Empire Rising: Spain

Back at the Royal Palace, Carlo had not yet enjoyed a few days of leisure before Prime Minister Canovas hurriedly reported that a severe drought had emerged in inland Spain, which could potentially affect agricultural yields in some inland areas.

Inland Spain is mostly mountainous, where grapes and other crops are generally grown, rather than grain.

This kind of drought will not significantly affect Spain’s grain harvest, but it will have a more serious impact on Spain’s main export agricultural products, especially grapes.

Upon learning of the severe drought inland, Carlo did not hesitate at all and ordered the government to do everything possible to rescue the affected areas. It is precisely at this moment that the water conservation facilities previously built by Spain are supposed to come into play.

Due to Spain’s geographical location and environment, it is one of the countries on the European Continent with the least rainfall.

Drought is quite common in Spain; it is just not usually as severe as this year.

Particularly in inland Spain, every summer, it is as dry as a desert, which is the greatest disadvantage and limitation of Spain’s geographic environment.

Carlo was well aware of Spain’s characteristic low rainfall, and had already ordered the government to build related water facilities on a large scale several years ago.

Especially in areas with less rainfall, large-scale water facilities must be constructed to ensure the living and agricultural water needs of the people during droughts.

The good news is that these drought-prone areas are not densely populated, and generally a few towns share one water facility, which can basically ensure the local water supply.

The agricultural output in drought-stricken areas is related to the income of local farmers; it still needs to be salvaged. Even if the government pays a greater price for it, it is better than allowing these people to incur severe losses leading to bankruptcy.

Under Carlo’s orders, the government quickly took action, and one directive after another was issued to the areas severely affected by drought.

The morning at the end of a summer brought a hint of coolness, but Anthony was not at all cheered.

He and his wife had breakfast early and went out. A few hundred meters east of their home lay the farmland their family had cultivated for generations. It was now covered with grapevines sprawling over the hills, looking quite spectacular.

Looking at the grapevines laden with grapes, there was no hint of happiness on Anthony’s face; instead, he appeared rather heavy-hearted.

For a grape grower like him, these grapevines sprawling all over the mountain were more important than his own life. Seeing the sun gradually climbing overhead and feeling the warm wind blowing on his face, a sense of despair surfaced in Anthony’s heart.

”When will these drought days end? It hasn’t rained for more than three months, how are my grapevines supposed to survive?” Anthony murmured to himself, holding grape leaves that were already yellowing and wilting, with a glimmer of tears in his eyes.

”Let’s water the grapevines first, Anthony. Ensure this year’s harvest, at least we won’t go hungry.” Anthony’s wife reminded him, pulling him back from despair.

Anthony stood up numbly, nodded slowly, and he and his wife carried their buckets towards the water source a kilometer away.

The so-called water source used to be a lake, and though not large, it used to adequately supply water for the surrounding farmers because rainfall was fairly sufficient.

But since the drought, the lake’s area has been shrinking, eventually turning into a small oval-shaped lake less than 20 meters long and 10 meters wide.

Although it still looked quite large, it should be noted that within a few kilometers around, at least a hundred farmers relied on this water source for their living needs, each family’s water usage was an astronomical number.

Not to mention that all these residents are farmers, and the irrigation water needed for cultivation could not be supplied by this small lake.

Walking with his head down towards the lake, Anthony was suddenly pulled back by his wife, and as he looked up, he saw fear in his wife’s eyes.

”What’s the matter, Sandy?” Anthony looked at his wife.

”Look! There are two groups, oh my god, they’re fighting!” As Sandy exclaimed, two groups of people gathered by the lake seemed to be having a brawl, each wielding sickles and hoes, making quite a ruckus.

”Damn it, how am I supposed to get water now?” Anthony wasn’t concerned about the brawl; he was more concerned about how he could fetch water amidst the chaos, as it was crucial for his grapevines’ harvest and survival in this dry climate.

Many farmers shared Anthony’s thoughts, and slowly more people gathered around the lake. Some joined the fight, while others watched from about a hundred or two hundred meters away, but most were eager to scoop water anxiously.

With more and more people gathering, the commotion soon caught the attention of the patrolling police.

Carlo had a high standard for law enforcement in Spain, ensuring even remote rural areas had local town police patrolling on horseback.

Of course, to ensure the officers’ safety, all the police were equipped with firearms, though they were only low-powered handguns.

Bang! Bang!

The two consecutive gunshots instantly silenced the crowd, and the brawling groups simultaneously ceased, looking towards the direction of the gunfire.

”What’s happening here? Damn it, can anyone tell me what’s going on? Are you bastards trying to start a war here? Trying to cost me my job? Damn it!” Patrol officer Blake walked up angrily, heading straight for the leaders of the fighting groups.