After Xia Zuoyi counted what Samuel brought back from the sea, he began to think about the current planting matters.
It is spring now, the end of March to April, just in time for spring planting.
The six crops of potato, sweet potato, corn, cotton, pepper, and tomato are listed in his consideration, and they will be selected and planted in the near future.
Each crop has different requirements for the environment and temperature.
For example, peppers have a habit of liking heat, and spring and early summer planting are the most suitable seasons.
The best time to plant spring seeds is in March.
But pepper needs to be nursed in advance, starting from January to February.
It is indeed a little late to plant peppers now.
But the problem is not too big, after all, pepper is a crop that can be grown in a shed.
As for tomatoes, sowing is usually done between February and March.
- Planting has only started now, and is a little later in time.
But tomatoes are not easy to store. If the seeds are not treated immediately, the precious crops that were brought back with great difficulty will soon rot and spoil.
The cold tolerance of tomatoes is relatively low.
Some colder areas will wait until April when it gradually warms up for sowing, and if the temperature during the day cannot be maintained, it will affect the growth of tomatoes…
This also requires special attention because of the constraints of the lack of seeds.
Especially when sowing peppers and tomatoes, the seeds should be treated well in advance.
Otherwise, seeds that have not been soaked or sterilized with chemicals are prone to viral diseases after planting, and finally cause defects in mosaic leaves and fruits, poor growth, and inedible consequences.
…
In view of the seeds of tomatoes and peppers, they need to be soaked and sterilized with chemicals in advance.
Xia Zuoyi went to the alchemy laboratory, and the next day came up with a special potion for soaking seeds.
- After the seeds are soaked in the chemical, they are taken out and washed with water, and then they are ready for germination and planting.
besides.
He also has to keep an eye on the seed cultivation of potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and cotton.
These are all used and gone, and there is scarcity.
Not staring at the point in person, he is very worried.
Therefore, Xia Zuoyi has been so busy lately that he rarely even sees the plush, let alone think about the little "wrong" situation between him and His Majesty the Pope.
Even once.
Xia Zuoyi was holding the potion that was soaking tomato seeds, and his eyes were full of trays and glass bottles in his hands...
He just walked past the Pope's side without looking sideways, without even saying hello...
At night, Xia Zuoyi must not be free either.
In particular, he needs to review the agricultural planting knowledge he has seen earlier.
Although the castle has servants responsible for planting, experienced.
However, crops such as potatoes and sweet potatoes are new varieties after all, and the soil and temperature must be adjusted differently according to different planting methods.
Early cultivation and planting is the key.
After burying the seeds in the ground, Xia Zuoyi relaxed a little.
He listed the needs of watering, fertilizing, and regulating irrigation, and then handed it over to commoners and servants.
…
During this time, Xia Zuoyi asked the Youth League to send a letter to Bana.
- The letter asked him about the state of the city of Quincy, and the process of going deep into the Liffins Mountains to clear out robbers.
Barna quickly led the soldiers into the Liffins Mountains after arriving in Quincesi, where they were stationed.
He didn't believe that the group of robbers couldn't be found in the carpet every day.
But the strange thing is that many days passed, and Barna did not even see the shadow of a robber.
He received a letter from the lord from the Qingtuan, and he replied quickly.
In his reply, he wrote that when he first arrived in Quincecy, he observed the situation in the city.
Indeed, as the official who came to the meeting said, he recovered well.
As for killing robbers.
In the letter, Barna expressed his apology and the sense of shame that the Lord trusted him, but he did not do it well.
If there is no more trace of the robber, Barna can no longer delay in the Liffins Mountains.
After about four or five days, he will lead the soldiers back to the port to station.
Xia Zoe looked at the letter and pondered.
At night, Qingtuan flew out of the castle, and the snow-white figure quickly disappeared under the darkness.
…
Liffins Mountains.
Bana led the soldiers to be stationed deep in the mountains. The tents of the camp surrounded a circle, a fire was raised in the middle, and some soldiers were vigilant.
Suddenly a more obvious eagle chirping was heard in the sky.
A soldier raised his head and looked at the night that seemed to be without any abnormality, and then alertly went to report to Captain Barna.
After a while, Barna stepped out of the tent, looked up and waited.
Originally, only the moon and stars could be seen in the night, and a white spot that gradually enlarged suddenly appeared.
From far to near, the white spot suddenly landed on a tree trunk closest to the head of the tent, causing the branches and leaves to sway.
"Chirp."
Qingtuan called out to Barna.
Barna went over to take down the letter, unfolded it, and after reading it, said to the Youth League, "I see."
Lord Lord wrote in the letter that there is no need to reply.
He turned around and threw the brief letter into the fire, and the white paper was quickly burned to ashes.
Qingtuan called out again, then spread its wings and flew away.
Three days later, Barna led the soldiers out of the Liffins Mountains.
This time, he returned without success. He declined an invitation to the banquet from Quincey Mayor Vernon, and he left shortly after to return.
Quincey.
This border city has experienced the outbreak of the Black Death, and then experienced the looting of robbers entering the city.
Although the weather has gradually turned warmer, there are still few people walking on the street...
After a long while, a few people passed by, but they walked in a hurry.
Because it is a border city, the development here is slower than the surrounding cities such as Fort Komoy, Nilamo, and Cais.
After the appearance of cement concrete pavement, Quincey began to build roads and implement some related policies in the city.
At this time, the cement road is smooth and clean.
Garbage bins and road signs are placed on the road. There are greenery and flower beds on both sides. The road is divided into sidewalks and roadways.
A carriage stopped in front of a tavern.
Three people got on and off the carriage and entered the tavern. It was daytime, and it was almost evening. The tavern opened, but the people inside did not
Not much.
The tables and chairs in the tavern are not neatly arranged, and they don't look too clean, with the kind of dirt left on them that won't be removed even after wiping.
Dim-yellow kerosene lamps were lit on the mottled walls, lining the dark environment of the tavern.
On the far right wall of the tavern, there is a bear head with a ferocious fangs hanging on it, and several wooden wine barrels are stacked below it.
Sweeping through the tavern, you can see that there are not many people.
They drank dully and didn't pay much attention to the three people who had just come in. Only the tavern clerk greeted them and handed the simple wine list to the knight who was leading them.
Valk took the wine list, ordered three glasses of rye at random, and waved the tavern guy down.
These three are Xia Zoe, Valk, and Taylor.
In order not to attract attention, Taylor dressed up as a businessman, and Xia Zoe wore civilian clothes.
Valk is a hedge knight who protects the merchants.
Commoner knights do not necessarily become vassals of nobles.
Sometimes they choose to travel around alone, and often accept some commissions and employment.
For example, Wright Green, who continued to travel across the continent not long ago, became a hedge knight.
After receiving the letter from Bana before, Xia Zuoyi felt something was wrong.
- The soldiers that Bana brought were not many.
What's more, going deep into the Lifensi Mountains, it is impossible for them to be stationed for so many days without even touching the shadow of a robber or finding a trace.
On top of that, Vernon, the mayor of Quincy, never reported to him about robbers coming into town.
In the subsequent arrangements, no documents with specific report descriptions have been submitted.
-Only one sentence that the city has recovered very well.
Xia Zoey wouldn't believe it all.
He accepted Barna's request and ordered the other party to go to the Liffins Mountains to clear the robbers, also to determine what the situation in Quincey City was like.
But the description in Barna's reply was also recovered well.
At first glance nothing, but think about how it is possible.
This makes Xia Zoe wonder if Vernon, the mayor of Quincy, will deliberately only let Barna see the "good" side.
And cover up the other side.
Therefore, Xia Zoe made Bana no longer need to look for the robber's trace.
Instead, he ordered the soldiers to leave Quincesi directly, and then sent people to disguise to enter the city to inquire about the news.
The comfort of Desinia's territory over the years has made Barna form a habit of thinking - no one will dare to deceive and deceive the lord.
But an easy life can also breed corruption.
Especially after being swept away by the Black Death, many places are left desolate and deserted, whether it is nobles or commoners, slaves...
I am afraid that their lives will not be restored as before.
Xia Zuoyi's plan was that if there was no problem with the news that Bana sent people to disguise and entered the city of Quincy, it was because he was suspicious and made a mistake.
But if the Mayor of Vernon is hiding something...
Afterwards, news came from Barna that the mayor had indeed concealed something.
Bana's disguised spy initially wandered around Quincy.
- This person discovered that there was a strange place in the city where people were missing, and then followed the clues all the way to a village on the edge of Quincy.
It was guarded and checked in and out.
The inquirer found the situation suspicious and reported it to Barna.
The Youth League has been delivering news for Xia Zuoyi.
After receiving Bana's letter again, Xia Zoe decided to let Bana find a place to stand by, and then he took someone to Quincesi in person.
On the way Xia Zoe rushed to Quincy, Bana was not idle, but sent soldiers to disguise and continue to inquire around the village.
He was finally given the chance.
—Someone dragged a lot of dead bodies out of the village and threw them into a dug hole in the back mountain for burial.
The soldier sneaked behind and overheard their chatter.
- It turns out that some poor people who were orphaned or helpless under the influence of the Black Death epidemic were all driven by Vernon to a marginal village in Quincy.
Vernon apparently made a nice reason to focus on helping.
The poor people believed Vernon's words.
Later, they were taken to the dilapidated and desolate village...
This group was completely imprisoned and confined by Vernon.
They were guarded in the village. If they did not work, they would have no food, no sleep, and no escape.
Once they are disobedient or resist, they will be whipped, and the serious ones will be killed on the spot... After killing chickens and monkeys, these people gradually no longer dare to resist.
And what Vernon forced them to do was dig mountains.
- Behind this village is a part of the Liffins Mountains.