Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 123 Winter Grain Production
After observing the Kame-chan experiment, Louise turned to leave the experimental site.

He had just taken a step when he glanced back and saw Sif still standing there, her face flushed, intently watching the male fireback tortoise rubbing itself back and forth on the back of the fake female tortoise.

Louis couldn't help but laugh: "Alright, have you seen enough? I have to go inspect the greenhouses in the farm area later, you can come along and broaden your horizons."

"Huh?" Sif snapped back to reality, her face flushing red to her neck as she quickly said, "I...I wasn't looking!"

But his flustered appearance was simply a case of trying to hide something obvious.

“Alright, alright,” Louis said with a laugh and a wave of his hand, “just pretend you didn’t see it.”

Sif muttered to herself, "I wasn't even watching..."

In the cold wind, the two rode their horses toward the agricultural greenhouses.

The outlines of a dozen or so greenhouses were already emerging under the gray sky, like warm hills rising from the snow.

As she approached, Sif smelled a warm, damp earthy scent, along with a faint... plant aroma.

In this cold world, the smell seemed particularly unreal, as if it had stolen from another season.

The greenhouses are neatly arranged, with a total of seventeen at a glance, each clearly numbered.

It was tightly wrapped in animal hides and linen, with wisps of heat escaping through the gaps, as if it were breathing softly.

Louis stopped in front of the nearest one and reached out to lift the curtain.

"Come on, take a look."

A wave of warmth suddenly surged out, as if we had stepped from the dead of winter into early spring.

The greenhouse was lush and green, with rows of lettuce standing neatly in rows, glistening with a fresh, vibrant sheen.

Further inside, the leaves of the winter radish unfurled, and the stems swelled up, as if proudly showing off.

Sif blinked and noticed that the shed was wrapped with rings of silvery-white stuff, like rough ribbons, that shimmered slightly.

"What is this?" She looked up, a little puzzled.

“Reflective layer,” Louis said briefly.

Upon closer inspection, Sif realized that not only the outer layer, but also several polished stone slabs against the wall inside the shed, were so polished that they could almost reflect one's image.

Even the linen in the corner was studded with fine silver cloth, which shimmered faintly in the dim light.

“As long as there’s even a sliver of light during the day, we can bring it all in without wasting a single bit,” Louis explained casually, then pointed to a few pieces of shimmering ore hanging from the ceiling.

"These are mid-grade light stones purchased through the Chamber of Commerce. The entire shed was also converted into a reflector structure, so it can be used as long as a little sunlight shines in."

Sif knew it must have been Louis's idea, because he always had some strange but very useful things on his mind.

She crouched down and gently touched the tender green leaf with her fingertips.

My fingers still carried the chill of the outside air, but what I could touch was a clear, living warmth.

"In this kind of weather..." she murmured softly, a hint of disbelief in her eyes, "how can vegetables still grow?"

Louis was also surprised. He had only suggested an idea, but Mick had executed it so well. He was indeed recognized by the system as an agricultural genius.

At that moment, Mick emerged from another greenhouse.

He was covered in wet mud, but his face was beaming with an irrepressible smile, radiating warmth like the only sunshine in this cold weather.

"Lord, my lord!" Mick strode over, a simple and honest smile on his face.

His gratitude to Louis was palpable; he had once been a slave, but now he had not only been freed from slavery, but also appointed as the agricultural official of the Red Tide Territory.

He married an indigenous widow with three children, and their life became stable.

And now his wife is pregnant again.

Louis glanced at him and teased with a smile, "Well done, Mick. You're living the good life. It's only been a short time and you've already added another new member?"

Mick's ears turned red instantly. He quickly lowered his head, scratched his head, and grinned sheepishly, not knowing what to say.

Seeing this, Louis waved his hand and said, "Alright, why don't you explain the situation here so she can broaden her horizons?"

"Yes, Lord." Mick then stopped smiling, straightened his back, and stammered as he reported: "Now... a total of seventeen greenhouses have been built, with a total area of ​​three thousand four hundred square meters!"

One round of lettuce rotation has been completed, with over fifty baskets harvested.

Winter radishes have been sown and planted in the ground. It is expected that the first batch will be harvested in a little over a month...

Although Mick still spoke haltingly, he explained every detail clearly.

Louis listened as he walked deeper into the greenhouse.

The ground beneath our feet was soft soil, and a few drops of water occasionally dripped from above. The shed was filled with the damp, earthy smell and the fragrance of grass.

He squatted down, picked a lettuce leaf, and gently rubbed it with his fingertip. The tender leaf was crisp and full of juice.

He reached out and parted a radish seedling, revealing a slightly bulging, white, and sturdy root.

“Well done, Mick. Excellent execution.” Louis stood up, dusted his hands off, turned to Mick, and nodded with a smile.

"Next, we will explore some medicinal herbs and cold-resistant grains... so that our people can have fresh vegetables to eat even in the cold winter."

His gaze swept over the rows of greenhouses, and he added, "Build more, expand the scale even further."

Upon hearing this, Mick nodded quickly and replied, "Yes, my lord! I... I will certainly do my best!"

After leaving the greenhouse, Louis and Sif rode slowly along the Red Tide River.

The north wind howled, and the riverbanks were covered in a vast expanse of white snow.

Sif wrapped her cloak tighter around herself, her nose red from the cold, but her eyes looked around curiously.

"Is that...fishing?" she asked in a low voice, pointing ahead.

Following her gaze, the river sections on both sides were enclosed by thick hemp ropes, with a few temporary cloth sheds standing here and there.

The fishermen, dressed in heavy leather coats, worked on the frozen river, the occasional sound of ice chisels striking the ice carrying a biting chill.

“Hmm, a winter fishing ground.” Louis pulled on the reins and led the way, riding closer. “Let’s go take a look.”

Several fishermen were seen gathered around the ice cave, skillfully pulling up their fishing nets.

With a flash of light, one after another, silvery live fish were thrown onto the ice, splashing and kicking up tiny ice shards.

"Lord Louis, what brings you here in person!" Fisheries Officer Luke hurriedly greeted him with a fawning smile. "This is a very good omen! This year, things are going very well here..."

"Stop flattering me, explain the current situation," Louis interrupted him.

Luke chuckled and touched his nose: "Yes, sir!"

He pointed to the fishing nets beside the ice cave, his eyes brimming with pride: "The first phase of the winter fishing grounds is complete, and the under-ice fishing net system is officially in use. Now, each cave can reliably produce about thirty fish per day..."

Louis glanced at the group of lively, wriggling fish and nodded.

This output, while not particularly large, is stable and, most importantly, sustainable.

"Not bad," he said in a low voice, his tone revealing a hint of approval. "Continue to improve the network layout, don't slack off, and improve efficiency even further."

“Yes!” Luke replied immediately upon hearing Louis’s words.

Sif stood to the side, clutching her cloak tightly, her gaze following the live fish that were being swung up one by one.

For some reason, a warm feeling suddenly welled up in my heart.

She turned her head to look at the man standing in front of her.

Louis stood tall and straight, his face calm, and he spoke slowly and deliberately, even when dealing with the most trivial matters concerning people's livelihoods.

Sif's gaze softened subtly, and she couldn't help but murmur softly, "Truly... amazing..."

Louis turned his head, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of her deep blue eyes, bright and sparkling, with a hint of panic as she looked away.

He paused for a moment, then gently pinched her cheek and said with a smile, "Let's go back to the castle."

Sif's ears burned instantly, and she lowered her head and whispered, "Mmm..."

(End of this chapter)