In Asbel's eyes, although Pejite was the most powerful nation in the Corrupt Sea of Corruption in terms of industrial strength, it had many obvious and rather stubborn flaws.
The food problem is one of them.
The " Liquid Field " technology inherited from the Eftal civilization did indeed solve the food supply problem to a large extent.
Nutrient solution circulates continuously in huge underground cultivation tanks, where basic crops such as potatoes and wheat are steadily produced under fluorescent lights in considerable quantities, according to plan.
However, Liquid Field can only be used to grow a few types of staple crops that are easy to manage and have high yields. If other crops are used, the cost will immediately increase several times, and whether they can survive depends on luck.
Large potatoes with small potatoes, baked wheat cakes with savory wheat porridge, and occasionally some dried meat—this is the daily diet of the Pejite.
This is also an important reason why countries like Valley of the Wind are popular in agricultural regions; only on clean soil can tomatoes, grapes, and other rare fruits and vegetables grow stably.
Pejite's royal family and high-ranking officials naturally had ways to obtain fresh fruits and vegetables. They either spent money to airlift them from abroad or spared no expense to conduct small-scale trials in Liquid Field.
But for ordinary workers and citizens, these fresh vegetables are a luxury.
Unlike other nobles, Asbel loved to go to the factory district from a young age to watch the workers operate the roaring machines and listen to their stories of fun and frustration at work.
He even owns a small, fully equipped machining plant, giving him the opportunity to be personally involved in every aspect of production.
Because of these experiences, Asbel understood better than most royalty who stayed in the palace how difficult life was for the working class and ordinary citizens.
They work for more than ten hours a day in a hot, noisy, and smelly workshop, and when they return to their crowded concrete apartment building at night, they are so tired that they fall asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.
They eat bland food produced from Liquid Field and drink industrial recycled water with an off-putting smell. If they are injured at work, they receive no treatment and are left to lose their jobs and income during a long recovery period, or even die.
Although successive kings have attempted to enact laws to improve workers' conditions and provide basic guarantees, shrewd factory owners and big merchants have always found ways to circumvent them.
Driven by a simple and humble wish, Asbel wanted to improve the lives of hardworking workers.
"Your Highness Nausicaä, your products are not only delicious, but also affordable for ordinary people."
"You've probably heard that the lives of ordinary people in Pejite aren't easy, and I hope—I hope—to improve their lives a little."
"I understand that you're probably here mainly to promote your product, but with the current pricing, you probably won't make many gold coins, right?"
Asbel was very confident, a judgment he made based on experience and knowledge.
"If you partner with Pejite, we're willing to pay three times the price to buy out all your Blessed Crops production for the next few years! This way you can make more money and have a stable, large customer—isn't that a win-win situation?"
Nausicaä listened quietly, her hands folded on her lap, a gentle smile always on her face.
If Valley of the Wind is truly only about selling products, then this proposal is indeed very tempting.
However, what he didn't know was that Nausicaä's goal was not just to make money.
Her true purpose was to use these local specialties to attract people and expand her faith.
Therefore, she couldn't possibly sell it only to the Pejite family.
"I----"
Just as she was about to refuse, her expression changed slightly, as if she had lost in thought.
But soon, that gentle smile returned to her face, this time with an added touch of confidence.
Then, Nausicaä changed her question and asked, "I think Asbel's intentions are admirable. So, how much food do you specifically need?"
"Was this grain purchased with Your Highness's personal funds, or was payment made by the royal family, or by other merchants?"
"Uh----" Asbel was caught off guard by the question.
He didn't know how much food and vegetables would be needed to provide the Pejite people with the good life he envisioned; after all, he was just a prince interested in machinery, not a resource allocation official.
"All of it, the more the better. Even all your grain shouldn't be enough to feed a population of over 100,000 in Pejite, right?"
According to Asbel, the yield of grain produced by traditional land cultivation is limited by land area, climate and manpower. There is only so much land in total, so the amount of good crops that can be grown is also limited.
"As for funding, you don't need to worry. Once the big businessmen in the country see the potential of these Blessed Crops, they will be scrambling to buy them."
Asbel himself didn't have that much money, but Haideng's businessmen had plenty of money and a knack for seizing business opportunities.
Nausicaä gently shook her head.
"Your Highness, things are not as simple as you think."
"Even if our Valley of the Wind can indeed supply Pejite with large quantities of cheap food, will this food really reach the tables of every ordinary worker as you wish?"
Asbel instinctively wanted to answer "Of course," but Nausicaä interrupted him, "If the merchants are the ones paying, how many steps are involved in getting from the Valley of the Wind to Pejite, from the airport to the neighborhood and then to the shops? Would the merchants who control these steps be willing to just take a small running fee?"
"They just keep adding layers of markups, eventually driving the price of these vegetables far beyond their original value."
Asbel was about to say, "Then let the royal family take direct responsibility," but Nausicaä interrupted him, "Perhaps His Highness will consider having the royal family purchase and sell the produce centrally." But when large quantities of high-quality and inexpensive foreign agricultural products enter Pejite, will the farmers and grain merchants whose interests are harmed simply stand by and do nothing?
"As far as I know, your country's businessmen dare to exploit loopholes in royal laws, so how could they sit idly by and watch the royal family take away their profits?"
Nausicaä concluded with a hint of regret, "Therefore, your idea of improving people's lives by purchasing cheap food is difficult to achieve."
"This----"
Asbel wanted to refute, but in the end, he could only show a complex expression of disappointment and shock.
He felt disappointed because he realized that his plan might just be a pipe dream.
What shocked him was why a princess from an agricultural country seemed to know more about Pejite than he, Prince Pejite himself.
Nausicaä is right; even royalty cannot go against those merchants.
Behind him, Haideng remained expressionless, but his assessment of Nausicaä had subtly changed.
The other party was not the kind of beautiful but ignorant noblewoman; on the contrary, she had a clear understanding of the power dynamics in society.
Princess Nausicaä is no ordinary woman.
Seeing Asbel's visibly disheartened expression, Nausicaä added, "Of course, if you simply want to buy food, the Valley of the Wind is more than happy to oblige. Moreover, the yield of Blessed Crops is far greater than you might imagine, so there's no need to worry about insufficient supply."
Asbel was silent for a moment, then suddenly he raised his head, his eyes burning with renewed fervor. " Nausicaä, what you just said, does it mean—you actually have a way to solve these problems?" He sensed the unspoken meaning in her words.
If Valley of the Wind only wants to make money, accepting his high-priced buyout offer is undoubtedly the fastest and easiest way.
But Nausicaä refused and went to great lengths to correct his idea.
Therefore, what this princess wanted to do was certainly not just to sell grain.
Nausicaä met his gaze, her smile deepening.
It seems the prince isn't slow-witted; he's just limited by his previous way of thinking.
Have you ever heard of the Golden Order?