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

Chapter 267 I will take action when necessary

……

……

Within a week, news of the boar-men being sent to the quarry spread quickly.

Because all the slave canteens in Frostleaf Town were located together, the slaves could see each other's treatment while eating and chatted occasionally.

The middle-class slaves ate first, followed by the ordinary slaves, while the high-ranking artisan slaves had their own private kitchens and could exchange extra work points for meals such as roasted meat.

The slaves who were guilty of serious crimes ate whatever was available after everyone else had finished eating, and those who needed more broth filled their stomachs.

In this way, all the newcomers from other races saw the "pig swill" that the boar-men ate.

Only on Wednesdays and weekends can the boarmen eat two pieces of dry, hard black bread.

Happiness in life is relative.

The newcomers from other races felt even happier seeing the boar-man's exhausted appearance and the whip marks all over his body.

The fear in his eyes as he looked at Rhodes had increased.

Just like now in the lord's hall, the bear-man lowered his head, not daring to look at Rhodes.

Rhodes set the completed report aside and casually asked, "How was your week, Barmonk?"

“Very good, my lord.”

Bamongk bowed and replied, "There's no need to go hunting, and there's no danger. We can eat by breaking rocks and cutting down trees every day. I never dared to imagine such a life before."

"This is just to help you get used to life in Frostleaf Town. There's a lot more to do in the future."

Rhodes leaned back in his chair and asked, "I've heard that you bear people keep bees?"

"Yes, this is the perfect season for catching bees."

"We'll catch them and raise them, and we can harvest some honey before winter comes," Bamongk said.

Rhodes raised an eyebrow. "How exactly do you do it?"

“We can find wild beehives, capture the queen bee and bring her back to camp, and the swarm will follow the queen bee back to camp with us.”

Barmonk explained:

"Then they hollowed out the thick, dead tree trunk and inserted a few horizontal wooden strips inside so that the bees could build their nests there."

"There are usually three or four layers. The top layer is where the queen bee lays her eggs, the middle layer contains honey, and the bottom layer contains residue."

"A large wooden plug is left on the side of the tree trunk. In the fall, you can open the plug and dig out the honey..."

……

Bamongk spoke with great interest, explaining that it was essentially a beehive similar to those used by beekeepers.

"Won't the bees sting you?"

Rod asked curiously.

Bamonk chuckled twice.
"We bear people have thick skin and are not afraid, and we have special methods to soothe bees."

Rhodes nodded; having a stable supply of honey would indeed be a very good thing.

Honey is not only for eating; it can also treat wounds, prevent infection, and is used in some magic potions.

"What about winter?"

Rod suddenly thought of a question, "Don't bees die in winter?"

Barmonk paused for a moment, then said matter-of-factly:
"Don't worry about it in winter, if the bees die, they die."

"We can catch up on the new ones next spring."

The corners of Rhodes' mouth twitched.

After staring at Barmonk for a while, Rod asked, "Are you sure?"

"Of course."

Bamongk nodded vigorously.

"That's how we bear people do it."

“Every year, we catch a new batch of bees, harvest the honey, and then leave them alone.”

Rhodes rubbed his temples.

"Barmonk".

Rhodes sighed.

"If you let the bees safely overwinter, the honey production will be higher the following year, and you won't need to re-domesticate the bee colonies."

Bamongk blinked his small eyes and scratched his head.

"But...but they don't produce honey in winter."

He asked, puzzled, "Why keep them?"

Rod stared at Barmonk, feeling a deep sense of powerlessness.

Although I feel helpless, I understand what Barmonk said.

After all, he was just a tribal person living in a primitive and rough way, so it's normal that he didn't have a mindset for sustainable development.

"never mind,"

Rhodes waved his hand.

"You catch the bees the normal way first, and I'll arrange how to help them survive the winter."

"Yes, my lord."

Barmonk breathed a sigh of relief and then asked, "Then who should we ask to lead us to capture him...?"

“Tell Kyle to contact the hunting team.”

Rod instructed, "They will arrange for you to go into the forest to find the beehives."

Kyle is now in charge of most of the affairs of the alien slaves, similar to how Us was in charge of the savages, which can be considered as sharing some of the work with Lawrence.

"Remember, capture live bee swarms; don't be too violent."

Rod instructed.

"Don't worry, sir."

Bamongk patted his chest and assured them, "We bear people know bees best."

"Well, let's go."

Rhodes waved his hand.

Just as Bamongk was about to turn and leave, he suddenly stopped.

"Sir, there is one more thing."

Bamonk reported, "I know the locations of other tribes, and there is also a White Bear tribe deep in the Icefield Mountains."

"A polar bear man?"

Rhodes' eyes lit up. "What's the difference between the White Bear People and you?"

"They are similar to us, but they are more resistant to the cold than we are, and they also like the cold."

"But if the master needs it, my people can lead the way."

“I like this news, Barmonk.”

Rod gave Bamongk an approving look, then scribbled a few lines on a piece of paper and handed it to Bamongk.

“Take this paper to Kyle and have him take you to Lawrence to collect the sugar and jerky, then deliver the message to Gunther.”

"They'll take care of the rest."

Rhodes is currently very busy and cannot do things personally.

For now, Rhodes only focuses on the results, as he can delegate tasks to others.

Barmonk bowed repeatedly and stepped forward to take the note.

He couldn't understand the text on it, but Bamongk was absolutely convinced that he could exchange it for food.

"Also, tell other alien races that anyone who knows news about their own race can report it."

Rhodes said calmly, "This way, you can not only bring your fellow countrymen to Frostleaf Town to enjoy their lives, but you will also receive more rewards yourself."

"Don't worry, I will definitely tell them!"

Bamongk said cautiously, "Then I'll go down and catch some bees first?"

"Ah."

Rhodes waved his hand, and Barmonk bowed and withdrew.

Not long after Barmonk left, Lawrence knocked on the door and walked in with a mysterious smile on his face.

Three white fox women followed behind him.

The fox woman's beast form is rare; her skin is fair and hairless, and her delicate, human-like face has a faint blush.

Her long hair was as white as snowflakes, with a pair of fluffy white tips peeking out from the top of her head, which would tremble slightly from time to time.

These three fox spirits were not tall, about 1.6 to 1.7 meters, with petite figures and slender waists.

They lowered their heads, not daring to look directly at Rhodes, and looked very fragile.

After sizing up the three white fox women, Rhode looked at Lawrence.

"What are you..."

“Sir, they are frail and weak, and cannot do any heavy work.”

Lawrence said with a smile, "She's beautiful, learns quickly, and is very skilled with her hands."

With that, Lawrence turned his head and ordered, "You three, show the lord something."

The three fox-women simultaneously lifted their skirts and curtsied, "Honorable lord, good day."

The clear, bell-like sound carried a gentle charm, like a spring breeze caressing the heart.

Importantly, all three of them spoke standard Imperial English.

At the same time, Lawrence placed a stack of papers in front of Rhodes, covered with crooked Imperial script.

"They are the three best. They can already write more than sixty words and have no problem with simple arithmetic. It would be a waste to put such smart and beautiful girls anywhere else."

Lawrence suggested, "I think it would be best to have them by your side as your assistants, serving you in your daily life."

"Not only will it enable them to learn knowledge more quickly, but it will also highlight your noble status as a lord."

"Hmm, that seems to make sense."

Rhodes turned his gaze to Lawrence.

But listening to Lawrence's presentation, which sounded very sales-oriented, Rod had a feeling that Lawrence was about to blurt out something like...

—For just 998, bring the fox spirit home.

"Since you think they learn quickly, then let them stay."

Rhodes explained, "Avril happens to need an assistant too."

"But what happened to those male white fox people?"

"They are also very smart, have a good learning ability, can make all kinds of traps, and are also very good at carpentry."

Lawrence looked somewhat troubled: "There are only thirty-two in total. Renn and Waller both want these white fox people, and I also want to keep a few for myself..."

"Then you can arrange it accordingly."

Rhodes's lack of intervention implies that he has already sided with Lawrence.

After all, hunters and carpenters can be selected from ordinary people, but people with management skills are rare.

"Okay, sir."

Lawrence nodded, then waved to the three fox women.
"Why aren't you hurrying to serve our lord?"

Lawrence's voice carried the command of a superior, and the three fox women quickly obeyed and stepped forward.

The massages—one on the shoulders, another on the legs—made Rhodes somewhat uneasy.

"Remember this: only by serving the lord well will we have a good life."

Lawrence instructed.

"They owe part of their good days to you."

Rhodes smiled at Lawrence, "If Gunther hadn't confiscated all their property, I would have really thought the White Foxes bribed you." Lawrence's expression tightened, and he quickly waved his hand, "I didn't accept any bribes. I don't even know where to spend those gold coins you gave me."

Rod smiled, waved to Vivian, and gave her a few words of advice.

Vivian then went into the bedroom, took out two wooden boxes, and handed them to Lawrence.

Lawrence looked bewildered. "Sir, what is this...?"

"These are for your two wives."

Rod laughed and said, "You're one of my trusted confidants now, you should have some valuable assets by now."

"Thank you for your generosity!"

Lawrence opened the wooden box with some delight, and was instantly stunned by the exquisite jewelry inside.

Although Lawrence was a merchant, he was just a small-time peddler in a border town and had never seen any exquisite aristocratic jewelry.

"Master, this is far too valuable!"

"dislike?"

Seeing Lawrence's bewildered expression, Rhodes waved his hand and said, "Then bring it back."

"..."

Lawrence's face stiffened, and he quickly bowed in greeting.

"Master, I have quite a few things to attend to, I'll go take care of them now."

"Thank you again for your kind gift!"

Lawrence stuffed the things into his clothes and ran away from the lord's hall as if he were escaping.

Looking at him, Rhodes couldn't help but laugh and said, "This guy is still pretending with me."

Rhodes turned to look at the three fox women. Their alluring appearance was indeed pitiful, and the strength with which they massaged their legs was very weak.

"Alright, since Lawrence says you're smart, you shouldn't be doing these trivial things."

Rhodes gestured for the fox woman to stop, then called Leah over.

"You will be in charge of arranging and training these three fox-people. For example, I will entrust them with my schedule arrangements."

"Rod gave the order."

"Yes, my lord."

Lia looked at the three fox women with a serious expression and a hint of tension in her eyes.

Rhodes saw through the girl's thoughts and added, "They will do different things from you in the future. You will still be responsible for my food and clothing."

"The three of them also need to learn to read and write and do arithmetic. So I'll assign them fewer tasks and mainly let them get familiar with the work process and my lifestyle."

Rhodes' words instantly relieved Leah, a smile appearing on her face as she puffed out her slightly protruding chest.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure everything is arranged!"

"Well, let's go."

Rhodes waved his hand, and Lia bowed before leaving with the three fox women.

After arranging everything, Rod continued to review the Ministry of Agriculture's reports.

Sowing is nearing its end, but the Ministry of Agriculture's workload hasn't slowed down at all.

In addition to grains, Rod also had Otto grow a lot of vegetables to enrich his dining table.

Radishes, onions, garlic, cabbage, spinach, peas, and other vegetables were interspersed and planted on the land surrounding the territory.

Irrigation canals also need to be built around the newly reclaimed land. Rod asked Otto to arrange and hand it over to the engineering team.

These kinds of large-scale projects that used to require a lot of manpower can be completed in just a few days once the rock ridge is cleared of debris.

In addition, Rod also ordered Otto to arrange several patrol teams to regularly inspect the fields, not only to observe the growth of the seedlings, but also to pay attention to any different seedlings.

Nobody knows when these seedlings will mutate.

In recent days, thousands of various mutated magical plants have been discovered one after another. The fence of the botanical garden has just been put up, and various magical plants have already been planted inside.

After Rhodes finished dealing with these matters, he had just stood up when Vivian spoke first.
"Your Excellency, Musen reports to my sister that the snow wheat is ripe."

"what!"

Rod's face lit up with surprise. "Let's go take a look!"

Without any hesitation, Rod took Vivian straight to Xuemai's two acres of land.

The unique ice-blue wheat fields rippled in the breeze, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

The glistening wheat ears shimmered in the sunlight, like countless diamonds adorning the fields.

"What a beauty……"

Avril's eyes sparkled, and Vivian stood there, mesmerized.

Not to mention the other witch girls who had never seen jewelry before.

Rod was also amazed by the beautiful sight and couldn't help but step forward, bend down, and gently stroke the ears of wheat.

A cool sensation came from his fingertips, and Rhodes also felt waves of magic.

Each grain of wheat is crystal clear, radiating an icy blue light, as if it contains snowflakes.

The straw of the snow wheat was tough and upright. Rod reached out and pressed it, and found that it was stronger than the straw of ordinary wheat.

"This wheat straw, could it be considered a magical material?"

Rhodes looked at Avril and asked.

Avril nodded and explained, "The most common magic pen can use this straw as the handle, but... in ancient times, wizard apprentices usually used it as food for magical beasts."

"...So wealthy."

Rhodes touched the wheat stalks again, wondering if they could be used to make magic paper.

Of course, having two acres of land is not realistic right now.

Rod reached out and plucked an ear of snow wheat, peeled off a grain, and put it in his mouth.

The cool, hard sensation felt like a block of ice in your mouth.

But it doesn't make you feel cold; on the contrary, it has a refreshing sweetness when you savor it carefully.

"This smell..."

Rhodes savored it carefully, yet he still couldn't describe it.

It's a bit like mint-flavored candy, but not as sweet or fragrant as candy.

"How about it?"

Avril's eyes were full of anticipation.

Rod handed the wheat to Avril.
"Try it."

Avril carefully took the pills with both hands, picked one off, put it in her mouth, and squinted her eyes to savor the taste.

"Anyone who's interested can try it."

Rhodes took the wheat ears and said, "But only this time, the rest must be kept as seeds."

It wasn't that Rhodes was stingy; the main issue was that snow wheat determined whether it could be planted in the Northern Wilderness during the winter, and the quantity was also extremely limited.

With two acres reserved for seed, Rod didn't know how many acres he could plant this winter.

Rhodes was even more excited about Snow Wheat's next level of magical plant, Frost Blue Wheat.

Frosty Blue Wheat can be used to make magic potions.

Cultivating large-scale Frostwheat means producing magic potions in bulk.

Magic potions are what can maximize a wizard apprentice's combat power and productivity.

"Avril, next we'll harvest the snow wheat."

Rod's expression turned serious. "This is very important. I will have Otto select the most meticulous farmers, and then you can give them a proper training."

"Yeah, no problem."

Avril nodded repeatedly, "The texture of this wheat grain is so unique."

Rhodes was lost in thought and didn't reply. Instead, he instructed, "Also, have all the apprentices stop what they're doing and keep an eye on the farmers."

It wasn't that Rhodes didn't trust the farmers in his territory; it was simply that snow wheat was too important.

Rod was afraid that their carelessness would cause losses, and that punishing anyone would not make up for it.

No wonder there were special spirit farmers in some cultivation novels from my previous life.

It seems I should also train some gardeners to take care of magical plants.

Rod couldn't help but sigh inwardly, feeling that he had so many people to train.

It seems I have to take shortcuts to achieve my goals...

"Honey, what's wrong?"

Avril looked at Rhodes, who was deep in thought, and asked with some concern, "Have you been too tired lately?"

"It's nothing, it has nothing to do with this."

Rod smiled and put his arm around Avril's slender waist. "I just feel like I was a bit too honest before. Actually, we could have just taken what others had gained."

"what?"

Avril was clearly taken aback, not understanding what Rod was saying.

Rhodes realized his thoughts were wandering a bit, shook his head slightly, and turned to look at the guard.

"Cerf, tell Durant to come see me."

……

……

Inside the lord's manor.

Durant strode in.

Durant bowed. "Sir, what are your orders?"

"There is something that is not urgent, but very important."

Rhodes instructed, "Contact everyone in our Night Whisperers Society and investigate those connected to wizards."

“Witches, wizarding apprentices, anything is fine, even if it’s just a rumor, investigate it thoroughly.”

"As long as we can confirm that they have some skills, let the Night Whisper Society recruit them. We can be more flexible with the conditions."

Rod added, "They especially recruit those who are unpopular or even discriminated against."

Durant nodded.

He understood what Rod meant; recruiting those people was much easier than training civilians.

Rod thought for a moment and said, “Tell them that Black Pine Ridge will not only provide for their livelihood and ensure their safety, but will also support their academic research.”

"I understand, my lord."

Durant replied:
"Send a message to the Night Whisperers immediately."

After saying that, Durant did not leave.

"My lord, I also have something to report to you."

“Speak,” Rhodes instructed.

“The Makuruto people sent a message back, saying that someone has been watching our caravan.”

"And there are also people who have been trying to infiltrate our caravan, but they have all been stopped by Makuru."

Rhodes nodded thoughtfully. "It seems someone can't hold back any longer."

"Send someone to meet Makuru as soon as possible."

Rhodes instructed, "The wasteland is now ours, so there's nothing to worry about."

After saying that, Rod felt a little uneasy.

In the wilderness, who knows what those "bandits" might do?

"Have the Night Whisperers report on the caravan's situation at any time."

Rhodes said seriously, "I will take action when necessary."

　Thank you to Feiyan——————Reincarnation for the 6,500 coins donation, and thank you to "I Still Have a Book Famine" for the donation!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)