Chapter 749: Chapter 454: The First Negotiation
The wheat harvest on the Tilaimei Plain usually takes place from late April to mid-May.
The further south you go, the earlier the harvest will begin.
Although it’s only late March right now, still more than half a month away from the wheat harvest, preparations for the harvest had already been underway for quite some time.
Spring rains bring life to all things, but too much water isn’t good for wheat harvesting.
Before the actual harvest, all wheat fields need proper drainage to prevent lodging.
But this year, the Tilaimei Plain’s preparatory work involved some additional tasks besides these.
Outside Golden Barley City.
On a towering ridge, serfs were swinging their hoes to level the land underfoot.
Although Tilaimei is a plain, the terrain isn’t completely flat upon closer inspection, with significant elevation differences between many fields.
For instance, the ridge old Mylon was leveling was situated at a boundary, with the fields on either side differing by nearly half a meter in height!
"Uncle Mylon, why do the adults want to level these ridges?" asked a young serf.
"It’s not about making them shorter, but leveling them into gentle slopes," old Mylon shook his head, hesitantly adding, "Perhaps to make it easier for carts to pass when the time comes."
"I see," the young serf nodded, not fully understanding.
In fact, old Mylon’s guess wasn’t off the mark, except that what needed to be accommodated for passage weren’t carts but rather the new harvesting machinery.
The optimal time for wheat harvest is much shorter than that for rice, lasting only about ten days, and with the weather adding further uncertainties, the wheat harvest always feels like a race against time.
Although new agricultural machines were available this year, since this was their first time being used on such a large scale, thorough preparation was necessary, and details like the gradients in the ridges required careful attention.
Swoosh!
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—
Several figures suddenly appeared in the sky.
"The Wizards are patrolling again!" old Mylon murmured subconsciously.
Ever since the war situation had changed, it had become common to see Wizards patrolling the skies above Tilaimei Plain.
Regardless of the actual effectiveness, these patrolling figures indeed gave the people of the Tilaimei Plain a great sense of security.
In the sky.
"Harvest is approaching; stay alert during patrols. Any irregularities must be reported immediately—these are the orders of the Lord of Tilaimei. Have you all got it?" Captain Cooper emphasized as they flew.
"Understood, we will heed the Lord of Tilaimei’s commands!" came a tidy response from the Wizards behind him.
They flew past like swallows and soon vanished into the distance.
Within Golden Barley City, outside the Palace.
"Say what you will, but this new Lord of Tilamei really holds sway over the plains!" a somewhat portly Frank put down his large hand, and with it, the faint blue Spiritual Light of witchcraft by his ear faded, causing a sudden decrease in his hearing. He couldn’t help digging at his ear before looking toward the horizon and adding:
"The Wizards patrol every spring harvest in Tilaimei, but I’ve never seen them take it this seriously before..."
"If you were a Third Rank Wizard, a distinguished Supreme Council Member who had thwarted Divine plots, saved the entire Tilaimei Plain’s farmlands, and then survived an assassination attempt by a Fourth Rank Wizard... Then you, too, could have the Wizards patrol this earnestly."
Dougla replied meticulously, his attire impeccable in a black Wizard Robe and his hair neatly combed back, the fastidious handlebar mustache above his lips accentuating his serious demeanor.
"True... Colin is indeed a great Wizard," Frank chuckled, glancing at the Palace gates, "It’s just too busy to get an audience with him."
"No hurry," Dougla uttered calmly and remained quietly standing.
Frank made a face and looked behind him.
Apart from the two major traders, about thirty representatives from different trading caravans stood behind them.
Looking around, these were familiar faces of the grain trade, representatives of the associations that essentially controlled the grain market in the entire Neustadt region.
Even the smallest associations had no direct access to the Tilaimei Plain.
After a while,
the side gate of the Kingdom finally opened.
"Gentlemen, please follow me. Lord Atbolde is waiting to meet with you all."
A Wizard Apprentice from the Roon Family said with a polite smile.
"We aren’t being received by Councilman Colin?" Frank paused briefly, touching his nose as he explained, "I mean, aren’t we supposed to see Councilman Colin?"
"That’s correct. Councilman Colin has entrusted all matters related to the grain trade to Lord Atbolde.
Since you mentioned to me earlier that the purpose of your visit was to discuss grain trade, it’s Lord Atbolde who will be receiving you."
"However, if you need to discuss matters other than the grain trade with Councilman Colin, you can tell me now, and I will relay it to the Councilman."
"I understand. No need, thank you," Frank nodded, not insisting further or feeling anything was amiss.
After all, the purpose of their visit was the grain trade; meeting or not meeting with Colin wasn’t of much concern.
In previous years, when they came to Golden Barley, it wasn’t always Erwin who personally greeted them.
The traders followed the Wizard Apprentice into the Palace, through several corridors, and finally into a spacious meeting room.
Atbolde was already seated at the principal seat waiting for them.