As mentioned before, Nausicaä and her group were not the first to arrive in the Mining Town; today is the third day of the exhibition.
Although the caravan didn't need to search for refugees along the way like the rescue teams from Kamlin, it took them a full five days to reach the Mining Town due to the greater distance and rugged terrain.
However, they arrived relatively early, as half of their booths were still empty.
Based on past experience, the peak season for the market, which is usually around a week before the official meeting begins, is when all parties gather and the market is at its most bustling and lively.
Business elder Trudeau is confident in the goods he brought; the Valley of the Wind is showcasing a specialty of the Golden Order – the Blessed Crops!
This is the only one; there are no other branches.
The agricultural products on display were enough to leave even the most seasoned businessman speechless.
The potatoes, each the size of a clay pot, were plump and full; the carrots were as thick as a baby's arm; the wheat ears displayed as samples were almost as long as Horseclaw feather.
Various common vegetables and grains seem to have been subjected to an expansion magic, their sizes generally increasing several times.
This change is due, on the one hand, to the extraordinary potential of the high-quality seeds left over from ancient civilizations, and on the other hand, to the abundant vitality nurtured by the " Erdtree's Favor ".
As for how these vegetables were transported to the desert 200 kilometers away while remaining fresh, the answer is actually quite simple: they were planted just this morning.
You only need to spend a few dozen copper coins to buy a few barrels of nutrient solution from the Liquid Field supplier at the Chamber of Commerce.
Vegetables soaked in nutrient solution and grown through Incantations not only look identical to the original vegetables, but also completely avoid the problem of soil fertility depletion caused by excessive growth.
The idea of using Liquid Field to grow Blessed Crops was proposed by Mu En long ago, and it was also one of the purposes of the caravans coming to the Joint Gathering.
The only downside is that the crops grown with the nutrient solution have a slightly bland flavor, not as rich as those grown in the fertile soil of Valley of the Wind.
However, this minor drawback is insignificant compared to the enormous advantage of "infinitely promoting food production without depleting soil fertility".
Besides these eye-catching giant vegetables and grains, the booth also featured two other highly anticipated "heavyweight" exhibits: grape juice and soybean oil.
Wine has been one of the important sources of foreign exchange income for the Valley of the Wind of the Wind for many years. The gold coins earned from the wine trade alone each year are more than the military pay that Chief Jihl pays for the wars fought for Tolmekia.
Although this year's new wine is still being made, the elder of Beruto, who remains in charge of winemaking at the Valley of the Wind, firmly believes that even the unfermented grape juice will be enough to attract attention at the exhibition.
After all, this had already been proven in the tavern in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.
Soybean oil, on the other hand, was a novel commodity that had never appeared in the markets of the Sea of Corruption and other countries.
The cuisine of the countries of the Sea of Corruption mainly consists of grilling and stewing, using very little oil, and the number of places that produce olive oil can be counted on one hand.
With the advent of soybean oil, the variety of food in the Valley of the Wind has increased dramatically. Professor Mu En's recipes are so good that Beruto could never replicate them even if he spent a lifetime.
The caravan members have already started renting cooking utensils from the locals to prepare some local specialties cooked in soybean oil; these fried delicacies will be the best form of advertising.
At the very least, it has to be more appealing than those potentially toxic sea salt jerky items at the Waji Valley booth?
Today is the first day of "business". Nausicaä and Trudeau personally took charge of the counter, while the old man was in charge of introductions and negotiations, and the young girl watched and learned from the side.
Por, Elphias Doge, and the three Blessed Warrior were stationed around the perimeter of the exhibition area to maintain order and prevent any potential accidents.
Soon, the unusually large agricultural products on the Valley of the Wind's booth successfully attracted the attention of several groups of merchants.
One group stood out, led by a middle-aged businessman who wore an exquisitely embroidered headscarf, a meticulously groomed goatee, and finely dressed clothes.
He walked with ease, occasionally pointing to the booths on both sides, introducing the specialties of various countries to his partners with a superior tone, appearing knowledgeable and trendsetting.
As the group approached the Valley of the Wind exhibit, before they could even examine the merchandise on display, the confident voice of the man with the goatee floated over. "----Next up is the Valley of the Wind, a small autonomous territory located in the mountains of the eastern coast. It's not a large place, but it boasts a centuries-old brewing tradition."
"The wine there is decent; it's the only local specialty worth mentioning."
"However, it's far inferior to our newly established ' Fruit Vine ' wine. We select the best wine grape varieties from the border countries, and even the King of Torumekia praised our products highly—"
He closed his eyes slightly, as if savoring the taste of some memory.
However, no sooner had he finished speaking than a puzzled voice rang out beside him, "Hey? Look, why are those vegetables so big?"
The goatee-bearded merchant suddenly opened his eyes, only to find that the merchants who had been surrounding him were now all captivated by the exhibition booth.
Inside the counter, Elder Trudeau was excitedly introducing the goods to the merchants. "Gentlemen, you have excellent eyesight! These are the latest and most successful Blessed Crops cultivated in our Valley of the Wind!"
"These potatoes, once steamed, have a creamy texture and a wonderfully milky aroma; these onions are not only large but also have a mild spiciness, retaining more of their unique sweet flavor; and the flour made from this wheat has a far richer wheat aroma than ordinary varieties—"
Soon, a merchant couldn't contain his curiosity and asked, "How do you grow these crops?"
The crops displayed at the Valley of the Wind booth are astonishingly large, unlike any previous varieties.
Upon hearing Trudeau deliberately emphasized, "These Blessed Crops are grown under the protection of the gods."
God's protection?
The merchants disagreed, secretly shaking their heads.
The beliefs of the various kingdoms of the Sea of Corruption are chaotic. There are at least eighty or a hundred places that claim to be favored by various gods, ancestors, or the forces of nature. Just listen to these claims and don't take them seriously.
Another, more pragmatic businessman stroked his chin and offered his "reasonable" speculation. "I think they've probably found some undiscovered ancient seed vault, right?"
"I've heard that people in the old days could mold life like clay. What's a few crop seeds compared to that? Valley of the Wind is really lucky this time."
His words were met with unanimous nods of agreement; it was indeed the most reasonable guess.
Trudeau listened with a smile, neither confirming nor denying.
He turned and gestured with his eyes, and Nausicaä understood immediately, bringing over several small plates and a stack of clean wooden cups.
Although Nausicaä is the team leader, in business matters, she can only assist Trudeau and incidentally learn about interpersonal relationships.
The plate contained freshly made mashed potatoes and vegetables, still warm, as well as slices of wheat cakes brought from the Valley of the Wind.
Meanwhile, another assistant brought out a large oak barrel with a small brass faucet and placed it on the counter; inside was Blessed Grape Juice.
"Talking about it isn't enough; you should all try these Blessed Crops for yourselves to see what they taste like."
Upon hearing this, the merchants all showed expressions of interest.
However, amidst this gradually warming friendly atmosphere, a particularly jarring voice suddenly rang out.
"Etc!"