Chapter 114 Hybridization Problem
The Snowfield Cavalry is responsible for mobile operations, while the Heavy Armor Sword Guards and Ice Bow Hunters are responsible for cooperating with the ice-breaking beasts.

The blacksmith in Mole Town is making heavy armor for the Icebreaker.

By then, the five ice-breaking beasts will be fully armed, with two ice bow hunters standing on each to shoot arrows from a distance and two heavily armored sword guards fighting in close combat.

Capable of both offense and defense, the Icebreaker will transform into a steel chariot on the battlefield and crush all enemies in its path!
This is the case with extraordinary troops, in addition there is also the construction of ordinary troops.

The Royal Guard Battalion now only has 102 cavalrymen, and Rhodes plans to purchase another 200 war horses.
In the subsequent development, the number of plate cavalry will be increased to one hundred, responsible for charging into battle.

Make sure the number of rangers equipped with short bows and swords reaches 200, and let them plunder and harass the enemy.

It costs 500 gold coins to buy a warhorse.

Mole Town can provide some plate armor, but its production capacity is limited.

Rhodes also needs to purchase eighty sets from the fortress, costing 320 gold coins.

After counting all the expenses one by one, Rhodes couldn't help but sigh again.

Building an army is indeed a bottomless pit.

He finally got more than 2000 gold coins, which seemed to make him rich.

But when we really started to form a large army, we found that this amount of money was totally insufficient.

It feels like I haven’t even spent much yet and my gold coins are almost gone.

If it weren't for the booming business development in Hekou Town, he probably wouldn't even be able to support the daily maintenance of the army.

Fortunately, the training of soldiers, which was the most troublesome task for other lords, was not a problem for Rhodes.

Under the system of promotion based on military merit, the training model within the army has been formed, and there is also golden bread to enhance physical fitness.

One month of special training is enough for ordinary soldiers to reach the standards of Rangers.

With Rhodes' description, the four people had a clear picture of the army's development in the next month.

In the meeting room of the government building, Lunsa could no longer maintain her pretended calm expression.

The majestic cavalry formation and the invincible ice-breaking beast formation emerged in her mind.

Her delicate face flushed with excitement and she couldn't help but let out a girl's exclamation.

No one blamed her, because the other three knights were also very excited after hearing Rhodes' description, and their hearts began to beat violently.

At this moment, they clearly saw the grand future of the territory.

It will stand forever in this bad land of the north and become the subject of praise among people.

And I feel sincerely honored to be able to participate in it.

Seeing that the pie-in-the-sky was successful, the four men were excited as if they had been injected with chicken blood. Rhode was in a good mood and continued:
"The second thing is the upcoming military competition. Noah, you need to select the 40 most elite cavalrymen from the Royal Guard Battalion based on their riding and swordsmanship to serve as the Snowfield Cavalry."

"Holmes, you need to select the ten most elite infantrymen from the Iron Wall Battalion who are good at weapon combat and close combat to serve as heavy armor sword guards."

"Loren, you need to select ten of the most elite longbowmen from the Archery Camp to serve as ice bow hunters."

Rhodes told them, "I got a reply from Governor Elena. In about a month, a group of refugees from the southern part of the Principality will arrive here. The number will be around 5,000."

"The army will start a new round of recruitment by then. I will decide the number of people to be added to the Third Battalion based on the results of this competition. I hope you can give me a satisfactory result."

The three knights pounded their chests and said solemnly, "Please rest assured, I will let the soldiers exert their full strength and will never let you down!"

Rhodes nodded: "Then let's wait and see."

As the meeting was about to end, Rhode said to the four people:
"The turmoil in the North is imminent. The White Frost Cult is just the beginning. The challenges we will face will only become more severe. This is a crisis but also an opportunity. Seize every second! Let our names be passed down forever on this snowy plain!"

"Yes, sir!" the four responded excitedly in unison.

As everyone left the conference room and returned to their respective territories, the military competition began in full swing.

Today, the territory's army is closely connected with its residents.

As the soldiers were mobilized, the three territories became lively as if it were a festival. With his men to share his worries, Rhode did not have to worry too much about the army except for regular inspections.

After deciding on the general direction of development, he was able to devote his energy to solving another big problem in the territory.

lack of food.

After the Northern Frost Principality was hit by a cold wave, despite the assistance from the Great Plains of the Kingdom, the problem of food shortage was not completely solved.

The current price of food is still twice the normal price.

When the 5,000 subjects promised by Governor Elena arrive, the number of Rhodes' subjects will reach 10,000.

This also means that the monthly food consumption in his territory will reach 450,000 pounds.

If he relied solely on external purchases, it would cost him 360 gold coins a month, which would seriously affect the development of the territory in all aspects.

The high-quality barley from the Demon Field can provide 40,000 pounds of food per month.

It can only meet the needs of the army but cannot change the current situation of food shortage.

Rhodes rushed to the experimental field near the Demon Field and looked at the hybrid barley planted there.

Thanks to his skill of Moonlight Condensation, he can now use the Eye of True Vision to directly observe the spirituality of plants.

His eyes swept across the hybrid barley plants grown here, and finally stopped at the three acres of experimental field.

【Cold resistance (weak)】

This is the magical trace of hybrid barley.

They were selected by Rhodes from countless hybrid barley.

After experiencing the magical influence of the cold wave, it finally grew up successfully and consolidated its own cold-resistant characteristics.

These three acres of hybrid barley have matured, and the yellow-brown ears of wheat are swaying in the wind.

"The yield is about 260 pounds per acre. Once the land in the valley plain is deeply plowed and peat fertilizer is applied, the yield should be much higher."

Rod carefully observed the harvest of wheat ears. "It is estimated to be around 300 pounds per acre, which is not bad."

Wait until the 50,000 acres of arable land in the river valley plain are completely reclaimed.

Even if hybrid barley is only planted once a year, 15 million pounds of grain can be harvested each year.

The territory's 10,000 people consume only 5.4 million pounds of food a year, which is enough to support development to a scale three times the current population.

On the other side of the river valley plain, there is help from burrowing worms and herds of yaks.

Tens of thousands of acres of arable land have been opened up, waiting for seeds to be planted.

Rhodes collected the wheat ears from the three acres of hybrid barley and prepared to start planting there.

But during the observation process, he suddenly discovered a problem.

These seeds are fine and can produce cold-resistant crops, but their next generation likely will not.

Barley is self-pollinating, and hybridization can allow it to have the special advantages of its parent.

But the next generation it reproduces will degenerate and return to its original cold-intolerant trait.

Unless Rhodes continued to use high-quality barley for hybrid pollination, the seeds of hybrid barley could only be planted for one generation.

The good news is that he doesn't have to worry about the seeds being leaked and can sell them to anyone else.

Anyway, without the pollination of higher-grade barley, no one else can cultivate cold-resistant barley.

The bad news is that if the pollination problem is not solved, he will have to cut off the stamens of each plant and pollinate manually, which will tire him to death.

(End of this chapter)