Chapter 243 The Third Main Boundary Marker in Spring: Rumors, Facts...
Time flies, and it's already April. It's the perfect time for everything to come back to life, for grass to grow and birds to sing.
The two greenhouses at Victor Manor were planted with various vegetables early on, and the newly sprouted spinach was already an inch tall.
It won't be long before I can sell it at the vegetable store.
Fresh baby spinach tastes great whether it's used in cold salads, soups, or stir-fries.
Last year, we didn't have time to plant sweet potatoes and potatoes in the fields, which directly resulted in the farm having to buy these two vegetables from others for most of the year.
This year, Leigh simply had Vincent plant sweet potatoes and potatoes on a third of the land.
"We can't possibly eat all of this, and it's cheap to sell. Should we advise Young Master Lai not to plant so much?"
Vincent couldn't help but ask the housekeeper, Cher, and received a glare from his father.
"Young Master is a man of great wisdom. Just do as he says and don't ask any other questions."
"Okay, I got it."
Young people only see immediate benefits, but Cher sees things much more clearly.
The war has been going on for almost a year, and nobody knows how long it will last.
The longer the delay, the more likely it is to cause a plague and famine.
While things are still relatively untouched by war, planting plenty of easily stored and filling foods is the best course of action for ordinary families.
"grandfather!"
"Why."
Jane came skipping over; the little girl had become much fairer and more delicate recently, and she was wearing the new clothes that Diana had bought for her.
Having left her unhealthy family environment, Jane finally possessed the innocence and carefree spirit that children her age should have.
“My two older brothers and I collected the bird eggs, more than fifty in total! We also fed and watered the red rockbirds.”
"Okay, good girl."
Duncan carried a basket of bird eggs and walked carefully at the very back.
“My neighbor wants to buy a hundred of these. Can we just give them to them?” Duncan asked.
"Let Kamana take the bird eggs you collected a few days ago and give them to them. Freshly laid bird eggs will get burnt if you boil them."
"Chel said."
Duncan then took the bird eggs back into the house.
Red-eared Rockbirds rarely lay eggs in winter. After spring arrived and the weather warmed up, Cher had Vincent rebuild the fence around the bird enclosure.
This morning, I let about fifty red rockbirds out to roam around; they've started laying eggs again recently.
I can collect more than thirty bird eggs almost every morning, and I can't eat them all.
It just so happened that during the autumn vegetable season, some people remembered that Victor Manor produced bird eggs and various vegetables, and came to inquire about them. Ray then instructed Butler Cher to sell them to the surrounding area as needed.
The red-billed ravens I raise at home eat all kinds of vegetable seeds, corn kernels, and insects from the ground.
The eggs that come out have bright yellow yolks and taste exceptionally good.
Another thing worth mentioning is that during this period, Ray and Edmund's schemes have yielded some results.
Nearly a third of the Arcanis family's arms-selling business was taken over by dwarf merchants.
They were originally weapons manufacturers, but because they were too lazy to deal with people of other races, they wholesaled some of the weapons they produced to shrewd businessmen at extremely low prices.
These merchants transported weapons to orc tribes and resold them at higher prices, making two to three times the profit.
However, the quantity purchased was too small, and the dwarfs were reluctant to sell.
Therefore, it was mostly nobles with some capital who cooperated with other companies or bought up a large quantity of goods themselves.
This money is money no matter who earns it.
Ray and Edmund found a few daring but financially strapped dwarf merchants and persuaded them to form an alliance to compete with the Arcanis family for business.
To show their sincerity, the two each invested three thousand gold coins.
It's naturally easier to acquire goods from people of the same race than from humans, plus the prices from the Dwarf Alliance are lower.
As this continued, more and more people started doing the same thing. The Arcanis family's business was thus taken away.
Leaving aside the various vicious competitions and dangers involved.
Actually, there are some advantages to doing this; at least the weapons sold to the orcs are much cheaper.
Their casino business isn't doing well either; every now and then, a few people go there to cause trouble.
They don't argue or cause trouble; they're just annoying. Many gamblers have been driven away by these troublemakers.
This greatly angered the casino's management.
Days passed by, and support troops and supplies from various places set off for the Third Territory in waves.
The situation remained unclear, resulting in a stalemate. Occasionally, news of small-scale victories would reach the capital.
In order to reassure the public, most of the news that came back was good news and not bad news.
However, through the dwarf merchants who sold weapons, Lai and his companions also obtained some real information about the battlefield.
The war on the orcish side was actually very difficult.
As the number of demons entering the continent increased, the combat strength of the demon army was no longer on the same level as it was at the beginning.
A new Demon King has been born beyond the main boundary marker in Eaton Forest.
It is not a demon king that escaped from subspace, but a new demon king that grows by constantly devouring those demon seeds and demon soldiers.
They stood guard near the two damaged main boundary markers, preventing anyone from repairing them. It was like guarding two broken gates.
Isn't this a case of quantitative change leading to qualitative change?
If the demons are not brought under control, they will only grow stronger and eventually turn the entire continent upside down.
Beneath the seemingly peaceful life in the royal city lie countless hidden dangers, which could explode at any moment.
June arrived quickly, and the "Spring Peach" tomatoes and various vegetables grown in the greenhouses had been on the market for quite some time.
The defining characteristic of greenhouse cultivation is its off-season nature. Products harvested in greenhouses arrive about a month earlier than those grown in conventional greenhouses, and are also significantly more expensive.
But compared to vegetables grown with magic, this price is still cheap.
Residents of the capital city, accustomed to winter-stored vegetables and various expensive vegetables, will naturally patronize more places when they see fresh and cheap vegetables.
Vincent sold vegetables for an entire fall and winter, with the help of Karma and his two sons.
Now I'm quite adept at managing the grocery store business.
Ray was happy to let him go, so he could have more time to deal with other things.
Life after arriving in the capital was not as tumultuous as I had imagined; on the contrary, it was more stable and peaceful.
Everyone is living their lives in a routine, doing what they are supposed to do in each season.
One day in mid-June, a torrential downpour struck the royal city.
The wind and rain were fierce, and thunder rumbled, making it almost impossible to go outside. Lai stayed cooped up in the manor for the entire day.
The air was too humid on the rainy day, so Cher lit the fireplace, which had been idle for several months, bringing some warmth to the villa.
"Butler Cher, tell Karma that we're having hot pot for dinner tonight."
"good."
Besides winter, hot pot is also a great match for rainy days.
"Are Vincent and Duncan back?"
Leigh asked Cher.
The torrential rain couldn't stop Vincent from going to the grocery store. He had an unexpected passion for the job.
"Not yet. It's raining today, so they should be back a little earlier."
"Lei, play ball with the beast!"
Tata had a small cloth ball under its front paws, and kicked it to Lei's feet.
The little ball was made by Diana from sheepskin and scraps of cloth, and Tata loved it.
Lei played a passing game with his little monster, who had been cooped up at home all day, for almost an hour to burn off his pent-up energy.
The sound of the villa gate opening and closing came from the doorway. Vincent brought back the vegetables that hadn't sold that day and couldn't be kept overnight.
Cher took the food and delivered it to the kitchen.
He changed his shoes at the door before entering the hall, looking worried and in a very bad mood.
"What's wrong, Vincent?"
"Ray asked."
Vincent glanced around and saw that Ross and Jane, the two children, were both looking at him curiously.
"I......"
"Let's go to the study to talk."
The two sat down, and Ray poured Vincent a cup of ginger tea.
What happened in the city?
"I heard them saying that the orc city-states have been breached. The orcs have been defeated and fled, and large numbers of refugees are migrating eastward."
Lei frowned.
Since the news is already spreading in the city, this is definitely not just a rumor. Something must have happened on the orc side.
"Okay, I understand. Don't tell the children about this for now. I'll discuss it with Butler Cher later."
"Go back and rest first. While you're in town minding the shop these next few days, try to gather as much information as possible."
"yes."
Lai went downstairs to find Cher and told him to wait until the rain stopped before buying some food to stock up.
"Rye is fine no matter the price."
"Okay, I will definitely get things done."
"We can also stock up on salt and various seasonings. We'll also buy a few large earthenware jars to pickle any leftover vegetables with salt."
"good."
After giving his instructions, Ray was still somewhat uneasy. He needed to find out more details from the dwarf.
The rain continued the next day, drizzling on and on.
Ray and Edmund met at the mansion, by which time news of the orcs' defeat had spread everywhere.
The court has not yet intervened, and there is no definite news report.
However, the people of the capital were gripped by fear upon hearing the news. Some families had already begun hoarding grain.
"Any news from the dwarf?"
Ray asked, and Edmund nodded.
"The orc army has indeed been defeated, and many have died. The situation is worse than we imagined."
"Where are our support troops, the elves and the dwarves?"
"Almost the entire army was wiped out."
Lei gasped.
"That's not the worst of it. According to reliable sources, a new Demon King has been born on the Demon side."
"There are now three demon kings."
"No, there are four. The main boundary marker in the orc territory was destroyed the night before last. Now the three forces—the Papacy, the White Tower, and the Regent's side—are organizing their armies to prepare for a counterattack."
What should we do?
The saying goes, "If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold," and Ray is definitely on the side of humanity.
Edmund took a few puffs of his cigarette, the smoke enveloping both him and Ray.
"I might be chosen to go to the battlefield, and then I'll leave the affairs of the capital to you."
Edmund served as the commander of the Silver Knights of the Papacy and continues to work for the Papacy.
Given his current status and position, he simply cannot refuse assignments from the Papacy or the Regent.
“Okay, don’t worry.” Lei promised solemnly.
“I think there’s still room for maneuver. We can’t be so pessimistic right now. You might stay in the capital.”
Edmund exhaled a breath of stale air.
"With the third main boundary marker destroyed, the current situation on the mainland cannot afford any further mishaps. If another main boundary marker is destroyed, we will be in an even more difficult situation."
The longer it drags on, the more dangerous it becomes. You should also stock up on some food; put it in the pendant's storage space.
However, the wheat in the surrounding area will ripen in a little over a month, so the capital city shouldn't face a food shortage.
"good."
Ray met with Edmund with great concern, and then left with great concern as well.
The streets of the royal city were bustling with carriages, each one packed to the brim.
The public's political instincts are far more acute than the authorities imagine.
Today, the cabbages at Laiyi Vegetable Store, which usually don't attract much attention, were sold out.
After Ray returned to the manor, Cher gave him a letter from Nash.
After returning from the White Pagoda Library, the two maintained intermittent contact and even visited each other's homes for meals.
However, Nash was often busy and frequently went out on errands. Come to think of it, they hadn't been in contact for several months.
The sudden arrival of the letter surprised Ray.
The letter contained little content, but the reader grew increasingly troubled as they read it.
Nash's letter further confirmed the fact that the main boundary marker had been destroyed.
The orcs are no longer able to resist the demons alone, and the next to be invaded are likely to be the humans. This cannot possibly go unnoticed by the higher-ups.
Nash told Rye to stock up on food during this time, just in case.
He was about to head to the border with the advance team, which was near Rosen Town.
"Please be careful."
This was the last sentence Nash left in the letter.
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