??Chapter 79: Chapter 78: Half an Acre Square Pond, A Mirror Unveiled (Second Update)
Chapter 79: Chapter 78: Half an Acre Square Pond, A Mirror Unveiled (Second Update)
Rib Jimmy was an accomplished fisherman, but Russell needed more than just soone who could dredge clams; they also had to be able to open the clams and cultivate pearls.
He wasn’t quite clear on the basic technical principles, only knowing a rough outline.
“Rib Jimmy,” Russell called out his nickna. Serfs didn’t have noble surnas, and there were often repeated nas, so it was common to add a nickna to easily distinguish them, “I need you to open the clams without harming them.”
“We’ll need clean water, sir,” Rib Jimmy said, “if the clams are placed in clean water, they’ll open on their own.”
“Is that so,” Russell nodded.
Then he said, “Then for now, I’ll provisionally appoint you as a fisherman. Charles, later you recruit a group of serfs to dig a small pond nearby, we’ll use this pond to raise the clams. After that, your task, Rib Jimmy, will be to catch a batch of young clams and insert small grains of sand or sothing similar into the flesh of the clams.”
Rib Jimmy didn’t know why Russell was doing this.
But being appointed by the lord as a fisherman was a major opportunity for him, he couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear, “I guarantee the task will be completed, sir.”
Russell made sure Rib Jimmy was given a large piece of bread for dinner and signaled for him to start digging the pond with the others the next day, and then to start raising the clams.
Once everyone had dispersed.
Charles was the last to leave, asking curiously, “Sir, are you trying to have these clams produce pearls?”
“I am entertaining that idea.”
“But can you really do that just by stuffing a bit of sand into the clam’s flesh?” Charles asked incredulously.
Russell didn’t explain, simply stating indifferently, “We’re just trying it out. It won’t cost much, and if it succeeds, we’ll make a fortune. If it fails, we’ll just treat it as adding a bit of fun to life.”
Charles laughed, “May the Great Dragon watch over you, and good fortune always be by your side, sir. I hope the clams you raise will produce pearls as continuously as a Bipedal Flying Dragon.”
“We’ll see if the Shadowfla Dragon turns its gaze upon ,” Russell also laughed.
…
Three days flashed by.
The small market was no longer bustling. The caravans had sold their goods and were saying their goodbyes, with the lead caravan owner expressing they would co often in the future.
anwhile.
Not far from the manor’s annex, near the small bridge leading into the manor, a small pond of less than one hundred square ters was successfully excavated.
According to Rib Jimmy’s experience, the pond was dug three ters deep so that later it would hold one to two ters of live water, which was the suitable environnt for clams to grow.
After the pond was ready, they diverted water from the Glowing River into it.
Rib Jimmy, along with so young fellows from the manor, continually dived into the turbulent waters to catch clams. To observe the differences, Russell had them catch clams of various sizes to ultimately see which stage of clams was more suitable for pearl cultivation.
“Have them be careful not to get swept away by the river,” Russell instructed.
Rib Jimmy showed his big teeth with a smile, “Don’t worry, sir, we’ve all been imbued with Qi Seeds; we’re strong. Even when the Glowing River is more turbulent than this, we dare to dive in to catch fish… heh, for Lord Baron, that is.”
Among the serfs, it was not uncommon to be imbued with Qi Seeds, but most of these seed were sowhat defective, with little hope of unleashing Battle Qi.
Anyone with a bit of talent had been sent to the training ground of the Fluorescent Castle for stringent knight training.
Russell’s four knight attendants were such talented serfs. After successfully unleashing their Battle Qi, they changed their destiny, avoiding the endless farm work and starting to follow the lord for a different kind of life.
Catching the clams.
First, they placed the clams in a basin filled with fresh water, waiting for the clams to open their shells. Once this happened, under Russell’s instruction, Rib Jimmy and the others quickly used a wooden board to wedge the shells open.
Next, they embedded a grain of sand onto the mantle of the clam—the pearls are harvested from the mantle.
After embedding the sand, they removed the wooden board.
The clams snapped their shells shut quickly, and Rib Jimmy and the others tossed them into the newly dug pond to grow freely.
“Rib Jimmy, your task from now on is to regularly monitor the growth of these clams and make sure they don’t die,” said Russell.
“Don’t worry, Sir. Jimmy guarantees to take very good care of them!” Rib Jimmy replied confidently.
Pearl cultivation takes ti, and Russell was unsure how long it would take for a pearl to mature—perhaps one year, perhaps three.
In any case, it was an industry that required long-term observation.
With the fish farrs in charge, Russell didn’t need to keep an eye on this matter constantly. He would occasionally ride Little Dream Dragon around the pond just to check for magical lights blooming.
June passed in the blink of an eye.
The warm-season sun grew stronger and the temperature rose swiftly, from the initial hovering around zero to seventeen or eighteen degrees now.
The whole Glowing Valley ward up like spring, with plants growing almost visibly fast under the stimulation of the earth’s power.
In just one day and night, they would grow significantly.
In the fields and beside the cinder pathways, faint yellow flowers blood everywhere, clustering together, fully embracing the vitality brought by the warmth.
These were dandelions.
Russell rembered that there was a dandelion spirit insect in Fluorescent Castle, so a large dandelion field had been planted on the hill behind the castle.
Every ti the dandelions were ripe for the season, a breeze would send white fluff flying all over the sky, over the castle walls, toward the horizon.
“There are many dandelions around the manor’s guesthouse as well, too bad I don’t have a dandelion spirit insect,” Russell said, standing on the lawn in front of the gate, gazing at the little yellow flowers growing on the grass, and musing about how splendid springti was.
However, the warm and pleasant tis were soon shattered by the rushing sound of horse hooves.
Fluorescent Castle’s ssenger Knight Raphael, sped on his horse to the manor guesthouse: “Mr. Russell, Lord Baron has ordered that all Lords must attend a trade route clearance eting at Fluorescent Castle promptly at noon today!”
“I understand,” said Russell, his eyebrows slightly raised. He then instructed Butler Morris, “Take Knight Raphael down for a cup of hot tea.”
“Thank you, Mr. Russell,” Raphael said without any pretense.
Russell then quickly called for Eric: “My father has issued an order to prepare for the trade route clearance eting. This year I plan to participate in the clearance, so I need you, Eric, to help
get ready.”
“Sir, you should still prioritize your studies. I will protect you closely,” Eric replied. “Tom and the others need to focus and quickly get in a few practice sessions together to avoid a scattered formation of the knight squad after we enter the snowfield.”
In this regard, Eric had experience, as he had followed Baron Roman to battle in the snowfield several tis.
So Russell didn’t plan to make decisions on his own and would follow Eric’s arrangents, then head to the snowfield to gain so experience.
It would be even better if they could hunt a few Snow Ghosts and gather so Ice Pellet Pearls to feed to Little Dream Dragon.
A mont later.
Leaving Eric to train the four Knight Attendants, Russell took Kevin the Gold and Silver Wolfhound and followed Raphael to Fluorescent Castle.
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