1 JIN(Catty) = 600 gram(1.32277 pound)
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September in Sardinson was not only a season of harvest but also the perfect time for hunting.
In autumn, prey grew fat and their fur was at its finest. During this season, not just nobles and knights, but even commoners would organize hunting parties. They brought homemade bows and weapons into the forests, usually aiming for small game like rabbits and pheasants. Rabbit fur was perfect for winter clothing, while pheasant feathers had recently become highly sought-after decorations for fashionable hats. Plus, both rabbit and pheasant meat were considered delicious delicacies.
Sardinson County also had professional hunters who lived off the forest year-round. However, thanks to the economic boom and their Earl's fondness for hunting—which led to regular beast-clearing hunts—the small game became harder to catch. Many hunters gave up year-round hunting to take up farming or labor jobs instead, which were far safer than roaming the forests.
Still, when autumn arrived and animals were at their fattest, hunters would arm themselves again and head into the woods. Whatever they caught, whether kept for themselves or sold, could fetch a good price.
This year, with Sardinson's rising prosperity, the price of wild game also shot up. And whenever someone wanted to sell their catch, their first stop was always the castle.
Everyone knew the lord of the castle was generous. If the castle wanted the game, peasants were even willing to accept lower prices, because selling directly to the castle allowed them to offset their hunting tax.
According to European law, everything on a noble's land belonged to the lord—land, grass, forests, even the trees and flowers—and, of course, all the animals within. Every time a commoner hunted, they had to pay a tax, especially professional hunters. The tax wasn't in money but in a share of the game.
So every autumn, the castle received a bounty of tax-payment game, mostly rabbits and pheasants. Occasionally there would be wild boars, deer, or foxes too, though these more valuable animals were usually sold rather than offered as tax.
Because fewer hunters had worked during the other seasons, the autumn forests were overflowing with prey this year. As a result, the castle received an even larger bounty than usual.
"Several rabbits and pheasants were delivered again today," reported Lisa, checking over the latest arrivals. "Some of the rabbits are still alive. Should we keep them?"
Among the six maids, Lisa was the only one originally from the kitchens. After becoming Weiwei's maid, she was assigned to liaise between the kitchens and her lady. Every day, she relayed information about available ingredients and the menu. If Weiwei ever wanted to change the menu, Lisa would handle the communication.
Previously, Weiwei often visited the kitchens herself and even cooked when she felt like it. But after her pregnancy was announced, the kitchens became a forbidden territory. Everyone treated it like a danger zone. If she even approached, Butler Barton would appear out of nowhere to politely steer her elsewhere, offering to do anything she needed.
Other forbidden places included the alchemists' tower, the soon-to-reopen candy workshop, and the estate's factory buildings.
The alchemists' tower, in particular, was so dangerous after a previous explosion that Weiwei wasn't allowed within a hundred meters of it.
Given everyone's sincere concern, Weiwei obediently stayed away. Instead, Lisa ran back and forth even more diligently.
As Weiwei sipped today's pork rib soup, she instructed, "Keep any rabbits that are strong enough to survive. How's the rabbit enclosure doing?"
Earlier that spring, Felix had brought back several live rabbits during his hunts. Weiwei had been toying with the idea of raising them ever since. After all, rabbits reproduced quickly—one litter every two months, with three to five babies, sometimes more. They grew fast, their meat was popular, and Pradyans were already accustomed to eating rabbit. By all accounts, they were an ideal livestock animal.
However, wild rabbits hadn't been domesticated here before. Weiwei's knowledge came only from books, and actual breeding required trial and error. The first batch of wild rabbits mostly died, but thanks to Felix's support in catching more, and months of experimentation, most of the new rabbits survived and even gave birth to healthy litters. The slaves assigned to care for them had gained enough experience to start raising them more seriously.
The local rabbits were European hares—larger than common domestic rabbits, with adult weights exceeding five pounds, and some even reaching fifteen. They were hardy, undemanding eaters (grass, tender twigs, tree bark—almost anything), and unlike burrowing rabbits, they didn't dig tunnels. That meant they could eventually be raised semi-free-range by fencing off a hill and building a high enough wall to prevent escape.
Of course, the breeding program wasn't large enough yet for free-range farming. The early generations still had too much wildness and high escape tendencies. So for now, the rabbits were kept in enclosures built in a corner of the castle's gardens.
Monica, the slave temporarily in charge of the rabbits, reported, "Some rabbits recently delivered died, but most survived. They just need some time to adapt."
The caretakers were part of a newly acquired batch of slaves. After the first group had been delivered, Felix and Weiwei continued to buy more and settled them into the "slave village" near the castle. Ironically, many slaves found their new lives better than before, and soon accepted their fate, working hard and diligently, afraid of being sold again if they failed.
Monica paused before adding, "But Madam Nancy has complained a few times about the smell near the rabbit enclosure. Miss Caroline especially loves the rabbits and keeps running over there. Madam Nancy hopes we can move them elsewhere if possible."
Indeed, rabbits smelled bad. Even with frequent cleaning, their enclosures had an unavoidable odor. At first, with only a few rabbits, it wasn't noticeable. But now, after several litters and new wild rabbits added to the population, the smell had become unpleasant.
Especially since the enclosure was located in the gardens. Although tucked away in a corner, it was still close enough for the smell to waft around.
Little Caroline, now two years old, had grown much healthier under Weiwei's care. With her newfound energy, she spent her days either playing in the gardens or chasing the half-grown kittens around the castle. If she wasn't allowed to chase them, she would burst into tears—leaving Madam Nancy helpless and forced to indulge her.
The maids chuckled when they heard Weiwei's question: "Isn't she still chasing the kittens?"
"She is," they said. "But you know she can't catch them. Once she saw the rabbits, she shifted her attention. Now she even asked Madam Nancy if she could have a baby rabbit."
Normally, Madam Nancy would never let Caroline near animals, but the castle's cats were exceptionally well cared for—regular baths, deworming, flea treatments—healthier and cleaner than most humans. Plus, the cats were aloof and refused to approach anyone except their owners, so the toddler rarely had a chance to catch one.
Rabbits, however, were a different story. In other people's eyes, these unbathed rabbits were far from clean.
Weiwei considered this and said, "We can't move the entire rabbit enclosure right now. Here's what we'll do—have the carpenter make a small cage, pick a cute rabbit, and give it to Caroline."
One rabbit would smell much better than dozens, and hopefully, it would satisfy the little girl and keep her from constantly running to the rabbit pens. Madam Nancy would probably accept this compromise.
Monica accepted the order and hurried off to arrange it.
Meanwhile, Weiwei continued reviewing the reports from the other maids.
"The tables and chairs for the front courtyard are ready," another maid reported. "Butler Barton sent someone to ask when we can start setting them up. Also, the paper mill says the exam papers are ready for pickup."
With Felix back, it was only a few days until the recruitment exams. It was time to finalize all preparations.
The exam papers were especially critical. Confidentiality was paramount. To prevent any leaks, everyone involved in printing had been living inside the paper mill, cut off from outside contact. Guards were posted around the clock, and workers were carefully chosen—none of them could read, making it impossible for them to leak the contents even if they wanted to.
Even so, picking up the exam papers had to be done carefully, with castle personnel sent to fetch them directly.
"Tell Felix to send someone to retrieve them," Weiwei instructed. "Once they're back, I want to review the papers myself."
"Yes, madam."
"And regarding the security measures for exam day—"
"Have the Earl handle it," Weiwei interrupted without hesitation. That wasn't something she wanted to get involved in.
Task after task was delegated efficiently. Soon, the exam papers were delivered to the castle, carefully sealed in wooden boxes. Weiwei and Felix sat down to review them together.
The contents of the papers weren't identical—there were three different versions with similar types of questions. Each paper had fifty questions, covering arithmetic, basic law, and territory management. Considering this was the first exam of its kind, with no past papers for reference, most questions were simple: true/false, multiple choice, and fill-in-the-blank. Only the final five questions were long-answer essays, asking how to handle specific work-related problems.
Weiwei had personally written the exams herself. She found them embarrassingly basic and vowed that next time, she would have someone else handle it.
But Felix thought the papers were excellent. After reading them, he realized he couldn't answer about a third of the questions himself. If he had to sit the exam, he might not even pass.
In his view, anyone who could score well on this exam would have a strong grasp of law and management.
"Most people will probably be eliminated after the written exam," Felix predicted grimly.
"Is it that hard?" Weiwei thought it was manageable. She had announced the subjects a month in advance: arithmetic, Prady law, and basic management. If the candidates had used that time to study—even without textbooks—surely they could remember something?
They had even made it easier. The paper mill had printed copies of the Prady Code, which, although a little expensive, was still cheaper than traditional parchment books. It wasn't feasible for every candidate to own a copy, but small groups could pool money to buy one and hand-copy it.
"In the future, we should compile our own Sardinson Code," Weiwei said thoughtfully. "The current law is vague and unreasonable in places. It needs fixing."
The beauty of being a noble lord was that on your land, you could act like an independent king. As long as you paid taxes to the monarchy, you ruled as you wished.
After checking the exam papers and confirming everything was ready, preparations for the exam site began in earnest.
The candidates who had signed up soon received formal invitations from the castle, telling them when to arrive and what to bring.
To prevent chaos, the castle even rented carriages to transport examinees. After taking their tests, candidates would be sent away immediately, allowing the next batch to enter.
On exam day, crowds gathered outside the castle gates to watch. Among them were the young serfs who lived at the church.
Hank, holding his younger brother Chimi's hand, stood at the edge of the crowd, watching enviously as examinees were brought into the castle by carriage.
He desperately wished he could be one of them. But this exam had an age restriction: no one under fifteen could participate. Hank, still too young, was ineligible, as were most of the young serfs. Today, all they could do was watch the students they had tutored go in for the exam, their hearts filled with envy.
Still, envy didn't stop them from dreaming. Most of the young serfs were girls, and although there was no gender restriction, many assumed that women, even if they passed, wouldn't be given jobs. Very few girls had signed up; most chose to observe for now.
But deep down, they hoped the few female examinees would perform well, and that the castle would hire them. If that happened, next time they would definitely take a shot too.
After the first batch of examinees entered and the gates closed, the spectators gradually dispersed. Only Hank and Chimi remained, staring wistfully at the towering castle.
"Brother, are you sad?" Chimi tugged at Hank's sleeve timidly. He wasn't good at studying and had never dreamed of taking the exam, but he knew his brother was among the best students, and even trusted to teach others. If Hank could have taken the exam, he would surely have excelled.
"I'm not sad," Hank said, snapping out of it. He looked down at his brother. In the half-year, since they arrived in Sardinson, both had grown taller and stronger. Life here was good, and he was content.
"Don't be sad, Brother! We'll take the exam in a few years!" Chimi encouraged him. "When you're old enough, you can pass!"
Hank smiled, feeling a renewed sense of hope. "You're right. We'll work hard together!"
"Together?" Chimi looked miserable. "But I want to be a knight..."
He wasn't good at academics, but after starting physical training with the soldiers—and more recently with the knight squires—Chimi had found a new dream: becoming a knight under the Earl's command.
In the past, such a dream would have been laughable. They could barely feed themselves, let alone afford a knight's training, armor, and horse. But now, as serfs under the Earl, they had real opportunities.
Hank dreamed of becoming a steward or an official, serving the Earl administratively, while Chimi dreamed of serving him as a knight. Neither dream was impossible.
Hank's wages as a tutor would soon start coming in. Later, he could work more jobs, maybe even take the civil service exam once he was older. With a steady income, helping Chimi afford knight training wouldn't be out of reach.
Even if they started as minor knights without prestigious titles, as long as the Earl accepted their service, they would be real knights.
"You still need to study, even if you want to be a knight," Hank lectured. "The Earl and the Lady prefer educated knights. An illiterate knight has no future."
Knowledge was precious. The more Hank learned, the more he understood that. He vowed to make sure both he and Chimi studied hard.
Holding onto that thought, Hank gave one last look at the closed castle gates, then took Chimi's hand and led him back toward the church.
Their new homes were nearly complete. Soon, the young serfs would move out of the church and into their cottages. They needed to spend today—one of their few free days—packing up.
Outside, the crowd thinned. Inside, the exams had begun.
The castle's front courtyard was a massive plaza, often used for public gatherings on major holidays. It was big enough to hold thousands, so seating a few thousand examinees for written tests was no problem.
The first batch had over 3,000 candidates. They found their assigned seats according to their registration numbers. Long tables stretched in neat rows—twenty-plus rows, each seating seventy to eighty people. Space was tight; elbows almost touched. But no one complained or dared to whisper or glance at others' papers.
There were too many "proctors" watching.
Every aisle between tables had two soldiers patrolling back and forth. More soldiers stood guard around the perimeter. Even the castle walls above were lined with guards. In total, there were over 200 proctors.
Cheating was nearly impossible. Early in the exam, a few candidates caught trying to cheat were immediately dragged out, and banned from ever taking the exam again. After that, no one dared risk it.
Especially since some candidates noticed two figures standing on the third-floor balcony overlooking the courtyard—the Earl and his Lady.
Who would dare misbehave under their watchful eyes?
The exam lasted two hours. The first session ran from 7 AM to 9 AM, followed by the next group at 10 AM, and a third group in the afternoon.
During the exam, Weiwei and Felix stayed on the third-floor balcony, not just idly watching but chatting quietly and occasionally pointing out suspicious candidates for the maids to notify the guards about.
In preparation for the exam, Weiwei had commissioned a prototype telescope. Although the magnification wasn't very high, it was perfect for observing examinees at this range.
The telescope could split into two monoculars, so both Weiwei and Felix had one. Felix, seeing it for the first time, immediately grasped its military potential. He was fascinated, tinkering with it constantly.
Below, any examinee who glanced up would see the Earl holding some strange device pointed their way—and would immediately duck their heads and focus harder.
"This thing is amazing," Felix marveled. "It's just a little blurry. It'd be better if it was clearer."
"This is just the craftsmen's first try," Weiwei explained. "They're working on improving the clarity and magnification. The next batch will be better."
Sardinson had a huge demand for glass. Previously, they had purchased glass from merchants in neighboring counties. Now, they had invested in a joint glass factory there. As part of the deal, several skilled glassmakers had been sent to Sardinson, working in a small workshop near the estate.
It was these craftsmen who had created the first telescope—and many more innovations were on the way.