“Teacher, it’s just a bunch of bugs,” he said.
“Eyeball bugs?” I stopped moving away. “Really?”
I looked closer and realized the "eyes" were actually glowing white spots with black centers on the shield-like plate behind the insects’ heads. Because parts of the insect's body were nearly transparent, these spots seemed to float in mid-air, creating the illusion of eyeballs hovering by themselves.
“The System says they’re good for the plants,” he said.
“Okay…”
That must mean that these were special spirit bugs, not regular ones.
Kharli, Mo, and I all frowned as we read the System text.
[Eye-spotted Ladybug:
With its unique glowing spots that look like eyeballs, this beetle is a welcome addition to every player’s farm since it eats pests such as aphids, mites, thrips, and other plant pests. A healthy population of them means less work for you and healthier crops.]
“Ugh, why do they look so creepy?” Mo shuddered.
“No, the question is, do they bite?” said Kharli.
“They probably don’t bite. I think we should leave them alone while we water the cuttings,” I said.
“I’ll do it.” Lari smirked as though to say, “you all are a bunch of scaredy cats!”
“How brave!” I patted him on the back and gave him a packet of potato crisps. I still had a few left from when we raided some vending machines. They weren't actually as good as the ones the Demon Chef could make, but they were extremely satisfying in a junk food sort of way.
We leisurely watered the plants in the [Greenhouse]. There was no rush since we had plenty of time. Afterwards, we went to the southern edge of the farm to till a field. The stretch of the river that bisected the northern and southern parts of the farm had now been declared off limits to outsiders. People would have to go around this part of the Ancient Hill Forest using one of the river’s tributaries. Thus, I was now able to build a permanent bridge over it.
The old one was a movable bridge that automatically raised itself when boats were passing through, which was rare. Now that this river was for my farm’s use only, I had built a much wider and more solid stone bridge that was broad enough for two carts to use side by side, unlike the previous version, which was made purely for foot traffic. It was made of gray stone, with each block perfectly fitted. The low walls on either side, also made of the same gray stone, were thick and sturdy, as were the stone pillars supporting the structure. A wooden bridge would have been much more picturesque, but I had decided to use stone because it looked safer.
I told them about the quest I wanted to do today.
[The Divine Farmer's Due:
This land’s ancestors were saved from their weakness by the Divine Farmer who taught them how to grow the Five Grain. Plant the ancient seeds in memory of them and offer the Five Grains to the Divine Farmer’s altar.
Reward: Farming Exp]
[Ancient Five Grains:
In prehistory, the people of the land were starved and weak. The Divine Farmer, born of a priest and sacred deer in an ancient grove, traveled all over the world and discovered the Five Grains which he used when he taught agriculture to mankind. These five staples, rice, wheat, millet, sorghum, and soybeans, were a vital innovation, transforming the people from a nomadic, hunter-gatherer society to a settled, agrarian one by providing a reliable and abundant source of nutrition and materials.]
“Teacher, if the five grains we’re going to plant are ancient crops, aren’t they worse than modern ones?” asked Mo as we walked.
Kharli frowned. “Wouldn’t they be better? It’s what our ancestors ate.”
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“No, I think Mo is right,” said Lari. “You know how wild pigs don’t taste as good as farm-raised pigs? It’s the same with crops.”
“I don’t know if these special ancient seeds are good or not. This is just for the quest,” I said. “But I suppose if they were better than our current crops the System would’ve let us know.”
“Millet and sorghum don’t seem to be popular,” said Kharli.
“Scholar Wu said some regions with poor soil plant them,” said Mo. “But even in those places, people still prefer to eat rice.”
“We’ll see if they’re tasty after we harvest them,” I said. “You know, I’ve had this quest for a long time, but I never accepted it because of the problem with the Fox clan claiming the old rice variety.”
“Teacher, do you think there will be a problem with this one?” asked Kharli.
I smiled. “Don’t you think people will be less likely to make a fuss now that I’m part of the royal family?”
I might as well take advantage of my new status since I was paying a lot more taxes as a result of my recent elevation in rank.
Once we arrived at the southernmost field, I used the [Combine] to till the field while the others watched and cheered me on. Then, after my energy bar was almost empty, I put the vehicle away, and they tilled the rest of the field.
“Great. Time for a break.” I handed them three silk pouches full of silver coins. “Have fun in Anwei city.”
It was two days before planting season, and I told my apprentices to go shopping for fun. They could also order cloth and other materials for new winter clothing at the shops since they had grown enough that last year’s clothes no longer fit. Of course, the maids were skilled in tailoring clothes for growing teenagers.
On Earth, humans stopped growing at the end of puberty, but my apprentices were definitely getting taller every year. I myself grew half an inch this year despite the fact that I was almost twenty years old. According to Fengying, this was an effect of the spiritual food we ate every day.
Maybe I could grow as tall as a model back on Earth!
I chuckled at the thought and waved goodbye to the kids. I had a husband to entertain for the rest of the day. “Have fun!”
“Teacher, you too!” Kharli grinned at me.
“I think the prince will make sure of that!” said Mo.
I just laughed good-naturedly. “Go! This girl needs some… ‘rest.’”
The girls burst into laughter, and Lari rolled his eyes.
***
A cool, wet morning marked the start of planting season. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves. It had rained heavily the night before, and the ground, a dark, rich brown, was now a soft, squishy expanse. Little puddles reflected the gray, overcast sky, and I had to be careful where I placed my feet. My boots made making wet squelching sounds as I walked.
I yawned. The chill in the air had me pulling my jacket a little tighter around my shoulders, but I didn't really mind. Planting season was always fun.
I looked towards the forest at the edge of the field. This early in the season, the old growth trees still had their leaves, but the first hints of change could already be seen at the edges of the tree canopies which were now touched with reds, oranges, and golds.
On this side of the farm, oaks and hickories formed the front ranks of the forest, their trunks thicker than my waist. The ground beneath them wasn't muddy like the field, but covered in a thick carpet of moss and fallen leaves. Sunlight filtered down in long, golden shafts, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. A solitary bird's song echoed from the forest, a sound joined by the faint hum of unseen insects and the soft plop of my feet in a muddy puddle.
It was cold and wet, and I mentally debated whether I should start working by myself. Ultimately, I thought it best to wait since the kids were probably on their way. I was just too early because Prince Baiyu had woken hours before sunrise to train, which had woken me up, too. It was only after I got married that I realized that young clan members needed a lot less sleep compared to humans. Unfortunately, it turned out that I was a light sleeper who always woke up when Prince Baiyu did. We were thinking about sleeping in separate beds unless I was able to adjust.
“Teacher!” someone called out from a distance.
The morning fog made it hard to see them, but obviously it was my apprentices.
“Good morning, you latecomers!” I yelled out in greeting.
Moments later, they joined me, and I handed out the [Ancient Five Grains seeds]. We spread sacks of [Mysterious Goo] over the soil and then sowed the seeds. There was no need to water them, as the soil was already moist. The field was divided into five parts which we planted with [Ancient Rice], [Ancient Wheat], [Ancient Millet], [Ancient Sorghum], and [Ancient Soybeans].
Like all System seeds, they flew out of my hands and buried themselves in the soil, but there was one small difference.
“Incredible,” said Mo, her eyes shining with delight. “These ancient seeds look amazingly magical!”
She took one from her hand and threw the single seed to the ground. The path of its fall was traced by an arc of glowing blue light and an interesting sound effect like a rising scale of notes from a piano.
“Cute!” I said.
We followed her lead and threw out seeds one by one to enjoy the special effects.
Soon, my playtime was interrupted by a System pop-up.
[The Divine Farmer's Due: Quest Complete
Reward: Farming Exp]
I got a good chunk of exp, though it wasn’t enough for me to level up yet.
“[Potato] time,” I said to the others after the entire field was planted with the [Ancient Five Grains]. “Then the [Three Sisters].”
This time, when we walked to the western field, we were able to use the path I had paved with stone tiles. The mud on our boots had almost dried out by the time we got to planting the [Potatoes], [Corn], [Beans], and [Squash].
My feet were not too cold because I had had the foresight to wear thick socks, but it was hardly a comfortable morning for me, and so I greeted the end of our work day with a glad cheer.
“Yes! It’ll feel great to soak in the [Hot Spring]!” I said.
However, it seemed that I would have to wait a little longer to warm my body up because a maid met us on the way to the main house.
“My lady, my lady!” she said, breathless from running. “You have to come and see! The plants have come alive and are talking!”
Author's Note: