Work Prophet
Chapter 308 - 66 I Don’t Like People Bossing Me Around

Chapter 308: Chapter 66 I Don’t Like People Bossing Me Around

Any new thing, at the beginning of its existence, is never smooth sailing.

Especially when it contradicts traditions that have been in place for thousands of years, the resistance it faces is often comparable to war.

This was why Li Yu and Ireya decided to collaborate.

Miss Rabbit herself was actually quite conservative. In another universe, there is an English adage that goes, "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it." If Lady Ireya heard this, she would undoubtedly nod in agreement.

However, she had a kind of blind trust in Li Yu. Despite still having many doubts in her heart, she decided to cooperate with all her might.

The two of them spent about half a day nailing down the details of what needed to be done next.

Ireya first needed to work on the ideology of her subordinate lords. The farmers of Green Field could generally be divided into two categories, free farmers and serfs.

Both groups possessed no land, as according to the laws of the Red Lion Empire, only nobles could own land.

The difference was that free farmers had freedom; they would seek permission to enter a Lord’s territory, pay a sum of money to rent some land to cultivate, and all the produce of that land would belong to them.

Of course, in addition to the rent for the land, they often also had to pay other fees, such as a poll tax, forestry fees, usage fees for mills and wells, boar mating fees, fees for funeral and wedding events, etc. Moreover, in return for the protection provided by the Lord, they also had to bear a certain amount of corvée labor each year.

Serfs, on the other hand, belonged to the Lord. They lived on the Lord’s estates, they had to do whatever the Lord asked, and the crops they grew were not their own; they usually only received the basic necessities for survival.

According to Lady Ireya’s recent population statistics, the ratio of free farmers to serfs on Green Field was about 7:1.

This ratio was definitely higher than the average level on the Bratis Continent, mainly because the young Lady’s territory had been ravaged by the lizard people, which resulted in the death of a number of serfs. After the successful Dragon Slaying, she did attract quite a few people to seek refuge, but most of the newcomers were free farmers...

But no matter how you look at it, as long as the subordinate lords were willing to cooperate, it was tantamount to securing one-eighth of the labor force.

However, Miss Rabbit hadn’t expected that, just after she had agreed to Li Yu’s proposal, she would immediately hit a snag.

The person opposing was Knight Pablo.

Until Ireya became the master of Green Field, Pablo had always been responsible for guarding Teacup Castle. Later, when Alfred led people to raid and he lost the castle, he became disillusioned and retired to his home.

Yet, faced with the oncoming threat of the Black Dragon, he was a firm supporter of the Lady. He not only dispatched his Squire Knight to delve into the swamps in search of the Black Dragon’s whereabouts but also was the first to charge into battle with his sword, portraying himself as quite the hero.

Miss Rabbit had mixed feelings about him.

The guy had a fiery temper, was single-minded in his actions, refused to listen to advice, and liked to act superior due to his age. Yet, as a vassal, he was extremely loyal and had served the Arias family for many years. He was the kind of old subject that you couldn’t scold or hit.

Lady Ireya, massaging her temples, said, "Didn’t you tell me that you were swayed by the heroic figure of Prophet Merlin charging towards the Black Dragon that night and planned to join the Double Rest Sect after a while? Have you changed your mind again?"

"I haven’t changed my mind. As a Knight, my word is my bond," declared Pablo, puffing out his chest.

"Then why don’t you agree to use the new farming tools? Are you a bit short on funds recently? Have you spent all the Dragon Slayer bonus I gave you already? Hmm, I can lend you some more."

"The money you gave me, I buried it somewhere and haven’t spent a penny," Pablo shook his head.

"Is that because... it’s buried too deep to dig up again?" the girl tentatively asked.

"......"

"I’ll just say it, I think Prophet Merlin is overstepping his bounds. How I manage my own estate should be up to me—what farming tools to use, what crops to plant, how to cultivate... I don’t need someone else dictating that to me."

"Coincidentally, Prophet Merlin said the same thing," Ireya stated, "He also doesn’t want to interfere with how everyone runs things, but now is a special moment, we need to set an example for those tenant farmers."

"As long as they pay their rent on time and perform their duties, I couldn’t care less about what they do," Pablo huffed, "Even if their harvests are good, it’s not like they’ll give me an extra penny."

"You have to look at the bigger picture, Knight Pablo," the steward Yago interjected, "If they make money, they will continue to rent your land, and more and more people will go to your feud."

"There are already enough people on my feud," Pablo complained, "Lately, all sorts of people have been flocking to Green Field. Some of them are up to no good; there’s been a few thefts these days, and I can hardly keep up."

"Then you should consider expanding your guard like I have," the Lady suggested, "You have to find something for those idle people to do."

"But that means my expenses will increase."

"That’s exactly why Prophet Merlin wants to promote new farm tools and methods," Ireya patiently explained, "So that everyone can earn more money."

"I still don’t like people meddling in the management of my estate," Pablo frowned.

There, the conversation had somehow circled back to the beginning.

Miss Rabbit covered her face; in the end, she could only give up on trying to persuade Pablo.

Fortunately, the next few vassals, though hesitant, agreed to her proposals, allowing Ireya to regain some face.

She hadn’t been the Family Head of the Arias clan for long, but she had garnered considerable prestige through several crises. Now, both within and outside the family, there were fewer and fewer who questioned her.

Even so, the current initiative still felt palpable resistance, mainly due to the widespread skepticism about the effectiveness of the new tools and farming methods.

It might have been better to start with a small trial before expanding.

But Ireya understood why Li Yu was in such a hurry. Firstly, by joining the Double Rest Sect, she had completely fallen out with the Silver Moon Church, and secondly, she hadn’t forgotten what Gabriel had said about those winged creatures who claim to be the winged tribe, who might arrive on the Bratis Continent at any time.

Additionally, the Lady had heard other rumors, passed on to her by her great-grandmother Ona who remained in Rock Snow City.

Most of these rumors were related to the unexpectedly rapid growth of the Life Church, which had gained even more momentum than the Double Rest Sect. An increasing number of nobles had joined, including some influential figures.

The Emperor had reportedly made up his mind to erect a colossal bronze statue of the Life Goddess in the central square of the Royal Capital, and to fund the construction, all nobles would be expected to donate.