The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 325

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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2. Spring Breeze (19)

3.

This spring was an extremely busy time for the administrative officials of the Western Regions.

From above, a fallow system was introduced along with the organization of land records. It was a proposal from one of the agricultural promotion officers that had been accepted.

It was something done naturally in the Eastern Region, but it was a first for the Western Regions. In fact, until now in the Western Regions, there had been no need to worry about soil fertility except for some areas close to the Central region.

This was because monster waves periodically made it impossible to farm.

Moreover, most farmers in the Western Regions were independent farmers. The land barely provided enough for survival after a year of farming, and if they managed to save even a little wealth, they had to prepare for monster waves.

So intentionally letting the land rest was an impossible thing.

But this year was different. There had been a monster wave last winter, but most of it was blocked and couldn’t cross the rivers and city walls.

“We shouldn’t be making policies based on the assumption that city walls will collapse in the first place. If we continue cultivating without rest like now, won’t we reach the limits of soil fertility?”

Sedric said this and widely gathered opinions from Western officials. Then he stacked reports like towers, circulated them to each department, and convened a meeting.

“The Western Regions are prosperous, so there shouldn’t be any problems for a while. It’s only been a few years since the economy started moving.”

“I hear they’re planting spring wheat and winter wheat consecutively on the same land these days. Because it’s profitable now.”

Grain merchants are moving tremendously. They’re even voluntarily repairing roads, which is a great help.”

“Most farmers aren’t currently thinking and acting with any long-term plans. They’re only thinking about earning as much as possible now to prepare for the next monster wave. We can’t do the same, can we? We must be determined to stop monster waves and think about what comes after. If wheat harvests decrease in 10 years, are we planning to sustain ourselves with Melben again?”

“If we’re thinking about 10 years from now, now is exactly when we should secure finances and expand infrastructure. You’ve spoken well. To stop monster waves, we must prioritize supply routes and construction, not just invest in the Western Army! It’s not the answer to only worry about immediate farming methods!”

“We’re not here to discuss military affairs!”

The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Agriculture clashed in the Imperial Palace meeting room. Prime Minister Lin smiled broadly, saying it was a good meeting.

Compared to when they only discussed how to maintain the Western Army precariously with minimal budget and extract military forces and taxes from castle lords, this was so healthy that he was happy.

Agricultural promotion officer Pove sat in a corner seat like a borrowed sack of wheat, blankly listening to the conversations going back and forth.

For his achievement in discovering Melben, he received great praise, and after Sedric became Emperor, he was even granted a baronetcy.

Up to that point, it was good. It was the glory of a lifetime. They held a feast in his hometown, and acquaintances gave him all sorts of gifts.

More than anything, thinking that his children’s futures had opened brightly, there was no greater joy than this.

He consulted with his wife and saved all the wealth he received as a reward. He planned to educate all his grandchildren through university.

However, he hadn’t expected to come for the title conferment ceremony only to be made to stay at the Imperial Palace.

“Most high-ranking officials from the Western Regions are in the military department. Of course, if you lose your life, you have nothing, so defense could be said to be the most important work. But ultimately, isn’t the foundation of people’s livelihood in their mouths?”

“Yes, yes.”

“I need someone like you who is upright and capable in practical affairs. Please stay in the capital and work for me.”

Pove was moved by the excessive honor of having a private audience with the Emperor, but he thought these words were ceremonial.

But the Emperor said this:

“Of course, as Emperor I’m pleased with your achievements, but even more so, as an individual whose hometown is the North, I’m grateful.”

“Pardon?”

“No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t accomplish it. Even if a wise person worked hard, it would have been difficult without much time, but what was accomplished in two or three years was based on the character and trust you’ve built over a lifetime. Half the credit for saving the North belongs to you.”

By this point, Pove was half out of his mind. He shouted that he would unconditionally devote his life to loyalty and came out, but when the excitement wore off, he thought he had gone mad.

He returned to the hotel where his wife was waiting and banged his head against the wall.

“I must be crazy. How can someone who’s spent his whole life touching soil in this field and that field work in the Imperial Palace? With all those smart and noble people.”

“His Majesty probably just said that to praise you. Isn’t that right?”

“Ah, is that so?”

“Honestly, aren’t you getting old enough to retire from work now? So maybe he’s giving you some kind of honorary position. To show an example of living diligently.”

“That would be fortunate. Whew, thinking about it, that makes sense.”

“Let’s take this opportunity to get a house in the capital. Wouldn’t it be better for the children’s education here?”

“That’s true too, yes.”

But before the couple could arrange lodging, a house was bestowed as a gift. It couldn’t be called a noble’s manor, but it was a cozy two-story house with a quite fine garden.

“It must be to show that you receive rewards if you’re faithful to your duties under any circumstances.”

Pove roughly convinced himself of that.

He never imagined he’d actually end up in a meeting presided over by the Prime Minister. And it wasn’t some minor policy, but a major decision affecting all farmland in the Western Regions.

No matter how he thought about it, this wasn’t a meeting someone like him should be involved in. But as he listened, his mouth itched and he could hardly bear it.

Prime Minister Lin noticed that Pove was holding back from speaking.

“Do you have something to say, Count Pove?”

“Ah, yes? Yes. Well…”

Pove stammered. Having risen meteorically and now meeting with high-ranking officials, he broke out in cold sweat. But he had to say what needed to be said.

“Most Westerners don’t really know what fallow land is.”

The Ministry of Agriculture officials looked flustered. Pove started stammering, but as he spoke, since these were things that obviously needed to be said, his voice gradually became more confident.

“It’s not just about not farming and leaving the land alone, right? If you tell them to let the land rest instead of evacuating for monster waves, everyone will start by thinking about reclaiming devastated fields.”

“Come to think of it… that was always happening. We always heard about boundary disputes over cultivated land too.”

A Western official muttered. He was the son of a wealthy family who had come to the capital early to study and settled down, so he had no direct experience.

But it would certainly turn out as Pove said. He could guess.

“The resistance won’t be ordinary. It’s one of the things that troubles farmers most. So before worrying about soil depletion, we need to educate first.”

The assembly listened attentively. Pove moistened his parched lips with saliva.

“And if we’re worried about soil depletion, we need to organize laws about land reclamation, not fallowing.”

“Reclamation?”

“If soil fertility is insufficient and harvests become inadequate, they might abandon farmland and continue reclaiming new land. Until now in the west, once a monster wave passed, there was often much that had to be started anew anyway, so I understand it wasn’t particularly managed.”

“Ah, so land records would become a mess for different reasons than in the Eastern Region.”

“Even if it continues for just ten years, the problem will become very serious. The Western plains are much wider than the Eastern ones.”

The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Agriculture officials instantly agreed on common problems. And they expressed gratitude to Pove.

“If Count Pove hadn’t pointed it out, we would have missed the most important issue.”

“We should integrate cadastral organization and farmland-related education all at once. As you said, it would be good to implement the fallow system in advance, starting with some regions.”

The meeting reached a preliminary decision.

Unlike when entering, Pove’s legs had strength as he left the meeting room. His shoulders were squared. Hadn’t he conducted himself quite capably today?

“Count Pove.”

Prime Minister Lin called him.

Pove turned around in surprise. His heart pounded, wondering if he had made some mistake.

He quickly reviewed the etiquette he had memorized without sleep last night. Should he have bowed to the Prime Minister again before leaving?

But Prime Minister Lin wasn’t concerned with such things and suggested with a polite but kind attitude.

“How about us older folks have a cup of tea in the resting room before dispersing?”

“Me, with Your Excellency the Prime Minister?”

“With more young people around these days, everyone works hard which is good, but it’s a bit tiring for an old man to keep up. We need to rest in between.”

Prime Minister Lin chuckled. Pove awkwardly laughed along with him.

“It’s very pleasant to see.”

“You’ll soon learn that it’s only pleasant to watch.”

Without understanding the true meaning of those words, Pove thought he was renewing another lifetime honor with tea time with the Prime Minister and gladly followed Rin.

Thus, the Western officials ended up taking on a massive amount of work. Even though guidelines and budget came from above, the actual work had to be done below.

“So they’re asking for cooperation, Lady Lisia.”

Secretary Ranie reported.

The grain relief warehouse couldn’t be excluded from policies targeting independent farmers in the Western Regions.

Over the past two years, they had hired a considerable number of new officials. However, administrative power still didn’t reach all of the Western Regions.

Both household registers and land records were being newly created. The grain relief warehouse’s ledgers were more accurate than uncooperative government offices.

Even after the epidemic subsided, Lisia remained in the Western Regions.

If asked whether her sympathetic heart was more with the North or the Western Regions, it would be difficult to determine superiority.

However, where Lisia was actually needed was the Western Regions. The North could move with Sedric’s orders alone, but the Western Regions needed someone else with influence.

But she didn’t take the position of Western Governor. Lisia knew she didn’t have much administrative ability.

It was better to remain as a symbol.

In the Western Regions, she was the little saintess who drove away the epidemic. Lisia claimed to be the Saintess’s representative, and even knowing it was the Empress who performed the miracle of preventing floods, the Westerners didn’t hesitate to worship her.

The grain relief warehouse was perfect for the Saintess to manage, both symbolically and practically. It was also positive to give the impression that the Empress cared for the Western Regions through grain relief.

Lisia folded the letter she had been holding for hours even after finishing reading it and put it in the envelope.

Normally, when someone visited with such an important matter, Lisia would usually meet them personally.

But after receiving the letter, she said not to disturb her for a while. So Ranie had met them instead.

Ranie glanced at the letter envelope on the desk. Among the several letters brought today, there didn’t seem to be anything special.

He wondered if there had been some petition that particularly touched Lisia’s heartstrings.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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