Chapter 10 Peanut Field Fertilizer Battle

The nurturing of Elf Beetles requires substantial nutrients. The barren peanut field has hindered their growth, and as a result, the peanut sprouts in areas other than the center are withering away due to the concentration of nourishment.

The remedy is quite simple: fertilize the peanut field.

Liszt recalled his knowledge of farming and instructed Old George, "Old George, I have a few tasks for you. First, mobilize the farmers to gather firewood and dried grass from around the area, then burn them, collecting the resulting ashes. Second, have the strong farmers dig up mud from the pond, specifically the layer at the bottom. Third, let the children collect any feces they can find."

Without any hesitation, Old George, the steward, replied, "Of course, my lord. Old George will carry out your orders."

After Old George limped away, Liszt turned to Gort and said, "Teacher Gort, the feces in Peanut Village might not be enough. You go to the town and organize the farmers to collect it... Well, how about this? Acquire the feces in the name of the administrative officer, setting the price at one copper coin per basket."

Copper coins, silver coins, gold coins, and Dragon coins were the universal currencies in this world. However, different empires, kingdoms, and duchies issued their own versions of these coins. The copper coin Liszt mentioned was the currency of the Sapphire Duchy, which could buy four brick-sized loaves of black bread, enough for an adult to eat for a day.

One silver coin equaled a hundred copper coins, and one gold coin equaled a hundred silver coins.

As for the Dragon Coin, its full name was the Sapphire Dragon Coin. It was a gemstone coin imbued with the magic of the Grand Duchy's only Sapphire Dragon and could be exchanged for ten thousand gold coins. In itself, it was a magical artifact.

Gort couldn't help but grumble upon hearing this, "Wow, Liszt, why would you pay such an exorbitant price for filthy, lowly feces? Aside from stinking up the air, they serve no purpose."

"No, feces are very useful. Just issue the order, and find a place to store them, preferably in a barren area away from the wind," Liszt replied, well aware of the value of dung. With no chemical fertilizers available and insufficient elves, manure was the best source of fertilizer for farming.

As a large landowner, possessing all the land in Flower Town, Liszt had many fields to tend to, and he needed ample fertilizer. Moreover, he didn't want his little town littered with random feces and urine, as that would be a desecration of civilization.

He planned to buy feces regularly for composting and sanitation purposes. Promoting the use of toilets was not feasible at the moment, so buying feces was the most cost-effective solution.

"Still, the price is too high. A copper coin should buy ten baskets, no, twenty baskets."

"Just do as I say, Teacher Gort," Liszt's tone held a hint of sternness.

Only then did Gort cease his complaints, shrugging his hands, "As you wish."

...

In those days, lords held absolute authority.

At Liszt's command, no one dared to shirk their duties, so the scribes and peasants moved swiftly. The pond mud, manure, and wood ashes he requested were already piled up in Peanut Village.

"Excellent, Old George. Now, you lead the people to mix these substances together. Dig a small hole next to each peanut sprout and sprinkle a bit of the mixture in it before covering it back up. Then, water the plants generously and weed frequently. I trust that the peanut plants will recover soon."

Mounted on his fiery dragon horse, Liszt happily directed the peasants of Peanut Village to fertilize their peanut fields.

As a lord, he naturally wouldn't do the work himself—noble customs forbade it, and he wasn't willing to anyway.

The total area of the peanut field in Peanut Village was around one hundred mu, roughly equivalent to ten soccer fields or seven or eight elementary schools. There were twenty-three households with ninety-two people in total.

Ninety-two slaves, excluding the children who couldn't work, plus those temporarily transferred from Flower Town, made for a workforce of one hundred and twenty people busily at work.

"Teacher Gort, what is the total population of Flower Town?"

"Hmm, sorry, Liszt. I haven't been here long enough to sort out the details." Gort was unsure, so he turned to a scribe. "You've lived in the town for years. Do you know how many households and how many people there are? Over a thousand?"

"I'm not sure, Your Excellency," the scribe shook his head.

Gort looked at another scribe.

The clerk shook his head just like the others.

Consequently, no one in Flower Town knew the exact population. Liszt was speechless. Was Flower Town a forgotten town? Had the administrative officials of Coral Island never conducted a census? The previous administrator had never done so either?

"I must conduct a thorough census. It's ridiculous for a lord not to know the number of people under his rule," he thought to himself.

With that, he instructed, "Teacher Gort, gather some people and start organizing a census. I need to know how many households there are in Flower Town, how many people, their names, family relations, occupations, ages, genders, and marital status."

Gort replied, "We'll have our hands full, Liszt. As you know, we don't have enough officials in this town. We lack a comptroller, a defense officer, a legal officer, a diplomat, and even an administrator. I'm supposed to be your advisor, not the town's administrator."

In a noble territory, civilian officials were typically led by an advisor who oversaw the administrator, comptroller, defense officer, legal officer, and diplomat.

The military officers were headed by the knight commander, who supervised the knightly order.

Undoubtedly, as a fallen baronial knight, the lowest rank in the nobility system, Gort was still a noble. He followed Liszt hoping to become his advisor. As for Teacher Marcus, another knight, he should naturally become the knight commander. Whether Flower Town could afford a knightly order was another matter.

"Don't worry, Teacher Gort. Flower Town is in dire need of rejuvenation, and my castle is waiting to rise. For now, manage the town's affairs on my behalf and finish the census first," said Liszt.

Liszt was hesitant to grant Gort too much authority as an advisor. It wasn't because he was afraid of being marginalized, but rather because Gort was too immersed in the noble system and lacked practicality, which didn't align with Liszt's development plans.

"Well then, Liszt, you've come of age and possess the mindset of a capable lord. I shall abide by your orders." Gort bowed with one hand, displaying his noble demeanor, unrushed and composed.

...

For three consecutive days, Peanut Village was bustling with the fervent application of fertilizer – it was a grand agricultural contest. The hundred acres of land were swiftly covered in an organic mixture of pond mud, manure, and wood ashes.

Especially the central field, which received several times the amount of fertilizer.

Liszt supervised the work here for three days. When everything was done, all he could do was wait for the peanut field to improve.

"All that can be done has been done. I hope the quest will be completed soon," he mused. Not one to dwell on matters, he promptly moved on to other territorial affairs once this task was finished.

Most crucial of all was the Elf Worm.