The serfs who had spontaneously knelt on both sides of Cinder Path to welcome their lord left a strong impression on Russell.
"This world, this era... the authority of the nobility is far too entrenched."
He did not dare imagine how he would break free of class constraints and live freely if he had transmigrated as a serf.
"Perhaps..."
He raised his head, his gaze passing over the kneeling serfs toward the south, where the land was utterly different from Glimmering River Valley and still blanketed in snow and ice.
Beneath the snow and ice, where the Glimmering River flowed in, lay a gloomy cavern known as Xiangshui River Cave.
A group of freefolk who belonged to no lord lived within the cave.
Indeed, they had gained freedom, but their lives were precarious, and they lived on the edge of death at every moment.
As the knightly lord of Wuyou Snake Manor, one of Russell's major feudal duties was to guard his territory's borders and prevent the freefolk from crossing over to plunder—freefolk who did not submit to noble lords received no protection from any lord.
Drawing back his gaze, Russell looked at the serfs still kneeling on the ground and said loudly, "Everyone, rise. From now on, whenever I, Russell Fluorite Mushroom, your lord, pass by, you need only offer me a respectful gaze. There is no need to kneel and kowtow anymore."
"Ah, praise the master!"
"Master, you are kind and generous!"
"Kind-hearted master!"
"Master, you are a true noble!"
"Wuwuwu, how happy!"
"Praise the master! Master, your glory shines for ten thousand miles!"
The serfs all spoke at once to express their gratitude. Simply being spared from kneeling made them believe their new lord was unquestionably a wonderful man.
After taking a quick look around Small Market Town, Russell found that there were only two places that could truly be called shops.
One was a bakery, responsible for making bread for the serfs and helping them buy urgently needed supplies from town.
The other was a blacksmith's shop, or perhaps it could also be called a stonemason's shop or carpenter's shop. It sold all kinds of ironware, stoneware, and wooden furniture. Russell even saw leather goods hanging above the entrance, showing just how diverse the owner's skills were.
Besides that, there was another place that barely counted as a shop: a row of sheds that could scarcely be considered a farmers' market.
Serfs set up stalls there to sell farm goods such as eggs, rice wine, and cured meat.
"How shabby..." Russell sighed again.
Wuyou Snake Manor covered nearly twenty thousand hectares, larger than some townships back on Earth, yet the difference in prosperity was like night and day.
The foremost problem was population. Three thousand five hundred people was only the population of a somewhat larger village.
That was nowhere near enough to support a town's commercial system.
"There are too few serfs. The manor's farmland used to produce too little to support many people, but now that I've brought Spirit Worms, we can grow magic potions and should be able to support quite a few more people... Where can I obtain more population?" His gaze drifted once again toward Xiangshui River Cave.
This matter required long-term consideration.
Leaving Small Market Town, they continued along Cinder Path. The terrain rose and fell, forming an unremarkable river-valley landscape centered on the Glimmering River.
In Russell's eyes, the entire Glimmering River Valley was a basin.
Wuyou Snake Manor stood at the southernmost opening of that basin, its land rolling up and down like hills.
Farther away stood low mountains on both the east and west, covered in snow and ice.
After crossing an earthen slope, two riders came galloping toward them from afar. They were none other than his two teachers, Charles and Eric.
"Knight Russell, welcome back to inspect your territory. Haha, I saw several knights from a distance and guessed that you had returned." Charles doffed his hat from horseback, a heather-root pipe still pinched between his fingers.
Eric struck his right fist against his chest. "My lord."
"Hello, my two teachers. How did the manor inspection go? Did you find anywhere suitable for growing magic potions?"
"The most suitable places are still along both banks of the Glimmering River." Though Charles had fallen on hard times, he was still somewhat learned. "The Baron Lord's Magic Potion Fields are spread along both banks of the Glimmering River, and ours can be the same."
Russell neither agreed nor disagreed. "Is that so?"
"I made a simple plan. On the west bank of the Glimmering River are Lentil Tunic and Alfalfa Tunic; on the east bank are Bean Wheat Tunic, Barley Tunic, and Wheat Tunic. We can cut out the farmland near the riverbanks from all five tunics and form a new Magic Potion Tunic."
From horseback atop the earthen slope, they could overlook the entire Glimmering River.
Charles gestured casually. "That way, Magic Potion Tunic can receive ample irrigation from the Glimmering River, and it will also be easy to patrol at any time. When danger arises, the Worm Grass can be promptly recalled into the Spirit Worms' bodies, avoiding major losses."
Farming in this world differed from farming on Earth.
There might not be much difference in growing ordinary crops; serfs could tend them well enough.
But growing magic potions required Spirit Worms to maintain them, using the influence of Worm Grass to create the special environment needed for magic potions to grow.
Worm Grass was the plant or mushroom body that nurtured a Spirit Worm.
Simply put, it was a magical treasure.
Spirit Worms could recall Worm Grass at any time or sow it anew, using it to regulate the area affected by magic potions.
Russell was a man of action. "Let's go take a look together and settle the boundaries of Magic Potion Tunic while we're at it."
Charles shrugged. "You are the lord. As you wish."
They spurred their horses into a gallop and arrived at the bank of the Glimmering River.
"Look, Russell. There's still a large birch forest here, all old trees with some age to them. It's perfectly suited to the growth of Fluorite Mushrooms." Charles pointed at a patch of trees that had just begun to sprout new buds. The forest stretched along the river, sparse but fairly extensive.
Fluorite Mushrooms liked to grow on tree trunks and were probably a type of parasitic mushroom.
"Very good, but this forest is still not enough to plant one hundred and fifty mu of Fluorite Mushrooms. We need to keep planting trees and expand the birch forest." Russell was satisfied. "John, go find Old Hans and tell him to bring people to survey the land."
"Yes, my lord!" Armored Knight John accepted the order and left.
Seeing this, Charles hesitated. "Russell, are we starting the survey today? The sun is about to set. Wouldn't it be better to begin tomorrow?"
"What needs to be done today should be finished today. Magic Potion Tunic must be planned out as soon as possible," Russell said in a tone that brooked no refusal.
His own territory, his own farmland, his own crops... all of it stirred limitless enthusiasm for creation within him.
Anything that could be done quickly could not be left overnight.
Russell's will was well reflected in his retainers and subjects. Old Hans arrived swiftly, followed by a group of Tunic Chiefs and serf stewards.
"Monochoria, Fluorite Mushrooms, Dill. Magic Potion Tunic will be divided into three sections. The birch forests on both banks will serve as the Fluorite Mushroom planting area, with a full one hundred and fifty mu reserved." Charles had originally wanted to slack off, but he had no choice but to pull himself together and take charge.
He could not push everything onto Russell, or he would lose his own value.
"Yes, Lord Charles. We will begin measuring from the birch forest. I have brought the rulers and marking poles," Old Hans said with a bow.
Under Charles and Eric's direction, the Tunic Chiefs and serf stewards measured the land plot by plot.
Sunlight poured into the birch forest, gilding the straight birch branches with a faint golden hue. Tree after tree, emerald buds and golden branches displayed nature's beauty to its fullest at that moment.
Russell gently guided his horse to the riverbank, stepping over the stones by the water as he silently mused, This place is as beautiful as a scenic attraction... Unfortunately, I am the only tourist.
Before you continue