The carriage wobbled along the muddy road after the snow.
Mary was resting by the window, holding the small Yini in her arms, with the low hum of the axle grinding the snow at her ears.
Suddenly, she was awakened by a rustle of voices.
"Look! Look outside!"
"Oh my, what is that place?"
"Could it be the Red Tide Territory?!"
Mary rubbed her sleepy eyes and drowsily climbed to the side of the carriage window.
At that mont, the convoy slowly ascended a small hill, and the scene before them abruptly unfolded.
In that instant, Mary’s breath suddenly halted.
As the carriage slowly crossed the hill, the scene ca rushing to them.
Below lay a vast river valley, as if soone had forcibly carved a spring seam in the heart of winter.
The entire Mai Lang Territory spread out in the river valley, with silver-white greenhouses refracting shimring ripples under the sun, like waves stirred by a breeze.
On the hillsides, round half-underground houses were neatly arranged.
And the wide, straight crossroads stretched like neural pathways, tightly linking the village, greenhouses, and the grain processing workshop areas.
But what was most breath-taking was the boundless fields, with thousands of people wielding iron plows and wooden shovels, turning the soil, sowing seeds, and fetching water.
The shouts, work chants, and clashing of tal echoed continuously, like a symphony of spring, playing fervently on this originally cold permafrost.
An old woman in the carriage muttered, "There’s no place like this in the Northern Territory... Even the estates outside Frost Halberd City have never been this organized."
A child almost climbed out the window with excitent: "Mother, look! The calves over there are plowing the fields! Their horns are white, how fun!"
The cramped family mbers in the carriage all poked their heads out the window, causing a clamor.
A Red Tide Knight accompanying the convoy heard and, smiling, reined his horse closer to the carriage, saying loudly, "This isn’t the Red Tide Territory, ladies.
This is the Mai Lang Territory, just an experintal site under our lord’s new plan."
Upon seeing the people in the carriage exchange bewildered looks, the knight grinned, a clear pride in his tone: "The Red Tide Main City is several tis better than this. Once you arrive, you’ll understand what true Red Tide glory ans.
Mary gazed at the farrs turning the soil outside the window, the scent of smoke and earth mixing and wafting into her nostrils with the breeze.
This was the Northern Territory, once known for its desolation and barrenness.
Yet now soone had forcibly carved a new lifeline on the permafrost.
She thought of the famine and chaos after the pest infestation in Frost Halberd City, then looked at the orderly, vibrant scene before her, and for so reason, she started to look forward to living and life in the future city.
......
The spring breeze swept through the valley, carrying the scent of moist earth.
The newly built Governnt Hall of Mai Lang Territory stood by the river, its exterior carved with wheat ears encircling sun motifs, the symbol of Mai Lang Territory.
Although it lacked gold-gilded dos and silk draperies inside, it possessed a sense of calm and powerful dignity.
At this mont, dozens of village chiefs, workshop heads, cropping record officials, and managing officers had taken their seats, and a tense atmosphere filled the air.
And the young Lord of the Red Tide sat quietly at the head seat.
Louis was not dressed in finery, just a dark short cloak, the collar fastened with the silver pin of the Red Tide Knight Order.
This was the mid-spring cultivation report eting, also the first Mai Lang governance eting personally hosted by Louis since the war ended.
Having not seen the lord in a long ti, everyone felt a mix of emotions, both excited and faintly awed.
Louis lightly tapped his fingers on the table, signaling the room to quiet down, then spoke in a low voice, "Everyone, spring cultivation is the foundation for this year. The war may have spread thin, but this matter has always been on my mind."
As his deep voice fell, the previously murmuring officials instantly fell silent, even their breathing softened.
Louis glanced around the room, nodding slightly, "Speak, tell the current situation."
The first to stand was Mike, rubbing his hands together, the thick calluses producing a slight rustle.
He hadn’t seen Louis for a long ti, so he was still quite nervous: "M-Master... um, here, I report the situation of this year’s spring cultivation."
Louis rested his elbow on the armrest of his chair, smiling slightly, "Go ahead."
Mike raised his eyes to look at him, his voice gradually calming: "Last year, our Mai Lang’s cultivated land totaled forty-six thousand acres. This year, it has expanded to eighty-eight thousand acres... almost doubled."
"Not bad." Louis nodded gently.
Though it seed like a casual complint, it noticeably eased Mike’s tense shoulders.
"The newly added farmland mainly comprises hillside slopes, shallow marshlands, and so highland plateaus." Mike paused briefly before adding: "According to your instructions, we laid the geothermal pipelines in advance...so the night frost is no longer a problem there."
Louis raised an eyebrow, gesturing for him to continue.
"This year..." Mike flipped open the record book in his hand, "As for the crops planted, there are several more varieties than last year.
The Agricultural Research Institute selected so new seeds that are cold-resistant and high-yield; currently, the sprouting rate in the greenhouses is ninety-two percent, significantly higher than last year."
"Ninety-two percent?" Louis softly repeated, his lips curling slightly.
Mike couldn’t help but smile too, and continued: "Based on the sowing rate this year, it’s expected the autumn harvest will reach one hundred and ninety-seven thousand tons... enough to feed one hundred and twenty thousand people for a whole year."
At this point, he scratched the back of his head: "L-Lord... If the heavens don’t get temperantal, our Mai Lang granaries are likely to... burst."
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