The autumn of 1525 was difficult for most farmers in northern Italy. It rained a lot on the Po plain during the wheat harvest days.

However, the landowners and farmers of Mantua did not suffer much losses this time. They received help from good friends from the north.

The imperial family sent royal soldiers to help them.

On a sunny day, the Austrian soldiers, led by Frundsberg, were running along the road in the morning, and in the afternoon they were drying out with the locals.

On rainy days, they worked from morning to night, harvesting grain, collecting fuel, and drying crops.

In the evening, the Marquis of Mantua would come to the military camp in person with Ladislaus, bringing a dozen barrels of low-alcohol liqueur and a few pigs or sheep to thank them for their help to the people of Mantua.

Of course, more Austrian troops were at this time in Verona and Treviso to help the local governments organize the autumn harvest. Although Ladislaus guaranteed the property of a large number of Venetian merchants, there was still a lot of cultivated land that fell to the Austrian government.

In his hands, this palace was originally the property of the nobleman who was executed by Brother Riti.

Most of these properties were sold to local people and used as settlement expenses for newly appointed officials. Although it inevitably aroused some jealousy and hatred in the local area, after all, it was the younger brothers who committed the murders, and they could share the burden.

A lot of negative emotions.

Ladislaus did not mobilize the entire standing army to go out to avoid delaying the expansion of the army. Some of the original companies must be used as the backbone to build new regiments to ensure the combat effectiveness of the army.

Counting the troops of the Colonna family who came together, the Austrian army only had three thousand troops, which made Ladislaus unable to make up his mind to attack directly.

Because of the salary and retirement system announced by Austria just this year, the soldiers are not very disgusted with sending troops all year round.

Most of these soldiers are Austrian yeoman farmers, although they are also worried about whether their wives can take care of the family land. But the salary Ladislaus pays them now allows them to barely support their families, and he also exempts them from most of the expenses.

agricultural taxes, so most of these soldiers accepted long years of overseas service.

This is also the preliminary result of Austria's vigorous development of industry and commerce.

Based on Machiavelli's report, Ladislaus had reason to believe that a standing army of about 10,000 people was an expense Austria could afford.

The blood drawn from Venice has driven Austria's prosperity. According to Ladislaus's instructions, the Austrian government is purchasing a large amount of production materials to invest in economic construction.

Each Austrian provincial governor was ordered to build a new central trading market in the city where he governed, and all the main roads leading to Vienna were to be expanded and the old branch roads to be renovated.

Salzburg's salt mine and Lienz's iron ore will double their output this year after receiving new machinery and draft horses. By investing special funds to improve tunnel transportation capabilities, output is expected to quadruple within three years.

Although Tirol's silver mines have always been able to receive high-priority logistics guarantees, even if they expand investment, it will be difficult to further increase production. However, there is still a lot of room for improvement for Tirol's copper mines. In the past, due to insufficient transportation capacity, only

The copper mine Baoyin Mine was sacrificed, but if the new feeder canal is built, then this problem will be solved.

On this animal mountain, Ladislaus expected to invest more than half a million talers.

Irrigation projects on the Danube were also to begin, although most Austrians did not understand why Ladislaus insisted on planning agriculture on the north bank of the Danube.

Most people speculate that the value of these lands is not high. Very few nobles settled and cultivated them, and most of them were untaxed wasteland. Theoretically, Ladislaus could consider this land to be the property of the Habsburg family.

It was not a problem for the few who had main land, and Ladislaus could easily purchase land from freemen and small landowners.

Although in most cases Ladislaus's private property was used for state affairs, the monarch always had greater freedom in the use of this private money.

The original landowners have also received certain compensation. Although this land will become the best fertile land in Austria and even Europe in the future, if they do not sell it, these lands will obviously never have the opportunity to appreciate in value.

Therefore, the demolished households are quite satisfied. In this era, there are no real households that dare to ask for high prices.

Ladislaus did not live alone. All the officers, from Frundsberg to the drummer and flag bearer, had designated fifty acres of fertile land, and they could all get the land closest to the irrigation canal.

All soldiers can also expect to be assigned their own fifteen acres of land on the north bank after they die in battle or retire after twenty years of service, and those under the Intelligence Bureau will also have a share.

They were currently stationed in a small town between Rome and Siena. The war atmosphere here was not strong, so these intelligence officers were a little relaxed.

"Kelar, have you heard? We can also be allocated land on the north bank near the irrigation canal." The person who asked the question was a smuggler before joining the Intelligence Bureau. Even a former smuggler would like his own land.

"Take it down, we will definitely survive in twenty years." Keilar has no hope of retiring.

"Didn't the Habsburg lord say that even if we die, we will give it to our son?" This smuggler was not caught in the intelligence bureau because he failed to pay taxes. He was always very careful and never made a mistake. He was imprisoned.

The reason was that he was imprisoned for saying that "the village priest and the Habsburgs are both noble."

From then on, he learned that when addressing Habsburg, he should add a greater honorific at the end, and he should not come after the village chief or the old priest in the village. Of course, he could never remember the word "Your Highness".

"Do you have a wife? You also have a son." The comrades burst into laughter.

"Now our salary is enough. When I return to Vienna, I will marry a wife and have a son next year." The words of his colleague made Keilar laugh. The expectation of future life is the common joy of all Austrian scouts.

source.

Although Kelal's ambition is much greater than this, the aspect of looking forward to life is the same.

There is a good salary and wonderful retirement benefits to look forward to.

The soldiers were all worried about the little harvest on their existing barren land, which was not very expected in the first place. Or were they more worried about the rumors of going to war with His Majesty the True Chosen Pope? Do they really want to fight against the legendary spokesperson of His Majesty God?

Isn’t that the most holy and noble person?

At least that's what the village priest said.

However, this topic is taboo even among small soldiers. They know very well that doubting military orders is a capital crime, and several soldiers have lost their lives for this.

It's not worth it, after all, Ladislaus is the one who pays them a salary and gives them something to look forward to.

However, this kind of pressure still made Ladislaus wary. Cyric's power was deeply rooted. Not only the soldiers, but even most of the officers were actually under a lot of pressure to have a conflict with Rome.

Boss Sirica was also very concerned about this, and he enthusiastically promoted Barbarossa's beliefs among his subordinates.

But except for Keilal, who is determined to make progress, no one has given up their faith in Sirik yet.

"Most people are concerned about their family and friends. After all, who doesn't have a wife? Those old ladies are very stubborn about their beliefs." Keilar is also trying to persuade his subordinates to convert, but the effect is mediocre.

"It's normal that we can't do this well. It still depends on the abilities of Odd Kessler and his gang." In any matter, professionalism is always more reliable.

"He and we are very unhappy about using the church of His Majesty the Knight of Vision as an intelligence base." The real reason for the huge conflict between Odd Kessler and Sirica is the drug trade, but everyone knows this reason.

It’s enough to be clear about it, there’s no need to make it clear.

"The accounts will be divided with him once in the middle of the year, and his attitude should have softened by then." Boss Sirica is very confident in the value of money. "Everything is easy to do if you have money."

While helping the autumn harvests in Verona, Treviso and Mantua, Ladislaus's envoys went out everywhere. He himself also went out to lobby various princes in northern Italy to ensure the survival of the Principality of Siena.

and the temptation of money to incite these nobles' hatred of Rome.
Chapter completed!