Luan Tree Village

A new day.

Sylutia wore a black dress. Carrying a suitcase in one hand, she stepped onto a small wooden stool and climbed into the waiting carriage.

The driver tugged the reins. Soon, the wheels began to turn, rumbling over the gently uneven stone road as a line of six carriages headed out of Scorched Stone City.

Inside one of the carriages, Sylutia sat with Comia and Karen, surrounded by quite a few bags.

"Did the teacher say where we're going?"

As she asked, Sylutia held a white ribbon between her teeth, reached behind her head, and tied up her hair so it wouldn't get in the way inside the carriage.

"I heard them say we're going to Luan Tree Village," Comia replied after a moment's thought.

"I've been there once before. It's not far from Scorched Stone City, so I think we'll arrive by noon."

"The village sits beside a grove of golden-rain trees, and there's a little river nearby. It's a lovely place."

"I think it's part of Viscount Xuefeng's personal lands. Every year, he sends servants there to buy chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep to stock the Castle's larder. Sometimes he takes his family there for outings and horseback riding."

"Sounds like a lovely place, then." After fixing her hair, Sylutia lowered her hands. Now it was tied in a high ponytail, revealing her graceful neck and the contours of her face.

"Yes." As she said it, Comia gazed at the girl for a long moment.

"You look so pretty, Tia." She even nudged Karen beside her.

"Karen, look at Tia. Doesn't she look much prettier like this?"

"Yes. The new hairstyle makes her look much livelier." Karen could see the difference too.

"Huh? Did I look gloomy before?" Sylutia tilted her head.

"Maybe you just looked too plain, without much energy," Comia mused.

"You should wear your hair like this from now on, Tia~" She gave a thumbs-up, and Karen nodded along after a moment's thought.

"Mmm, I can't. It's just that today it's only the three of us, so I can relax a little." The girl blinked.

"Why not? It looks so pretty."

"Because it looks pretty," the girl replied with a smile.

"It would be more trouble." She glanced out the rear window. The carriage they were riding in today was built more like a wagon, not like the enclosed carriages meant for passengers.

"Because of Miss Iona. The noble students are always getting jealous and competing for attention. I'm a little afraid of living like that. I'd rather keep things peaceful and simple, like they are now." She rested both hands beneath her thighs and watched her lower legs sway gently beneath her skirt, as if she were playing on a swing.

The other two had been about to persuade her, but seeing how serene and content Sylutia looked, they suddenly felt that she really did belong in a life free of worldly strife. So they kept quiet.

"I'll probably come to like a life like that someday too, but right now I'm still curious and impulsive about a lot of things." Comia stroked her chin thoughtfully.

"What about you, Karen?" She suddenly turned to the other girl beside her.

"Me?" Karen pointed at herself.

"I don't want much. I just want to become a good hunter, have a cabin of my own in the forest, and raise two dogs. Then I could go hunting now and then, trade with the villagers, and live that kind of life."

"Wow, Karen, you know exactly what you want. I don't even know what kind of life I want in the future," Comia said in surprise.

"That's because there are still so many possibilities for you, Comia." Karen could sometimes say something surprisingly perceptive.

"That's true. I'm flighty by nature, so it's hard for me to stay committed to one goal for long." Comia rested her chin on her hand, her eyes closing and opening casually.

"My goal for now is to have a good time on this trip to Luan Tree Village."

The three chatted and laughed as their carriage creaked along, and before they knew it, noon had arrived.

The carriages stopped. The three bent down, hopped lightly out, and stood on the grass.

A peaceful village came into view not far away.

There were about fifty households scattered along the village's main road, beyond which stretched broad fields divided into neat squares. Much of the wheat had already been harvested, and some fields were dotted with bundled sheaves.

"Leave your luggage on the carriages. The drivers will take it straight to the village. The teacher will lead us on foot and explain a few things along the way." Yero went around informing the students. Though he was a little plump, he was surprisingly nimble on the country paths.

"All right, we understand," Tia replied. Yero then headed over to another group of students.

Soon, the students gathered around Scholar Heide to listen to his lesson.

"Is everyone here? Good, then let's begin." He turned around to introduce the place to the students behind him.

"This is Luan Tree Village, about twenty miles northeast of Scorched Stone City. It's famous for the golden-flowered rain trees growing around it." He led the students down a narrow path along the hillside.

"As you can see, wheat is the main crop here, with some flax as well. Do you remember what I taught you before? How flax is processed into thread and woven into cloth? Today, you can visit the villagers' homes and see how they do it."

"Flax cloth may be rough, but it's especially sturdy and durable. Flax also grows quickly and can be planted almost anywhere, which keeps its cost low. It's the fabric of choice for many farmers. A crudely made flax garment might sell for about seventy copper coins; a custom-fitted one, carefully cut and sewn, could fetch a hundred and fifty."

As they walked, Scholar Heide pointed out the crops along the way and explained how the local climate, rainfall, soil fertility, and other factors affected them.

"Generally speaking, you can't farm the same plot of land continuously, or the soil will become exhausted. So, as you can see, the fields here are divided roughly into four sections and rotated." He explained again.

"Food production is crucial, whether you're a noble managing a territory or an ordinary farmer."

"You can't survive without food. You may not fully understand that yet, but as an old man who has lived through two cold Seasons of Sinking Fog, I've seen far too many tragedies caused by hunger during the bitter winters." Leaning on his walking stick, he stopped beside a wheat field.

After speaking with the villagers working in the field, he led the students into the plot that had just been harvested.

He picked up a few scattered stalks of wheat and counted the grains on the ears. Then he rubbed some grains loose between his fingers, checking whether they were plump or shriveled as he assessed the fertility of the local soil.

"This field is doing quite well. It probably yields about sixty to seventy pounds of wheat per mu," Scholar Heide estimated.

"Teacher, is sixty pounds of wheat a lot?" Some of the noble students didn't know much about this.

"Neither a lot nor a little. A pound of wheat sells for about one copper coin, so a mu's worth comes to around sixty copper coins." Scholar Heide put the grains into a small cloth pouch he carried, planning to take them back as samples.

"Come on. The village is just ahead, and your lodgings should be ready." He clapped his hands to shake off the dirt, then walked on.

Curious, the group entered the scenic village.