Empire of India: Rise of the Ruthless Prince

"I shall get going, brother. Have fun with your lover." Harsha smirked.

Bhairava sighed and decided not to respond to the taunt. Harsha and Viswa were leaving back to the capital as they needed to attend to the other needs in the kingdom.

He chose to stay back in Cochin to help Vikrama and his daughter get accustomed to the city.

Shraddha waved back at Viswa with a light smile. She chatted with Viswa for some time during their tour. Although sometimes awkward, Shraddha found him incredibly intelligent about the place. She couldn't muster up the courage to talk to the Emperor.

The man was sometimes different in her eyes. He was cold and calculating but at the same time relaxed and nonchalant. Bhairava didn't seem to be scared of him but she was definitely a bit scared in his presence. Despite this, she had a feeling of safety since Bhairava was with her.

"Take care." Bhairava waved his hand to Harsha. "Don't do anything, reckless like before."

The carriage left with the huge contingent of guards following them close for security.

"Reckless?" Shraddha looked puzzled.

"Oh that?" Bhairava scratched his cheek with the prosthetic hand.

"He annexed a whole kingdom a few weeks ago."

"Huh? WHAT?"

That was the moment Shraddha realized that the Emperor was much scarier than she thought.

After a few days of travel, Harsha could see the capital city in the distance. He was finally returning to the capital after the brief trip to Cochin. The academy of Cochin was the only one he actually visited due to the lack of time. The level of work was similar in all other places so he didn't have to worry.

The reason he visited Cochin was due to its location. It was located to ensure that the inland incursion would be harsh. It could also act as forward bases if the harbour defenses give out.

Military academies would keep increasing in numbers as time passed. He laid the foundation of a very disciplined army. The academies would be spilling out the top-quality talent into the army each year. The average age of the army also would be kept relatively on the lower side. It would make the army more strong.

As the carriage was nearing the city, Harsha's gaze fell on the lively city preparing for the upcoming harvest festival. It was that time of the year where the farmers harvest and start a new agricultural cycle for the year.

They conduct some ritual and invoke the blessings of the gods for a good harvest next season. During this time of the year, the houses will go through a lot of cleaning and preparations will be made for the harvest and upcoming rituals. New clothes were brought by the populace. The trade would be booming during this season.

The activities around the temples would be in full swing. Merchants from different parts of the Empire gather in the capital for the harvest festival. New stalls with festive goods would be set up all around the capital. The stone-paved roads would be illuminated by the lights from the festive mood.

The devotees would soon flock to the temples to pray and it would be packed with festive dances and games. It was going to be huge this time around, as the harvest was much better than the previous year and with the new Emperor's reign. It was going to be a big harvest festival.

"Viswa, what about that old farmer?" He asked. "Have you gotten the results yet?"
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Gopalakrishnan, the old farmer that was tasked with the new method of farming. He intended to have him test that method out before he could spread it all around the Empire. It would increase the yearly yield by a lot.

"Not yet. He mentioned it would be ready soon." Viswa responded with a smile.

He knew that the old farmer had worked hard on the method provided by Harsha. He followed the methods with the utmost dedication. He even learned how to read and write during Viswa's instructions.

Gopalakrishnan was a man who was dedicated to his craft and didn't half-assess the job. The book contained the four-field crop rotation method. This was particularly useful when you have a lot of arable land.

The plots were divided into four equally and each one would have different crops. One field would have legumes for nitrogen fixation into the soil and increasing it's fertility. The other field was usually grown with root vegetables or leafy vegetables to consume the nitrogen and nutrients fixed by the legumes.

The third field would be the grain field that would be cultivated for the grains that were the staples in the subcontinent, like wheat and rice. The last field would be left fallow for the rotation or just with grass for pastures. The cattle would have steady food in that field. The field was rotated over four years in this way. This method would have a lot of yield increase. It would allow the Empire to be self-sufficient and also sell a lot of grains and food to the neighbours and Europeans. It would become a gold mine for the Empire in the long run.

"Your Majesty! Why not head to the fields?" Viswa asked with an expectant look.

He was a little hesitant since Harsha was royalty. Despite this, he wanted to show the old man's field and his success to the Emperor. The man was one of the few people, including the Emperor, he genuinely liked and wanted to protect.

"Sure. We can go. I want to check the progress as well."

Viswa's face lit up and he ordered the carriage to head to the outskirts of the capital, where the fields of the old man were located. He was given the fields by Harsha for experimenting with the methods. He was also supplied a lot of resources from the royal palace.

It was a meager amount for Harsha compared to the profits he could reap if turned out to be successful. The same amount was a lot of investment for Gopalakrishnan, who did his best to meet the expectations of the Emperor.

After a while of travelling, the royal carriage of the Emperor trodded into the field managed by the old farmer. He got out and took a deep breath of fresh air mixed with the scent of earth. The fields were properly maintained and were made as he wrote in the book. The crops were nearing the harvest.

Gopalakrishnan lived in a small cottage made for him by the guards near the fields. He was also assigned some guards to save him in case some wildlife came into contact with the fields.

The old farmer hurriedly to the fields as soon as he heard that the Emperor was coming. He did a slight bow and greeted Harsha.

Harsha nodded with a smile. "So when is the harvest?"

"Umm…It will be during the harvest festival, Your Majesty."

Harsha patted the shoulder of the old man. "You look a lot healthier. Nice, how did you like the method?"

"It was exceptional; this method allows us to cultivate year-round without having to worry about fertility since we retain it by planting root vegetables and legumes."

"This is genius."

"Have you completed the report with the estimated harvest for now?"

"I believe so, but it is a rough estimate. We need to wait till the harvest to check the actual amount, Your Majesty." He said it with a cough. "Although I can guarantee it would be way more than the old method. This would significantly boost agricultural output in the Empire."

"What fertilizer did you use?"

"Hmm..it's the same fertilizer, manure, and biowaste from the leftover foods and plants."

"I see, this is great. Fetch me the report, Viswa." Harsha ordered.

"It's in the drawer in my study room," Gopalakrishnan directed.

Viswa went to fetch the report.

"How is he?" Harsha asked. "Was he good?"

"Absolutely, I have known him for a while. He doesn't make mistakes."

Harsha smiled. "After all, I chose him."

"He still has a way to go to cement himself in the Empire." Harsha explained. "He seems fond of you. Keep in touch with him."

"Of course. He is like a son to me." Gopalakrishnan smiled.

"That's great to know. He might get into some roadblocks in the future." Harsha said seriously. "Your presence might help him a lot at that time."

Gopalakrishnan nodded.

Viswa came back with the report after a while.

Harsha skimmed through the report with a dark smile. The report was exactly like he expected. The experiment was a success. He just needed to pass this method on to the farmers.

He handed it back to Viswa with a smirk. "Viswa, you will pass this method to every farmer in the Empire." He turned to the carriage. "I expect good results."

"Huh?" Viswa looked confused. "Do I have to pass it in the royal council?"

"Of course. You will be my proxy."

"But your Majesty. This is an important matter. Are you sure?"

"Are you not confident?" Harsha glanced back. "You have to face this hurdle to reach your goal."

Viswa stayed silent.

"And I would be busy with forging an alliance with the Marathas." Harsha smirked.

"You are my proxy. You have the power and intelligence to draft a plan for this. Show your abilities to everyone. This is your chance." Harsha declared.

Viswa clenched his fist with a determined look.

"I shall not disappoint you, Your Majesty."

He smiled at the determination in Viswa's eyes.

"Now that's more like it."