Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 298 Some Achievements of Wheat Wave Territory

The horse-drawn carriage swayed and rattled along the muddy road after the snow.

Mary rested by the window, holding little Ini in her arms, the soft hum of the wheel axle crushing snow in her ears.

Suddenly she was awakened by a rustling sound.

"Look! Look outside!"

"My God, what kind of place is that?"

"Could it be the Red Tide Territory?!"

Mary rubbed her sleepy eyes and groggily climbed to the carriage window.

Just then, the convoy slowly rolled over a small hill, and the scenery suddenly unfolded before their eyes.

In that instant, Mary's breath stopped.

As the carriage slowly rolled over the hillside, the scenery unfolded before our eyes.

Before me stretched a vast river valley, as if someone had cleaved a spring-like opening in the dead of winter.

The entire wheat field stretches across the valley, and the silvery-white greenhouses reflect the sunlight, creating shimmering ripples like waves rippled by a gentle breeze.

On the hills on both sides, rows of semi-underground houses in the shape of round mounds are neatly arranged.

The wide, straight crossroads stretch out like nerve pathways, closely connecting villages, greenhouses, and grain processing workshops.

Of course, what is most breathtaking is the boundless field and the thousands of people wielding iron plows and wooden shovels, turning the soil, sowing seeds, and carrying water.

Shouts, chants, and the clanging of metal rose and fell, like a song of spring, playing passionately on this once desolate frozen land.

The elderly woman on the carriage murmured, "Where in the North is there such a place... Even the manor outside Frostspear City is never this tidy."

One child was so excited he almost climbed out the window: "Mom, look! That calf over there is pulling the plow! Its horns are white, it's so much fun!"

The already crowded family members in the carriage all leaned out of the windows, creating a constant commotion.

Upon hearing this, the Red Tide Knights accompanying the caravan smiled, pulled on the reins, and approached the carriage, saying loudly, "This is not Red Tide Territory, ladies."

This is Wheatfield Territory, merely a testing ground under our lord's new plan.

Seeing the bewildered glances exchanged among the passengers, the knight grinned, his tone brimming with obvious pride: "The Crimson Tide capital city is several times better than here. Once you get there, you'll know what true Crimson Tide glory is all about."

Mary gazed out the window at the farmers turning over the soil, the aroma of cooking smoke mingling with the scent of earth filling her nostrils on the breeze.

This is the North, a region once known for its desolation and barrenness.

But now someone has carved a new vein into the frozen ground.

She recalled the famine and chaos that followed the insect plague in Frostspear City, and then looked at the orderly and vibrant scene before her. For some reason, she began to look forward to the city and life she would live in the future.

…………

The spring breeze swept through the valley, bringing with it the scent of damp earth.

The newly built government building in Mai Lang Territory stands on the riverbank, its exterior adorned with carvings of wheat ears surrounding the sun, a symbol of Mai Lang Territory.

Although the interior lacks a gilded dome and silk curtains, it still exudes a sense of calm and grandeur.

At this moment, dozens of village chiefs, workshop leaders, farming recorders, and supervising officials from various villages have taken their seats, and a tense atmosphere permeates the air.

The young Lord of the Red Tide sat quietly in the head seat.

Louis was not dressed in fine clothes, but only in a dark short cloak, the collar of which was fastened with a silver brooch of the Red Tide Knights.

This was a mid-year reporting meeting for spring planting this year, and also the first wheat harvest conference personally chaired by Louis after the war.

Upon seeing the lord in person after so long, everyone had mixed feelings, a mixture of excitement and awe.

Louis tapped the table lightly with his fingertips to signal for quiet in the room, and said in a low voice, "Gentlemen, spring planting is the foundation of this year's harvest. Although the war has kept me busy, I have always kept this matter in mind."

As the deep voice fell silent, the officials who had been whispering immediately fell silent, even their breathing became lighter.

Louis surveyed the room and nodded slightly: "Tell me, what's the situation now?"

Mick was the first to stand up, rubbing his hands together in front of him, the thick calluses making a soft rustling sound.

He hadn't seen Louis in a long time, so he was still very nervous: "M-Sir... um, I'm here to report on the progress of this year's spring planting."

Louis rested his elbows on the armrests of his chair and smiled slightly: "Go ahead."

Mick glanced at him, his voice gradually becoming steady: "Last year, our wheat fields totaled 46,000 mu. This year, they have expanded to 88,000 mu... almost doubling."

“Not bad.” Louis nodded slightly.

It sounded like a casual compliment, but it made Mick's shoulders visibly relax.

“The newly added arable land is mainly hilly slopes, shallow marsh wetlands, and some plateau terraces.” Mick paused for a moment, then added, “As you instructed, we laid geothermal pipes in advance… so the night frost there is no longer a problem.”

Louis raised an eyebrow and nodded, signaling him to continue.

“This year…” Mick flipped through the notebook in his hand, “as for the crops planted, there are several more kinds than last year.”

The agricultural research institute selected several new cold-resistant and high-yielding seeds, and the germination rate in the greenhouse is currently 92%, significantly higher than last year.

"Ninety-two percent?" Louis repeated softly, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Mick couldn't help but chuckle, and continued, "Based on this year's planting rate, the autumn harvest is expected to reach 197,000 tons... enough to feed 120,000 people for a whole year."

At this point, he scratched the back of his head: "Lord, Lord... if the heavens don't throw a tantrum, our wheat fields' granaries might... burst this year."

A low, suppressed laugh rippled through the government office, instantly easing the tense atmosphere.

After Mick finished speaking and took his seat, everyone applauded, led by Louis.

The atmosphere eased slightly, and the tension in everyone's hearts relaxed a bit.

Then a tall, thin, tanned man stood up and gave an awkward bow.

This is Andre, an official newly appointed this year by the Livestock Agency.

He was originally a ranch foreman in the southeastern province of the empire, but he was recruited by Louis with a large sum of money and came to the northern border last year.

Andrei wiped the sweat from his brow, his lips slightly dry from nervousness. "My lord," he said, "this year... the livestock numbers are much better than expected." He opened the parchment scroll in his hand, pointed to the neat ink marks, took a deep breath, and continued:
"First of all, there are the cattle and sheep. Because we built windproof semi-underground cattle sheds in the northern hills, which are kept warm by geothermal heat, the mortality rate is half of what we expected. Of the 750 head of thick-haired cattle we bought at the end of last winter, 689 have survived."

"The flock has expanded from 900 last year to 3,100, mainly consisting of snow sheep and short-horned goats."

We are currently testing the use of 'giant bone meal' as a feed additive, and the results are excellent, increasing wool production by nearly 30%.

As he said this, his eyes brightened and his tone began to carry a hint of pride: "As for poultry, we built six large chicken coops this year."

The first batch of 8,000 birds was released, and 6,000 are expected to be ready for market this summer. Geese and ducks are also being raised on a small scale, but currently only as supplementary feed, not as the main source of food.

The people in the hall nodded slightly, clearly indicating that this achievement exceeded most people's expectations.

"There is also a monster breeding program underway. Although the number is small, all of them are healthy individuals."

Andrei paused, then looked up at Louis with a hint of caution: "Also... the Morning Light Pond you mentioned, sir, is now in use."

Louis raised an eyebrow slightly and asked in a calm tone, "How was the result?"

"Very successful, my lord!" Andrei's voice rose noticeably by half an octave.

Some people in the hall suppressed a soft laugh, but Louis simply waved his hand, signaling him to continue.

Andrei paused, then raised the parchment scroll with a hint of excitement: "The five morning light ponds we dug are now in use. The first batch of fish we released were silver carp, red tide finned carp, and northern silver carp, and they adapted very well."

He paused for a moment, lowering his voice slightly: "In addition... as per your instructions, we have successfully raised the first batch of magical fish in the deepest pond."

The red-bristled catfish and the three-eyed moonfish, though few in number, are kept within a safe range and are currently in good condition.

Upon hearing this, Louis nodded slightly, his tone calm yet revealing a hint of approval: "Very good, stabilize the scale first, there's no need to rush into expansion."

Andrei, who had been praised, was clearly relieved, and his ears were still red when he returned to his seat.

Then Green slowly stood up, with a thick stack of parchment ledgers in front of him.

"My lord." He bowed slightly and turned to the first page of the ledger. "I'll report on the population and the system."

Louis nodded, picked up the hot tea on the table, and gestured in a low voice, "Please speak."

"As of the beginning of this month, the total registered population of Mai Lang Territory is 76,342."

Everyone gasped softly; this number was astonishingly higher than last year's.

Green continued: "Last year, we had more than 52,000 migrants move in; this year, another 18,072 people have applied to move in. The household registration system is becoming more complete, and we have completed the initial family binding and labor statistics."

Louis put down his teacup, his eyes flickering slightly: "So much? This means... our food ration guarantee has given them enough confidence."

“Yes, sir.” Green raised his head, his expression extremely serious. “In the entire North, this is the only place where refugees can bring their families and settle down.”

Upon hearing this, an irrepressible sense of pride appeared on the faces of everyone in the hall.

“In addition,” Green turned to the second volume of the ledger, “this year is a crucial year for the advancement of the system. The first batch of ‘Red Tide Civil Rights Certificates’ has been issued.”

“Civil rights certificate?” Louis raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at Green as if guiding him to tell others, even though he had personally designed the policy.

Green immediately explained: "Once you complete the household registration and pay your basic service obligations, you will receive a civil rights certificate. With this certificate, you can inherit housing, have priority access to your children's education, medical care, and disaster relief."

At this point, the eyes of several village chiefs lit up; they knew what this meant. For the displaced people, it wasn't just about having enough to eat and surviving; it was about giving hope to the next generation.

"Moreover, the job classification system is also underway." Green changed his tone and began to flip through another thin form. "Last year, most of the new residents were unskilled workers."

Following professional training, the first batch of new professional groups has emerged, including professional agricultural workers, irrigation technicians, fertilizer formulation specialists, and even greenhouse repairmen and geothermal maintenance workers.

Louis smiled upon hearing this: "This means that everyone is starting to find their place."

"In addition, to encourage childbirth, the Medical Officers' Office launched the Warm Baby Program this year."

Green raised his hand and gestured gently. The recorder next to him handed a booklet to the table: "Insulated cribs, maternity food preparation, midwifery coach."

With all three measures implemented simultaneously, the number of newborns this quarter reached 613, double the number from last year.

Many officials expressed slight surprise this time. For the northern permafrost, this number is almost miraculous.

Louis tapped the table lightly with his fingertips: "Remember, these babies are the future Red Tide people. Give them the best protection."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Finally, Green turned to a list with a red stamp: "Due to the implementation of last year's policy incentives, this year's 'Farming Ranking' saw fierce competition among villages and communities, with efficiency increasing by nearly 30% compared to last year."

The top three villages have seen their average planting speed double that of last year.

Sitting at the front of the meeting, several village chiefs couldn't help but smile and exchange glances, clearly quite proud of their achievements.

Louis leaned back slightly in his chair, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table, his eyes scanning back and forth between the data and charts.

88,000 mu of arable land, 76,000 registered residents, and a rudimentary monster-raising livestock program...

This was the blueprint he had personally envisioned, a plan he had written down while staying up all night at his desk.

He should have been prepared for all of this, but when the concrete numbers and real results were presented to him, he couldn't help but sigh softly in his heart: "They did a better job than I imagined."

These people—Mick, Green, Andrei, and even the village chiefs, workshop leaders, and agricultural record keepers…

They may come from different backgrounds, originally just refugees, slaves, craftsmen, and soldiers, but now, each of them can stand on their own.

This means that Louis is no longer the young lord who needs to do everything himself and pay attention to every detail.

He sets the direction for them, and they can forge their own path.

The Red Tide Territory... is finally beginning to function as a real machine.

After a moment of silence, Louis spoke gently: “I know these days have not been easy. Many of you have come from war, famine, and exile... with children, with wounds, and without even knowing where you will settle down tomorrow.”

He paused for a moment, then raised his voice: "But now, look at your results. Look at this valley, these greenhouses, these hills filled with the smoke of cooking fires."

Not only did you survive, you gave new life to this frozen land; the food you produce will save the entire North.

As Louis finished speaking, a faint smile appeared on his lips: "Well done. Of course, you need to do even better next time. Can you do that?"

At that moment, almost everyone in the government office stood up instinctively: "Yes!"

(End of this chapter)