Wheat Harvest

Arthur woke up early, completed his exercise routine, and took a quick shower. While changing his clothes, he stood in front of the mirror to check his form. He noticed that his abdominal muscles were starting to become more defined.

"Six months of healthy eating and regular exercise seem to be paying off," he thought.

He spent a few more moments flexing and posing in front of the mirror, enjoying his reflection. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. A guard announced, "Your Majesty, the horses are ready. You may depart whenever you wish."

Hearing this, Arthur remembered that he was supposed to inspect the first wheat harvest of the season. He replied to the guard, "I'll be ready shortly," quickly dressed, and left his room to meet the guards who would accompany him on the journey.

When he arrived at the palace gates, six guards, fully equipped and ready, awaited him. Arthur mounted his horse and set out for the royal family's farm, located an hour's ride outside the city.

When he reached the farm, he was greeted by Andy, a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard who was in charge of farm operations.

"Welcome, Your Majesty. I hope your journey was pleasant," Andy said.

Arthur replied, "Yes, it was uneventful," although in truth, the road he had taken was in terrible condition. It was a dirt path littered with rocks of various sizes, and he suspected it would turn into an impassable muddy mess during the rain. Arthur made a mental note to address the state of the kingdom's roads in the future.

"Let's begin the inspection," Arthur said.

Andy led him to a field ready for harvesting and instructed a farmer sitting atop a horse-drawn machine to start. Arthur watched as the machine, powered by a small steam engine, turned three sets of blades that cut the wheat stalks as it moved forward.

As they observed, Andy remarked, "Your Majesty, no matter how many times I see this machine in action, it never ceases to amaze me. With this, one person can do the work of five. Truly incredible."

Arthur nodded in agreement and said, "Let's move on to the next machines."

Andy then took Arthur to the area where the harvested wheat stalks were separated from their seeds. Upon arrival, Arthur saw a larger machine powered by a steam engine. Workers poured the harvested stalks into one end of the machine, which separated the seeds from the stalks.

At one end, a worker was waiting for a bag to fill with seeds. Once the bag was full, the worker tied it shut and attached a new bag. On the other side of the machine, the leftover stalks were compressed into bales, loaded onto a horse-drawn cart, and transported to a storage area.

Satisfied with what he saw, Arthur told Andy that he wanted to observe how the wheat was milled into flour.

They entered the mill, where Arthur saw a roller mill powered by a steam engine. He watched as the wheat seeds were fed into one side of the machine and emerged as flour on the other side. The flour was then packed into 50-kilogram sacks and moved to the factory's storage area.

As Arthur examined the machine, Andy spoke, "My prince, this mill allows us to produce ten times as much flour with the same number of workers as before. But now, with so much more production, we need far fewer workers. Many of these people have been with us since childhood; you could say we grew up together. I'm concerned about their future. They rely on this work to support themselves and their families."

Arthur smiled and replied, "If you're asking me to let them keep working on the farm, that's impossible. However, the factories in the city are in need of workers. Those who lose their jobs here can apply for open positions in the factories."

Hearing this, Andy was overjoyed. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I'll let them know about this opportunity," he said.

After spending some more time chatting with Andy about farming, Arthur left the farm and returned to the palace just before sunset. During the journey back, he was pleased with the changes he had seen in the city over the past six months. Many areas now had sewage systems, public parks, paved stone roads, public toilets, and homes with clean running water.

Although it would take until the end of the year to extend these improvements to the entire city, Arthur felt a sense of accomplishment.

Once he reached the palace, Arthur went to his room, which was equipped with clean water pipes, a hot water boiler, and a steam-powered water pump. He enjoyed a warm shower, changed his clothes, and left to join his family for dinner.

When he entered the dining room, he saw that his mother and father had already arrived and were waiting for him. He took his seat at the table, and they began their meal.

While eating, the king said, "I heard you visited the farm to see how the machines are performing. Were you satisfied with the results?"

Arthur replied, "Yes, I'm very satisfied. With these machines, one person can now do the work of ten."

The king nodded. "The factories have been expanding rapidly, but they're struggling to find enough workers. I suppose this will change now."

Arthur agreed. "Thanks to agricultural machinery, most of the population will no longer need to work in farming. The unemployed farmers will be absorbed by the factories, allowing the manufacturing industry to continue growing. Over time, urban populations will surpass those in villages and towns. Our economy will shift from being agriculture-based to industry-based. However, this transition won't be without challenges, Father. We'll need to manage it carefully."

The king replied, "You're right."

After dinner, Arthur returned to his room, sat at his desk, and began thinking about the condition of the roads, an issue that had been on his mind all day. Now that they had steam engines and sufficient steel production, he decided it was time to develop trains.

Instead of primitive steam-powered trains, he envisioned a design with suspension to reduce vibrations and hydraulic brakes for safety. 

However, he realized that not all areas could be connected by train, so improving the roads was also essential.since oil was not an option, he planned to construct stone-paved roads. To speed up the process, he decided to use a method inspired by English history, with roads made of three layers: large stones on the bottom, medium-sized stones in the middle, and small stones on the surface To improve efficiency, he also designed a steam-powered stone-crushing machine, which could help construct better roads.He also developed a suspension system with elliptical springs for horse-drawn carriages, improving both the speed and efficiency of travel.

After drafting his plans and drawings, Arthur placed the papers in his drawer and, feeling exhausted, headed to bed.