Chapter 33: Daily Gift Receiving
In fact, Olivia's estate is not small compared to those of her neighbors.
However, the built-up areas used for living and livestock raising are very compact.
This also has its advantages under heavy snow. At least the housekeeper, George, Ethan, Adam, and Lucy can spend two hours every morning with shovels to dig out the necessary paths throughout the estate.
However, they were not busy for more than a few days. The initial blizzard gradually subsided and the sun came out for a few days.
Towards the middle of December the mountain trails were finally passable, though the weather was bitterly cold.
But Letilen still felt very unlucky.
He felt bored during the first day of being trapped here, but later on, he understood the charm of chess and cards, and became addicted to the delicious food in the manor. He began to feel lucky for having turned a disaster into a blessing, and was able to walk on this road again.
His whole family was still worried about him in the city, and the goods had to be delivered as soon as possible, so Letilen had to say goodbye to everyone reluctantly.
On the fourth day after the heavy snow, early in the morning, he was busy directing his men to load the goods onto the truck.
Adam boiled a pot of water and filled all the water bags for Letilen and his group. Then, following his wife's instructions, he took out a bag of sandwich bread from the kitchen and handed it out to Letilen as dry food.
The sandwich was an improvement Olivia came up with after she saw the dry rations the cook prepared for Caesar and his men for patrol. Two slices of bread were buttered, two slices of bacon or cheese were sandwiched between them, and then wrapped in cloth and placed between clothes to keep them warm with body temperature, so they wouldn't freeze. It was more convenient than carrying a whole loaf of bread.
Letilen was deeply moved when he received the food and water. He didn't expect that there were such kind people in the world.
"That's nothing. Since God has brought us together, it's fate. Of course we should help each other."
Olivia didn't dare to accept Letilen's gratitude, she just hoped that this human mapper could travel safely on the road.
However, one thing is for sure, Letilen got the account of his men staying in the village for a few days from the housekeeper.
Perhaps because they had been doing business all along, these young men were very sociable. In the tenant farmers' homes, they helped chop wood and clear snow. After doing the work, they also filled their stomachs with food.
Even Letilen's brother-in-law fell in love with a girl from a tenant farmer's family. Letilen made an agreement with the housekeeper that when he returned to the city, he would send food to repay the tenant farmer's debt and pay a denaturalization tax to the girl so that she could marry and move to the city.
These self-cultivating farmers can enter the city to do business at will and do not have to pay taxes when marrying out, but tenant farmers are not allowed to do so. They can only become free citizens by paying a tax to buy them out. This is also allowed by doctrine and law, which is equivalent to redeeming themselves.
Normally, this would require a tenant farmer to empty out his family savings of several years, but Olivia wanted to make a good relationship with her, so she said that the girl didn't have much labor power and only charged a few silver coins symbolically.
Some lords who did not want the labor force in their territories to leave even stipulated that ten gold coins were required to redeem the person.
After all, the doctrines of this world say that people are born into different classes, and if one did something bad in the previous life, he will be inferior to others in this life. However, God also allows tenant farmers to spend money to wash away their sins and become free farmers again.
After sending Letilen away, Olivia and Lucy counted the chicks that had hatched in the past few days in the manor.
Originally, the success rate of hatching eggs in winter was not high, and only a small number of them could hatch successfully.
But Olivia was anxious to eat the meat, so she gritted her teeth and tried. However, neither she nor Lucy expected that all fifty eggs would actually hatch. There were five on the first day, fifteen on the second day, and double the number the day after that, and finally all of them crawled out.
In the wooden box, the chirping of the little yellow chickens made Lucy so noisy that she wanted to cover her ears and shovel chicken manure.
"It's really strange, how could they all hatch?" She was surprised and suspicious.
Olivia, helping to sprinkle bran on the hens, said, "I promised you that if these eggs actually hatched, I'd give you a few. Now's the perfect time, isn't it? Feel free to pick any you like."
After December passes and it gets warmer, we will hatch another batch of eggs. This time, I want to ask Ethan's sister Alice to come to the manor to work and help you. What do you think?
The miller's family is loyal, and when Olivia wants to choose someone to work on the estate, she first considers whether there is a suitable candidate in their family.
The housekeeper once said that Ethan and Alice were the most diligent among the miller's family.
Lucy and Alice were also very familiar with each other, so they naturally agreed to do this.
The two of them were working in the chicken coop as usual when suddenly Adam ran in from outside.
"Ma'am, Mrs. Baskin sent something over to express her gratitude for our help."
Adam walked into the house, holding two fat gray ducks in his hands. Ethan behind him also had two live ducks tied up in his hands.
Olivia raised an eyebrow at the scene in front of her, and suddenly a hundred recipes for duck came to her mind.
She endured it for a moment and said to Ethan, "Take it and keep it in the chicken coop. Adam, go tell her family to come to me if they have any problems in the future. No need to be so polite."
The Baskin family, who had escaped death, were trapped in the manor by heavy snow for the past few days. They finally came to their senses and realized that something was wrong. Why did the bandits target their house, and how did they know that no one was home?
This morning, Knight Baskin went to the Renault Manor to deliver a gift and asked old Renault about what happened that day.
Old Renault just gave him a little hint, and he immediately felt that he might have been used by Tokson, his long-time friend.
But this matter is of great importance, and Baron Forrest is behind Toxon. Baskin cannot rush to his house to seek revenge, so he can only pretend to be ignorant for the time being and try to find a better opportunity to complain to the baron.
However, this did not prevent Mrs. Baskin from giving gifts to Reynolds Manor and Olivia's place in a lavish manner.
There was a lake at Baskin House, too, and they had a flock of ducks there, and they picked out the fattest of them and gave them away, four each at Reno House and here.
Lucy scratched her head as she looked at the gradually filling chicken coop. When the farmhouse was first renovated this year, she had thought it was spacious.
Now it seems that this place is still too small. In a few months, if the duck eggs are hatched and the chicks grow up, I am afraid it will not be enough to live in.
The ducks sent by Baskin Manor include one male and three females. They are a little bigger than hens, but they are relatively docile. They just pick up food on the ground and don't make any noise.
"It's okay. There's no rush to hatch these duck eggs. Let's use them to make pickled eggs first."
Olivia thought that this system only gave her chickens a production buff, allowing them to hatch tenaciously during the winter.
Ducks don't have any buff bonuses, so they probably can't be hatched. It's better to make them into salted duck eggs, or you can wrap them in wood ash and lime to make preserved eggs, both of which are very delicious.
When the peppers are ripe in summer, they can be used to make cold dishes or pepper-pounded preserved eggs.
Lucy nodded in agreement.
Perhaps because she received a gift she liked, Olivia was in a good mood and rushed into the kitchen to prepare the grouse that had just been shot that morning.
Although they still couldn't go too far on patrol today, Caesar and George were not idle. They took the soldiers to set traps for rabbits and grouse throughout the fiefdom.
Caesar didn't like the dry traditional roasted grouse before, but two days ago he realized the beauty of grouse after eating chicken stewed with mushrooms.
Therefore, he now focuses his hunting efforts mainly on this.
Olivia was very pleased with Caesar's taste in food. Being able to eat together in life is the most important thing.
After the cook cleaned the five or six grouse and chopped them into small pieces, Olivia came to the kitchen, put on an apron, and seasoned and cooked the food herself.
She fried the bone-in chicken pieces in butter until they were dry and fragrant, with the edges burnt, then added minced garlic and salt, some honey to enhance the flavor and color, and sprinkled with leftover pepper, slightly spicy oregano powder, and caraway seeds that resembled cumin.
Finally, cut the soaked pine mushrooms into pieces and pour them into the soup, then add the pickled turnips and sauerkraut made by the chef and simmer. All the fat will soak the fragrant wild pine mushrooms, and the sauerkraut will bring a sour and fragrant flavor. Mix them together and simmer for an hour or so to let all the flavors blend into the soup and make the bones and meat soft.
After seeing Letilen off this morning, Fanon couldn't play the chess and card game that required four people to play, so he had to continue painting the murals in the prayer room and returned to his bedroom to do secret research.
On the other hand, Caesar went out in the morning to check the traps and returned the prey. Now he led people to set grouse traps near the manor.
However, seeing that it was almost time for dinner, they all came to the restaurant on their own initiative. Without being urged, they washed their hands in the basin of water one by one, and waited for Olivia to announce that they should sit down before starting the prayer before the meal.
Today's lunch was simple, just a big pot of chicken, half on the master's table and half on the servant's table.
But regardless of whether they were masters or servants, they all chose to dip the bread in the delicious chicken soup. In order to eat a few more bites of pine mushrooms and sauerkraut, they even ignored the chicken.
In the light of the candle flames, the soups appeared an attractive, rich, buttery golden color.
After a simple meal, Olivia was sweating from the heat, and everyone felt full and wanted to take a nap.
"Madam, someone is coming to the Baron's Mansion."
The butler pushed open the back door and walked in and said.
Behind him was a neatly dressed soldier, the same man who had delivered the tax exemption documents to them last time.
Everyone looked over and asked for the Baron's instructions. The soldier smelled the fragrance in the room, swallowed his saliva in confusion, and said:
"I'm here to deliver the Baron's reward."
Compared with the last great achievement of capturing the nobles of the neighboring country and giving the Earl the initiative, repelling a few bandits this time was nothing. The Baron only rewarded a few silver coins per head as usual.
After presenting the purse filled with silver coins, the soldier was in no hurry to leave. He cleared his throat and said, "The Baroness's birthday party is coming soon. She specifically asked me to invite the Knight and his wife to attend the party."
Olivia and Caesar received their rewards and looked at each other. Olivia nodded and replied, "Of course. Since the Baroness invited us, we must go."
After receiving a satisfactory answer, the soldier left the manor.
"It seems that the Baroness must require both of us to attend the dinner?" Caesar said lightly.
She had to go anyway, Olivia thought dejectedly. She didn't like going out in such cold weather.
Originally, Olivia thought that the Baroness might not notice her. If the weather was bad and no one else was going, she would not go either. She would just make a box of dessert and send it over to put her name on it.
Unexpectedly, the lady actually called her name and asked her to go. Not only could she not be perfunctory, but she also had to prepare carefully. She couldn't just take a box of sweets.
She must prepare more things carefully so that the lady will not have sent someone to invite her in vain.
The next day, early in the morning, the snow had just stopped.
Olivia got up early. She put on three layers of petticoats, three layers of petticoats, an outer robe, and a belt. She braided her hair tightly and tied it up with a hairpin.
When he opened the window, it was still cold outside, but the snow had stopped. He could see the footprints of the people moving around in the manor in the distance, and Caesar resumed his normal military training.
She counted on her fingers and found that there were still five days left until the Baroness's birthday party. If she wanted to be more detailed, it would be a good time to start preparing from today.
Olivia still planned to make dessert for the same reason she thought of last time.
The lady had no shortage of precious gifts, but she had definitely never tasted any delicious desserts.
The invention of this new dessert will not cause as much sensitive attention as gunpowder printing, and people can easily get away with it if asked about it.
It's most suitable for a time-traveling girl like her who wants to keep a low profile and use it to show off a little.
Seeing that the lady attached great importance to celebrating the Baroness's birthday, the very perceptive butler also personally waited on the side to listen to her instructions.
At breakfast time, Olivia searched in her mind for things she could cook while slowly picking up the quill and making a menu on the wax board.
She planned to present the Baroness with some desserts that would retain their flavor even if they got cold on the way. She planned to make twelve kinds of desserts in total and pack them in twelve boxes.
There are three kinds of fried desserts: fresh milk pastry, fried fresh milk, and sugar ears.
There are also baked goods, mainly puffs, and we also plan to have macarons, apple pie, honey cake, and butterfly cakes.
and four flavors of cheese scones.
These desserts are all suitable for her kitchen where she doesn't have many tools to use.
The manor had enough ingredients and no need to buy them. The butler only needed to go to the city to buy some sugar, jam and vanilla pods for flavoring and embellishment.
Across the table, Caesar and Fanon were stunned.
They simply couldn't imagine how so many delicious dishes could be made with just the few ingredients in the manor.
After receiving the order, the butler drove the donkey cart to the town and bought wild berry jam, lemon jam, rose jam, a few vanilla pods and a bottle of fine wine according to Olivia's request.
These things are not cheap and cost some silver coins. As the saying goes, it takes from the baron and gives to the baroness.
However, Olivia was certain that she could use these delicious foods to get more value from the Baroness.
The butler did not return to the manor until dusk in the afternoon.
When he came back, he happened to see Olivia receiving Letilen's men.
At the main entrance of the manor, there were two mule carts loaded with various packages and utensils.
Not only did Letilen send food and drink back to the tenant farmers, he also paid the denaturalization tax for the girl his brother-in-law had taken a fancy to, with the intention of getting her engaged.
In order to express his gratitude for the hospitality during the days when the roads were blocked by heavy snow, he specially sent many useful things to the manor.
Olivia was in the hall asking Adam and the others to move things.
The steward wasn't paying attention and his donkey pulled the cart right next to the two mules.
Olivia turned her attention over and asked the butler if he had bought what she wanted.
The steward nodded and took the bag from the donkey cart: "It's all here, not a single thing is missing."
He turned his head to look at the things on the mule cart that Letilen brought and asked what they were.
Adam, who was carrying a small wooden box, replied:
"A great many things, all sold by Letilen himself: a few rugs, two bathtubs, two bronze mirrors, two water basins, a holy water urn, two soap dishes, two carved wooden trunks, and a few yards of cloth, and a wrought iron pot for kitchen use, two kitchen knives, and two pairs of suede gloves."
Letilen must have just installed whatever he saw in his own warehouse. It's a mess with no theme, but it's all very practical.
These things would cost a lot of money to buy. I think, after living in this manor for a few days, Letilan also observed that Olivia was a person who paid attention to the quality of life.
So he catered to her taste and did not give her those flashy things as a thank you, but these household items made of better materials.
The carpets are woven in various colors, the bronze mirrors are also decorated with carvings of gods, the water basins, water jars, and soap boxes are all enameled iron products with colored glass patterns on them, the clothing boxes are made of oily wood, and the fabrics are also southern goods, soft and fine.
Olivia calmly accepted the random items dropped by Letilen.
She sorted the things out and put them in their proper places.
Then he said to Adam, "Take one of these trunks and one of these bathtubs to the priest's room, so he can use them. Also take the holy water urn and the soap box."
"The remaining soap boxes, bathtubs, carpets, and water basins were replaced with the old items in my house.
The box in my room is still new, so put it in the guest room. Ask Lucy if you can use the old carpet or something."
She pointed to the kitchen utensils.
"Take all these things to the kitchen. Oh, and take this frying pan to the blacksmith. Have him reforge it for me and hammer it into a thicker, thicker shape."
Adam memorized it quickly in his mind, and after sorting it out, he went about his business in a very organized manner.
"Ethan, put those yards of fabric in the attic with the leather."
After all the things were unloaded, the subordinate who came to deliver the things also led the mule away and respectfully conveyed his boss's intentions.
Letilen said that if there were any goods to be sold in the manor, they could be sent to him and he would help resell them without interest.
Any type of goods will do. His relatives have shops on every street in the town, so he can buy goods from them at will.
Hearing this, the butler beside him suddenly sighed, thinking why didn't Letilen let him get to know him earlier. It was really a case of repaying a drop of water with a spring of water.
"Please give him my regards and tell him, of course, that next year all the produce from my estate will be sent to him, and we'll split the profits 40% to 60%, and also..."
Olivia waved her hand and asked the subordinate to come two steps closer.
The subordinate came closer without knowing what was going on.
Then he whispered, "Ask Letilen if he knows about the monastery that will be built outside Lavosen. If he doesn't know, ask him to find out for me."
After hearing this, Ledilan's men immediately understood and he smiled knowingly.
"Thank you, ma'am. I'll pass on the message."
…
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
