You decide to spend some of the Crown's savings to get foodstuffs for the people who will be hungry very soon.
4
The initial procurement plan falls short of its goal, but no one should suffer more than few days of fasting this year!
866 AD, Midsummer
Congratulations! Your wife gave birth to yet another daughter. She named her Beadda, after a high-profile queen from the last century.
866 AD, Late Summer
And speaking of previous centuries, the once-per-century Festival of Caor is drawing near! Caor was a semi-legendary King of Luathbas who slain a dragon, tricked a witch and then defeated a half-ogre usurper and his seven sons, but in achieving that angered many of the Gods by stealing their artifacts, and only his wife Nylla protected him from their wrath.
The peasants emulate this by going on hunts or doing many hard chores and then their wives 'save' them with meals or by drawing them from military career. While nobody had anything against that during the old timey drafts and fodder tactics, nowadays...
"My liege, I protest. Our army has its own laws and requirements now, and we can't allow the commoners to be excluded from the mandatory military service just because of some traditional festival!" The Marshal is pushed aside by the Archpriest.
"Sire, this is a festival that comes up once per century to commemorate an ancient hero that is praised by nobles and peasants alike. Surely you can forgive those who will choose to leave the Army on behest of their wives."
"National security is more important than cultural traditions!" The Archpriest glares at the Marshal, and then speaks again.
"My liege, it is also customary for the Crown to donate a large amount of money for the preparations of the market reenactments of the Caor's Deeds, and the rituals and feasts surrounding that event. May I beseech you to sponsor this event?" After a while, you reach a decision...
About the military exemptions...
A) We need the Army to maintain its cohesion. Any men leaving it during Festival of Caor are to be treated as deserters.
B) Few hundred or so of men leaving the Army once per hundred years? Please, we survived worse, we can survive
that as well!
About the Crown donations for the festival...
A) Sure, festival sponsorship it is.
B) Nay, the Cult can manage on its own.
EDIT: Do we have enough material to put SPAMKINGDOM on Bay12 Forumgames TVTropes page??