I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 309: Agricultural Revolution (1)

A Roman once answered that, in order to win a war, what is needed most is money—more money.

With a lot of money, one can buy food to sustain the soldiers, purchase weapons, and even win the favor of the local people.

"But war, you see, isn't something that can be won with money alone. Isn't that right, Sebastian?"

Sebastian adjusted his monocle with his right hand and replied.

"Great commanders, soldiers who would leap into the fire if commanded, the food for tens of thousands of soldiers, weapons, logistical systems, and so on... there are things needed that go beyond ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) what we can imagine."

"Out of all of those, what do you think is the most important?"

"There's nothing that isn’t important here. How would one prioritize them?"

Sebastian’s words were quite reasonable.

There is truly nothing unimportant in war.

If sanitation is neglected, the entire army could fall victim to disease and be annihilated. If morale is low, it’s not uncommon for desertion rates to rise to over 10% before even seeing battle.

Without food, soldiers will starve to death, and without weapons, there’s no way to even attempt to fight the enemy.

Thinking about this, I feel bad for the soldiers.

The military, as an organization, seems surprisingly fragile, like a weak fish.

If one thing is missing, it’s like saying, “Yep, our unit’s finished!” and the entire force perishes.

"So, then, what do you think is the hardest to supply?"

"Food, wouldn't it be? Everything else—training, requisitioning local supplies, forcing the people to help produce weapons or whatever—can be managed. But food, there’s a limit to how much you can requisition. You can't starve the people, even during wartime."

"Soon enough, there will be an unprecedented large-scale war in the Holy Roman Empire, and at some point, our Tuscan Empire will join in. We need to make preparations."

Sebastian placed his hand on his forehead and sighed.

"Now I understand why you ordered the Soros development and told me to try unheard-of farming techniques. I give up."

After finishing that sentence, Sebastian mimicked raising both hands.

"The results of the nearly three years of experimentation in Soros just arrived yesterday."

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"How much has productivity increased?"

"In fields using crop rotation compared to those using the old three-crop method, wheat production increased by 55%, barley by 80%, and beans by 70%. The total amount of edible grains has increased by about 60%. If we count turnips for emergency food, the total food production has nearly doubled compared to when only three-crop rotation was used."

When I inspected the Soros development, I had simply given them basic guidelines for crop rotation—wheat, beans, barley, and turnips in rotation every year.

‘Even if it looks simple, it’s the miraculous farming method that supported England’s food supply and the Industrial Revolution.’

So, it’s no surprise that Soros’s agricultural productivity increased by 60% just by implementing that method.

"Aside from the crop rotation method, no other special farming techniques or tools were introduced, yet food production increased like this. If we later implement the new farming methods and tools I’ve been thinking about, agricultural efficiency will increase even more."

Tuscan Empire’s farming methods have a lot of room for improvement, besides the use of fertilizers.

For instance, in the Middle Ages, they planted seeds by scattering them on the ground—so I could introduce seed drills and supply them.

Releasing worms into the soil, using sawdust to prevent weeds from growing, and so on...

If I apply the knowledge I have as a reincarnator from another world, agricultural production will rise rapidly.

Sebastian looked at me with an expression as though he were utterly exhausted.

"Last time, you used Father Stefano to start a civil war in the Holy Roman Empire, and now you're thinking about farming techniques to solve the food shortage... I honestly don’t even know what to think about you anymore."

"I am who I am. Did you think I wake up every morning receiving Deus’s revelations and performing miracles like some prophet?"

Seeing Stefano's miracle before his execution, where rain fell and saved his life, did make me think I should believe in God a bit more sincerely.

But I’m no messenger of God.

Is this like a Korean person mixing wasabi with rice instead of kimchi?

I doubt there’s anyone living in the Tuscan Empire who fears God as little as I do, living freely without any hesitation.

‘But I get why Sebastian is reacting this way.’

"Suddenly increasing food production like this is something no normal human could do."

In the Bible, there is the story of the five loaves and two fishes.

Jesus took five loaves and two fish from a child, then fed over five thousand men, not to mention thousands of women and children, leaving twelve baskets of leftovers.

The Israelites, having witnessed this, were about to crown Jesus as their king.

Why? Because seeing him miraculously provide food, they believed they would never go hungry if they followed him.

‘Back then or now in the Tuscan Empire, being able to produce endless food could truly make you a god.’

"Still, this isn’t exactly a miracle from God."

"Understood."

"This farming method will be tested in the Rothschild domain from now on, and I plan to implement it throughout the entire Tuscan Empire within a few years."

"If this farming method spreads to other territories outside of your domain, the value of food in the Empire will decrease. Won’t you end up losing as a result?"

"I can just sell it abroad."

In the Tuscan Empire, once I present the success I’ve achieved in Rothschild’s domain and persuade the Emperor, it will be quickly accepted.

Of course, while it might seem easy to say, actually implementing this will take at least three years, and introducing this farming method in foreign lands could take ten years or even several decades.

In the meantime, selling the surplus food at reasonable prices abroad will bring in a substantial profit.

"And once the majority of the serfs in the Tuscan Empire become wealthy, the market for our business will grow."

That’s why wealthy people talk about redistributing wealth, even if only in words.

Wealthy people don’t eat ten servings of food or wear ten suits at once.

So, making it so more people can buy food and clothes benefits the economy more.

"The serfs in Rothschild’s domain might support me, but if I try to introduce an entirely new farming method, they’ll resist. I should gather the village chiefs and persuade them directly."

"I’ll prepare everything so you can leave in ten days."

"Thank you."

"Leave it to me."

With that, Sebastian left the office.

But as he left, I noticed his hands were shaking slightly.

Is he feeling unwell?

As he left the office, Sebastian let out a long sigh.

"Master, you often seem like you’ve transcended humanity."

The actions I just showed were so shocking that even Sebastian, who had served Fabio for decades, was unable to contain his astonishment.

If I had developed a farming method that could double the food production of the entire Tuscan Empire—no matter how humble a person was, it would be normal to show a bit of arrogance from pride.

‘In essence, it’s a method that can double the national wealth of the Tuscan Empire.’

And with crops like bean stalks, turnip leaves, and turnips themselves being feed for livestock, the effect on food production would be even greater with the crop rotation method.

"Master, are you really not a messenger of God?"

Sebastian himself believes in God but is skeptical about miraculous, supernatural phenomena.

Given his standing in the Tuscan Empire, he’s at the top 0.01%, yet his thoughts drifted in that direction.

Looking at Fabio’s behavior, he almost seems like a messenger of God.

And upon hearing this, Erika, who overheard Sebastian, asked him.

"What did you say?"

"Just for a moment, I thought our master might be a messenger of God."

Erika could understand why Sebastian thought that.

Her husband, with his insights, often seems to see decades, sometimes even centuries, into the future.

Especially when the plague spread through Pisa and other places, Fabio brought in the concept of sanitation, saving hundreds of thousands of people.

‘Still, my husband isn’t a messenger of God.’

"It couldn’t be. My husband is sometimes more virtuous than anyone, and sometimes more wicked than anyone. But he has human emotions and is honest about love."

Erika, who wasn’t even twenty years old, hadn’t yet been intimate with Fabio.

However, from what Chloe and Chris had said, Fabio...

‘He’s so intense and passionate that it’s almost overwhelming at night...’

This side of him seemed very human to Erika.

After all, if he were truly a messenger of God, he wouldn’t care much about his desires.

Sebastian nodded as he heard her.

"That’s certainly true. Ahem..."

Sebastian remembered the time Fabio and Chloe first became intimate.

If the maid and he hadn’t intervened, things might have gone out of hand...

Just thinking about it made his face a bit flushed.

"Is there something you can’t say to me?"

"No, it’s just..."

"Surely there’s nothing you can’t say to me, the lady of the Rothschild family?"

Sebastian was clearly uncomfortable.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t say it, but it was a rather embarrassing topic.

"You can ask Chloe or Chris about it."

Upon hearing this, Erika quickly figured it out.

"Tell Chloe to give me some space tonight. I need to prepare as the official wife of the Rothschild family."

"Understood."

And that night, Chloe explained in great detail to Erika about Fabio’s stamina, his sexual prowess, and his pleasures.

Erika ended up bleeding from her nose.