Post by Sarugaku Jouten on Nov 10, 2009 4:18:49 GMT
x General Story Telling - 150 coins
x Speaker - 400-500 Low level Troops (The more persuasive you are the better the troops will be and the more you will get, this is about quality NOT quantity)
x Construction – Self rewarding and 50 coins
x Commerce/Trading – 400 coins (varies with participation)
x Cultivation/Farming – 200 coins and 1 supply train
x Patrolling – 50 coins and 50 Troops
x Scholarship/Learning – 50 Troops and 50 coins
x Planning/General Strategy - 50 coins and 100 Troops
~Crops To Grow~
-Rice
-Grapes
-Sake
-Wine
The pale light of the moon hit the ground and lit it up like a heavenly field. Sarugaku moved toward a building with only a few torches lit. This building would be about the length of a football field. Sarugaku raised his hand and about two hundred men came running in. The stopped and all bowed in sync toward the general. "Men of Wu, we have a simple mission here. Our mission is to farm, and add onto the market of Ru Nan with the goods we make. I know this seems like a job for the trained farmers but it is such an urgency that we need to make this right. I am sure when I ask you all to help me the answer will be yes. We will get started in a week or two, when ever I call you back. Do not fear, I will be learning about farming so all you need to do is follow my orders. Now disband!!!" The men quickly disappeared and the candle lights went out as quickly as they were lit.
~Scholarship/Learning – 50 Troops and 50 coins~
Sarugaku shifted outside of the very large building. His destination simple, the scroll store. As well as paying a visit to local farmers. At the first destination Sarugaku moved toward a scroll store that was about to close, the male reached into his pocket and took out a small scroll of paper. On it was a seal of a General and written on it was the permission to take what ever scrolls were needed from the store. The peasant complied and moved out of the way of the general, holding a candle to light the scrolls titles on farming. The ones that caught his eye he took, in total ten very long scrolls. A couple of them were called things he never heard of, one was called Sake creation,which the scroller said came from Japan. One was called Wine Creation, the scroller said it came in with various scrolls in a massive pile. The rest of the scrolls were simple farming scrolls, how to keep what at a certain temperature. How to use a hoe, etc... The male departed the shop and behind him the scroller closed the doors to the shop. Due to it being such a late hour and who would want to read that late.
Sarugaku shifted into the capital building. Into a secret room that was down in the ground. The male lit up the room with enough candles to make it look as if it was day time in the earth. He laid out the scrolls one by one. The first one was How to use a hoe. It explained to him that you would need to dig them into the ground and make rows for the plants, it was very detailed in the usage of them. On it including the instructions on where to place them, how to fertilize the ground and such. Set aside on another table were the Sake And Wine scrolls. The one scroll took him an entire day and night to finish reading it. Now having all of his meals brought down to him he was very content about being down there all day and night. Only going out to use the restroom. In total it took him ten days to read all the scrolls, that is excluding the Wine and Sake scrolls. Then after reading all the scrolls he had to re read them, this making sure he memorized them completely. In total it took him twenty days, to read and memorize them.Which of course was much later then the date he told his men.
~Planning/General Strategy - 50 coins and 100 Troops~
Figure shifted upward from the desk. The man dressed in twenty day old clothes that were dirty. The man shifted upward, going up the stairs and toward his regular room in Ru Nan. The male got undressed and a Maiden entered the room, bringing him red General armor and setting it on the table. The male entered the shower and cleaned himself quickly, washing his hair, and body. Quickly Sarugaku dried off and dressed in his General armor. The male shifted down the stairs of his room, gently the male whispered toward toward a messenger. Telling him to go and gather up Yuki and Kagon, two of his professional swordsmen. After he got done with telling the messenger the officers he was off.
Not two hours past that the two officers he called for were in front of him and ready to be told what to do. "I need your advice in a few matters. This will involve your swordsmen." The men quickly nodded and followed the General toward a secluded room that included a very small round table and three chairs. On the table was a map of Ru Nan and all the possible farming area. "Now we need to farm a massive amount of Rice, and Grapes. Just as well we need to harvest them and brew them into Wine and Sake. This process will be difficult at first but it will be needed to complete this and increase the income of this city." The officers shook their heads in agreement, Yuki moved his hand toward a small area near the river. Squaring it out with a pencil and speaking in a soft tone. "Here, we will build the crops it would be best due to the fact we can get water and spread it onto the plants quickly." Sarugaku agreed to this statement and approved of it with no problems. "Also we will use hoes, and shovels. The shovels we will dig that area and make it lose enough to plant. The hoes we will use to make rows in the lose area to where we will plant them. We need some stands for the grapes also, we need to place them next to the seed so they can grow on the stick and show their grapes." Sarugaku said with a small smile due to the plans coming together. Also we can get the local farmers to watch over it after we are done with it completely. Agreed?" The men quickly stood and bowed. "Agreed." Sarugaku once more had a small smile on his face, white teeth showing to them. "Go now and gather three hundred men. We have to get this done in three days and plant the seeds. We will meet in that place..." The officers bowed and quickly left the room to go to the barracks.
~Cultivation/Farming – 200 coins and 1 supply train~
It was now around mid day, the General moved toward the football sized building and stood at the very front. Yuki and Kagon standing toward the sides of him. Silver optics looked at the three hundred men in front of him, each of them looked ready for anything and so they were going to get a task that was very odd to them. "Go now my men, collect one shovel and one hoe for each of you. Go to local supply shops and say that it is a kingdom order for each of them to do so. As well I want 50 of you to get fertilizer from the local farmers. Meet up back here in two hours. Go!" The men quickly started to run out from the building, each one going to farming shops and a few of them going to the local farmers to get fertilizer in bags. It sounded like a raid the way the clanking of the tools were being but this simply meant they were doing their best to gather said tools.
After two hours the men had made three piles. One with the shovels stacked high, one with the hoes stacked, and then one with a very large amount of fertilizer. All of the men stood in front of the stand once more, their faces blank as if they were ready to kill at that moment. The males head shifted gently toward his men the expression on his face dull and blank as usual. "Now with what day light we have left grab a shovel and get to the designated spot." The men nodded and ran toward the area, grabbing the shovels as they left the area. The 300 of them marching with the shovels in their arms.
Upon arriving there local farmers were looking at them a big wired, wondering what the military were doing. But they ended up paying no attention to it. The men quickly got into a large formation over the green stretch of land. The commander and his officers quickly road on horses to the scene, on their backs shovels instead of weapons. They jumped from their horses and landed on the ground in front of them. "Alright lets get started, I want this area to be up rooted immediately. Soften the ground and soil after digging up the grass. If you need too grab water form the near by area to help it soften. Me and the officers will be doing the corners so don't worry about that. The General's plan was to make it 150 yards wide and 120 long. So this would mark the day that it all started.
Two hours later it started to get done, the Generals got half of the width done, meaning 75 yards on the top and on the bottom. "Camp out here, we shall continue on the break of day." The men pulled out some sleeping arrangements, meaning tents and such and set up a small camp on the up rooted area.
The next morning the General ordered the tents to be brought down quickly and them to get back to work. After another two hours the width lines were completed. It was time to do the length, meaning one hundred and twenty more yards. The officers and Sarugaku grunted, they started to dig and up root the ground as the men in the middle were turning over ground as fast as they could. Local farmers came over and offered a hand to the men that were working in the middle. Gladly Sarugaku accepted and the farmers got to work with them, with the help of the locals and the military force they finished just before the night fell. Once more the tents were ordered to be put up and they were, they all camped the night there. The meals they were eating being brought out on horses from the capital.
The next morning the general had two horses bring out two carts. One filled with fertilizer and one filled with hoes. "Ok now it's time to make the rows with the hoes. Make a pile of shovels and pick up a hoe then meet on the soil." After about an hour the men were standing on the soil with their hoes and one of the horses was moving back with the shovels to return them to the farmers that they took it from. "Cut off a section here, we are going to plant grapes. Make the space between you and your fellow men about 9 feet away. " The General dragged a hoe across the 150 yards to make a line of where to stop. The area was going to be split into two different sections, one for grapes, one for rice.. "The men in the middle section, this will be for rice. Cut rows about 5 feet apart!."
The men quickly started to get to work. Digging their hoes into the soil and dragging it across the land. They continued to drag it across the soil toward the section. The men trying to get their spaces exactly right, as well as trying to get in straight rows. The general looked at the men and smiled a small amount as a farmer came running toward him, bowing of course before he spoke. "Sire to build grapes you need poles so they can wrap around and grow. This way they can show their grapes to you and it will be more easier to harvest." Sarugaku looked toward the male and nodded his head gently. "Ok, officers go with him. Find all the wooden poles you can, this is an order from the city. Now go!" The officers grabbed to farmers and lifted them on the back of their horses. The officers quickly road off to get carts and poles at the required height. After a few hours the officers came back with the poles in their carts. And on top of the pokes a rather large back of grape seeds. Right when the men were done with the rows. "Ok we will get everything we need today and use it tomorrow. Leave these carts here, rice plant seeds. Now go!" With that command the men were off, bringing back carts right next to the rows of plants. Making sure that they got the right amount of grape and rice seeds. One man brought back a large amount of buckets to poor on the plants. "Alright we will relax today, make camp and we will relax for today. But tomorrow we will get to work once more." The men quickly got camp set up once more, this time all around the supply's they got to make sure bandits didn't try to steal any.
The next morning, right when the sun got up it was time to work. The men broke down their tents once more and set them aside. "Alright, time to plant. I know you will love this. One man to each row. People that are planting grapes place a pole right next to the seed. Also plant the grape seeds very deep, about 27 inch's into the earth. Now Rice farmers, plant the seed and make sure you do not poor to much water on it. Otherwise you will drown the seed. Now move out!!!" The men quickly went toward the supply's, the grape farmers grabbed a handful of seeds and poles. Moving toward their area. They started to place the seeds by digging a very deep hole then dropping it in. Right next to that hole they dug another once for the pole. They continued this process until it was done. The rice farmers dug about a six inch hole and dropped their rice seed in the hole. Watering it afterward. This whole process took almost the entire day to accomplish. "Now, grab the fertilizer and spread it over the area that you planted the plants." The men grabbed a bag and started to spread it along the ground. Once night fell and they were finally around they gathered around for a speech from the general. "Good job men, I will need you to stay here, but go inside the castle and rest in your regular barracks. Come out here seven times a day and check on your plants, make sure they are healthy and what not." The men bowed with a quick "Yes sire!"
~Patrolling – 50 coins and 50 Troops~ Troops used: 10 Commando's & 20 Vet Bowmen
As the men left toward the castle Sarugaku raised his hand upward, a rather small troop assembling behind him. Ten commando's and Twenty veteran bowmen. The men were dressed in complete black with a red sash across their stomach. These troops were the best of the best, in their unit anyway. The twenty bow men spread out in the middle, walking along the rows to patrol. The commander and ten Commando's were running the length of the field that day, stopping once in a while to catch their breath and rest for a little bit.
After patrolling half the night it seemed as if nothing fun was going to happen. Suddenly they started to hear sounds coming from the near by bushes, quickly a band of thief's jumped out and ran toward the supply's that were in the carts. As soon as they came out the arrows came flying from the bowmen. Only 50 theirs so the arrows hit and killed twenty of them. This leaving thirty left for the commando's and him to kill. The commando's quickly threw their knifes, deadly accuracy with every knight, so accurate that only two were left. Sarugaku jumped forward, bringing out his two blades from his back, the bandits raising their arms to strike him. The moment they raised their arms Sarugaku spun on his heel, spinning enough to where he cut one of them in half and the left blade blocked the blade that was aiming to cut him in half. Right hand quickly moved toward the back of the bandit and cut right in him and out the other side. Sarugaku moved upward and flicked his blade a bit, getting the blood off of it before returning them to his sheaths.
Soon, about three months had passed and the plants started to grow in. Sarugaku knew that producing sake and wine was the next step and wondered where to do it at. Once more Sarugaku started to study his scrolls, finding the best methods possible to make such a drink. "Ok men, our new task. Build a few brewery. Collect all the wood you can, also get a couple carpenters to help us with such a task. Now go!" The men quickly left the area, all of them scattering to find already shaped wood and to get the best wood workers in the city of Ru Nan. Upon finding everything they came back to the area. The wood workers came with a price to, which meant that Sarugaku had to pay out of his pocket to complete these tasks. "Ok, split into two separate groups. " The men followed his orders and split into two even groups, each one made of about two hundred men ready and eager to make what ever he ordered them too. "Make two shops, the wine one, dig a huge hole under it and build shelves for them. The Sake shop build another small shop next to it, make sure you supply them with buckets, shelves, counters, everything. I want them to be twice as large as a regular shop. Move out!" The men quickly started to get to work, getting the supply's they needed from the wood workers. They were off to work and the estimate time would be around the time the crops grew into their adult stages, right on time in other words.
After about five months from when this whole operation started the plants finally grew into their adult stages. The shops were done and ready for use. Sarugaku had been waiting for this moment during that whole time he was patrolling the area, and looking over the shops. The men were over joyed and jumped high in the air with joy. The men quickly started to harvest the plants, getting the rice, grapes, and other such things and putting them in clean buckets. "Ok keep collecting, make sure they are ripe, place them in the pots and inform me when everything is collected." The men nodded and continued to pluck the items from the plants.
After about a day everything was plucked and ready to make what ever he wanted out of it. "Ok I will work with the wine first. I want all wine farmers, bring your buckets and follow me!" The men quickly picked up the very heavy buckets and followed the male. Sarugaku went into the very large shop, the men placed their buckets on tables that were constructed during the two month period. "Ok, wash your hands very well and I want two buckets to a person." The men washed up and made sure everyone had two buckets. "Ok, pound the grapes with your hand as much as you can. Smash them apart! Once you are done set them aside and wash your hands once more. This is going to be a clean operation." The men nodded and the pounding commenced, their fists hitting the grapes as hard as can be. Mashing them as much as they could, when each person was done Sarugaku went to the buckets and gave the final decision.
Once everyone was done Sarugaku sent word to local farmers to bring the military warm water, some with yeast mixed in with it. Also a large amount of sugar.. Also Sarugaku sent word to the potters to bring him their biggest pots, which they did in a matter of an hour. Sarugaku gave a large pot to each person, ordering them to throw their mashed grapes inside the large pot and then add the sugar until the grapes absorbed it and it dissolved. After that was done the order was to add the yeast water and mix it until that dissolved as well. Once that was done they added a lot of water until it was about an inch from the top of the pot. "Ok now take these cloths and place them on top of the jars." The men took the cloths, they looked like with very odd holes. The design was meant to let the fumes out and let the fresh air in.
Sarugaku reached downward, fingers wrapping around the handle on the ground. Flinging it open a large hole was in the ground, shelves for the pots were already there. "Now place your pots on a rack and get back up here." The men did as they were told and after they were done Sarugaku patted each one of them on the shoulder and said that their job was done here. The men quickly left to return to their barracks and sleep as much as they could before they were called upon once more for war.
It was now time, the hardest part of this entire mission. Making Sake, since Sake required a special mold that only grows on rice this would be especially hard. Sarugaku moved toward the sake department, the men out there holding the rice buckets. "Ok, send one fourth of the rice to local cooks. Tell them to cook white steamed rice and to bring the results back." The men set off toward the cooks, the men gave the buckets of rice to the cooks.
After about a day they came backed with the fully cooked rice. Carts filled with buckets all over the rice cookers came to the general, the general in return handed them a small bag with gold coins inside. As payment for the rice. "Ok take the rice into the small room. In the small room make it a steam room and make it as humid as possible inside." The men quickly gathered up and bowed, grabbing the rice and putting it inside. "Ok leave it for two days, keep them moist so they grow fungi much quicker then usual." The men nodded and did as they were told, after two days the fungi grew nicely on the rice. The rice being a lovely shade of green.
"Ok, now that we got that over with, send the rest of the rice to cook. Also buy lemon juice from near by vendors, as well as yeast and water. Then go to the pottery shop, buy some small pots, and bring them back." The commander gave gold to the people he sent out to buy the items and they took off toward their destination. After a period of two hours the rice came back as well as the items requested. "Ok men, grab the rice and go into the main shop it is time to make us some sake. Also grab the fungi rice we have made and I will give you instructions."
The men grabbed the freshly made rice and moved into the area with all the ingredient on the tables. "Ok add the rice to the pots. After the rice is in wash it clean with water." The men did what they were told and washed it, they continued and continued to wash the rice. Letting it soak up all the moisture until the rice was deemed clean. "Ok drain the water but not the rice." The men threw the water outside, this leading into a small stream back to the river. The rice still inside of the pots. "Now add a handful of fungi to the rice, then a couple drops of lemon juice." Some of them were disgusted to touch the nasty looking fungi but they did it anyway. Adding a handful then adding the lemon juice to the mixture. "Now add a small amount of yeast and a a good amount of water." Adding a good amount of water was a bit hard, but most of them got it exactly right, which was very good. "Ok, now put the lid on the pots and wrap it with ropes tightly to keep the lids on." The men got small ropes and wrapped it tightly to keep the lids on perfectly. "Now shake it." Quickly the swishing sounds filled the air, mixing the ingredients. "Place them next door with the wine, once a day shake them then put the caps on loosely, enough for the fumes to get out." The men agreed and took the pots to the wine cellar. Placing them on top of the shelves and next to the wine.
~Speech to Farmers~
The men were dismissed and sent back to their barracks along with the wine farmers. Sarugaku went to the square of the city, having his solders guard the shops and vineyards until he returned. "I don't need to tell you about the situation of Wu, Shu, and Wei. I am almost positive that you have heard of the trouble being caused by the news. Well let me tell you, this time of war causes problems with food. Our military needs food as well as you here. Please help us complete this dream and do this."
The area quickly quitted and a lot of people started to consider the concept. "The time calls for farmers, I need men to attend to my brewery and keep my crops healthy and alive. You will get paid by what ever you sell, which means the better the goods you grow the more money you shall obtain." Peasants quickly stood upward and raised their hand to join the cause of being farmers and such. "Let's go." Sarugaku lead them to the working area, giving them scrolls so they could educate them selves. And also setting some of the farming men with them to watch over them.
~Commerce/Trading – 400 coins (varies with participation)~
After everyone was settled in, it was time to talk deals with the local shops and major retailers. Sarugaku called a meeting of the council of shops in the war room. A very wired room to call it in but still. Sarugaku was dressed in very nice clothing, made out of silk. After all he wanted to look his best for the shop makers and such. Gently he shifted toward the front of the table, paper in front of all of them. This was for them to use at their disgression of course. "Ok, so you figure that Rice abs Grapes cost a fair amount correct?" The men in the meeting agreed and nodded their heads yes. "Now, I am willing to sell to you the grapes and rice at the regular prices that the farmers do. But currently we have refined alcoholic drinks, these are called wine and sake. The time and price that it costs to manufacture this drink is very painful. But I will make you a deal, I will only charge you twice as much as the un refined products cost. After that you can sell it for what ever prices."
Quickly a male from one of the larger markets stood upward and shouted toward Sarugaku. "Why should we give you twice as much when we could probably produce it for much cheaper?!" Sarugaku's head shifted toward the side to the male, his voice gentle and soft. "Well once my product comes out the prices on the scrolls will be more expensive then anything else they have. As well the products to make it have to be specially made, so you can waste more money. Or buy it from me and make more of a profit." The market owner sat downward, looking toward the blank paper feeling a bit foolish. "Now our products will take a couple weeks until they are ready completely, but this is the government promising you are going to get the shipments. So don't worry." On Sarugaku's paper he had an arrangement worked out, 2/4 of the money would go directly to the emperor Sun Quan. 1/4 would go to Sarugaku and 1/4 would go to the farmers. The money that would pay for the supply's would come from the farmers, due to it really being their business now and they can expand it if need be. But the money they get should be more then satisfactory.
"Now if you want to place orders we have a box in the corner, place your shop, your name, the amount of what you want. We will calculate the prices and have someone to collect the gold before every shipment. This meeting is over, you all are free to leave." Sarugaku shifted upward and went outside of the room. Head down a bit, a grin spread wide on his face. Happy that he completed a task of massive proportions.
x Speaker - 400-500 Low level Troops (The more persuasive you are the better the troops will be and the more you will get, this is about quality NOT quantity)
x Construction – Self rewarding and 50 coins
x Commerce/Trading – 400 coins (varies with participation)
x Cultivation/Farming – 200 coins and 1 supply train
x Patrolling – 50 coins and 50 Troops
x Scholarship/Learning – 50 Troops and 50 coins
x Planning/General Strategy - 50 coins and 100 Troops
~Crops To Grow~
-Rice
-Grapes
-Sake
-Wine
The pale light of the moon hit the ground and lit it up like a heavenly field. Sarugaku moved toward a building with only a few torches lit. This building would be about the length of a football field. Sarugaku raised his hand and about two hundred men came running in. The stopped and all bowed in sync toward the general. "Men of Wu, we have a simple mission here. Our mission is to farm, and add onto the market of Ru Nan with the goods we make. I know this seems like a job for the trained farmers but it is such an urgency that we need to make this right. I am sure when I ask you all to help me the answer will be yes. We will get started in a week or two, when ever I call you back. Do not fear, I will be learning about farming so all you need to do is follow my orders. Now disband!!!" The men quickly disappeared and the candle lights went out as quickly as they were lit.
~Scholarship/Learning – 50 Troops and 50 coins~
Sarugaku shifted outside of the very large building. His destination simple, the scroll store. As well as paying a visit to local farmers. At the first destination Sarugaku moved toward a scroll store that was about to close, the male reached into his pocket and took out a small scroll of paper. On it was a seal of a General and written on it was the permission to take what ever scrolls were needed from the store. The peasant complied and moved out of the way of the general, holding a candle to light the scrolls titles on farming. The ones that caught his eye he took, in total ten very long scrolls. A couple of them were called things he never heard of, one was called Sake creation,which the scroller said came from Japan. One was called Wine Creation, the scroller said it came in with various scrolls in a massive pile. The rest of the scrolls were simple farming scrolls, how to keep what at a certain temperature. How to use a hoe, etc... The male departed the shop and behind him the scroller closed the doors to the shop. Due to it being such a late hour and who would want to read that late.
Sarugaku shifted into the capital building. Into a secret room that was down in the ground. The male lit up the room with enough candles to make it look as if it was day time in the earth. He laid out the scrolls one by one. The first one was How to use a hoe. It explained to him that you would need to dig them into the ground and make rows for the plants, it was very detailed in the usage of them. On it including the instructions on where to place them, how to fertilize the ground and such. Set aside on another table were the Sake And Wine scrolls. The one scroll took him an entire day and night to finish reading it. Now having all of his meals brought down to him he was very content about being down there all day and night. Only going out to use the restroom. In total it took him ten days to read all the scrolls, that is excluding the Wine and Sake scrolls. Then after reading all the scrolls he had to re read them, this making sure he memorized them completely. In total it took him twenty days, to read and memorize them.Which of course was much later then the date he told his men.
~Planning/General Strategy - 50 coins and 100 Troops~
Figure shifted upward from the desk. The man dressed in twenty day old clothes that were dirty. The man shifted upward, going up the stairs and toward his regular room in Ru Nan. The male got undressed and a Maiden entered the room, bringing him red General armor and setting it on the table. The male entered the shower and cleaned himself quickly, washing his hair, and body. Quickly Sarugaku dried off and dressed in his General armor. The male shifted down the stairs of his room, gently the male whispered toward toward a messenger. Telling him to go and gather up Yuki and Kagon, two of his professional swordsmen. After he got done with telling the messenger the officers he was off.
Not two hours past that the two officers he called for were in front of him and ready to be told what to do. "I need your advice in a few matters. This will involve your swordsmen." The men quickly nodded and followed the General toward a secluded room that included a very small round table and three chairs. On the table was a map of Ru Nan and all the possible farming area. "Now we need to farm a massive amount of Rice, and Grapes. Just as well we need to harvest them and brew them into Wine and Sake. This process will be difficult at first but it will be needed to complete this and increase the income of this city." The officers shook their heads in agreement, Yuki moved his hand toward a small area near the river. Squaring it out with a pencil and speaking in a soft tone. "Here, we will build the crops it would be best due to the fact we can get water and spread it onto the plants quickly." Sarugaku agreed to this statement and approved of it with no problems. "Also we will use hoes, and shovels. The shovels we will dig that area and make it lose enough to plant. The hoes we will use to make rows in the lose area to where we will plant them. We need some stands for the grapes also, we need to place them next to the seed so they can grow on the stick and show their grapes." Sarugaku said with a small smile due to the plans coming together. Also we can get the local farmers to watch over it after we are done with it completely. Agreed?" The men quickly stood and bowed. "Agreed." Sarugaku once more had a small smile on his face, white teeth showing to them. "Go now and gather three hundred men. We have to get this done in three days and plant the seeds. We will meet in that place..." The officers bowed and quickly left the room to go to the barracks.
~Cultivation/Farming – 200 coins and 1 supply train~
It was now around mid day, the General moved toward the football sized building and stood at the very front. Yuki and Kagon standing toward the sides of him. Silver optics looked at the three hundred men in front of him, each of them looked ready for anything and so they were going to get a task that was very odd to them. "Go now my men, collect one shovel and one hoe for each of you. Go to local supply shops and say that it is a kingdom order for each of them to do so. As well I want 50 of you to get fertilizer from the local farmers. Meet up back here in two hours. Go!" The men quickly started to run out from the building, each one going to farming shops and a few of them going to the local farmers to get fertilizer in bags. It sounded like a raid the way the clanking of the tools were being but this simply meant they were doing their best to gather said tools.
After two hours the men had made three piles. One with the shovels stacked high, one with the hoes stacked, and then one with a very large amount of fertilizer. All of the men stood in front of the stand once more, their faces blank as if they were ready to kill at that moment. The males head shifted gently toward his men the expression on his face dull and blank as usual. "Now with what day light we have left grab a shovel and get to the designated spot." The men nodded and ran toward the area, grabbing the shovels as they left the area. The 300 of them marching with the shovels in their arms.
Upon arriving there local farmers were looking at them a big wired, wondering what the military were doing. But they ended up paying no attention to it. The men quickly got into a large formation over the green stretch of land. The commander and his officers quickly road on horses to the scene, on their backs shovels instead of weapons. They jumped from their horses and landed on the ground in front of them. "Alright lets get started, I want this area to be up rooted immediately. Soften the ground and soil after digging up the grass. If you need too grab water form the near by area to help it soften. Me and the officers will be doing the corners so don't worry about that. The General's plan was to make it 150 yards wide and 120 long. So this would mark the day that it all started.
Two hours later it started to get done, the Generals got half of the width done, meaning 75 yards on the top and on the bottom. "Camp out here, we shall continue on the break of day." The men pulled out some sleeping arrangements, meaning tents and such and set up a small camp on the up rooted area.
The next morning the General ordered the tents to be brought down quickly and them to get back to work. After another two hours the width lines were completed. It was time to do the length, meaning one hundred and twenty more yards. The officers and Sarugaku grunted, they started to dig and up root the ground as the men in the middle were turning over ground as fast as they could. Local farmers came over and offered a hand to the men that were working in the middle. Gladly Sarugaku accepted and the farmers got to work with them, with the help of the locals and the military force they finished just before the night fell. Once more the tents were ordered to be put up and they were, they all camped the night there. The meals they were eating being brought out on horses from the capital.
The next morning the general had two horses bring out two carts. One filled with fertilizer and one filled with hoes. "Ok now it's time to make the rows with the hoes. Make a pile of shovels and pick up a hoe then meet on the soil." After about an hour the men were standing on the soil with their hoes and one of the horses was moving back with the shovels to return them to the farmers that they took it from. "Cut off a section here, we are going to plant grapes. Make the space between you and your fellow men about 9 feet away. " The General dragged a hoe across the 150 yards to make a line of where to stop. The area was going to be split into two different sections, one for grapes, one for rice.. "The men in the middle section, this will be for rice. Cut rows about 5 feet apart!."
The men quickly started to get to work. Digging their hoes into the soil and dragging it across the land. They continued to drag it across the soil toward the section. The men trying to get their spaces exactly right, as well as trying to get in straight rows. The general looked at the men and smiled a small amount as a farmer came running toward him, bowing of course before he spoke. "Sire to build grapes you need poles so they can wrap around and grow. This way they can show their grapes to you and it will be more easier to harvest." Sarugaku looked toward the male and nodded his head gently. "Ok, officers go with him. Find all the wooden poles you can, this is an order from the city. Now go!" The officers grabbed to farmers and lifted them on the back of their horses. The officers quickly road off to get carts and poles at the required height. After a few hours the officers came back with the poles in their carts. And on top of the pokes a rather large back of grape seeds. Right when the men were done with the rows. "Ok we will get everything we need today and use it tomorrow. Leave these carts here, rice plant seeds. Now go!" With that command the men were off, bringing back carts right next to the rows of plants. Making sure that they got the right amount of grape and rice seeds. One man brought back a large amount of buckets to poor on the plants. "Alright we will relax today, make camp and we will relax for today. But tomorrow we will get to work once more." The men quickly got camp set up once more, this time all around the supply's they got to make sure bandits didn't try to steal any.
The next morning, right when the sun got up it was time to work. The men broke down their tents once more and set them aside. "Alright, time to plant. I know you will love this. One man to each row. People that are planting grapes place a pole right next to the seed. Also plant the grape seeds very deep, about 27 inch's into the earth. Now Rice farmers, plant the seed and make sure you do not poor to much water on it. Otherwise you will drown the seed. Now move out!!!" The men quickly went toward the supply's, the grape farmers grabbed a handful of seeds and poles. Moving toward their area. They started to place the seeds by digging a very deep hole then dropping it in. Right next to that hole they dug another once for the pole. They continued this process until it was done. The rice farmers dug about a six inch hole and dropped their rice seed in the hole. Watering it afterward. This whole process took almost the entire day to accomplish. "Now, grab the fertilizer and spread it over the area that you planted the plants." The men grabbed a bag and started to spread it along the ground. Once night fell and they were finally around they gathered around for a speech from the general. "Good job men, I will need you to stay here, but go inside the castle and rest in your regular barracks. Come out here seven times a day and check on your plants, make sure they are healthy and what not." The men bowed with a quick "Yes sire!"
~Patrolling – 50 coins and 50 Troops~ Troops used: 10 Commando's & 20 Vet Bowmen
As the men left toward the castle Sarugaku raised his hand upward, a rather small troop assembling behind him. Ten commando's and Twenty veteran bowmen. The men were dressed in complete black with a red sash across their stomach. These troops were the best of the best, in their unit anyway. The twenty bow men spread out in the middle, walking along the rows to patrol. The commander and ten Commando's were running the length of the field that day, stopping once in a while to catch their breath and rest for a little bit.
After patrolling half the night it seemed as if nothing fun was going to happen. Suddenly they started to hear sounds coming from the near by bushes, quickly a band of thief's jumped out and ran toward the supply's that were in the carts. As soon as they came out the arrows came flying from the bowmen. Only 50 theirs so the arrows hit and killed twenty of them. This leaving thirty left for the commando's and him to kill. The commando's quickly threw their knifes, deadly accuracy with every knight, so accurate that only two were left. Sarugaku jumped forward, bringing out his two blades from his back, the bandits raising their arms to strike him. The moment they raised their arms Sarugaku spun on his heel, spinning enough to where he cut one of them in half and the left blade blocked the blade that was aiming to cut him in half. Right hand quickly moved toward the back of the bandit and cut right in him and out the other side. Sarugaku moved upward and flicked his blade a bit, getting the blood off of it before returning them to his sheaths.
Soon, about three months had passed and the plants started to grow in. Sarugaku knew that producing sake and wine was the next step and wondered where to do it at. Once more Sarugaku started to study his scrolls, finding the best methods possible to make such a drink. "Ok men, our new task. Build a few brewery. Collect all the wood you can, also get a couple carpenters to help us with such a task. Now go!" The men quickly left the area, all of them scattering to find already shaped wood and to get the best wood workers in the city of Ru Nan. Upon finding everything they came back to the area. The wood workers came with a price to, which meant that Sarugaku had to pay out of his pocket to complete these tasks. "Ok, split into two separate groups. " The men followed his orders and split into two even groups, each one made of about two hundred men ready and eager to make what ever he ordered them too. "Make two shops, the wine one, dig a huge hole under it and build shelves for them. The Sake shop build another small shop next to it, make sure you supply them with buckets, shelves, counters, everything. I want them to be twice as large as a regular shop. Move out!" The men quickly started to get to work, getting the supply's they needed from the wood workers. They were off to work and the estimate time would be around the time the crops grew into their adult stages, right on time in other words.
After about five months from when this whole operation started the plants finally grew into their adult stages. The shops were done and ready for use. Sarugaku had been waiting for this moment during that whole time he was patrolling the area, and looking over the shops. The men were over joyed and jumped high in the air with joy. The men quickly started to harvest the plants, getting the rice, grapes, and other such things and putting them in clean buckets. "Ok keep collecting, make sure they are ripe, place them in the pots and inform me when everything is collected." The men nodded and continued to pluck the items from the plants.
After about a day everything was plucked and ready to make what ever he wanted out of it. "Ok I will work with the wine first. I want all wine farmers, bring your buckets and follow me!" The men quickly picked up the very heavy buckets and followed the male. Sarugaku went into the very large shop, the men placed their buckets on tables that were constructed during the two month period. "Ok, wash your hands very well and I want two buckets to a person." The men washed up and made sure everyone had two buckets. "Ok, pound the grapes with your hand as much as you can. Smash them apart! Once you are done set them aside and wash your hands once more. This is going to be a clean operation." The men nodded and the pounding commenced, their fists hitting the grapes as hard as can be. Mashing them as much as they could, when each person was done Sarugaku went to the buckets and gave the final decision.
Once everyone was done Sarugaku sent word to local farmers to bring the military warm water, some with yeast mixed in with it. Also a large amount of sugar.. Also Sarugaku sent word to the potters to bring him their biggest pots, which they did in a matter of an hour. Sarugaku gave a large pot to each person, ordering them to throw their mashed grapes inside the large pot and then add the sugar until the grapes absorbed it and it dissolved. After that was done the order was to add the yeast water and mix it until that dissolved as well. Once that was done they added a lot of water until it was about an inch from the top of the pot. "Ok now take these cloths and place them on top of the jars." The men took the cloths, they looked like with very odd holes. The design was meant to let the fumes out and let the fresh air in.
Sarugaku reached downward, fingers wrapping around the handle on the ground. Flinging it open a large hole was in the ground, shelves for the pots were already there. "Now place your pots on a rack and get back up here." The men did as they were told and after they were done Sarugaku patted each one of them on the shoulder and said that their job was done here. The men quickly left to return to their barracks and sleep as much as they could before they were called upon once more for war.
It was now time, the hardest part of this entire mission. Making Sake, since Sake required a special mold that only grows on rice this would be especially hard. Sarugaku moved toward the sake department, the men out there holding the rice buckets. "Ok, send one fourth of the rice to local cooks. Tell them to cook white steamed rice and to bring the results back." The men set off toward the cooks, the men gave the buckets of rice to the cooks.
After about a day they came backed with the fully cooked rice. Carts filled with buckets all over the rice cookers came to the general, the general in return handed them a small bag with gold coins inside. As payment for the rice. "Ok take the rice into the small room. In the small room make it a steam room and make it as humid as possible inside." The men quickly gathered up and bowed, grabbing the rice and putting it inside. "Ok leave it for two days, keep them moist so they grow fungi much quicker then usual." The men nodded and did as they were told, after two days the fungi grew nicely on the rice. The rice being a lovely shade of green.
"Ok, now that we got that over with, send the rest of the rice to cook. Also buy lemon juice from near by vendors, as well as yeast and water. Then go to the pottery shop, buy some small pots, and bring them back." The commander gave gold to the people he sent out to buy the items and they took off toward their destination. After a period of two hours the rice came back as well as the items requested. "Ok men, grab the rice and go into the main shop it is time to make us some sake. Also grab the fungi rice we have made and I will give you instructions."
The men grabbed the freshly made rice and moved into the area with all the ingredient on the tables. "Ok add the rice to the pots. After the rice is in wash it clean with water." The men did what they were told and washed it, they continued and continued to wash the rice. Letting it soak up all the moisture until the rice was deemed clean. "Ok drain the water but not the rice." The men threw the water outside, this leading into a small stream back to the river. The rice still inside of the pots. "Now add a handful of fungi to the rice, then a couple drops of lemon juice." Some of them were disgusted to touch the nasty looking fungi but they did it anyway. Adding a handful then adding the lemon juice to the mixture. "Now add a small amount of yeast and a a good amount of water." Adding a good amount of water was a bit hard, but most of them got it exactly right, which was very good. "Ok, now put the lid on the pots and wrap it with ropes tightly to keep the lids on." The men got small ropes and wrapped it tightly to keep the lids on perfectly. "Now shake it." Quickly the swishing sounds filled the air, mixing the ingredients. "Place them next door with the wine, once a day shake them then put the caps on loosely, enough for the fumes to get out." The men agreed and took the pots to the wine cellar. Placing them on top of the shelves and next to the wine.
~Speech to Farmers~
The men were dismissed and sent back to their barracks along with the wine farmers. Sarugaku went to the square of the city, having his solders guard the shops and vineyards until he returned. "I don't need to tell you about the situation of Wu, Shu, and Wei. I am almost positive that you have heard of the trouble being caused by the news. Well let me tell you, this time of war causes problems with food. Our military needs food as well as you here. Please help us complete this dream and do this."
The area quickly quitted and a lot of people started to consider the concept. "The time calls for farmers, I need men to attend to my brewery and keep my crops healthy and alive. You will get paid by what ever you sell, which means the better the goods you grow the more money you shall obtain." Peasants quickly stood upward and raised their hand to join the cause of being farmers and such. "Let's go." Sarugaku lead them to the working area, giving them scrolls so they could educate them selves. And also setting some of the farming men with them to watch over them.
~Commerce/Trading – 400 coins (varies with participation)~
After everyone was settled in, it was time to talk deals with the local shops and major retailers. Sarugaku called a meeting of the council of shops in the war room. A very wired room to call it in but still. Sarugaku was dressed in very nice clothing, made out of silk. After all he wanted to look his best for the shop makers and such. Gently he shifted toward the front of the table, paper in front of all of them. This was for them to use at their disgression of course. "Ok, so you figure that Rice abs Grapes cost a fair amount correct?" The men in the meeting agreed and nodded their heads yes. "Now, I am willing to sell to you the grapes and rice at the regular prices that the farmers do. But currently we have refined alcoholic drinks, these are called wine and sake. The time and price that it costs to manufacture this drink is very painful. But I will make you a deal, I will only charge you twice as much as the un refined products cost. After that you can sell it for what ever prices."
Quickly a male from one of the larger markets stood upward and shouted toward Sarugaku. "Why should we give you twice as much when we could probably produce it for much cheaper?!" Sarugaku's head shifted toward the side to the male, his voice gentle and soft. "Well once my product comes out the prices on the scrolls will be more expensive then anything else they have. As well the products to make it have to be specially made, so you can waste more money. Or buy it from me and make more of a profit." The market owner sat downward, looking toward the blank paper feeling a bit foolish. "Now our products will take a couple weeks until they are ready completely, but this is the government promising you are going to get the shipments. So don't worry." On Sarugaku's paper he had an arrangement worked out, 2/4 of the money would go directly to the emperor Sun Quan. 1/4 would go to Sarugaku and 1/4 would go to the farmers. The money that would pay for the supply's would come from the farmers, due to it really being their business now and they can expand it if need be. But the money they get should be more then satisfactory.
"Now if you want to place orders we have a box in the corner, place your shop, your name, the amount of what you want. We will calculate the prices and have someone to collect the gold before every shipment. This meeting is over, you all are free to leave." Sarugaku shifted upward and went outside of the room. Head down a bit, a grin spread wide on his face. Happy that he completed a task of massive proportions.
you're such a good guy and you work so bloody hard, even if you do drive me insane.