When the Saint comes, she does not collect food

#624 - Reforms in South Mound and Cassia

Lead-gray clouds were packed together, flying low and gloomy.

Amber sunlight lazily fell on the surface of the Para River, not even reflecting shimmering waves.

Blackbirds skimmed low over the wheat fields, occasionally landing in the dull yellow wheat fields of Autumn Twilight Island to search for fallen grains, only to be targeted by the bestial folk wielding slingshots.

On the mortar road from New Life Bridge to the Holy See, horse-drawn carriages came and went, carrying displaced people from all directions to the Holy See.

When they stood on the old Para River bridge and gazed, they could always see the tall building in the official residence square, known locally as the "Papal Palace," the Holy See Tower.

As the saying goes, where the Pope is, there is the Papal Palace.

Although outsiders called Horn the Patriarch, placing him on par with Melia, in the eyes of the Holy See people, there could be only one sun in the sky, and that was His Holiness the Holy Grandson Pope!

A red maple leaf, blown from who knows where, glided in the desolate autumn wind, deftly passing through a crack in the window and flying into the Stag Room, a place ordinary people could not enter, landing precisely on Horn's knee.

Reaching out, Horn picked up the fiery red maple leaf, suddenly feeling a little dazed.

In the blink of an eye, it was mid-October, and this time last year felt like just yesterday.

Since returning to the Holy See in July, more than three months had passed like flowing water.

He had originally planned to use these months to improve his breathing technique to the third level, but he was drowned in a flood of government affairs.

"Your Holiness, Your Holiness?" the reporting monk whispered, "Do you have any instructions for this issue of the Truth Gazette?"

Horn woke up as if from a dream, placing the maple leaf in a book: "No, I'm sorry, I was distracted. Continue."

Madeline had gone to preside over the perpetual lease reform in South Mande County, so the affairs of the Truth Court naturally fell into Horn's hands.

After receiving Horn's confirmation, the monk continued his report: "Ansel and Bryson are examples. In Kashia County, an assistant monk named Foucher was suppressed by our itinerant monks and completed the Hundred-Household District transformation..."

Although Ansel and Bryson had engaged in a battle of wits and courage at Adriaan Manor, such as retrieving medicine on a rainy night and exchanging sincerity for sincerity, and finally forced the mountain people to defend the church with a determination to die.

But to Horn, they were just one of dozens of monks worthy of commendation.

There were monks who had more dangerous experiences than Ansel, such as those who mobilized mountain people to rescue from mountain floods, and monks who had more sophisticated methods than Ansel, such as the Foucher monk who instigated a manor head to fight a knight.

In Bryson's eyes, the Ansel monk had done very well, but among the hundreds and thousands of monks who were working hard in the countryside, doing the same things—

Ansel's experience and methods could only be considered above average.

"For the Truth Gazette, give more space to news from South Mande County during this period," Horn tapped the table. "The Foucher monk's experience is very legendary and can be written as a separate article. As for the rest, merge them together."

"Yes, Your Holiness."

"Write a draft with the theme 'The constitution has strength, the perpetual lease has warmth, piety has attitude, and love for a small family is greater than love for a hundred-household family,' and do it quickly."

"Yes, Your Holiness."

The deputy priest of the Truth Court shook hands and saluted Horn before leaving the room with a red lacquered briefcase.

As soon as he left, Bonder, who had been waiting for a long time, peeked in under Petier's guidance.

This office was divided into inner and outer rooms. The outer small study was occupied by four privy monks, led by Petier, who mainly decided who could see Horn and the order of reception.

This job was originally done by Armand, but Horn had specifically placed Armand in Kashia County to preside over the Hundred-Household District reform, so the job fell to Petier.

Compared to the cramped and crowded outer room, although Horn's office only had him and Raphael, who was in charge of security, it was much more spacious than the outer room.

"Long time no see, Monk Bonder. You have finally returned from the wilderness," Horn said with a smile. "How do you feel?"

He had previously sent Bonder to lead people to measure pendulums in various places, which took half a year, and had now been completed in four plain counties.

Just as more skilled engineers and craftsmen joined, Horn called Bonder back.

"To be honest, although the countryside is good, I still prefer the city. It has humanity," Bonder replied cautiously.

"No sense of humor," Horn shrugged. "How is the Mason Diocese riot?"

"It has been quelled, but there were still three itinerant monks and five assistant monks killed or injured. As for the Mason Diocese, the Hundred-Household District reform in that area has been stopped according to your request." At this point, Bonder asked, "We have suppressed them, why stop it?"

"Forced melons are not sweet. After they have seen the days of the neighboring diocese, they will want to change themselves," Horn took the Kashia County report from Bonder.

Pale yellow sunlight shone diagonally on the carpet. Horn held the report in one hand and read it carefully.

With the promotion of Horn's local monastic system, the statistical booklets composed of rare tables and pie charts were also promoted.

You should know that even the church's tax registers were quite messy back then, pure text versions, densely packed together, and difficult to see clearly.

After the local monasteries were gradually taken over by Horn, they were able to maintain such high administrative efficiency, which was inseparable from the advancement of this information management technology.

According to the report format set by Horn, the first page should be a summary and overview of the content for easy overview. When details are needed, refer to the table of contents.

And the first page was the progress of the Hundred-Household District and perpetual lease rights in Kashia County.

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Kashia County has about 140,000 households, about 820,000 people, of which about 110,000 households are engaged in agriculture and live in the countryside, accounting for 80% of the total population.

In the notes at the end of this sentence, it is clearly written that the estimated total population is 160,000 households. In other words, at least 20,000 hidden households are in the hands of the Earl and the Grand Abbey.

Even the monks have already investigated it, but they can't really recover it, at least not before the end of internal and external troubles.

The vast majority of these 110,000 households have signed perpetual lease agreements and joined the Hundred-Household District, forming 1,180 Hundred-Household Districts, 17 Priest Societies, and an estimated tax revenue of 30,000-40,000 gold pounds.

Due to this year's war and the reforms brought about by the Hundred-Household District, it is estimated that there will be only 20,000 gold pounds, and even some food will have to be subsidized.

Although there were many conflicts and 15 monks were killed or injured, it was still dwarfed by the 25 monks killed or injured in South Mande County.

You should know that the population of Kashia County is five times that of South Mande County, but the number of monks killed or injured in the reform of South Mande County is nearly twice that of Kashia County.

"Has the summary of the situation in South Mande County been compiled?"

Bonder handed over a thin briefing: "The official report may have to wait until winter. This is a briefing on the current situation."

Compared with the Kashia County report, this briefing is only two or three pages long, and only contains the summary and overview content of the first page of the Kashia County report.

But Horn still cheered up and read it carefully.

South Mande County has 32,000 households, about 160,000 people, of which 28,000 households are engaged in agriculture, a higher proportion than Kashia County, approaching 90%.

Excluding more than 2,000 people and more than 400 households in the Mason Diocese, the vast majority have signed perpetual lease rights and joined the Hundred-Household District, and it is estimated that there will be 324 Hundred-Household Districts and 5 Priest Societies.

As for this year's tax revenue, it would be good to have 2,000 gold pounds.

In fact, not only Kashia County and South Mande County have seen their tax revenue halved this year, but the entire Thousand River Valley has also seen its tax revenue halved due to a series of problems such as war, floods, and damage to water conservancy facilities.

The only ones that can grow against the trend are probably Langsand County and several surrounding villages.

And the first financial meeting of the Thousand River Valley will be held in the Holy See.

"Has Duke Specialist arrived?"

"He has already arrived at Jeanneburg and is expected to arrive the day after tomorrow."