saying this, the village chiefs began whispering among themselves, arranging who would do which work on their respective plots of land.

Green then looked at the blacksmith representative on the other end: "And the statistics on farm tools."

The man nodded in agreement: "We've already sent people to count them in each village. We have a list of the broken sickles, plowshares, and hoes. All the items reported for repair are sent to blacksmith shops and carpentry workshops. We'll work overtime to fix them."

There are also grinding stones; we harvested so much grain this time, we need to keep up with the grinding. We're short-handed over there, so we might have to bring in two groups of people from the Red Tide workshop to help.”

Louis nodded: "I'll send people over."

Then Mick, the farm manager, stood up, picked up his yellowed sketchbook, coughed, and then gave a sheepish smile:
"Currently, we have built a total of 24 geothermal greenhouses in our Mailang area. We also plan to build six more before next spring. With all these greenhouses combined, we can ensure that people can eat vegetables in winter."

As he spoke, a hint of undisguised pride lingered in his voice. Pointing to the rough blueprints of the shed area, he continued:
"The first crop, which is from early winter to mid-winter, is to plant leafy greens, mustard greens, bok choy, lettuce, spinach, and some chives. They grow quickly and are plentiful. There are also carrots, winter radishes, shallots, and taro. One crop is enough to make soup for the whole winter."

The second crop will mainly consist of soybeans and lentils, which will both replenish soil fertility and facilitate the inoculation of the next crop. A seedling area has been reserved in the experimental greenhouse, and seeds for tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs are already prepared.

"As for guarding the shed, the team has been increased to twenty people, with two groups taking turns each night. We will try our best to withstand rodent infestations, drafts, and ice formations."

After saying this, he put away his notebook, glanced at Louis sitting there, then looked around at everyone, and smiled shyly: "Well... that's about it."

The meeting was then filled with enthusiastic applause.

It wasn't just perfunctory encouragement, but genuine recognition from the bottom of my heart.

These people sitting on the field all started from humble beginnings and know best what a single vegetable leaf means in the cold winter.

The winter greenhouse planting program is not just about providing people with some green vegetables to eat in winter, but also about paving the way for the future.

The construction of the geothermal greenhouse has enabled Mailangling to break free from the absolute dependence of traditional agriculture on the seasons, and truly take the first step towards "year-round farming".

It means that even if the mountains are blocked by ice and snow and the earth is frozen and cracked, life can still grow in the greenhouse and harvests can emerge from the soil.

Fast-growing vegetables and root vegetables ensure a steady supply of food for our daily meals, while rotating legumes not only nourish the soil but also provide a valuable source of green manure for spring.

More importantly, it gave the possibility of trying to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs under the ice in the North.

After the applause subsided, Green stood up, still clutching the ledger in his hand, and said in a calm and unhurried tone, "There is something that you have all heard Lord Louis mention before, but now that the grain harvest is settled, it is time to implement it."

He pointed to a pile of wheat sacks in the distance, stacked like a small mountain, and raised his voice slightly:
"Currently, our storage facilities in Mailang Territory, even the three newly built temporary warehouses, are already stretched thin. According to the plan set by the adults in the spring, we will transfer 65% of the grain to Chichao Territory."

He paused for a moment and looked at everyone.

"The Red Tide region has more stable terrain, a more complete warehousing system, and direct access to various transit stations, making it safer and more efficient for both external support and wartime deployment."

In Mailang itself, 35% of the grain was reserved for daily rations, distribution to villages and communities, emergency reserves, and seed storage, all meticulously categorized according to standards.

No one in the audience voiced their opposition; in fact, several village chiefs nodded in agreement.

After all, this was something that Louis had personally decided before spring plowing began.

Louis sat in the main seat and listened quietly to the entire report without showing any exaggerated expression on his face.

But everyone could clearly see the glimmer in his eyes—it was satisfaction and approval.

After everyone had finished speaking, he slowly nodded, his voice not loud, but it immediately invigorated everyone: "Everything was arranged well. The harvest was a victory. The next task is to make the fruits of this victory even bigger."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone subconsciously straightened their backs, and a sense of pride appeared on their faces.

Louis paused, then suddenly smiled easily: "Of course, celebration is a must."

He glanced at the village chiefs and representatives and said, “You village chiefs, go back and get things organized. Each village should hold a harvest celebration banquet. You must publicize the harvest results to the villagers. Don’t hide them. We need to give them confidence and let everyone who has worked hard and shed sweat know that this land remembers their names.”

"At the same time, once the final yield is determined, this year's rewards will be distributed according to the 'Spring Farming Performance Ranking.' Model workers such as the 'King of Farming' and the 'Top Ten Households' will be allocated permanent high-quality private land, extra grain points, tool rewards, or promotion opportunities. Outstanding laborers will be given priority for recommendation to management teams by each village."

“That’s all,” Louis stood up, patted the hem of his robe, “Meeting adjourned.”

As he stepped out of the canvas conference table, golden waves of wheat swayed gently in the wind, as if paying homage to the harvest and the decisions made.

The crowd behind him stood up one after another, their smiles barely concealed, and filed out to return to their respective posts, preparing to do the final work for the autumn harvest.

This is an exit after a victory, but it's more like the prelude to a new chapter.

(End of this chapter)