Raising cattle and sheep took too long; a cow needed two or three years to grow large enough for slaughter.
Raising pigs? Pigs consumed a lot of grain, and for the commoners, the grain they grew was barely enough for themselves.
Arthur's eyes grew brighter and brighter; he seemed to see a completely new path.
Only rabbits!
Low investment, quick returns, extremely low demand for fodder and space; their reproduction rate was astonishingly fast.
Rabbit meat could solve the most basic food problem; although it was said that only eating rabbit meat could starve a person, it could at least ensure his people had some fat in their stomachs.
Rabbit fur and rabbit wool could be spun and woven, made into soft leather, crafted into gloves, hats, and even warm winter clothes; even rabbit droppings were excellent fertilizer, capable of improving the soil of barren land.
A complete, almost waste-free industrial chain quickly formed in his mind: The Westeros Rabbit Tycoon!
Arthur suddenly leaped up, and Brin, startled by his sudden movement, sat down on the ground.
His voice suddenly became high-pitched and powerful: "Go call Olivier!"
By the bonfire, the atmosphere abruptly shifted.
Olivier and the soldiers hurried over, seeing an unusual gleam in Arthur's eyes—a look of extreme excitement and focus.
Brin was still stunned, holding the remaining half of the roasted rabbit, somewhat at a loss.
Olivier was the first to speak, keenly sensing that his lord surely had some peculiar idea: "Lord Arthur, you called for me?"
Arthur pointed to the roasted rabbit meat in Brin's hand.
"Olivier, how long do you think it would take for all our commoners to be able to eat this?"
Olivier paused, looking at the unknown meat in Brin's hand, then fell into thought: "My Lord, meat is the exclusive privilege of nobles and the wealthy."
"For ordinary farmers, it's good if they can have it a few times a year.
To let everyone eat it, I'm afraid..."
He did not finish, but his meaning was clear: it was almost an impossible feat.
"What if I told you I have a way for them to eat it whenever they want, within a year?"
Arthur pointed to the rabbit, his tone filled with undeniable confidence.
Brin and Olivier exchanged glances, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes.
Lucien even scratched his head, asking naively: "Lord Arthur, are you planning to use the spoils of war to buy cattle and sheep for the commoners?"
Arthur laughed; he picked up a branch and drew a simple diagram on the ground.
"No, I'm not talking about cattle and sheep."
He used the branch to point at the half-rabbit in Brin's hand.
"I'm talking about this."
Brin's mouth hung open, eyes wide, as he held up the rabbit in his hand, completely uncomprehending.
Arthur stood up and paced in front of the fire.
"I want to massively promote rabbit farming in my territory!"
"Especially in the High Mountain region, where the farming environment is harsh!"
This idea was so novel that Olivier stood frozen, not reacting for a moment.
"My plan is as follows!"
"On a household basis, every family will receive a pair of healthy breeding rabbits from us for free."
"We will teach them how to build rabbit hutches, how to feed, and how to prevent diseases."
"The food source for rabbits is very simple: wild grass, leaves; they hardly require any grain consumption."
Arthur extended his finger and continued.
"This is not just food!"
"Rabbits that aren't eaten can be sold to us."
"We will establish a unified collection point; rabbit fur and rabbit wool can be processed by us into leather gloves, leather hats, and even leather clothing!"
"These things can fetch good prices in winter!"
"It will allow everyone to participate and everyone to benefit!"
Arthur's gaze swept over everyone; they all showed puzzled expressions.
He knew it was because they didn't know how many rabbits a pair would become after a year—over fifty!
What if there were two pairs! Three pairs! Four pairs! Five pairs!
What did this mean?
It meant that every family, besides porridge and black bread, would always have meat on their table every day; rabbit meat that they couldn't finish, that they'd eat until they vomited.
"I want my commoners to know that by following me, Arthur, not only will they not starve, but they will live a good life they never dared to imagine before, with meat to eat every day!"
The bonfire crackled, illuminating several shocked and bewildered faces.
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