Chapter 53: 53 Villages and Groups

Chapter 53: Village and Group

Forest Hill Town was now like a scattering of loose sand; to ensure that directives from Forest Hill Castle reached every resident, Rolin had to arrange for personnel to specially notify them.

For example, when Rolin recently wanted all residents to meet him in the pasture, David, Tom, and others had to ride fast horses and shout almost as if beating drums and gongs to barely ensure the message was delivered properly.

Rolin certainly didn’t want his professional knights and guards wasting their time constantly on such tasks.

He needed some grassroots personnel to swiftly convey his directives downwards.

Therefore, he decided to divide these 1,993 people according to the concept of village and group.

“Wilson, I need you to divide the people in the town according to households. Around every hundred households should form one ‘village.’”

“Village?”

Wilson looked serious; just like with the squatting toilet matter, this thing Baron Rolin was speaking of now was something he had no experience with either.

“Yes, village!”

Rolin carefully explained, “Though it’s a hundred households per village, this ‘hundred households’ isn’t a rigid rule. It primarily depends on the number of people; try to make the numbers of serfs and free tenant farmers in each village as balanced as possible.”

The so-called serfs were essentially slaves dependent on the lord, cultivating land for the lord, with the lord managing their food and drink, ensuring they didn’t starve.

Though free tenant farmers had personal freedom, they also cultivated the lord’s land, paying a certain proportion of their harvest as rent for the land.

Although free tenant farmers had personal freedom, this was only legally speaking; in practice, their freedom was very limited, and they could easily become serfs if they slipped up.

The “other professionals” in Wilson’s statistics also had no land, but they earned their livelihood through their skills.

In theory, free tenant farmers and other professionals both belonged to free citizens, but within Forest Hill Town’s population structure, these two groups combined accounted for less than thirty-five percent.

“Forest Hill Town has 543 households; theoretically, six villages could be formed. However, when you divide them, you need to ensure that each village has a balanced number of free tenant farmers and serfs as much as possible. So the number of villages could be five, even four.”

“For other professionals, you can assign them to villages according to where these people’s residences are located.”

“Pay attention to dividing according to families; don’t split a family apart.”

Wilson hurriedly took out a small piece of parchment and then lay over the chair, using a quill pen to record Rolin’s requirements.

He had only heard these two sentences and already sensed that this matter would be somewhat difficult to handle.

“Additionally, select one village head for each village, responsible for conveying castle directives and managing daily cultivation work; set four groups within each village, appoint group leaders responsible for assisting the village head with management.”

“In the future, you can directly convey instructions to village heads, who then convey them to group leaders, down to each household and each person.”

Wilson froze, somewhat incredulous, and asked, “Sir, you mean these people are under my management?”

Rolin chuckled lightly, “You could understand it that way, but there’s one point I need to emphasize.”

“These people only assist in conveying directives and, at certain times, supervise tasks I assign; I haven’t given them other rights, especially the right to penalize other residents!”

Wilson nodded, firmly remembering this point in his mind.

“The land of village heads and group leaders—they must cultivate it, and the tasks they are responsible for—they must also do them, though relatively they can be a bit easier.”

Rolin continued, “Of course, since they assist me with work, I will also give them rewards. Tentatively set the village head’s monthly remuneration as five copper coins plus five pounds of barley; the group leader’s monthly remuneration as two copper coins plus two pounds of barley.”

“You truly are a generous lord!”

Wilson exclaimed admiringly. Though it was monthly wages not daily wages, for serfs or free tenant farmers, these things were also beyond their reach.

“I believe residents will be extremely enthusiastic about serving you once they know your policy!”

Rolin smiled gently, neither affirming nor denying.

Actually, in this small town without established commercial exchange with the outside world, wages were something difficult to spend.

Even for people like McKen, the money they received would ultimately only be spent within the territory, such as buying grains, vegetables, meat, etc. from the castle.

Ultimately, much of the money might still return to Rolin’s hands.

Only when trade routes opened, when merchant groups were willing to come to Forest Hill Town for business, would the money in their hands become more valuable.

However, based on what Rolin knew, currently no merchant groups were coming to Forest Hill Town.

Certain materials for residents’ lives were originally purchased externally by Prist, but now needed to be purchased by Rolin, the lord.

It sounded like residents were making the lord do things, but in reality, ensuring residents’ survival and living conditions was also one of the lord’s responsibilities.

Any lord wished his territory to be vast, its wealth abundant, its population numerous.

From manor to small town, from small town to small city, from small city to big city—this was the dream of all lords.

Rolin was the same, especially since his Achievement Achiever interface still had an [Conquer Territories] achievement requiring him to own a city.

[Conquer Territories]: Own a city. Reward: Attribute Points +200, Energy Essence +400

This achievement only said to own a city, not requiring Rolin to conquer one; meaning a developed city could also meet the requirement.

Rolin now had Forest Hill Town, but this achievement hadn’t been completed, only indicating this town differed conceptually from a city.

What requirements exactly constituted a city, Rolin didn’t clearly know, but he estimated it definitely still related to population.

In the end, it still came down to developing population.

Though purchasing and procreation channels had some effect, attracting free citizens to join was also a good method.

To attract people, there should be more exchanges outside.

Thus, Rolin knew that to revitalize a territory, attracting merchant groups to come for business was very necessary.

Later, when personnel were more abundant, Rolin estimated he’d still need to establish a “Commercial Officer” specifically responsible for territory business issues.

Now, Forest Hill Town plus himself totaled just over two thousand people; everything simplified, necessary times he’d step up.

“Sir, I have a question.”

Wilson showed an uncertain expression, “These village heads, group leaders—should they be appointed from serfs or free tenant farmers or other free citizens?”

Rolin tapped his fingers on the desktop, thinking.

Actually, whether serfs or tenant farmers, they survived dependent on him, the lord; in his eyes, there wasn’t much difference.

“Our current administrative affairs mainly concentrate on farming, so free citizens of other professions temporarily aren’t included in appointment scope.”

People like carpenter William, blacksmith Carlos, etc., belonged to free citizens of other professions; they just needed to perform their own work well.

“So this round of village heads and group leaders will be selected from free tenant farmers and serfs. Selection criteria: first, people with relatively high cultivation skill, then younger and more motivated the better.”

Rolin also planned to establish experimental fields; during planting later, these selected village heads and group leaders could be brought to observe and learn.

Once they learned, then extend to each village, each group; then the speed would be much quicker.

“Alright, roughly these.”

Rolin let Bella pour him another cup of barley tea, also giving a dismissal hint, “Just proceed according to these requirements mentioned earlier; hope when I return from Horse Pasture City, you can give me a satisfactory report.”

Wilson seriously looked at the parchment in his hands, carefully considering each point.

This matter was quite troublesome; if he had unclear places, best to ask clearly before Rolin left, otherwise if Rolin returned and found it messed up, it wouldn’t be good.

“Sir, then tonight after I return home I’ll reorganize these data you mentioned, tomorrow then come again to report to you.”

He brought the population registration parchment back, also clearly thinking: if still had doubts, precisely could raise them during work reporting time.

“Alright, go!”

Rolin waved his hand; such a good employee who even worked overtime nights, he greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Lord Midnight Crimson Rain and Lord Tree Oil 20220329095731940, for your generous donations. Thank you, Lord Lone Dog Hong Hong, for your monthly votes. And thank you, Lords like Blue Shirt and others, for your recommendation votes.

(End of Chapter)