85_85536 Rich and easy to do, this principle is suitable no matter where it is placed.

With the two hundred gold coins of Wende under the friendly sponsorship of Shalumi, William's agricultural improvement career was greatly developed. Iron was bought, new types of iron were cast, curved ploughs that could replace straight ploughs, large sickles for harvesting, cocoons for sowing, hoes and nail rakes, etc......

Of course, it doesn't really cost much money to buy enough farm tools for such a small estate. Twenty Wendejin was enough to do the math - in contrast to the extremely backward production of agriculture, the iron smelting and casting processes in the territory.

The blacksmith's workshop, which was directly invested by the Hereford family, has a set of production techniques and means that can be regarded as the most advanced in the era of handicrafts. Skilled craftsmen and apprentices used coke to start fires and blast furnaces to smelt steel and iron. The weapons and armor forged by quenching technology and the French folding forging method of clad steel are durable and extremely sharp.

In addition to the usual farm tools and simple weapons, the blacksmith's workshop also produced fine weapons including steel crossbows, heavy mounted rifles, two-handed broadswords, battle axes and halberds, as well as chain mail, breastplates, and bust armor. This belongs to the absolute high technology and big craftsmanship in this era.

The breastplate armor made by the master blacksmith, William had also seen - it was absolutely excellent. And the way of plate armor is also simple and crude-William had shot the short-barreled fire gun used by the centaur shaman before, and the master blacksmith also had one. Enough gunpowder was applied, and then the projectile was loaded. A shot aimed at the plate armor "bang" - if it can penetrate, it is not qualified. A qualified breastplate armor leaves only one dent at most, which will never be penetrated.

At that time, William went to the blacksmith's workshop in order to discuss the construction of agricultural tools. After that, he was dragged by the steward of the workshop to the armorer, pointed to the sets of armor with dents, and spit stars flew in his mouth, and said that William was stunned - in this era, the dents made by this musket projectile are the most suitable sign for a set of plate armor, and there is no fake.

Of course, after this, William asked again uneasily: "So, can you use a large-caliber flintlock smoothbore gun to penetrate this kind of plate armor?"

After listening to William ask this question, the workshop manager was stunned for a moment, and then laughed "hahahahaha".

William breathed a sigh of relief - the short-barreled musket was a little less powerful, but the large-caliber smoothbore gun was as reliable as ever. It seems that the idea of developing gunpowder weapons troops on their own is still correct and there are no mistakes.

Thinking of this, William then asked the other party if he could make a smoothbore gun. The answer is yes. Because the process of manufacturing is not difficult. The only thing that was a little problematic was the flintlock mechanism, but the blacksmith said that he could ask the only watchmaker in the realm to help with it—even though the guy was also a two-blade, it would be fine to figure it out.

The only problem now is not that the weapon cannot be manufactured, but that no one wants to use the weapon after it is made.

It's like Baron Otto's privates in the realm. It's okay if you want these guys to train in swordsmanship and riding. But if you let them use muskets, they will surely think that you are insulting themselves - of course, William himself could not do this if a group of elite light cavalry did not do their job and became musketeers.

"And what about artillery? Can artillery be made?"

Enduring the sound of "clanging" iron at his ears of more than two hundred decibels, William asked such a question. And of course, this question once again left the steward speechless.

"The kind of big castings that require professionals to manufacture. The steward of the blacksmith's workshop said, "Such talents are generally only available to the great nobles. So ......"

"Okay. I basically know. William nodded, and then stopped asking about the matter - things have to be taken step by step, and the gunpowder weapons of this era are important, but cold weapons hand-to-hand combat is still the most important factor in determining the outcome of the war. Therefore, if the conditions do not allow, you can still use what you have.

In this way, all kinds of new agricultural tools were made. At the same time, the effectiveness of digging pond mud and humus soil to fertilize the land has also been proven - the soybeans planted some time ago have taken root and germinated and are growing very well. At the moment it seems that a good harvest is certain.

With such an example in mind, it would be much simpler for William to implement a four-nursery rotation system on his estate.

"With the flat shoulder to carry water, green manure, and then there is a crop rotation system, the promotion of new ploughs. Doubling production in a territory is not out of the question. William thought to himself, and told his father, Baron Otto, all he had learned.

With the actual results, William will naturally be much tougher when he speaks. Baron Otto has controlled the territory for more than ten years, so naturally he is not a mallet who does not know farming. After listening to William's simple physiocratism and agricultural production knowledge, he made a decisive decision - as long as William's estate can increase production significantly during the next summer harvest, then William's agricultural experience will be promoted throughout the territory.

"As long as we have enough food, we can have more manpower, more land and more food. Get more money and build a larger army. This also means that the power of the Hereford family will be greatly improved. William's last words made Baron Otto nod uncontrollably, looking like "I have won my heart".

"But right now, one of the most important issues is population. At this, William furrowed his eyebrows, and then said to his father: "As far as I know, the general situation in the Grand Duchy of Mazovia has been relatively stable in recent times. There won't be too many displaced people. So, father, where are we going to get enough of the population?"

"You don't have to worry about that. Baron Otto looked confident: "You should know." Every autumn year, the Gothic Knights sent detachments to escort pilgrims to the Mazovia region. ”

"Of course I do. William nodded. The "Gothic Knights" mentioned by Baron Otto were a large military gathering in the territory of the Ostrogothic Empire today. Armed with faith and chivalric dogma, the Order once occupied a vast territory in the northeastern part of the continent.

Although, in the end, the Order's imperial dreams were shattered. However, its remnants are still active throughout the Gothic Empire. At the same time, the Grand Master of the Gothic Order, as a direct vassal of the Emperor, has no less prestige and status in the empire than ordinary dukes, and even surpasses it......

It seems that the emperor can trust the knights of these knighthoods more than the various feudal nobles who independently own fiefs and private armies. And the emperor's attention, as well as the Knights' own heritage, also attracted other forces in the empire to join.

The nobles liked to send their family's unvalued concubines, as well as distant relatives, into the Order in order to use the Order's channels and networks to gain benefits. At the same time, merchants who did not have much political status were willing to spend a lot of money to buy the title of "honorary knight" so that the knights could "take care of it".

In this way, after the large-scale Holy Expedition, the Knights of the Order and the Heresy War became a distant history, the Gothic Knights Hospitallers of Santa Maria, consciously or unconsciously, became a completely new interest group.

The professional knights of the Order are the core, and the nobles and merchants are the periphery. Loan sharking, business investment, aristocratic donations, and mercenary income were used. Detachments are spread throughout the empire and are rooted in the vast territory of the empire. The strength of the Gothic Knights today is probably even stronger than it was as an independent nation.

"Yes, of course I do, and then so what?" William automatically replaced the phrase "escort pilgrims" with "escort caravanserais". Then asked Baron Otto.

Now that the Wende Kingdom is fragmented and has lost its unified kingdom, thieves from all over the central government are swarming, and if there is no strong army to protect it, then ordinary merchants will definitely not be able to get here.

"In the interior of the kingdom, there are enough landless peasants. Baron Otto said: "They can transport thousands of peasants here in one fell swoop if they need to." ”

"I see. William snapped into his senses, and then watched as his father picked up a round piece of copper from the table.

"Speaking of which, I'm also an honorary knight of the Order. Baron Otto smiled and shook his head: "It's just that this title is not very valuable, let them do things, and they can't lose a penny of money." ”

"That's no problem either. Money is dead. Enough labor, enough population is the most important thing. Baron Otto's statement did not dampen William's enthusiasm at all: "In this way, the last piece of the puzzle is also put together." Then there is nothing to be afraid of. ”

"But there's a premise for that, my child. Baron Otto said: "That's what you're doing, and it's really going to make our land more productive." ”

"Of course. William said: "I'm very confident about that. ”。