Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 507 Celebrating the Bountiful Harvest of Wisteria Pods and Stardew Oranges (Bonus Chapter Today)
"It seems you can finally unleash the skills you're better at and enjoy," Su Li said gently, her tone carrying a hint of understanding and approval.

Ingrid nodded gently, her long, dark green hair swaying slightly, her eyes shining with the light of someone encountering something beloved: "Yes, my lord. Guiding fortune and weaving the threads of destiny is far more reassuring than catalyzing wild fury."

Su Li refocused her attention on the lucky charm itself, her thoughts racing.

“Twenty-four a week…” he murmured. “It may not sound like much, but when accumulated, it becomes an extremely terrifying force.”

"In a month, that's close to a hundred lucky charms. In a year... that's over twelve hundred!" This number made Su Li's gaze become incredibly sharp.

It's important to understand that the total number of elite knights under his command, trained through years of war, rigorous selection, and intensive resource allocation, has only recently surpassed one thousand! This means that, theoretically, the lucky charms produced annually by the Black Forest Territory are enough to equip his entire core knightly order—every elite knight, every kingdom knight, and even every chosen knight—with one!
What an exaggerated concept this is!
Imagine a knightly order where every member wears amulets that subtly enhance luck, avert fatal risks, and even grant a sliver of divine favor at crucial moments! Their survivability on the battlefield, their success rate in completing difficult missions, and even the likelihood of breaking through personal cultivation bottlenecks will all experience a holistic, though unquantifiable, but real, boost!

The overall combat strength boost this brings is far more terrifying and lasting than having a few dozen more fearless berserkers! It is a subtle yet deeply rooted enhancement.

Moreover, the results of farming are now evident. Ingrid has been making these amulets for three years, and by next year, the number of these amulets may approach 3000!

Three thousand elite knights constitute the standard military strength of a count's domain. While baronies might have some who masquerade as knights, using low-ranking armed squires to barely muster a thousand men to maintain their rule, such cases are extremely rare at the count's level. Counts are high-ranking nobles within the empire, and their family lineage and heritage are not to be taken lightly.

As for the dukes above them, they are the empire's top nobles, each with deep roots and formidable strength. Every soldier under their command is a truly capable warrior, with no exaggeration or boasting—any one of them can genuinely muster ten thousand elite knights; this is the true dignity and confidence a duchy should possess.

Su Li's thoughts naturally shifted from the strategic value of the Lucky Charm to another key resource supporting his ambitions—the size and loyalty of his army. Expanding his elite force from one thousand to three thousand, and ensuring their absolute loyalty, was far from sufficient to improve battlefield survivability solely through the Lucky Charm. He needed something more fundamental, something that directly appealed to people's desires.

He raised his head and looked at the towering, magnificent wisteria tree that seemed to blot out the sky; its value went far beyond simply producing four-leaf clovers.

“Speaking of which,” Su Li’s tone deepened, “it’s also the season when the pods of the Blessed Wisteria Tree ripen. Those precious gifts that can extend one’s life by a year… how is this year’s harvest? How many pods have been produced in total?”

This is the ultimate reward that can truly drive those old knights, who have experienced countless battles and whose youth is fading, crazy, and even willing to pay any price! Living for another year means having another year to break through bottlenecks, another year to enjoy glory, and another year to raise offspring! Its value, for an individual, even far exceeds that of a legendary piece of equipment.

However, in response to Su Li's question, Ingrid gave a somewhat helpless smile and shrugged: "My lord, regarding the specific number of pods and the harvest situation... I'm afraid I cannot give you an accurate answer."

She tilted her head slightly, gesturing with her eyes to the depths of the dense, almost impermeable canopy: "Since the pods began to form, Princess Green Dragon Eliria has personally taken charge of all the care and harvesting. As you know, she has an extraordinary fondness for the pure and rich winds of Giron, practically making that place her exclusive resting place. No one but her can easily approach the core area to count the number."

As soon as she finished speaking, as if to confirm Ingrid's words, a slight rustling sound came from the huge canopy.

Then, a huge and elegant head, covered with emerald-green scales, slowly emerged from among the layers of wisteria leaves. Its majestic, vertical pupils, like molten jade, looked down with a hint of displeasure at being disturbed and... a kind of barely perceptible guilt.

However, when her gaze met Su Li's under the tree, her displeasure vanished instantly, replaced by a fleeting sense of panic and unease. She seemed to instinctively try to pull her head back, but it was too late.

The next moment, a flash of emerald light streaked across the sky, and the massive dragon's body vanished. A tall and graceful female figure gracefully descended from the sky and silently stood on the grass in front of Su Li; it was the human form of the green dragon, Eliria.

She maintained her aura as a cool and aloof queen, wearing a robe meticulously woven from the finest turquoise silk and gauze. The robe was exquisitely beautiful and flowing, perfectly outlining her stunning figure beneath her fair skin. A small, delicate jade crown rested on her dark green hair, highlighting her noble status.

But what's most eye-catching are her stunningly long legs, arguably the most beautiful in the entire territory. The high slit of her robes almost completely exposes her long, straight, and flawless legs, making every step she takes a breathtaking visual impact. And at this moment, those long legs aren't completely uncovered; they're encased in a layer of pure white stockings as thin as a cicada's wing.

The stockings were made of an extremely delicate material, clinging tightly to the flawless curves of her legs, and at the base of her full, rounded thighs, the absolute pressure of the stockings created a clear and alluring shallow indentation. This indentation contrasted sharply with her cool and proud face, exuding a forbidden and sensual allure, as if silently telling a story of softness beneath tension and restraint.

Arielia tried to maintain a calm facade, but a slight flicker in her eyes and a hint of guilt, like a little girl caught stealing candy, betrayed her inner turmoil. She clearly hadn't expected Su Li to suddenly come in person to inquire about the pod harvest.

Su Li looked at the green dragon queen before him, who was trying hard to maintain a cool and aloof demeanor, yet even the marks left by her stockings on her thighs betrayed a hint of guilt. He felt both annoyed and amused. He knew her too well; this behavior was definitely because she had once again succumbed to her dragon-like greedy nature.

“Ariria,” Su Li didn’t argue with her too much. His gaze swept over her stunningly beautiful legs and finally settled on her slightly shifting emerald eyes. “How was the harvest of the Wisteria Blessing Tree’s fruit pods this year? How many were produced in total, and… how many were harvested?” He deliberately emphasized the word “harvest”.

Arielia straightened her back, trying to intimidate the other party with her height and imposing presence (though with little effect). She cleared her throat and said in her unique, ethereal, and magnetic queenly voice, "Your Majesty, are you questioning my protection of this sacred land? The harvest of the pods, naturally..." She paused, as if thinking of a suitable number, "...naturally follows the laws of nature; as many as there are, we will harvest."

She tried to bluff her way out, but Su Li just watched her quietly, his gaze seemingly able to penetrate her feigned composure and see her slightly swollen belly, cleverly concealed by her magnificent robes, which was caused by her sneaking a bite.

Seeing that Su Li remained unmoved, Ariria was somewhat embarrassed and angry, but dared not truly lash out. After all, in her human form, she had already been "seduced" countless times by this detestable lord before her, and knew his "methods" and "power" all too well. She could only slightly turn her face away and argue, "Hmph, those pods... contain such surging power of time and life essence, for me to enjoy them is... this is the most efficient use of resources!"

Su Li almost laughed in anger: "The most effective use? Ariria, that's a treasure that can extend one's life by a year! It's the highest reward that would make my knights serve me to the death! It's not something for you to eat as a snack!"

"Snacks?!" Ariria exclaimed, her voice rising abruptly as if she'd been stepped on (though she didn't have a tail in human form). "What do you know! For a dragon's long lifespan, a mere year's increase in lifespan is indeed insignificant! But the power of time's sedimentation and the purest Jilun wind contained within, once absorbed by me, are equivalent to directly increasing my age!"

As she spoke, she seemed to have found a legitimate reason, her tone becoming more assertive, and she even slightly puffed out her chest, making the full curves of her silk-covered breasts even more prominent: "The strength of us dragons is highly correlated with age! This is not a waste, this is... this is an investment! A strategic investment in the highest-end combat power of our territory!"

These words startled Su Li slightly, and he carefully examined Ariria in front of him. He hadn't paid much attention before due to their usual interactions and her guilty interruptions, but now, upon closer observation, he noticed that she had indeed undergone some subtle changes.

Previously, although she considered herself queen, she always gave the impression of a young man trying too hard to be authoritative, like a young girl wearing her mother's magnificent robes and crown—beautiful, yes, but lacking in depth. Now, however, her aura was more solid and dignified. The emerald crown seemed to truly blend into her气质 (qi zhi, a kind of refined elegance), no longer merely decoration. Deep within her eyes lay a composure and profundity that could only come with age. With each glance, true queenly majesty emanated naturally, no longer needing to be deliberately maintained. Even the alluring expanse of her legs seemed to possess a more mature charm due to this inner growth.

"Oh?" Su Li's anger subsided considerably, replaced by intense interest. "So, you ate these pods and your strength has improved? How much have you improved now?"

Seeing Su Li's softened attitude, Ariria secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She immediately seized the opportunity, slightly raising her chin to reveal a section of her fair and graceful neck, her tone carrying a hint of boasting and…exaggeration: "Of course! I'm already a high-level Chosen Dragon! I feel like I'm only one step away from the legendary realm!" She carefully observed Su Li's expression and quickly added, "As long as…as long as I have enough Blessed Wisteria Tree pods to absorb, I'm sure I can break through to the legendary level in one fell swoop! Then, let's see who in the Empire will dare to underestimate Black Forest Territory!"

Upon hearing this, Su Li merely glanced at her indifferently. He knew this dragon's appetite all too well. Feeding her all the pod production of the Black Forest Territory for the next few decades might indeed create a legend, but the cost would be too high, completely unrealistic, and would severely impact his control over the army and reward system. However, this also meant that, given time—whether decades or centuries—the territory would definitely acquire a legendary dragon.

In the face of legendary-level strength, centuries are but a fleeting moment. The most valuable asset is the certainty of breaking through to the legendary level!
"Legendary level? Let's talk about that after you've stabilized your current level." Su Li ignored her grand promise and steered the conversation back to reality. "Now, tell me, after deducting the portion you 'strategically invested' in, how many Wisteria bonsai pods were actually harvested and preserved this year?"

Seeing that her attempt to deceive him had failed, Arielia pouted somewhat dejectedly, but dared not hide anything any longer. After all, if Su Li were to investigate seriously, she wouldn't be able to conceal it. She reluctantly gave him a number:
"...The number of pods has increased from 190 bunches last year to 270 bunches this year!"

This number made Su Li's eyes flash! An increase of 80 strings! This was undoubtedly clear evidence of the Holy Wisteria Tree's growth and the optimization of the territory's environment!
However, Ariria's next words immediately made his heart jump: "But..."

"But what?" Su Li's voice suddenly turned dangerous, his gaze falling on her as if it were a tangible object, as if he was already thinking about what kind of "unequal treaty" to use to punish this gluttonous dragon.

Arielia felt uncomfortable under his gaze, and her stockings seemed to tighten even more. She muttered softly, "...But when I absorbed it, I didn't pay much attention to the amount...maybe...maybe I 'invested' a little too much...Now there are probably...maybe there are still about 220 strings left that are intact..."

She ate nearly 50 skewers?! She's getting bolder and bolder, even more outrageous than last year.

Su Li felt his eyelids twitching. This was practically robbing him of his strategic reserves!

He took a deep breath, and a "warm" smile that sent chills down Arielia's spine appeared on his face: "Very well, Arielia. We need to 'discuss' tonight how to compensate for the loss of the territory regarding this 'extra investment' of 50 bunches of pods. I think it's time to truly live up to the title of 'Dragon Slayer'."

Upon hearing Su Li's threat to "confirm his title as the Dragon Slayer," and especially recalling the embarrassing yet irresistible "punishments" he sometimes inflicted on his two vice-captains, Freya and Sylvanas, Ariria felt as if the stockings on her legs had turned into scorching hot irons. The tightness no longer brought temptation, but rather a warning of impending doom.

A flicker of panic crossed her emerald eyes, but the dragon's pride and the queen's dignity prevented her from yielding. She forced herself to remain calm, even slightly raising her head, attempting to salvage some face with her imposing presence: "Hmph! Just a few seed pods... I... I'm only thinking of the territory's high-level combat power! If you... if you dare use those humiliating methods... I... I'll let you taste my power!"

These words sounded fierce but were actually quite weak; even she herself didn't feel confident about them. After all, in her human form, she really didn't have any good ways to deal with Su Li's punishments that were "specifically designed to target women's weaknesses."

Su Li just looked at her with a half-smile, as if he had seen through all her bluffing. That look made Arielia's heart beat even faster.

Ignoring the green dragon's complex inner monologue, Su Li turned his attention back to the main matter. 220 strings of Blessed Wisteria pods—this was still a colossal fortune capable of driving any power mad; it had to be allocated with utmost care.

"This year's harvest far exceeded expectations, but the demand is equally huge," Su Li pondered, quickly sketching out a distribution plan in his mind. "First, the share for my core members and relatives of the Bauhinia family needs to be increased. Last year it was 10 strings, this year it will be increased to 15 strings." This favor is an important part of maintaining internal loyalty. At the same time, it can also strengthen the connection with the family far away in Bauhinia Fortress.

"Secondly, the major churches." Su Li's gaze narrowed slightly. "The Church of the Blazing Sun, the Church of Dawn... they contributed greatly to this harvest and defense battle, and must be given sufficient respect and courted. Allocate a total of 20 strings to the major churches, which they can decide internally to reward their most outstanding clergy or most devout donors." This is a necessary investment to consolidate the support of divine authority.

Su Li's thoughts drifted to the fierce battles of Raven Territory and the Valley of Memory. Without the ferocious roar of the Church of the Blazing Sun and the healing radiance of the Sisters of Dawn, his army could never have achieved victory with relatively small losses. In this world shrouded in darkness, while internal strife might exist among human factions, when faced with the threats of Chaos, the Undead, Greenskins, or even more bizarre beings, the major churches and their armed forces always stand at the forefront of the human camp. They are the steadfast shield against darkness, the blazing flames that burn away filth.

Now, with just twenty bunches of pods that can extend life by a year, relationships with these churches can be further strengthened. In return for this investment, thousands of devout and well-trained church warriors will be available when needed, along with the direct involvement of chaplains and combat nuns. Its cost-effectiveness is immeasurable.

"Then there's the army, which is the foundation of our existence." Su Li's tone became resolute. "The share for each major knightly order has increased from 3 strings last year to 5 strings. The knight commanders and platoon leaders of the provincial legions, as well as all the chosen knights and champion knights, are the backbone, and we must ensure that everyone gets a share. In addition, our dwarf allies cannot be left behind; they are also the backbone of our army. This part is expected to require 120 strings!"

他快速心算着：“15+20+120=155串。还剩下65串。”

"These last 65 strings," Su Li decided, "will also be put on the market for sale. But instead of releasing them all at once like last year, we will auction 5-8 strings per month in a limited manner, gradually increasing the hype and price, so that wealthy merchants and nobles from Maleburg and even further afield will fight tooth and nail for the opportunity to extend their lives, and we can use this opportunity to get them to pay with the supplies, weapons and magical materials that we desperately need!"

He thought of the major arms dealer who spent a fortune last year to save his wife, even taking on a large number of arms deals. This year, he wanted to attract more such "high-quality clients."

Based on last year's standards, these blessed wisteria pods would be worth at least 30000 gold crowns. That would be enough to cover the salaries of 3000 elite knights for two months.

"Oh, right." Su Li seemed to have just remembered something, and her gaze fell back on Ariria, who was secretly relieved and thought that the punishment might go unpunished. A more "warm" smile appeared on her face.

“As for you, my dear Ariria, those 50 bunches of pods you ‘invested’ in…” he said slowly, “since you claim it was to improve your strength, then very well. Starting tomorrow, you will need to report your ‘progress’ to me regularly.”

He deliberately emphasized the word "report," his eyes sweeping meaningfully over her shapely legs and the marks left by her stockings.

"I'll decide the format and content of the report. If I feel your 'investment' hasn't achieved the expected results, or your 'report' isn't in-depth or sincere enough..." Su Li's smile deepened, "then I don't mind personally helping you 'digest' that excess energy and ensuring every 'investment' is worthwhile. As for the title of 'Dragon Slayer,' I'd really like to see how it's implemented."

Aria: "!!!"

She instantly realized that the so-called "report" was definitely not a proper cultivation summary! It was bound to be another round of humiliating and infuriating "inspections" and "guidance"! This despicable lord had already dug a pit for her!
Looking at Su Li's confident smile, as if he had everything under control, Arielia felt for the first time that the pods of the Blessed Wisteria Tree might... perhaps... maybe... not be so sweet after all. Tonight, it seemed, she was doomed.

As Eliria's neighbor, Ingrid changed the subject to avoid making the green dragon faint from shame and anger, and said to Su Li, "By the way, we also have another batch of extraordinary spiritual fruits ripening. This year, the two Star Dew Sweet Orange trees have grown far better than in previous years, and have produced more than 120 plump fruits in total."

She pointed to several strange orange trees shrouded in the hazy starlight not far away: "The pure starlight power contained in these fruits is enough to purify most known toxins and curses, and is extremely valuable."

Upon hearing this, Su Li's gaze fell upon the oranges that shimmered like stars, and a surge of joyful and contentment welled up within him. His past arduous efforts—introducing rare plants, improving the soil, guiding the earth's energy, and even investing heavily in cultivation—had finally yielded a bountiful reward. From the lucky four-leaf clover and the blessed wisteria to these Star Dew Oranges, a variety of rare fruits had arrived, filling the air with a comforting and extraordinary fragrance—a solid, empowered joy of harvest.

"More than 120... very good." Su Li nodded; this number was a third higher than last year. "These spiritual fruits should not be used or sold for the time being. Harvest them all properly and store them in the spiritual item storage room in the vault area."

He paused, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "They have a more important use. As a strategic reserve, and at the same time, once I've captured Maleiburg, they will naturally have the best stage to demonstrate their value."

(End of this chapter)