Black Pearl Wine

Knight Captain Kendall did not stay for dinner at the manor residence.

After announcing the baron's decree, he led the patrol knight squad back onto Charcoal Ash Avenue beneath the last rays of sunset.

"Old Hans and the five Tunic Chiefs stay. Everyone else, go home." Russell brought the noisy loyalty-pledging ceremony to an end.

The serf overseers left, and the watching serfs had long since scattered as well, not daring to linger near the manor residence.

"My lord, the study has been tidied up and is ready for your use at any time." The middle-aged butler in a neat tailcoat came over to report.

"Thank you, Morris," Russell replied with a smile.

Morris was his new butler. Russell had already met him on the way here; he had previously worked at the residence in town.

Baron Gloomlight had many such residences throughout his fief, each staffed with servants to manage it.

Including the residence at Wuyou Snake Manor.

"Serving you is my duty, my lord." Delighted by Russell's thanks, Morris introduced the middle-aged man and woman beside him. "These are the resident manservant and maid of the manor residence, Mr. and Mrs. Brown."

"Greetings, my lord." Mr. and Mrs. Brown hurriedly knelt and bowed to Russell.

"Please rise, Mr. Brown, Mrs. Brown." Russell understood why Morris had brought them over—to ask how he wished to arrange them—so he stated it plainly. "Since you have chosen to remain at the manor residence, serve under Butler Morris from now on."

"Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord!" Mr. and Mrs. Brown repeatedly thanked him in delight.

Strictly speaking, they were the baron's servants. If Russell did not take them in, they would have to return to Fluorite Castle and wait to be reassigned.

"Morris, have someone bring tea to the study," Russell casually instructed.

Then he said to Charles and Eric, "My squires, my two teachers, come with me to the study. Old Hans, and the five Tunic Chiefs, you come as well."

The manor residence was not very large. It had two floors and a basement.

Its layout somewhat resembled a square fort. The first floor had roughly twelve rooms: five in the front row, five in the rear, and one at each connecting point on either side.

In the center of the manor residence was a rectangular courtyard garden about the size of three rooms.

The master and servants lived separately on the upper and lower floors.

Naturally, the study was on the second floor as well.

"Russell, we must have a proper drink tonight to celebrate your formal takeover of the territory." Charles followed closely behind Russell, looking around. "Hmm, the residence looks unremarkable from outside, but it is truly spacious inside. Living here would be quite pleasant!"

"Are you two teachers planning to buy property at the manor?" Russell asked.

Eric nodded. "Yes."

Charles merely spread his hands. "Russell, just help me rent a bachelor's room. The old woman at home is too attached to the bustle of town. Using the excuse that the children still need to attend classes at Knight Academy in town, she refuses to move to the manor."

Then he shifted topics and grinned. "That is fine too. Living alone is more carefree. I can drink whenever I please."

"There will be many manor affairs for you to take over, Teacher Charles, especially the manor court," Russell said.

"Of course. It is my duty," Charles replied with a smile.

"All right, everyone, please sit." Russell sat behind the desk while Butler Morris brought a manservant to fetch stools for everyone.

Once they had taken their seats and tea had been served.

Russell swept his gaze over everyone in the study: two teachers, four squires, one manor steward, and five Tunic Chiefs. This was essentially the entire leadership of the manor.

"Old Hans, first introduce the situation at Wuyou Snake Manor."

"Yes, my lord." Old Hans hurriedly rose. Only after Russell repeatedly gestured did he sit with half his backside on the stool and begin his report. "Wuyou Snake Manor covers 19,500 hectares. A total of 15,000 hectares have been cultivated, divided into five tunics..."

The five tunics were Barley Tunic, Wheat Tunic, Alfalfa Tunic, Lentil Tunic, and Bean Wheat Tunic.

As their names implied, Barley Tunic mostly grew barley, Lentil Tunic mostly grew lentils, while Bean Wheat Tunic grew wheat and lentils... Wuyou Snake Manor's original role in Guangguang River Valley was essentially to produce grain and fodder.

Beyond that, the serfs free-ranged some poultry and a small number of livestock.

It could be said that its industries were extremely limited.

Afterward, the five Tunic Chiefs each introduced the condition of the farmland in their tunics, as well as the situation of their serfs.

Within a manor, roughly ten to twelve serf households formed a ridge. Each ridge had a serf overseer responsible for coordinating farming, mediating neighborly disputes, assisting with tax collection, and so on. Ten ridges formed a tunic, with a Tunic Chief appointed over it, a role similar to that of a production team leader.

Above the Tunic Chiefs was the manor steward appointed by the baron, roughly equivalent to a village chief.

At the same time, the manor steward was responsible for managing all the manor's hired laborers, such as transport workers, milkers, and shepherds. However, Wuyou Snake Manor had no hired laborers, so Old Hans's duty was to manage all the serfs of Wuyou Snake Manor.

"Old Hans, you will continue serving as manor steward," Russell said.

"Old Hans thanks my lord for your trust. Please rest assured, my lord, Old Hans will manage the manor well for you, diligently whip the lazy serfs every day, and grow fine crops for you!" Old Hans immediately thumped his chest in promise.

He went on at length, promising that whenever Russell needed grass cut, trees felled, roads repaired, or wasteland reclaimed, he could immediately gather no fewer than five hundred serfs per day for labor.

And the manor would not need to provide meals; the serfs could handle their own food.

When it came to squeezing the serfs dry, Old Hans was an expert.

Russell frowned. He still was not accustomed to the serf system of this world. Before transmigrating, he had jokingly called himself a mortgage slave and complained every day about the blessings of the 996 work schedule, but at least he had been paid for his labor. He had never worked for free while having to pay for his own meal.

However.

For the time being, he had no plans to raise the banner of revolt and overthrow the serf system. After all, he himself was now the serf lord!

"Be a little kinder to the people under your rule, Old Hans," Russell said.

Old Hans was instantly moved. "My lord, you are truly too benevolent! The serfs are so fortunate to have a lord like you!"

"Uh..."

The flattery was so abrupt that Russell did not know how to respond for a moment.

Ignoring Old Hans's flattery outright, Russell said to Charles and Eric, "My father gifted me three Spirit Worms. We need to begin the corresponding magic potion cultivation as soon as possible. Tomorrow, accompany me on a tour of the manor and plan out the Magic Potion Fields."

"Hmm, are we getting to work so soon, Russell? Shouldn't we rest for a couple of days first?" Charles asked with a smile. "There is plenty of time."

"The sooner it is done, the sooner we can relax," Russell said.

He had an entire set of plans for Wuyou Snake Manor waiting to be put into action. With such a large fief, continuing to manage it the old way would be an insult to his status as a transmigrator.

Charles replied, "Of course. Everything is up to you. You are the lord."

Then he grinned again. "But do not skimp on tonight's banquet, Russell. We need to celebrate properly today."

Not wishing to spoil the mood, Russell smiled. "Naturally... Butler Morris, instruct the kitchen to prepare a more lavish dinner. Also, I recall that Father gifted me a batch of cellar-aged Black Pearl Wine. We will have it with dinner tonight."

Morris accepted the order and left.

Charles's eyes lit up. "Russell, you are a generous and magnanimous lord!"