Chapter 9: The Booming Census

The census conducted by Old Ford was not going smoothly. For the residents of Idar, a census was an entirely unheard-of concept. Because it was unfamiliar, people were confused and uncertain.

Old Ford hunched his back, waiting in the study for his lord's instructions.

"How many have been counted so far?" Bruno asked, frowning.

"The serfs have all been registered, but we've only covered about a third of the commoners," Old Ford replied with a guilty expression. "I ordered my men to go door to door as you instructed, but most people don't understand what a census is. Some even think war is coming, causing some panic in the city."

"But the biggest problem is the vagrant troublemakers who refuse to comply. They roam around and even attack our census takers."

"Sigh, I should've expected this. There are always fools in this world who fail to see my good intentions," Bruno said with regret. "Think about it if I, as the lord, have detailed records of our population and their skills, then whenever someone loses their job and has no means of survival, we could use that information to help them find a new employer."

"That… does seem to make sense." Old Ford thought for a moment and nodded thoughtfully.

"There's no 'seem' about it! I'm putting in all this effort to help them, and they don't even appreciate it? How can such fools live with themselves? When you conduct the census, make sure to explain it to them properly. They must understand that this is to reduce frictional unemployment caused by information asymmetry in the labor market… More importantly, they must recognize the noble intentions of me, a selfless and upright leader devoted to his people."

"Information asymmetry? Frictional… what?"

Although Old Ford understood Bruno's words clearly, when put together, they didn't make much sense to him. What exactly was 'frictional unemployment'?

He understood the part about praising his lord's virtues, but the rest left him utterly confused.

"Ahem, that's not important… What matters is that the census must be completed as soon as possible. Not only must it be completed, but it must also be accurate and thorough. If persuasion doesn't work, use force. I'll assign you soldiers from the castle garrison. If anyone refuses to register or causes trouble, break their legs!"

"Also, every commoner who registers will receive a copper coin—serfs too. You have two days to complete the census. As for the troublemakers, isn't the Regency Council looking to recruit fifty laborers? Take them. If they have time to cause trouble, it means I've been too kind, letting them eat too well."

Bruno's voice was firm and commanding.

Old Ford's heart trembled slightly. "But my lord, the Regency Council requires the laborers to be faithful believers of the Church. Most of these troublemakers are just rats hiding in the dark they don't believe in anything…"

"If they don't believe, then beat them until they do. Not only must they believe, but they should also constantly reflect on the Church's grace. They should memorize the Church's scriptures by heart and always remember my utmost respect and loyalty toward the Regency Council and the Church."

"…Understood, my lord." Old Ford nodded in affirmation.

"If there's nothing else, get to work."

Old Ford hesitated briefly before saying, "My lord, I heard that you plan to build a… garden?"

"Did Shabi tell you?" Bruno asked calmly.

"Yes."

"You're here to dissuade me, aren't you? I can already guess the arguments—something about food shortages, lack of money, and other nonsense."

"But my lord… If you truly intend to proceed, food is indeed the biggest issue."

Bruno was well aware that food was the greatest obstacle. For the serfs, as long as they had enough to eat to keep their families from starving, they wouldn't care whether they were farming or working on construction.

"I will solve the food problem. I will not let the serfs go hungry while we undertake large-scale construction."

"Knowing that puts my mind at ease," Old Ford responded softly. Although he still had doubts, he had no choice—Bruno was the lord of the territory, after all.

Once Old Ford left, Bruno remained seated, frowning.

His concerns weren't unfounded, but Bruno had a plan.

"I just hope… those random ideas I remember from my past life would work…"

Sure enough, when soldiers from the Idar Castle garrison, under their respective officers, entered the city, the census became much more orderly.

Old John was one of the few blacksmiths in Idar. When the census first began, he avoided the officials at all costs, fearing that they might be rounding people up for something sinister.

But today, not only were census notices posted all over the city, but government officials were also making public announcements in crowded areas.

Even though Old John, like most, couldn't understand what "frictional unemployment" or "information asymmetry" meant, he finally understood one thing—this was a good thing.

After all, registering meant receiving a copper coin, and if he ever lost his source of income, the Count himself might help him find a new job.

His family consisted of his wife and three children. That meant five copper coins in total. Holding them in his hands, he felt their satisfying weight. That was about as much as he earned in a week!

Now, instead of officials going door to door, the commoners of Idar were lining up at temporary census booths set up in the city center. Many were afraid they'd miss out on their copper coin if they arrived too late.

Since Old John arrived early, he was close to the front of the line. Soldiers in armor maintained order, preventing any pushing or shoving. The people were poor and dressed in rags, and some carried a strong stench—nobody wanted to get too close anyway.

When it was finally his turn, the official behind the table asked without looking up, "Can you read and write?"

"No," Old John replied, scratching his head.

"Then I'll ask, and you answer. Remember, you must answer truthfully. We will conduct follow-up inspections, and if anyone is found lying or hiding information, their entire family will be reduced to serfdom."

"I understand, I understand." Old John shivered and nodded quickly.

The official then asked a series of questions his age, address, occupation, skills, and so on. Old John answered them all carefully.

Once he finished, the official placed five copper coins on the table. Old John quickly and cautiously scooped them up.

Holding the shiny coins in his hands like a treasure, Old John felt an immense sense of joy.

The Count is truly a benevolent ruler!