Free Web NovelAfter watching the Fireback Turtle Charm experiment, Louis turned to leave the experimental field. As he took a step, he glanced back and noticed Sif, her face flushed, still standing there, intently watching the male Fireback Turtle enthusiastically rubbing against the back of the fake female turtle.
Louis couldn't help but chuckle, "Alright, seen enough? I need to inspect the greenhouses in the agricultural area later, you can come along and learn something."
"Ah?" Sif suddenly snapped back to reality, her face flushing all the way to her neck. She quickly stammered, "I, I wasn't looking!"
But her flustered appearance was a dead giveaway.
"Alright, alright," Louis said, waving his hand with a smile, "Let's just pretend you didn't look."
Sif mumbled softly, "I really wasn't looking—"
In the cold wind, the two rode their horses towards the agricultural greenhouses.
Ahead, the outlines of a dozen or so greenhouses had already appeared under the grey sky, like warm mounds rising from the snow.
As she approached, Sif smelled a warm, damp earthy scent, along with a faint plant aroma.
In this cold world, the scent seemed particularly unreal, as if it had escaped from another season. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
The greenhouse area was neatly arranged, seventeen in total at a glance, each clearly numbered.
The exteriors were tightly wrapped in animal hides and burlap, with wisps of warm air escaping through the gaps, as if breathing softly.
Louis stopped in front of the nearest one and lifted the curtain.
"Come, take a look."
A wave of warmth immediately surged out, as if stepping from deep winter directly into early spring.
Inside the greenhouse, greenery abounded, with rows of quick-growing vegetables neatly lined up, glistening with moisture.
Further in, the leaves of winter radishes spread out, their roots already plump and round, as if proudly showing off.
Sif blinked, noticing silver-white material wrapped around the four sides of the greenhouse, like coarse ribbons, faintly shimmering.
"What is this?" She looked up, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
"Reflective layer," Louis said concisely.
Sif looked closely and realized that not only the outer layer, but also the areas against the walls inside the greenhouse had several polished, gleaming stone slabs that almost reflected a person's image.
Even the burlap in the corners was interwoven with fine silver threads, faintly glowing in the dim light.
"As long as there's a hint of light during the day, these can 'guide' it all in, wasting not a bit," Louis explained casually, then raised his hand to point at a few faintly glowing minerals hanging from the greenhouse ceiling.
"These are mid-grade light stones bought through the Merchant Guild, and the entire greenhouse has also been made into a reflective box structure, so it can be used with just a little sunlight." freewebnøvel.coɱ
Sif knew this must have been Louis's idea, because his mind was always full of strange but very useful things.
She squatted down, her fingertips gently touching a tender green leaf.
Her fingers still carried the coldness from outside, but what she touched was a clear, living warmth.
"In this kind of weather—" she murmured softly, a hint of disbelief in her eyes, "—vegetables can actually grow?"
Louis was also surprised; he had only proposed an idea, and Mick had executed it so well. He was indeed the agricultural genius recognized by the system.
Just then, Mick emerged from another greenhouse.
He was covered in wet mud, but his face held an irrepressible smile, radiating warmth, as if he were the only warm sun in the cold weather.
"Lord, Lord Louis!" Mick hurried over, his smile simple and honest.
His gratitude for Louis was evident; he was once merely a slave, but now he had not only been freed but also appointed as the Red Tide Territory's agricultural officer.
He had married a native widow with three children, and his life was stable.
And now his wife was pregnant again.
Louis surveyed him, then chuckled teasingly, "Well, Mick, you're living quite comfortably, aren't you? How ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) long has it been, and you're adding a new member already?"
Mick's ears instantly turned red, and he quickly lowered his head, scratching his head with a simple laugh, unsure what to say.
Seeing this, Louis waved his hand, "Alright, you should introduce the situation here. Let her also gain some knowledge."
"Yes! Lord Louis." Mick then put away his smile, straightened his back, and stammered out his report:
"Cu-currently—a total of seventeen greenhouses have been built, with a total area of three thousand four hundred square meters!
The quick-growing vegetables have completed one rotation, and the harvest has ex-exceeded fifty baskets.
Winter radishes have also been planted in the ground, and it's ex-expected that in about another month—the first batch can be harvested—"
Although Mick still stammered when speaking, every detail was explained clearly.
Louis listened as he walked deeper into the greenhouse.
Underfoot was soft soil, and occasionally a few drops of water fell from above. The greenhouse was filled with the scent of damp earth and fresh grass.
He squatted down, plucked a quick-growing vegetable leaf, and gently rubbed it between his fingers; the tender leaf was crisp and full of juice.
He then reached out and parted a radish seedling, revealing a shallow, plump root, clean and firm.
"Well done, Mick. Your execution is very precise." Louis stood up, brushed the mud from his hands, turned to Mick, and nodded with a smile,
"Next, let's explore some medicinal herbs and cold-resistant grains so our people can have fresh vegetables even in the cold winter."
His gaze swept over the rows of greenhouses, and he added, "Build more, expand the scale further."
Upon hearing this, Mick quickly nodded in agreement, "Yes! Lord Louis, I, I will do my best!"
After leaving the greenhouses, Louis and Sif rode slowly along the Red Tide River.
The north wind howled, and the area along the river was a vast expanse of white snow.
Sif wrapped her cloak tighter, her nose red from the cold, but her eyes curiously looked around.
"Are they—fishing?" she asked softly, pointing ahead.
Following her gaze, sections of the river on both sides were cordoned off with thick hemp ropes, interspersed with a few temporarily erected cloth shelters.
Fishermen, clad in heavy leather clothing, were busy on the frozen river surface, occasionally sounds of ice being struck echoed, carrying a bone-chilling cold.
"Yes, the winter fishing grounds." Louis pulled on the reins, leading his horse closer, "Let's go, take a look."
Several fishermen were gathered by an ice hole, skillfully pulling up fishing nets.
With a flash of water, silver, lively fish flopped onto the ice one after another, wriggling and kicking up fine ice chips.
"Lord Louis, why have you come in person!" The fisheries officer, Luke, hurried to greet him, a pleasing smile on his face, "This is a good omen, you see, here, this year, it's—"
"Less flattery. Just tell me the current situation." Louis interrupted him.
Luke chuckled, rubbing his nose, "Yes! Reporting, my Lord!"
He pointed to the fishing net by the ice hole, his eyes filled with unconcealed pride, "The first phase of the winter fishing grounds is complete, and the under-ice fishing net system is officially in use. Now, each hole can stably produce about thirty fish daily—"
Louis glanced at the pile of lively, jumping fish and nodded.
While this yield wasn't particularly large, it was stable, and the key was its sustainability.
"Not bad," he murmured, a hint of approval in his tone, "Continue to improve the net layout, don't slack off, and raise the efficiency even more."
"Yes!" Luke immediately responded upon hearing Louis's words.
Sif stood to the side, hugging her cloak tightly, her gaze following the lively fish being pulled up one by one.
Somehow, a warm, indescribable feeling suddenly welled up in her heart.
She tilted her head and looked at the man standing in front.
Louis's figure was straight and tall, his expression calm, and he spoke unhurriedly. Even when facing the most trivial public welfare projects, he was meticulous.
Sif's gaze softly changed, and she couldn't help but murmur, "Truly—amazing—"
Louis turned his head, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of her deep blue eyes, bright and sparkling, with a hint of flustered evasion.
He paused, then gently pinched her cheek, smiling, "Let's go, we're returning to the castle."
Sif's ears instantly burned, and she mumbled softly in response, "Mm."
