Shortly after the Minister's Assistant departed, Prince received long-awaited good news.
Sean, a member of the People's Guard, returned from Bishui Port to purchase crop seeds.
As Roland followed the sentry into the courtyard, he saw Sean and several other bodyguards unloading bags of packages from the horse's back.
From the day he left until today, it has been almost a month. His skin appears significantly tanned, and his body has become noticeably thinner.
When Prince appeared, Sean immediately stood up and raised his hand in salute. Roland hurried forward and patted his shoulder, "Well done. What seeds did you bring back?" Sean crouched down and untied the bundle on the ground. "Pearl rice, groundnuts, sugar sticks... I bought all the plants you described in Bishui Harbor. While most of them come from the Fjord Kingdom, Bishui Harbor already has plenty of farmland growing these crops." "Did you ask the merchants about cultivation methods?" "Yes, but they couldn't give specific techniques. They also said these plants would struggle to grow elsewhere without the southern climate." Sean grabbed a handful of golden-orange grains from the bundle and laid them out before Roland. "Your Highness, this is pearl rice. The merchant said I could get it cheaper if I bought it with pearl sticks. But the sticks are too heavy to carry, so I only brought one whole one back—the rest were peeled seeds." Undoubtedly, pearl rice was the corn he knew. He excitedly picked up a grain and examined it in the sunlight. The fruit was slightly shriveled, likely winter-stored stock. Corn naturally yields more than wheat, requires less soil, and with leaf modifications, it might soon replace wheat as Border Town's staple food.
Sean untied another package, revealing a plump, brown-skinned tuber. "This is a 'di dan' (a local term for potato), I've had it at the hotel in Bishui Harbor. Cut into strips and soaked in water, it's crispy and has a subtle sweetness." The familiar sight stirred Roland's emotions. "This is clearly a potato!" He peeled off the mud-covered skin with his fingers, revealing the deep yellow flesh inside. Compared to later varieties, these potatoes were smaller, with darker tubers, and not all grew as perfectly round as eggs. He also noticed long, carrot-shaped tubers in the bag.
"This stuff tastes better when mashed and steamed into a paste." "Uh... Your Highness, have you tried it?" "Well, I did at the royal banquet," Roland decided to lie, as the name "Dìdàn" was too unpleasant. "The royal chefs don't call it Dìdàn, but rather' potato. 'The steamed delicacy is called mashed potato." "So that's how it is, Your Highness. Truly well-informed," Sean sighed, opening the last tightly packed bundle and pulling out a black leather rod. "Your Highness, I believe this crop is the most important. The honey from Port of Clear Water is so affordable largely because of it. From tavern stories, more and more farmlands are switching to sugar cane cultivation. The stalks of this divine plant are surprisingly sweet—after peeling, they yield sugar water at a tenth the price of honey, yet taste as good as honey." "..." Roland wanted to say he'd seen this crop himself and rename it sugarcane, but then thought better of it. It could always be corrected later when the settlers planted it. Sugarcane serves as raw material for sugar production and can even be used to refine ethanol, making it a crop that significantly boosts residents' well-being. Consider this: flour pancakes are bland, but sprinkled with sugar, they instantly elevate the flavor experience. Even a salt-loving person like Roland would be captivated.
"Are there any other crop seeds?" "These are all we have from the Port of Clearwater," he said, pulling five or six small leather pouches from his inner pocket and handing them to Your Highness. "You instructed me to bring back the plant seeds from Graycastle that the town lacks. These were selected by me during my travels through Willow Leaf Town and Dragon Fall Ridge—grapes, soybeans, cotton, flax, and olive tree seeds. The farmers mentioned that most grape varieties are grown by planting cuttings, though seeds can also be used, their germination is extremely slow, and the resulting grapes aren't particularly tasty." "With leaves available, these aren't an issue," Roland thought. Now that he had grape seeds, perhaps he should try growing wheat vines. As for soybeans, cotton, flax, and olives, they were all highly useful crops. First, let the leaves improve the seeds to suit the climate and soil of the Western Border, then distribute them to serfs for small-scale cultivation. Finally, the Ministry of Agriculture would compile the improvements and write a planting manual.
"Your Highness, I have some urgent news to report," Sean whispered. "Regarding the situation at Bishui Harbor." "Does it involve the Three Kings 'daughters?" Sean nodded. "I've been in Bishui Harbor for nearly two weeks. Apart from buying seeds, I've mostly been at the tavern. Rumors say your sister Jasia Wemberton has struck a deal with the Shamans. She's ceded the southern borderlands to them, who now revere her as their queen and obey her commands. During my time here, I've indeed seen many Mojin people on the streets." The Mojin in the Far South... While Border Town doesn't question origins, bringing large numbers of outsiders to settle within the kingdom's borders is a different matter. "Jasia seems to stop at nothing for the throne," Roland thought. "The Shamans are divided into factions. They can't all follow her. Do you know which clans she's allied with?" Sean shook his head. "The Shamans are highly wary of the Graycastle people. Even the Golden Dragon couldn't provide more details. But... something's odd. The day before I was supposed to leave Bishui Harbor, Jasia returned triumphantly from Eagle City. The whole city was celebrating their Queen's victory over the false king Tefiko. Yet the next day, four or five murders occurred, including a victim torn apart by a passerby." "Bishui Harbor then imposed martial law, forcing me to stay there for three extra days." The taverns were all closed, and people gathered in the inn's lobby to discuss the incident. Some claimed it was the false king's revenge, while others blamed the Shamen. A fjord merchant recounted witnessing one of the murders firsthand. The assailant, though not particularly tall, clearly wasn't Shamen, yet possessed strength and speed beyond human limits. The security team that arrived upon hearing the news was slaughtered without a single survivor, and the merchant remained unfazed despite being stabbed multiple times and bloodied. It wasn't until more guards arrived, armed with shields and spears, that he was finally killed. After the martial law was lifted, I didn't dare linger any longer and immediately boarded a merchant ship to return. "You did well," Roland mused. "The Golden Dragon left over from buying seeds doesn't need to be returned to the town hall. Consider it your reward." "Thank you, Your Highness, for the gift!" "Strength and speed surpassing ordinary humans, ignoring the pain of blade wounds—sounds like...the Church's pill." After the guards left, the Nightingale's voice echoed in his ears.
"I agree. But this makes it even more implausible," Roland frowned. "According to Sean, Giasia must have obtained the pill earlier than I did, while simultaneously backing both factions in their struggle for the throne... What are they really thinking?" A shadow of doubt crept into his mind. Could it be that the Church's true objective wasn't to secure a stable Graycastle?