Steel Empire
Four Field System

After returning from Ludwig's shop, Berengar spent the rest of his time perfecting the farm's design. The first improvement he had to make to Kufstein's agricultural system was a four-field system that was instrumental in sustaining a large population.

Currently, a three-field system is in use, which essentially operates as a form of crop rotation that leaves one field empty or empty and uses the other two fields to grow wheat, beans, wheat, and so on, and rye. The four-field system was a major advantage that led to the agricultural and industrial revolution. If this world were left alone, it would be centuries until they naturally developed such an important system.

Such a four-field system was audible; it had four fields divided into Legum, Root, Leaf, and Fruit. This allows for increased food production, as nuts and roots, the soil will retain or increase its fertility over time. On top of all these things, it also allows for the sustainable growth of food stocks for livestock, allowing them to be bred year-round, because certain roots such as radishes and taps are notoriously strong plants that are capable of being planted during the winter.

Berengar intends to implement a full four-field system within the next month. Especially considering that after a month from now, he will have access to a quality phosphate fertilizer that will only increase his crop yield. If all goes according to plan this year, they will be able to have enough food storage. Within a few years, the Barony of Kufstein might even become an Austrian food barn.

After spending time devising plans for the Farm, Berengar noticed that the sun had long since passed, now it was late at night, and it was time for him to take a bath and go to sleep. After all, he had a lot of work to do tomorrow. However, just as he was about to ask the servants to prepare a bath for him, Berengar heard a small knock on his door.

Beware that it might be another hoax from his brother Lambert, Berengar asks about the identity of the individual before opening his door.

"Who's there?"

His response surprised him; it was a soft and feminine voice, which still had a high tone like a child.

"It's me..."

Berengar immediately recognized the voice belonged to his younger sister Henrietta, who had just turned ten, thus entering her early adolescence. A warm smile spread across his face as Berengar approached the door and opened it. In the doorway stood a little girl wearing a luxurious pink evening dress and holding an old rag doll that had been in her hands since birth. It was his favorite toy and also his best friend.

Even though the doll was old, the dress was beautifully crafted, and Berengar immediately questioned how his family could bear such levity after examining the ledger. It seemed that his father paid great attention to appearance and wasted money on fancy clothes.

Nevertheless, Berengar looked at Henrietta with wondering eyes; it was late at night; he should have been sleeping by now. Why is he in the doorway? His paranoia was in control, and he did not leave the room, only peering out of the narrow open door.

"What's wrong?"

Henrietta held her doll tightly against her chest as a worried expression spread across her doll-like face.

"I can't sleep. Can you tell me a story?"

Berengar sighed, he intended to take a bath and then sleep, but it seemed that his little sister needed him. After all, he was grateful to have a younger sister; in his previous life, Berengar or Julian was once known as an only child, so he wanted to get along with his new brothers. However, Lambert had made that an impossibility in his case. On the other hand, Henrietta is different; she seems to have a good relationship with Berengar. Therefore, he was more than happy to tell her a story.

After walking out of the door, he began to go towards Henrietta's room. However, she quickly realized that Henrietta remained behind in her doorway; puzzled by her actions, she immediately turned around and asked about it.

"Henrietta, why are you still standing there?"

The young girl stiffened at her elder brother's reply and peered into the long corridor with a terrified expression on her face.

"The hallways are scary at night ..."

After seeing her too scared to move, Berengar retreated to her location and grabbed her small hand as she carried the little girl into her room. Although she could not see it, the girl smiled as she walked down the hall hand in hand with her older brother. He concluded right then and there that he had thought of many things. He was still the kind and caring older brother he had always known.

Upon arriving at his room, Berengar opened the door and escorted the girl to his bed, where he lifted her up and put her inside. For a moment, he forgot how weak his body was and fought hard to complete his deeds. After tucking the girl into her bed where she felt comfortable, Berengar began to spin the story of Leonidas and the three hundred Spartans who had protected Greece from the Persian Invasion of Thermopolaye Pass.

To be honest he didn't know if it was historically accurate in this world or not, but it didn't matter. It was an interesting story about human heroism and courage regardless of whether it was true or not. Only after the girl fell asleep did she end her story. Seeing the girl sound asleep, she kissed her forehead.

"Great dreams, my dear sister."

After parting from her room, she immediately told the servants to prepare a bath for her. After they were done, he thoroughly enjoyed it before returning to his room and sleeping by himself. The night will pass peacefully, the sun will rise, and the rooster will crow waking up the peasant class, as well as Berengar, who is once again engaged in his daily exercise routine.

After finishing exercising and taking a morning shower, Berengar had breakfast with his family once again. After he finished eating, he headed straight for the city. He had two goals in his visit today. One is to establish relationships with local farmers, and the other is to buy lard and more. He would create a pomade even if it killed him; he was sick and tired of splitting his hair, he would rather comb it backwards like he did in his past life.

"Excuse me, what's your name?"

The man saw that Berengar was talking and looked around to see who he was talking to until he realized that he was the only one around him. He carefully lifted one finger and pointed to himself with his jaw slightly open, gawking at Berengar as he could not imagine the son of Baron speaking to a lowly farmer like him.

"Well, how can I call you?"

"Sir, my name is Gunther..."

Berengar pondered the name for a moment and smiled at the big, burly man as he praised him.

"Gunther, a strong name, would definitely suit you. I'm Berengar; nice to meet you!"

Gunther couldn't believe his ears; the Baron's son and heir said it was nice to meet him, a lowly peasant? How did this happen? He unintentionally voiced his thoughts and immediately grimaced expecting retribution.

"Well to see me? How's it?"

Berengar's smile froze; he did not realize that the peasant class had such a low sense of self-worth. He clearly had to explain to the man how important his work was.

"Of course it's fun! I saw a man desperately plowing the fields in early spring. Work hard to ensure that the kingdom has enough food to eat, to survive the winter, and to prosper as a region. I can't help but feel proud to meet such a hardworking individual like you."

he did not lie; in his previous life, Berengar had seen too many slackers succeed in life because of their connections, while the hard workers lived in poverty and daily struggles. He could not help but admire a hardworking and competent man who provided for his family, despite the terrible conditions that a medieval peasant endured, who would drive a modern man to suicide.

After hearing the young master's kind words, Gunther was completely shocked; the man's reputation was well known throughout this section, even by the peasant class. Nonetheless, when meeting him for the first time, Berengar was not what Gunther had expected.

Berengar could see that Gunther was amazed by his behavior. Therefore, he changed the direction of the conversation as he wished.

"Say, Gunther, have you ever thought of using four fields instead of three?"

Gunther almost scoffs at the young master's remark, he may be the son of the baron, but he knows nothing about farming, something Gunther and his family have been doing for centuries.

"My lord, with all due respect, if we use the four fields, then the soil will be eroded and eventually useless."

A grin appeared on Berengar's face. It's not just a farmer who studies what his ancestors taught and doesn't understand the underlying principles of why it happened. At least in terms of his profession, this was an educated farmer, someone who understood clearly why one should not do as Berengar suggested.

"If I have to tell you that if you make a rotation four fields are separated into the categories of wheat, radish, barley, and clover. Doesn't that solve such a problem."

He was testing Gunther's knowledge of his craft; after all, Berengar was of no use to a fool who did what he was told because it was tradition. He needs thinkers, people who can understand new technologies and apply them on his behalf. Against all odds, the first farmer he met was such a man.

Gunther's eyes sparkle; it is well known that legumes can increase soil fertility in cultivated land. Therefore, legumes have been used in the three-land system. However, the more he thought of Berengar's words, the more he realized that the young master was right. If they use these four crops as staples of their agricultural system, they will be able to maintain or possibly increase soil fertility while growing food year-round and sustain breeding livestock year-round.

The poor farmer looked at Berengar with a new sense of admiration; however, what Berengar said next shocked the man to the point.

"I saw that you agreed to it, and then came along, let's introduce this innovation together."

After that, Berengar got off his horse, rolling up his sleeves, and, and took the hoe where he stood beside Gunther and worked alongside a lowly peasant to introduce agricultural innovations that would bring the Barony of Kufstein into the agricultural revolution.

Despite his natural weaknesses, he helped plow and sow fields all day long with poor farmers; at the end of a hard working day, a system of four fields was implemented in this single farm, which was, and Berengar was exhausted beyond his limits. However, he was satisfied on a very personal level. The life of a pampered noble was no match for a man like him. Gunther looked at the young master in disbelief; no one in the entire village, not even his wife or children, was there, would not believe that he had just plowed and sowed the fields with the son and heir of the Baron. Thus an unlikely friendship between a lowly peasant farmer and a young master is born. One that will last a lifetime.