The sun was shining brightly in the sky. In the wheat field by the lake on the east side of Wincheston Manor, the wheat ears were rolling with green waves under the blowing breeze. In a newly built canal next to the wheat field, the clear water introduced from the lake rushed into the large green area. The clear water extended to the low hills at the end of the wheat field.
In an apple forest under the gentle hill at the end of the canal, a large group of people gathered around a man wearing a linen shirt and worn leather short boots. The man was seen holding a pair of special scissors while cutting dry and thin branches of the apple tree. Cutting off the branches and very small fruit seedlings, he loudly introduced to the crowd watching around him, "...Not only apple trees, but all fruit trees need to be pruned and fruit selected. Only by removing the dead branches and fruit can the remaining fruits obtain sufficient nutrients."
A young official from the garrison department holding a quill recorded the man's words one by one. Then he paused his pen and asked cautiously: "Your Majesty, you have cut off nearly one-third of the branches and seedlings of this fruit tree. Doesn't this fruit tree have to harvest a lot less fruit? How can it be possible to increase production in this way?"
At He stopped what he was doing and handed the scissors to Lin En, the deputy minister of the Tunnel Affairs Department who was accompanying him. He turned to look at the young administrative officer from Mubao Academy, then looked at the people around him who were muttering in low voices, and replied with a smile: "Young man, you asked this question very well. I think everyone also has this question."
People around him nodded.
Matt pointed to an apple tree nearby that had not been pruned to remove the fruit, and said to Lin En beside him: "Lynn, you are the Deputy Minister of Tunnel Affairs. Based on your experience, how many apples can this tree bear based on previous years?"
Lynn glanced at the fruit seedlings on the fruit tree, and then estimated for a moment, "Based on the fruit production in previous years, this fruit tree can bear 130 to 160 apples, and the yield is estimated to be 30 to 40 pounds."
Matt nodded. Today's apples are very small, so the yield is probably about this.
"You are all village chiefs or outstanding farmers in various villages in Wales, and you all know the yield of apple trees."
“Today I will mark the apple tree with pruned branches and fruit seedlings and the unpruned fruit tree next to it. With the same watering, irrigation and fertilization, the fruit of the pruned apple tree is not only larger, but also definitely sweeter than the one next to it. As for the yield, although it may not be much greater than the one next to it, it will never be more than the one next to it. "He is young."
"The apples should have grown in two months. After you go back, you can prune a fruit tree according to the method I taught, and you will be able to bear witness to what I said when you wait for the autumn harvest season."
The large group of people around also said with great interest that they would definitely give it a try after returning.
"Okay, everyone, be quiet for a moment. The technique of pruning is very simple, and everyone must have learned it. Next, I will teach you the grafting technique..."
At the gate of Wincheston Manor, a team consisting of four or five middle-aged men who looked like businessmen and five or six caravan guards stopped here.
The bodyguard Ron, who was training the Earl's Guard in the manor, rushed to the gate after hearing the guard's announcement.
"Sir Salt, today I went to the manor's apple orchard to teach agricultural techniques to the village officials and farmers who came from all over the country. Do you need me to send someone to inform you?" Ron still has respect for Salt, the cash cow of the Province of Wales and the original head of the European Trading Company.
"Sir Ron, you can just call me by my first name." Salt usually treated the guard next to Art with a high regard. Now that he has become a criminal, he is naturally more respectful.
"How dare I bother your lord in this state now? Since your lord is busy, please ask Sir Ron to pay your respects for me and tell your lord that I will live up to your grace and atone for my sins as soon as possible."
"In addition, thanks to your kindness, my son will be transferred to serve in the army. Please take care of Sir Ron in the future." After that, Salt bowed deeply to Ron, who was much younger than himself.
Ron leaned slightly, averted Salt's generous gift, and replied calmly, "Master Salt, please feel free to go south, we are all waiting for your return."
Salt stood up to thank him.
Ron raised his hand and called his own soldiers, motioning them to hand a linen bag to Salt.
"Sir Salt, I knew that you would pass by Wincheston Manor, so I ordered this bag to be given to you as a parting gift."
Salt extended his hands and solemnly took the bag from the guard. After thanking Art profusely, he turned around and led several officials from the Ministry of Commerce who were also demoted and headed south towards the commercial road.
Just among the caravan guards at the end of the team, a pair of eyes looked back at Ron who was watching at the gate of the manor. Their eyes met and they understood each other...
...
"...Master, Mr. Salt went south today at noon. He originally wanted to say goodbye to you. He learned that you were teaching in the orchard, so he didn't disturb you. He asked me to say hello to him and left." Ron put a basin of water on the wooden stand in Art's office and casually reported Salt's visit at noon today.
After working in the fields all day, Art was also covered in sweat. He took a handful of cold water and washed his face. He took the towel handed over by Ron and asked, "Have I given him the farewell gift I prepared?"
"Sent. Lord Salt asked me to tell you that he will atone for his sins as soon as possible and live up to your kindness." Art wiped his face and sighed softly, "I hope they are all old friends who have been fighting with me for many years. I really hope they can start and end well."
"Ron, starting tomorrow I will be traveling eastward, inspecting the farmland reclamation, agricultural production and agricultural and soldier training in various villages and castles along the way. The final destination of this trip is Fort Andermatt. Please ask the guards to prepare."
"In addition, the messenger is lurking in Jona. The provincial eagle eye asked them to gather the latest intelligence to Andermatt Castle. I want to know whether Baldwin has done anything unusual in the east." After that, Art was already sitting behind the official desk and began to revise a book called "Agricultural Techniques Code"...
Ron exited the official office and came to a room in the manor designed for the guards. He took out a "codebook" for conveying secret messages from the bag he carried with him. This codebook was compiled by Art himself. It contained letters in Latin, French and Burgundy's local lingua franca. There were corresponding special numbers (Arabic numerals) under each letter. The codebook was used in conjunction with more complex writing techniques.
Compare the secret order "Within ten days, gather all intelligence in Andermatt" with the "code book" one by one, and write a long series of numbers and symbols on a thin piece of paper.
Blow dry the ink, put away the code book, Ron loudly called in a guard soldier who was responsible for the flying pigeon, rolled up the note and handed it to the soldier, and ordered: "Pass the flying pigeon to the city of Jonah."
The soldier took the note and ran towards the dovecot...