Seafood

The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the Carnford Mountain in a warm golden-orange hue. Edgar did not stay in the castle dealing with the seemingly endless paperwork, but instead climbed alone to the wooden watchtower located at the highest point next to the castle.

He needs to stand on higher ground, temporarily away from those tedious numbers and terms, and see with his own eyes the land that is being transformed little by little in his hands.

His gaze first fell on the huge Shantytown Area at the foot of the mountain, which had once been chaotic but was now beginning to take shape.

The crisscrossing, simple roads, like veins, divide the densely packed shacks into relatively orderly blocks.

Although still simple, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys, and the faint sounds of people could be heard, filling the air with the warmth of daily life.

His keen eyes spotted Tommy and his family picking things out at a stall. His mother, Anna, was carefully comparing pottery jars, his sister Sarah, was excitedly playing with her new gadgets, and Tommy was watching over them.

Watching them carry their purchases and walk contentedly towards the newly built Tunbao on the distant plain, Edgar couldn't help but reveal a barely perceptible smile of satisfaction.

"A small town that I personally helped plan and manage is showing great vitality..." Edgar felt a strong sense of accomplishment.

This is no longer just empty talk, but a real and tangible change.

He seemed to already see that as more Tunbao rose up on the plains and the population gradually gathered, new villages and even towns would naturally form, and commerce would flourish.

This land before us, though scarred by war, now appears so peaceful and serene, with everyone striving for a better tomorrow.

Seeing ordinary people like Tommy's lives gradually stabilize and improve, he felt that all his hard work was worthwhile.

His gaze passed over the Shantytown Area and landed further away on a vast expanse of wasteland being reclaimed.

It was already evening, but many newly arrived migrants, carrying simple farming tools, were still returning to their temporary homes in twos and threes from the reclaimed land.

In March, the land in the Northern Territory has thawed, making it the perfect time to dig.

As you can see, vast tracts of wasteland have been reclaimed, and the black soil shimmers in the setting sun, brimming with the hope of nurturing life.

Thanks to the great success of the "Work points" system jointly established by Lord Karl, these refugees were highly motivated to reclaim wasteland.

Work points can not only be directly exchanged for urgently needed food rations and basic living supplies, but more importantly, Edgar has clearly announced that the number of Work points will be the decisive factor in the allocation of newly reclaimed farmland in the future.

The higher the Work points, the greater the priority in selecting plots of land, and the more likely one is to be allocated more fertile and larger plots of land.

This is the greatest encouragement for displaced people who yearn to own their own land.

What convinced them most was Carnford's unprecedented fairness and transparency.

Edgar decreed that everyone who participated in the work could check their Work points record at the registry office at any time to verify if there were any errors.

This open and fair approach completely dispelled the migrants' concerns about being cheated or deceived, and greatly stimulated their enthusiasm for work.

"The reclamation is progressing faster than expected..." Edgar gazed at the ever-expanding black soil, estimating in his mind, "At this rate, by the end of spring planting, the newly reclaimed land area will be quite considerable."

A more concrete plan took shape in his mind. "It seems it's time to find a way to purchase a batch of oxen and packhorses. Relying solely on manpower will ultimately limit the efficiency of land reclamation. With livestock, not only can the land reclamation speed be accelerated, but future deep plowing and transportation will also be much more convenient."

With this in mind, a grander and more fundamental goal became clear. "If everything goes smoothly, this autumn, perhaps our harvest will not only satisfy the basic needs of our people, but also leave a surplus. In that case... next year, we might be able to gradually break free from our passive situation of being completely dependent on purchasing grain from merchants."

Edgar stood on the watchtower, taking one last look at the displaced people carrying farm tools and dragging their weary but hopeful figures back to the Shantytown Area in the twilight, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

These poor people, they are not afraid of being tired, they are only afraid of not even having the chance to be tired.

Now, Carnford has given them this opportunity, and they are repaying this land with their sweat and loyalty.

He took a deep breath, imprinting this vibrant scene into his mind, then turned and steadily walked down the watchtower.

By the time he returned to the main castle building, it was nearly dark.

Candles and oil lamps were lit in the castle hall, and Lord Karl was having dinner at his heavy oak table.

As Edgar approached, he was slightly taken aback. Compared to the days a few months ago when resources were scarce and the table was only filled with Black Bread and salted meat soup, the Lord's table tonight seemed more abundant than ever before.

This change was directly due to the refugees who gradually settled along the coast of Amber Bay.

Many of them were originally fishermen in the coastal areas. Although they have lost their fishing boats and can no longer fish in the deep sea, they rely on their generations of experience to cleverly use the tides to harvest a wide variety of shellfish, crabs, shrimp, and even sea urchins and barnacles among the mudflats and reefs after the tide recedes.

In his previous life, Karl was an inland resident who had never seen the sea, let alone tasted such fresh seafood.

He was filled with curiosity and interest in these gifts from the sea, so he had the castle's logistics staff buy some from the fishermen.

These seafood dishes are also easy to cook; most only need to be boiled in water to enjoy their ultimate freshness.

At that moment, several cooked oysters, or raw oysters, were placed on Karl's plate, their plump flesh glistening enticingly in the candlelight.

Karl remembered that in his previous life, when he read Maupassant's "My Uncle Jules," the description of "eating oysters" had made him incredibly hungry, and now he was finally able to experience it firsthand.

However, out of caution, he still dared not eat it raw like the characters in the book, but chose to cook it instead. Even so, the fresh, sweet and succulent taste satisfied him greatly.

In addition, there was a small pile of clams with their shells open, a few bright red shrimp, and several barnacles that looked a bit strange but tasted unique after being cooked.

However, Karl, being a health-conscious modern person, knew that seafood is high in purines and that excessive consumption could lead to high uric acid levels and the pain of gout.

Therefore, his table was also filled with various vegetables, including cooked turnips, radishes, and some cabbages, which were still relatively rare in this season.

There was also a small dish of sweet and sour wild raspberries picked from the Northern Territory forests, a glass of fresh hot milk, and a staple food of coarse but filling Black Bread.

He deliberately avoided wheat beer or wine, which were common on the tables of the aristocracy in this era, also out of concern for purines.

Edgar looked at the oddly arranged yet vibrant dinner and couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.

This small dining table is a direct reflection of Carnford's gradual escape from its predicament and the quiet improvement in its quality of life.

He stepped forward and saw Karl awkwardly using the corner of the table to carefully crack open a hard barnacle shell, then trying to spear out the small amount of meat inside with a silver fork.

Karl looked up and saw Edgar, immediately smiling and waving, "Edgar! You're back just in time! Come and have a taste, these are all fresh from Amber Bay, they taste really special! I can't possibly eat all of this by myself."

Edgar smiled, did not refuse, and sat down opposite Karl.

The servant quickly brought him a set of cutlery, and he, imitating Karl, picked up a barnacle and curiously examined this strange food from the sea.