The farmers who signed up for the kingdom's aid were asked questions about the soil, plants they sow, and irrigation facilities at their farms.
Samuel was diligently filling up their information on the forms that were brought by Eric. It also had instructions for matching the farmers with the right equipment and seeds based on the data provided by the farmers.
One of the farmers standing in the queue asked, "Samuel, Aren't the tools lacking in numbers, there are so many of us". The rest of the farmers turned their heads towards the pile of equipment and then at the number of people standing. Even if everyone was given a piece instead of a complete set then also at least half of them would remain empty-handed.
Eric was relaxed and unworried, he had given the management tasks to Samuel. From now on whatever problem came up, it was for Samuel to solve.
Eric was confident about Samuel being fair and just. He had interacted with him twice and had a gut feeling that this man was upright.
If Samuel completed this task without any mistake, Eric would offer him a ministerial position. Who would be more suitable for the minister of farming/agriculture than a farmer himself?
Samuel after a discussion with the smiths came back to his seat and briefed farmers.
The distribution of the tools was based on a first come first serve basis and stocks were limited. The smiths had come with only 300 sets of tools and only 10 bigger plows.
The rest of the farmers would be given a date in order of their registration to collect the tools from the capital.
Eric heard some noises coming over from the registration desk, he went over for a look. He found a middle-aged man with freckles on his face standing in the back of the queue arguing with others that he knew Samuel.
Eric gestured to Evans. Evans walked to the man and said, "Man! Stop bullshitting, as if we would believe you."
The freckled man scanned the plain-clothed newcomer and didn't find anything special, "Huh! What you know. I had helped him more than once. If I ask him he won't even ask any question and give me the plow."
"Heh, As if i would believe you. I bet one gold coin." Evans said.
The freckled man agreed. He broke the queue and moved forward to the reg. Desk, "brother Sam! Remember me" he said, trying to hop over the people crowding in front of the desk.
Samuel was confused at the sudden call, he had heard the voice but couldn't recall. the person again called his name, this time normally. Samuel asked, "Oh, brother Henry! Is that you?". Seeing that, the people in front of the desk made a way for him to approach the desk.
The freckled man smiled and asked Samuel to register his details and allot a plow to him. Samuel looked troubled, Henry, his cousin, had helped him twice. He glanced over other farmers standing and then at his relative. Farmers were quiet, watching the scene in front of them.
Eric's view was obscured by the crowd in front of him, but he heard their conversation and he felt the man was really close to Samuel.
Samuel shook his head and resolutely said to Henry, "Brother, I can't. Please follow the rules"
"But brother Samuel, I helped you in times of need and you now reject -" before he could complete his sentence the farmers pushed him to the back of the crowd.
Under the angry gazes of the farmers, Henry shut his mouth and walked out of the farm without even registering.
Evans patted Eric on his shoulders, "Your highness, congratulations on starting a quarrel between two close cousins."
"Why does it sound weird coming out of your mouth? Oh! How forgetful of me. I remember a person betting something with someone in front of tens of farmers."
"How could you accuse me? I did it because you wanted it." Evans growled. Eric shrugged his shoulders and sat down on his chair.
Those who moved fast and registered themselves early had bright smiles on their faces as they collected the tools allotted to them.
The rest of the farmers consoled themselves glancing at the note in their hands which had the date mentioned when they would receive theirs.
It took the entire evening to sort the details gathered by Samuel and send them to appropriate places.
Only Eric's team and Samuel's family were present. Evans grumbled when he looked at the number of people registered in one day.
Three thousand one hundred people registered today and this number would keep on increasing as the news spreads.
Samuel would visit smaller towns and register the interested people and then, would move on to register farmers at Campbell.
Samuel in his journey would also teach them some good farming techniques to increase the crop yield like making compost, crop rotation.
Eric estimated it would take Samuel a month to complete the task. It was time for him to leave, he didn't want to sit along with Evans in the same carriage. Evans was grumbling over him from the start as if he was spending his money, not of the kingdom...
_________
(today's 2/3)