I was a lord farming, how did I become an emperor?

Chapter 151 Military Food Plan
……

……

Why are they different?

"Shouldn't they be one?"

Rhodes was immediately puzzled.

Is Vivian truly an independent thinker?

Rhodes always thought that Vivian and Avril were just two different personalities, or more like they had dissociative identity disorder.

But now that their mental strengths are different, Rhodes feels that they are two separate consciousnesses.

Rhodes suddenly felt a little lost.

Witches are indeed more mysterious than I imagined.

"What's wrong, darling?"

Once she regained consciousness, Avril stared at Rhodes and asked him a question.

Rhodes shook his head slightly. "It's nothing."

Rhodes himself didn't understand why this was happening, so he thought it was best not to tell Avril.

It's fine if the two sisters get along normally.

Rhodes then asked, "What did you see?"

"The desolate scenery at dusk is not as mysterious and strange as what you and Vivian saw."

Avril added, "Oh yes, there are some lone shadows too, but they're all just moving around on the ground, which is normal."

Even the scenery we saw was different.

Rhodes was now even more certain that the two sisters possessed two separate consciousnesses.

But wasn't Vivian summoned?
Moreover, she can be resurrected.

How could they be two independent consciousnesses?

Rod felt a strong itch on his head.

If you can't figure it out, then stop thinking about it.

"Let Millie learn the sea tribe's script with you too, because you'll be too busy to handle many things on your own in the future."

Rhodes instructed, "And the White Frost Prophet, don't let him be idle."

"Uh-huh."

Avril nodded repeatedly.

Rod went straight into the side room and carried Millie out.

"Come on, put your hand on it."

"sugar……"

Millie reached out her delicate white hand to Rod.

"Wait two more days for the sugar."

Rod gently patted Millie's little hand; the girl had started bargaining with him.

But Rod still liked the little guy.

—A human-shaped koi fish, everyone loves it.

"All right……"

Millie placed her hand on the pearl ball, and ten points of light instantly lit up.

The eleventh one was so small as to be almost imperceptible.

Let's say it's 10.1, just barely crossing the threshold of a wizard apprentice.

Is it because Millie is only twelve years old and too young?

It's worth mentioning that many witches possess mental strength exceeding that of ordinary people.

Linda said that their sage's mental strength reached 11.9, making him the most talented among all members of the Dawn Society.

As soon as the light appeared, Millie opened her eyes.

So fast?
Rod asked, somewhat surprised, "What did our Millie see?"

"Stars, a sky full of stars..."

Millie gestured with her hands.

Rod and Avril exchanged a glance, both able to see the confusion in each other's eyes.

Do stars represent the power of luck?
Without time to think, Rod handed Millie over to Avril and then returned to the sugar-boiling room.

The slaves bowed and then presented the filtered malt wort to Rhodes.

Rod looked at the translucent brown liquid, which resembled very diluted honey water, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Prepare to boil it."

At Rod's command, the slaves brought up all the clay pots that had been prepared beforehand.

We are now in the penultimate step of making maltose, which involves boiling and concentrating the malt wort into maltose.

This step also requires patience: pour the malt extract into a ceramic pot and simmer over low heat.

During the cooking process, it is necessary to stir constantly to prevent the bottom from burning.

Once the liquid has thickened, the real syrup is ready.

Rod personally took charge and spent half a day to finally complete the first jar.

In this messed-up era, if you want something sweet, you have to make it yourself.

The people of the Northern Wasteland barely had enough food to eat, so naturally they didn't have any surplus to research these things.

Nobody knew what Rod was doing.

But everyone has a nose, and they can smell the fragrance coming from the earthenware pot.

Unlike sucrose, which is strong, maltose has a very mild flavor with a distinct grain aroma, like the rich aroma of toasted bread and fried cereal.

Especially by this warm fireplace, it feels like being in a cozy bakery, with the sweet aroma of wheat straw filling the air.

All the slaves involuntarily swallowed hard, their eyes fixed on the steaming earthenware pot.

Otto sniffed twice, his face plastered with a fawning smile, and leaned forward slightly as he asked,
"My lord, the things you make from this grain must be of high quality, right?"

Rod said expressionlessly, "This is candy."

Before Otto could speak, the slaves behind him began to whisper among themselves, their voices low but unable to conceal their curiosity and longing.

What is sugar?

"It must be delicious."

"Of course you need to tell me, it smells wonderful!"

……

As the slaves murmured amongst themselves, Otto straightened his chest and took the initiative to explain.

"It's sweet, just like honey."

Otto had some savings and had once bought some candy from merchants in the border town.

Recalling the previous taste, Otto couldn't help but lick his lips, looking at Rod with anticipation.

"My lord, could you... could you add this to the work point redemption list?"

"not now."

Rhodes shook his head slightly.

Rhodes didn't know the yield; he needed to see how much maltose these ten barrels of grain could produce before considering whether mass production was possible.

If maltose, a luxury item, can bring economic benefits, then Rhodes will mass-produce it.

If you can't, then just do less to improve your life.

And now, Rod naturally has to enjoy this first pot.

Ignoring the longing look in Otto's eyes, he immediately ordered, "Go and call Avril and Vivian over."

Rod couldn't leave because he had to watch over the other pots boiling sugar.

In fact, this cooked sugar paste needs to be stretched back and forth to make the sugar more uniform and chewy, and the sugar will also harden and become shiny.

However, the few sweet-toothed guys around him were already impatient, so Rhodes simply decided not to keep them waiting any longer.

"Yes, my lord!"

Otto respectfully responded and jogged back to the manor.

Before long, even before she entered the house, Vivian's voice could be heard.

"Where's the candy? Where's the candy?!"

She leaped into the house, nearly jumping onto the stove, but luckily Rod reacted quickly and caught her around the waist.

Perhaps because of shared memories, Vivian didn't sense anything unusual about such intimate behavior and pressed for an answer.
Where's the candy?

“There, on the stone slab.”

Rhodes released Vivian and pointed to the syrup on the stone slab.

Vivian turned her head and saw a translucent brown substance on the smooth stone slab. Curious, she leaned closer and smelled it.

Her eyes lit up instantly, "It smells so good!"

"How do you eat this?"

Vivian looked on expectantly when Avril entered with Millie.

Just then, Rod picked up two chopsticks used for hot pot, stuck them into the sugar paste, and kept pulling and twisting them until they were all wrapped around one chopstick.

Vivian reached out expectantly to take it, but Rod didn't stop and handed the chopsticks directly to Millie.

"Here, have some." "Thank you!"

Millie took the chopsticks and bit into one, trying to tear off a piece, but after a lot of effort, she only managed to tear off a single thread.

Rod smiled and patted Millie's head. "You'll need to be patient with this. Lick it slowly."

"Uh-huh!"

Millie bit off the thread, only to find that the sugar thread was stuck to her teeth.

"If you won't do it for me, I'll do it myself!"

Vivian, standing nearby, snorted and, mimicking Rod, pulled at the sugar paste, trying to twist it into a thread.

However, after a few tugs, my hands were covered in it.

Vivian tried to take the chopsticks off, only to find that she had only pulled a line of sugar.

With no other option, Vivian finally put down her chopsticks and licked the syrup off her hands.

"This candy smells so good!"

Vivian blurted it out, but then, remembering her disheveled appearance, she turned back to continue fighting the sugar paste.

Rod ignored her and used his chopsticks to wrap a piece of syrup around a stick and gave it to Avril.

"Thank you, please give this to Vivian first."

Avril took it with both hands and then handed it to her sister.

"My older sister still cares about me the most!"

Vivian happily accepted the chopsticks.

Having learned from Millie's experience, she didn't rush, but instead slowly wrapped it in her mouth.

Rod casually wrapped another one for Avril, then continued to cook the other syrups.

Just then, Durant appeared outside.
"Your Excellency, the team has been configured according to your requirements."

Durant reported, "We've divided into ten teams, each carrying three days' worth of rations, and we're ready to go at any time."

"it is good."

Rhodes nodded slightly, wrapped a piece of syrup around his finger, and handed it to Durant. "You've come at just the right time. Have a taste."

"Thank you for your generosity."

Durant took it with both hands, glanced at Vivian and Millie, and began to taste it, just like them.

"It's candy?"

Durant's eyes lit up with surprise.

He hadn't tasted sugar in a long time since arriving in the wasteland.

"But it shouldn't be the kind of candy we ate before, right?"

Durant asked.

Rhodes nodded slightly.

The sugar Durant was referring to was sucrose, which naturally tastes different from maltose.

"I let you taste this candy because I wanted to get your opinion. Perhaps this could be used as part of our rations during a march?"

"what?"

Durant paused for a moment, a look of distress on his face.

"Your suggestion is certainly good, but isn't it a bit too extravagant?"

Lawrence would go crazy if he heard that.
Durant wasn't paying attention to this area, but judging from the buckets of grain next to him, he knew that this sugar wouldn't be easy to obtain.

"It's not meant to feed them, but to replenish their strength in critical moments."

Rhodes shared his thoughts with Durant, "Especially after a long march, eating a piece of this candy might reduce their fatigue?"

I agree with what you said.

After a moment's thought, Durant added, "And then there's the raid. In this cold winter, having a piece of food after the battle would give them the energy to retreat faster."

"But I still think it's too extravagant."

"I know."

Rod was making plans in his mind.

It seems I'll have to expand my farmland area next year.

Even with the "Crop Lord" trait, the food supply is still insufficient.

"If it's only for wartime deployment, it should be fine."

Rod muttered to himself, "Perhaps this time I can give it a try."

Even if each of the 100 people only gets half a jin (250g) of maltose, that's only 50 jin (25kg) of maltose.

Rhodes can afford it now.

"Alright, let's get down to business."

Rod changed the subject and pulled Durant and Vivian into a corner.

"The reason I had you gather these people is to attack Earl Falcon's territory."

Rod explained his thoughts to Durant in detail.

This included the plan that Vivian would first carry out the assassination, and then the army would plunder the area.

Durant was somewhat worried.
"Shouldn't we send someone to meet Miss Vivian?"

Durant knew that Vivian was a witch with the ability to become invisible, but he did not know that Vivian was Avril's alter ego.

No one knew about this except Rod; everyone thought they were twin sisters.

“It’s okay, I can escape by myself,” Vivian said.

"Well, don't worry about her."

Rhodes instructed Durant, "Remember, this is about looting, not defending territory."

"The most important thing is to tell the soldiers to save their lives, and secondly, to take as much as they can."

"It's just like doing business. Don't lose your life because of looting. We don't do business that loses money."

"Yes, Your Excellency, I will instruct them."

Durant solemnly assured him.

"Also, those few captured soldiers are yours to serve as guides for the army."

Rod lowered his voice.

"But if they don't behave, then there's no need to bring them back."

"Okay, I know what to do."

Durant responded.

Rhodes turned to Vivian and said, "You're the leading lady this time. You decide when to take action."

"I'm available anytime."

Vivian said nonchalantly, then changed the subject, "But I'm taking this candy with me to eat on the way."

"it is good."

Rod agreed.

Rhodes also wanted to spend some time preparing to equip the team that went out to "make money" with some life-saving energy rations.

……

……

Rod used wheat and rye together to make this batch of maltose, totaling 1,600 catties.

The maltose produced totaled 520 jin, a sugar yield of approximately three to one.

The proportions seem okay.

Considering that honey costs 150 copper coins per pound, even at 60 copper coins per pound, it seems like there's still a profit to be made.

As long as there is enough food, we can make more of this maltose.

After boiling the small wooden sticks, Rod wrapped them with some round sugar paste, froze them, and dried them to make lollipops for Vivian to take with her.

Rod wanted to make some desserts for her by coating dried fruit with syrup, but it was too late.

Vivian, carrying a lollipop, headed straight for White Rock Canyon, escorted by two guards.

The raiding teams set off in batches, gathering outside the White Rock Canyon in different directions.

Upon reaching the outside of White Rock Canyon, Vivian bid farewell to her guards and set off towards Eagle Ridge.

Vivian did not cross the White Rock Canyon, but instead followed the path the refugees had shown her when they arrived, and went directly through the mountains and forests.

The northern wilderness is vast and sparsely populated, and Eagle Ridge is no better off.

Especially on the edge of territory, in winter, the appearance of a stranger in a mountain village is quite noticeable.

However, because Vivian was a young girl and not very tall, no one paid her any attention after seeing her.

Before she set off, Rod had already prepared her purpose and background.

—The merchant's daughter, having lost both parents, came to Eagle Ridge to seek refuge with her relatives who had married far away.

The patrolling guards usually didn't question her much, just asked a few simple questions and let her go.

However, she encountered thugs harassing her twice at the village tavern, and Vivian turned them into corpses in the snow.

Unlike Avril Lavigne, Vivian had no interest in killing.

As Vivian ventured deeper, she still saw very few people.

It wasn't until we arrived in Eagle Town that we saw many busy figures.

(End of this chapter)