In addition, the kitchen staff always kept the seeds from the vegetables they cooked, which would be sold to other farmers for them to try growing more than just the [Rice]. [Chilipeppers] were understandably popular, as well as [Cucumber].
“What do you think?” I gestured at the plants. “Were the [Silverleaf] and [Elephant Grass] effective?”
[Silverleaf:
A striking herbaceous perennial known for its distinctive silvery leaves and potent natural pest-repellent qualities. It emits unique organic compounds that deter a wide array of common agricultural pests, making it invaluable for crop protection. This resilient plant grows in spring, summer, and fall, taking seven days to mature. Harvested stems can be processed into Dried Silverleaf, a valuable crafting ingredient for pesticides and remedies. Its dual utility as a pest deterrent and a marketable cash crop makes the Silverleaf a highly desirable addition to any farm.]
[Elephant Grass:
A fast-growing, hardy plant characterized by its thick, jointed stalks and broad, serrated leaves. It subtly emits potent chemical pest attractants that will draw swarms of unwanted insects away from your more valuable plants. By concentrating pests within its dense thickets, this hardy plant acts as a living "trap crop," allowing them to feed on its abundant growth and sparing your primary crop from devastating infestations.]
Kharli shook her head. “We had one field without pest repellants or attractants, and it seems the same as the ones with the [Silverleaf] and [Elephant Grass].”
“I don’t agree,” said Mo. “We didn’t get any pests because we protected the other fields. I think that one field was just lucky.”
“There’s no way to really know,” said Lari. “But if the System told us to plant those crops for protection, we should probably continue doing it.”
“So it’s two votes for, one vote against.” I thought it over and concluded that Lari was probably right. “We’ll continue planting them. Perhaps the [Silverleaf] will sell for a lot.”
“Lord Shuye seems certain it will,” said Kharli.
“I hope so!” I looked around.
The vegetable garden was a riot of color. The rows of [Tomato] plants, heavy with orange fruit, were in front of me, while [Squash] plants dominated a large section to my right, the bright yellow and orange [Squash] nestled close to the plant’s thick stems, some partially hidden under the sprawling foliage. The [Bok Choy] grew nearby, their white stalks thick and crisp-looking, topped with dark green leaves. There were dozens of other crops, but the one that caught my eye was the largest one.
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This season, four [Cabbage] plants had mysteriously fused, forming one giant [Fairy Cabbage] that was still edible, but very strange to see. Last night, I was torn about whether to sell or eat it. However, when I woke up, I realized there was a third option and decided to ask Shuye to exhibit it in the middle of the Anwei city market and then choose whether to sell it based on the offers I got.
[Fairy Cabbage:
Did the fairies in the garden play a prank on you?]
“Teacher, I think we should eat it ourselves after you exhibit it.” Mo knelt and sniffed the cabbage. “It smells too good!”
Lari bent down and traced the edge of a cabbage leaf. “It should sell for a lot.”
“Is no one worried about the fairies’ prank?!” Kharli, on the other hand, looked a little worried. “What if it turns out like the stories, and eating it turns you into a pig? Did anyone think about that?”
“Hmm. Good point… I hadn’t thought about that,” I admitted. “But we can simply have someone test it before eating or selling the [Fairy Cabbage].”
“Is Lari going to be our tester?” Mo giggled.
“No, no, we would test it on an animal first, then an expert doctor or herbalist.” I took out a pen and paper and dashed off a quick note to Shuye.
Kharli took my letter and went back to the house to give it to a messenger.
When she returned, I gestured at the [Fairy Cabbage], I said, “Okay, who wants to do the honors?”
Kharli and Mo stepped back, and Lari hit it once with a shovel. It disappeared into his inventory.
“I’ll start. Do you guys want to watch or would you rather get started?” I asked.
“Watch!” they all said.
I summoned the [Combine] again, but this time I acted as the driver instead of Mr. Bear. It was really fun to mow down all the vegetables while riding the noisy red machine. The [Combine] took less than 10 minutes to finish it all, which was a little disappointing since I wanted to ride it longer. This gave me a great idea, and I waited impatiently for the others to finish before broaching the subject of us having fun with motor vehicles.
“Teacher, I leveled up!” said Kharli.
“Me, too!” said Lari.
“I’m close to a level,” said Mo.
“We’re all done here? Let’s return to the house and put the veggies in the larder. Later, I’ll let you guys ride your own machine!”
My apprentices loved that idea and asked a lot of questions as we walked back to the house, but I told them it was a surprise.
The courtyard house had a large kitchen and an even bigger storage area. System magic kept the food items fresh in the refrigerators, and by now, I had equipped the house with various types. The large walk-in freezer was where meat was stored, while vegetables and fruits were kept in multi-shelf chillers with glass doors. Pre-prepared cold drinks were stored in a small glass-door cooler, and cooked cold dishes, such as cakes, pastries, jellies, ice cream, etc., were kept in a display fridge.
However, we didn’t use the coolers ourselves since it seemed the chef had his own way of organizing things, so we simply dumped our harvest into sacks or baskets and let the kitchen staff sort it out themselves. Deming and Fengying were there to supervise, and I asked Fengying what the Demon Chef thought of this season’s crops.
“Deming says this is an excellent harvest.” As usual, Fengying spoke for her husband. “Half of the vegetables are mid-grade, and one in ten seems close to high-grade quality.”
“Awesome!” I said.
She picked up an ear of corn. “The spirit qi inside the corn is particularly dense.”
“Yes!”
She pointed at a few baskets and said, “The bok choy is mid-grade, but it's a prized and rare heirloom variety known for its exceptionally crisp leaves. This ginger is almost high-grade. The perilla’s scent is exceptionally strong.”
“Oh, my.” I waited, but she said nothing more. “Thank you! I’ll leave you to your work.”
After we left the kitchen, I told my apprentices to freshen up and change into clean clothes for a new surprise activity.
“Wear pants, not the ones that are too loose. We’ll be doing something fun!” I said.
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Author's Note:
- Fairies playing pranks is classic fantasy, right? ??
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