Chapter 61: Deus Ex Machina

At the end of June, it is almost summer, but the temperature in the north is not hot, at most 20 degrees Celsius.

However, this period is the time when various fruits, vegetables and peppers are harvested.

After breakfast, Olivia rode her horse out to the church to pray. After that, she strolled around the manor, basking in the sun and taking a look at the vegetable picking work in the garden.

Today she was wearing a pair of long boots, a pair of underpants inside, and a long skirt made of thin fabric outside, and she was riding a horse along the path by the lake.

After receiving the instructions, the housekeeper mobilized four or five tenant farmers who were reclaiming wasteland, started to expand the road from the lakeside, transported sand to fill the land, and pulled baskets of gravel from the place where stones were originally dug to build houses.

Olivia rode by and stopped by the lake to watch the tenant farmers work.

The tenant farmers nearby were digging the road, and the tenant farmers in the distance were pulling a cart of stones over.

Occasionally, people come to the small lake to fetch water and wash clothes.

She continued riding her horse towards the vegetable field, and saw that outside the manor wall, dozens of acres of fertile soil were all ridged and deep ditches dug.

The crops are planted in neat rows, perpendicular to the lake, with peppers, cucumbers, turnips, radishes, onions, taro, snake beans, cabbages, spinach, eggplants, and okra planted in the fields.

Those that require a frame to hold the branches are also arranged very neatly, and the lushness is very beautiful, with a lush green color that is quite pleasing to the eye.

Olivia rode past a trellised field where a tenant farmer was picking cucumbers and snake beans and young lentils.

This was also what she ordered, asking Jagbu to prepare and stock up on winter vegetables, pick them and dry or pickle them. In winter, the land is frozen and nothing can be grown, and green leafy vegetables cannot be eaten at all.

Olivia was most concerned about the pepper yield, so she called Jagabu, who was busy in the distance, to come closer.

"What are you doing now?"

Jagabu wore a straw hat and rolled up his robe as he personally dug taro in the field.

"Ma'am, I see the rhizomes of the taro have grown a lot. I estimate that the taro will need to grow for another two months before it can be dug."

Olivia nodded and asked him how many pounds of peppers he could pick each week.

The pepper seeds she got grew into a slender variety, about the length of a palm.

She also planted some peppers at Reno Manor and Baskin Manor, but they were only as long as a finger.

In her territory, Chili Pepper has a production buff and an original three-star talent bonus, so the weekly production must be no less than 500 pounds.

Jagabu replied, “I have grown a total of 4,000 pepper seedlings and now I pick the red peppers twice a week.

We can harvest about half a pound of fruit per week, and we expect to have another two months of harvest.”

Four thousand peppers means we can pick two thousand pounds every week.

Although it is not as good as the pepper yield of several tons per mu in the previous life, it is already a very high yield in the current environment.

Olivia was already very satisfied. She said, "I didn't expect this pepper to be so productive."

"Yes, there was a lot of snow last year, and there aren't many insects in the fields this year, so these vegetables are growing well."

Jacopo continued, “We have planted 400 cucumber and snake bean plants in total, and we can harvest 2,000 pounds every week.

There are also radishes, onions, and cabbages. I've planted two thousand of each. They'll be ready for harvest in two months, and by then, the cellar might not even be able to hold them all."

"Ma'am, the miller came to me yesterday and said that the peppers have a pungent smell when dried, but after being ground into powder, they can be used to season food."

The miller's family was close to the water, so he was the first to try it.

The manor cannot dry so many peppers and various melons, so the miller is responsible for this task.

His family was in charge of collecting the vegetables, fruits and grains, drying them in the threshing ground behind the mill, separating the seeds, and then handing the dried goods and seeds over to the manor. He didn't have to be paid a penny, as he would use these things to offset the losses.

Olivia asked Jacob to tell the miller that since the peppers could be used as spices after being ground into powder, he should grind half of the pepper skins that had been dried this year into powder.

The annual production of chili peppers from this acre is estimated to be 18,000 pounds. After all of them are dried, it is estimated to shrink to one-seventh of the original amount, leaving only 2,500 pounds of dried chili peppers.

No matter how much the manor consumes from these 2,500 pounds, it will only cause a slight loss. She can take advantage of the fact that chili peppers are only popular in a small area in the north and drive up the price of this thing to make a quick buck.

Olivia made up her mind and planned to wait until July for the Baron's birthday to give him two dishes made with chili peppers.

This restaurant in Lavossen imitates the popular dishes in the baron's mansion every day.

Soon everyone will know the edible value of chili peppers.

Olivia then went on to ask him about this year's staple food harvest.

Jacob was very confident in this regard. He predicted that the yield per acre of wheat, rye and oats would exceed 130 pounds this year, and would eventually be between 150 and 180 pounds per acre.

It has doubled compared to last year. The plump ears of wheat and the experience cannot deceive anyone.

Olivia had no doubt about his confidence and asked about the yields of hemp, ramie, sugar beets and soybeans.

Ramie and hemp were planted on four acres of land each, and the total harvest was two hundred pounds per acre each year, for a total of eight hundred pounds.

Soybeans are planted in scattered areas. Some are planted among wheat fields like lupines, and some are planted alone on several acres.

Jacob estimated that according to his experience, the yield of soybeans per mu was between 200 and 250 pounds, which was much higher than that of wheat.

This year we can harvest about 2,000 pounds of soybeans.

The high yield of wheat and soybeans is the result of the superposition of buffs and talents.

Jagabu felt more and more at ease as he farmed this land. The stored grains were enough to feed the entire estate for two years.

Olivia nodded. "In that case, the twenty acres of wasteland we reclaimed this year will all be planted with soybeans next year."

According to inquiries, several surrounding estates do not have high hopes for the new crops that have appeared in the town. For example, only one or two acres of soybeans have been planted. Without buffs and talents, the actual yield should be around 100 pounds.

There is no way. The land is barren and the climate is harsh. Other people's estates usually sow directly without ridges and not enough fertilizer is used.

When she thought about the fact that she didn't have to pay taxes for such a good harvest, she was so happy that she ate another pancake at noon.

When choosing the woodland, Pant didn't choose the duty-free zone here, but chose the Toksun Manor which was under her trusteeship.

When I went to handle the paperwork, I had to pay more than twenty gold coins in taxes, which was really painful.

At noon, the housekeeper and his servants returned from the town after doing some business.

He first went to Olivia's uncle and asked him to help buy a warehouse of wool in the market, and then went to the jewel merchant.

I bought a batch of reasonably priced colored gemstone jewelry and brought them back to the manor to report.

The small restaurant in the north wing is actually the old restaurant in the main house.

Now it has been renovated, the walls have been painted, and the tables, chairs, benches and furnishings have been replaced with brand new ones.

There is no wall between the small dining room and the living room, but a wooden screen, which was also custom-made by Olivia by a carpenter.

Screens are suitable for places with low temperatures throughout the year. They can block cold air and save money than building walls.

Olivia sat alone at an oval table with a diameter of four or five feet to eat, while Vansh served tea and water and helped to set the table.

The housekeeper dusted himself off in the corridor before crossing the living room, carrying the wooden box and stopping by the screen.

He looked up into the small dining room and saw Vansh pouring honey and salty lemon water into a crystal glass for his wife.

Next to the dining table, there was a wooden barrel filled with a lot of crushed ice. There was a small iron kettle piled with ice, and the lemonade was placed inside the iron kettle.

On the table, there were two glass plates, an enamel bowl, and a glass soup cup.

The lady's meal was simple, consisting of one or two steamed buns, a plate of mixed stir-fried vegetables, a plate of smoked rabbit cubes stir-fried with dried chili peels, and a bowl of mushroom and fish ball soup.

The housekeeper noticed that ever since they had a new kitchen and a new stove, the lady had the cook cook for her all day long.

This stir-fry is neither fried nor pan-fried. Just add some olive oil, garlic or onion, and various vegetables. Stir constantly with a small spatula and add a little salt. It tastes amazing.

In the past, most of these vegetables were cooked into paste or soup, and they were not as crispy and green as when they were stir-fried.

Olivia drank half a glass of iced lemonade. Seeing the housekeeper coming to report on his work, she asked Fanxi to go outside to guard.

The butler took the box in his hand to the other side of the dining table, opened it, took out the jewels inside and placed them on the table for Olivia to appreciate.

"Madam, as you instructed, I bought a total of eight pieces of jewelry."

She looked up while tearing the pancake and eating the spicy rabbit cubes.

There were four rings, two necklaces and two brooches in the eight small boxes.

The main body of the gemstones are not of a conspicuous size, but they have good transparency, the setting is also beautiful, and they are also very nice to wear.

Mrs. Baudelaire had a huge sapphire necklace that she wore wherever she went. She said it was worth twenty gold coins.

Olivia finished her meal, gave the remaining dishes to the servants, and then took these things and put them all in the box in her bedroom.

These things were said to be for precautionary measures so that she could escape in case of disaster, but in reality, she couldn't escape.

When she opened the map, she could see Pant's footprints, wandering around the village near Toksun Manor.

He had come to search for something, and sure enough, he climbed up the hillside by a path and went in and out of the ruins of Toxon Manor.

Olivia has already told Caesar to find a way to shift all the blame onto this man and then deal with him.

Caesar looked calm and said he could handle it, so he took a page from the letters, burned half of it on the candle, and took it out.

The lumber workshop seemed to be operating normally. In just a few days, it had cut down a small piece of land and built sheds and houses.

There were a dozen or so workers, all from Lavosen, who were newly hired by Pant. They didn't know what their boss's purpose was, so they just worked hard in the woods for wages.

When the people from Toksun Manor went there to take a look, they found that it was indeed the case.

Caesar was very patient and waited for Pant to search the Toksun Manor for a week. It was not until early July that he took action.

At that time, Olivia was in the kitchen, watching the cooks making chopped pepper sauce with moldy mixed beans, new peppers, and garlic.

Suddenly, a servant came running in with the news that the man who had rented the land of Toksun Manor to build a lumber workshop was found dead in the forest, his head and body separated, as if it was a vendetta.

Olivia immediately pretended to be terrified and sent someone to ask the sheriff to investigate this horrific case.

The sheriff was working in the backroom of the Baron's mansion. Upon hearing what had happened, he immediately brought people to collect the body and investigate the case.

Olivia and Caesar had already ordered people to guard the crime scene, and when the sheriff arrived, the crime scene was still the same.

While the sheriff was performing the autopsy, he listened to Olivia and Caesar talk about the merchant's background.

"Sir! Who did this businessman offend?

He's a good businessman, he's quick to pay and quick to work. Look at this carpenter's workshop, it's already looking pretty good in just a few days."

"Wait, are you saying this merchant is offering hundreds of gold coins for rent, specifically asking to rent this piece of land?"

The sheriff raised his head and looked around. It was obvious that this forest was not the best choice.

The only good thing about this place is that it is very close to the Ritton Manor.

The more he listened, the more suspicious he became of the merchant, and he dragged Caesar with him to perform the autopsy.

The sheriff believed that the person who came to kill him must be someone he knew, and that he was able to kill him with one blow at a very close distance when he was off guard.

"Look at this wound..."

Olivia then added:

"He's from Kalon Town, and these workers were hired by Lavosen. My Lord, would you like to bring these workers in for questioning? Even though they're all new to working for Pant."

When the sheriff heard the word "Kalon Town", he suddenly looked as if he understood, waved his hand and said there was no need to interrogate the workers.

"This wound could not have been inflicted by those clumsy laborers. It must have been caused by someone skilled in using a dagger."

The sheriff then said evasively, "This merchant must have been dishonest in his business and was killed by someone he knew. The murderer was most likely a butcher."

The sheriff ordered his men to wrap the body in a shroud and take it away.

"Please be careful in the near future. If you catch anyone suspicious in the manor, remember to tell me at any time."

Just as the sheriff was about to leave, his men suddenly ran over from a distance, came up to the sheriff and said something, then handed him a half-page parchment note with burnt words on it.

The sheriff followed his men to the place where the note was found, but they saw an extinguished fire under a large rock and only the corner of the paper was left.

The sheriff knew what it was at a glance and slapped his thigh in regret.

However, Olivia and Caesar followed him and asked him in confusion what was burning.

The sheriff put the remaining pages into his sleeve, but said:

"It was this businessman who falsified the accounts. This cunning and deceitful businessman! He was still doing shameful things before he died!"

Caesar nodded.

"So it's fake accounts. It seems this businessman is really dishonest."

The sheriff said "hmm" and gave Caesar some instructions for a while, asking him to be careful of strangers passing by the manor recently before leaving.

Afterwards, Olivia looked worried. She relocated the workers in the carpenter's workshop, gave them money, and disbanded the workshop.

Since then, people in the manor have been in panic, and villagers have been patrolling spontaneously every night, fearing that another bloody incident will happen.

However, by mid-July, nothing had happened and everyone became numb again.

After this incident, Gao Sili never dared to go out alone. He always asked one or two other servants to accompany him before he dared to go out to deliver goods to his cousin and check on his mother's health.

Although Olivia put the blacksmith in charge and his main task was to make ironware, Gosley quickly became friends with Ethan and Adam with his skills, and they all did the same work.

Directing the blacksmiths to forge iron and make better weapons seemed too simple to Gosley.

He first learned about the forging technology in the north, and then surveyed the geology of the mountains and fields in the manor with Ethan and Adam.

Finally, they found the hillside where stones were quarried for building the house. They hired more than a dozen people and continued digging for a week, creating a large, inclined pit more than ten meters deep.

No one knew what he was doing. He was supposed to be forging weapons, but he ended up digging stones.

But the lady did not stop him. Instead, she let Gao Sili work as he pleased. If he needed tools or manpower, the lady would give them to him.

Adam and Ethan had an inexplicable intuition in their hearts and helped without any hesitation.

Finally, Gaussley scooped out some black coal from the deepest part of the pit.

He said that in the south, there were some old blacksmiths who used this ore to forge iron.

Coal mines are not uncommon and were dug out hundreds of years ago.

People in the north often have access to coal. For example, this mineral is also found near iron mines, but the technology for refining coal is almost non-existent and the utilization rate is not high.

After Gaosili dug out the coal, he immediately forgot about it and went to get quartzite to make bricks, saying that he would use these bricks to build coke ovens to refine the coal.

Only after the small coke oven is built can coking coal be produced.

Finally, Olivia waited until early August and watched the kid rub half of the Industrial Revolution industry chain with his hands before he began to return to the main line and use coking coal to smelt iron ore.

After a lot of effort, he forged a few swords and presented them to Caesar for trial.

The layman watched the excitement, while the expert watched the details. Caesar tried these swords for two days and was very satisfied.

Olivia was satisfied, but at the same time she was afraid that what was happening in the manor would be noticed by outsiders, so she just spread the rumor that they were digging stones in the manor to build a road.

He also built several charcoal kilns near his coke oven workshop as a cover.

She also gave Gao Sili strict orders that in the future, he should do these things in a concise and precise manner, and not make a big fuss, and the scale should not be expanded any further.

Otherwise, if the ironware in the market outside was destroyed by the deus ex machina, it would bring a lot of trouble to her, a small landowner.

Once she is targeted by the power above her, whether it is mines, people or technology, they will all fly away from her mouth and will not stay in her hands.

Gao Sili also realized this, made repeated assurances, and turned around to design weapons.

A lot of surface stones were dug out, and they had to be used up to blur people's vision.

So Olivia asked the housekeeper to build the road freely, and allowed the tenants and self-employed farmers to get stones and cut them themselves, and then go home to build houses and walls.

However, anyone who wants to build a house with stone must apply to the housekeeper and build it according to the housekeeper's plan to avoid the place where roads will be built in the future.

Fortunately, recently, no matter which manor it is, they have been recruiting soldiers and forging weapons and tools.

It is said that the Baskin Manor next door recruited forty self-employed farmers into the army. Even old men in their fifties were taken away for patrol training, waiting to be sent to the battlefield when the weather gets cold.

No one cared about this little commotion in Olivia's manor.

This month, the task of repairing 200 meters of road was completed in excess.

The pottery workshop followed orders and fired small pottery pieces for a month, completing the task of accumulating one thousand pieces of goods.

The accumulated experience points from the two tasks exceeded five hundred.

Based on her perception of the climate, Olivia knew that it was around the beginning of autumn.

She unlocked new mysterious seeds.

「Congratulations to the player for unlocking: Potato」

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