Iron Harvest: When Farming Becomes Conquest

Chapter 74 - 74 8 The Trade of Salt and Iron

?74: Chapter 8: The Trade of Salt and Iron 74: Chapter 8: The Trade of Salt and Iron Roman turned to look at Seth.

His words were calm.

“If they are displaced, I will settle them; if they have no work, I will give them work; if they have nothing to eat; I will provide them food…

but if they do not follow my orders, then let them die!

Who do you think owns land in Sige Town now?”

Seth was speechless.

The answer was no one; he knew that Roman had reclaimed all the land in Sige Town.

He exercised the lord’s rights with exceptionally strong tactics.

He had certainly considered the consequences.

But the worst-case scenario did not occur.

As long as people can live, no one wants to die.

Slaves depend on their sellers, while farmers depend on their lords.

Rulers unanimously divided the lower classes into two kinds of people.

One kind called freemen slaves, another kind simply slaves.

The identity of freemen existed to stimulate the slaves’ initiative.

Because when the power gap between farmers and the Conquest Knights widened excessively, farmers were just like slaves.

Roman tore this illusion apart.

Short-term harsh treatment would not brew disaster.

But long-term tyranny would surely incite rebellion.

Roman’s actions were enough to destabilize his position, to organize those landless farmers, and overthrow his rule, even if it meant risking their lives, they were willing to die trying to pull Roman down.

Why does Sige Town remain stable?

Because of a free lunch.

Just a free lunch has tamed the souls of most people in Sige Town, worn down their will to resist, and enlisted them into a strange labor model.

Seth had to admit, the cost was high.

At first, only one meal was provided, and during sowing, two meals were provided, but now, three meals are being offered.

Roman, you as this noble lord are becoming increasingly audacious and rebellious.

Today, they consumed approximately six thousand pounds of various grains and vegetables, valued at about two Gold Coins.

Were it not for Sige Town’s merchants connecting with grain traders to exchange salt for grain, Sige Town would have long been unable to bear this enormous consumption.

Now, grain ships arrive at the dock every other day.

Roman snorted lightly, “If someone wants to oppose me because of this, let them try, I’ll see who opposes whom, and who supports whom.”

Seth wanted to say this method of governance was deformed.

In this world, only farmers support their lord, never has a lord supported farmers — of course, the lord would reverse this narrative.

The lord extracts farmers’ grown grains, either selling for money or for personal use to nurture Samurai.

Leaving only a portion of grain for farmers, then claims they’ve been fed by him.

That’s the way it is indeed.

But Roman never plunders the farmers’ grain, rather he buys grain also to support farmers.

That’s the way it is indeed again.

Other lords might just say they’ve been feeding farmers, but you’re actually doing it?

Seth acknowledges the value of the Salt Mine, but that’s not a reason for Roman to squander recklessly.

Mainly, he’s too extravagant.

He’s very busy every day now.

Sometimes he stays at the dock, recording salt expenditures and the grain stored.

Those are not small numbers but quantities of thousands or tens of thousands of pounds.

Sometimes he must oversee project progress, calculate how much food was consumed daily, and employ a large number of craftsmen from Sige Town, outlining various expense figures.

Seth feels those goods representing copper coin, silver coin, and Gold Coin are slipping through his fingers like water.

Unable to be saved at all.

Whenever there is a little extra, Roman spends it recklessly.

Seth is troubled by this.

Having just received 70 Gold Coins from Morry, Roman used them to purchase all livestock in Sige Town, merely to reduce livestock’s impact on their daily lives and increase their working hours.

Such an approach is not without merit.

But continued in this manner, how can the family fortune be accumulated?

When will they establish an army?

Seth, coming from the Riptide Duke Domain, no one knows better than him the financial investment needed to build an army.

That would be astronomical numbers.

Looking at now’s daily food expenditure—this fortune almost buys a pack horse used for carrying people.

He is indeed very troubled.

Seth advised, “You cannot keep buying grain.”

Roman chuckled lightly, “Seth, I think you’re too busy to think straight, go and look at the farmlands, I just need to hold on until the summer harvest.”

The next morning.

Seth did not continue bookkeeping.

Instead, he went to those two thousand acres of wheat fields.

He hadn’t been there in a long time, as Roman’s orders always came quickly and unexpectedly, keeping him busy here and there, preventing everyone from having time to think, as if they’ve boarded a carriage rushing along a cliff, unable to turn back.

Seth stood before the wheat fields, completely stunned.

“All Gods!”

His pupils clearly reflected the ocean-like green waves.

It was vast like a prairie.

Swaying with the gentle breeze, waves undulating, creating a rustling sound.

…..

Seth no longer advised Roman.

He simply became more earnest in his work but still occasionally corrected Roman’s slightly disheveled collar and sleeves.

Because Roman had thrown himself into the smithing shed, coming back very late each day.

All day carelessly exposing his chest open, working with other Blacksmith Apprentices clanking and hammering away.

Unlike others, they forged because it was their task.

Roman forged purely for Forging Experience, crafting whatever he fancied.

So what he forged weren’t shovels and scythes.

But large iron pots, kitchen knives, spatulas, iron spoons, and other utensils.

Roman knew, Sige Town would enter a long phase of communal dining in the future.

Currently, kitchen utensils could not meet the demands of large kitchens.

In fact, those farmwives have always relied on earthenware to cook meals.

Clang!

Roman’s hammer fell.

He felt the need to reform kitchen utensils!

[Forging Experience +1]

[Forging Experience +1]

[Forging Experience +1]

…..

On the fifth day of Roman’s forging, a batch of merchant ships arrived at Sige Town.

The owner of one merchant ship claimed to be Morry’s brother.

After Morry left Sige Town, he conveyed Roman’s willingness to cooperate to his brother.

Then his brother brought Roman 2500 pounds of iron ingots.

The offered price was 1 Gold Coin for 25 pounds.

In other words, Roman needed to pay 100 Gold Coins to acquire these iron ingots.

And they weren’t the best quality iron ingots.

If purchasing those relatively cheaper iron ingots, these 100 Gold Coins could even buy 5000 pounds of iron.

But this requires connections, long-term communication, and sending someone to negotiate.

And Roman was very short on time, lacked connections, and had no time to find out where iron was produced.

Getting fleeced was just getting fleeced.

Of course, according to the commercial contract, Roman could barter using table salt.

But Roman did not show up.

Upon hearing the offer while in the smithing workshop, he was too lazy to face negotiations with Morry’s brother.

Seth presided over the entire transaction.

When Seth came to ask for his opinion, Roman without raising the price, directly exchanged based on 0.2 copper coins per pound of salt.

Thus Morry’s brother exchanged 2500 pounds of iron for 50,000 pounds of salt.

Salt itself in this era was an expensive consumable.

Basically, whoever controls a salt-producing area controls an important economic lifeline.

As Sige Town was just officially developing, Roman wasn’t worried about being noticed immediately.

The merchants dealing with him would temporarily keep this secret for him.

Sometimes peers harbor naked envy.

They might exchange information about the market and rumors, but they always safeguarded the origin of their goods, not spreading it out, even if somehow leaked, not everyone would believe it.

This is one of the business flaws in feudal times.

Of course, over time, a large amount of salt would impact the market, causing fluctuations, and it wouldn’t be able to be kept secret.

Within a year or so, everyone will find out there’s another easily mined salt-producing area on this land.

But Roman felt indifferent.

Heh, by then…