CHAPTER 191 (PART 2/2) - CLAIM OF THRONES
🙞❤︎🙜
“Teacher, you said it was going to be easy to defeat,” said Lari.
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean we can just ignore it. I think it will be easy enough to kill if we have the right people there,” I said. “That’s why I’ll be in the North this winter.”
Kharli still looked a little unhappy but nodded. It was hard to argue with my logic. After all, would there even be a desert project if the clans fail to kill the demon?
I handed them the plant pots and we got busy planting the seed rice in them.
“Done? Okay, let’s water them and put them on the shelves,” I said.
Kharli held up a grain of rice and said, “Scholar Wu said rice is a symbol of prosperity because this one grain can grow hundreds of more grains, and each of those grains can also grow hundreds.”
“That’s true for all seeds though.” Lari pursed his lip. “If I plant one apple seed, it will grow into a tree that will have dozens of apples that will each have a dozen seeds. And those can grow into more trees which will also have a dozen seeds.”
“Apples only have like 5 seeds per fruit,” said Mo.
“Yes, but Lari is correct, the principle is the same. I think rice is a symbol of prosperity because it's the preferred staple food in this region.” I handed them more pots. “How’s your energy? Can you plant a few more?”
They each took as many pots as they needed, and I observed that Mo could plant one more seed compared to the others. A player’s maximum energy was dictated by the player’s Farming level, but in real life, it was also greatly affected by a person’s physical condition. Mo must have gone to bed earlier than the others last night.
Once we were done, I gave my apprentices small cloth purses full of silver coins, and they left to have fun in the city.
I was a bit bored alone at the farm, therefore, I went to get my pet and decided to amuse myself by removing my [Ranch House] and replacing it with a winter-themed Cash Shop house theme.
[Snowballer’s Paradise:
Welcome to Snowballer's Paradise, the ultimate winter retreat! This whimsical abode boasts cozy interiors and enchanting ice sculptures. The snow here is impeccably soft and perfect for crafting the finest snowballs and building the most delightful snowmen. Enjoy thrilling snowball fights and then warm up by the roaring fireplace with a mug of hot cocoa.]
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
The house itself was very pretty, designed like a rustic log cabin, but the “logs” were made of a material that looked like white ice threaded with blue lines. Icicles hung from the steeply pitched white roof adorned with snowflake patterns, and a blanket of freshly fallen snow covered the ground around the house, even though the snow hadn’t fallen yet.
A path edged with softly glowing lanterns led up to the door, winding through a garden of frosted evergreens and whimsical snow sculptures.
“Chu!” Cutie bounced around an angel ice sculpture and licked the curves of its gown.
“No! Stop, your tongue will get stuck!” I picked her up and went inside the house, which had rooms decorated with a winter wonderland aesthetic, from the icicle chandeliers to the snowflake curtains. The soft carpets and cozy sofa draped in thick, warm blankets were particularly nice.
I removed some of the furniture to make a large open space for my pet to use and added some pet toys, like the bouncy [Boing Ball] that was her favorite, and the [Magnetic Marble Run], a toy with marbles moving on magnetic rails. “Cutie, you can play here.”
There was plenty of time for me to kill, so I added a bunch of winter flowers in every color imaginable from the Cash Shop and placed them around the porch, which made a pleasing contrast to all the white design elements.
Then I went to the winter-themed kitchen, which had cabinets painted white with intricate silver snowflake decals scattered across its surface. The backsplash was a frosty ice-blue color, and there were white poinsettias in a pot on the windowsill. It was a bit too much! I replaced the icy white marble-topped island with a wooden table and added a few cozy touches to warm up the space. The deep blue knitted runner draped over the table and the large, lush fern in a woven basket in one corner of the kitchen made it more inviting. I also hung a few copper pots and pans on a vintage-style rack above the island for a nice, homey effect.
Then I went to the other rooms and likewise added my personal touch to the decorations.
When the place was sufficiently relaxing enough for me to use, I took out the [Dragon’s Pearl Cauldron of Unrivaled Mastery] and made more [Ageless Beauty Essence]. Fengying had tested the potion for me and pronounced it perfect, and much better than the [Dewy Glow Potion].
I sat down cross-legged on the floor in front of the cauldron, while eating chocolate truffles made by the Demon Chef, as the [Automatic Alchemy] did its work. The [Ageless Beauty Essence] should sell for a pretty penny, and I could also give some of them away as gifts or use them as trade goods since it should be less problematic than giving away [Tea] like last time. I put a dozen of them in a small box and when the staff returned from their shopping expedition, I asked Fengying to send the potions to Shuye as a sample and received a reply from my Farm Guide okaying their use as an official Emberstone Farm product.
Since Yinuo’s husband was an artist, I hired him to help me make a nice logo and luxurious packaging for the potion. I was pleased that the staff liked the decorative changes I had made, and I gave the members of my household lots of bottles of [Ageless Beauty Essence]. With our luxurious winter clothes and flawless skin due to the liberal application of the beauty potion, we were sure to make a splash in society when we visited the frozen North.
Everything was going swimmingly until I got the official Notice of Tax Due from the authorities.
“The tax is how much?!” I yelled in despair when Fengying read the official document to me.