Chapter 84 The First Batch of Sweet Potatoes Ripens

Although Wei Jin Yi did not respond, inwardly she agreed with Xiao Bei’s words. She truly cherished her brother, and if one day she learned the truth about him… she wondered if it would break her heart.

Unable to hold back, Xiao Bei asked again, “Young master, are we really going to Huzhou Prefecture? If we go, we won’t be able to see the young lady anymore.”

“We are going,” Wei Jin Yi replied, his mind resolute.

There were some matters that he could not handle while staying in the Wei residence; only outside could he act freely.

Seeing this change in Wei Jin Yi, Xiao Bei felt both joy and worry. The young master had spent years avoiding those people, and now his change of heart could be either a blessing or a curse.

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A few days later, a reply arrived from Huzhou Prefecture. The letter of recommendation from Young Master He You proved effective, and Hermit Cang Lin intended to meet Wei Jin Yi in person.

Thus, Wei Jin Yi prepared to depart for Huzhou Prefecture.

Wei Ming Ting personally instructed Madam Yun to prepare Wei Jin Yi’s luggage and carriage, ensuring he would be well cared for on the journey.

Madam Yun dared not be negligent, though she felt somewhat disappointed. The second young master, who had always been inconspicuous in the household, now had the opportunity to study under Hermit Cang Lin, while her own legitimate son—the first young master, who was constantly praised by tutors and peers—was left behind in Xing Shan County, still searching for his next chance.

When Wei Jin Yi left, Wei Ruo did not see him off, but instead prepared a box of farewell gifts, which she entrusted to Xiao Bei the day before.

After Wei Jin Yi’s departure, Wei Ruo sat in the courtyard, resting her chin on her hand, and sighed unconsciously: “I suddenly feel that this decision wasn’t so wise after all. There was only one person here I could really talk to, and now that he’s gone, the house feels even colder.”

Xiu Mei replied, “Miss, I can’t help you with this one—it was your own choice. If you truly feel lonely, I’ll make a small sacrifice and keep you company more often.”

“Mei Mei, don’t be jealous of my second brother. You’re the most important one, the person who talks to me the most. I could get by without anyone else, but not without you,” Wei Ruo hurried to explain.

Xiu Mei was tickled by Wei Ruo’s words and laughed, “Alright, alright, miss, you’re not about to tell me you’re hungry again and want me to cook something delicious, are you?”

“No, not at all! It’s all genuine, no tricks,” Wei Ruo replied with a grin.

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Time slipped by, and soon it was the eighth month of the lunar calendar. The weather grew cooler.

The first day of the eighth month dawned gray and overcast, and the mood of the people matched the gloom.

The reason was simple: this year’s rice crop was poor, with few and thin grains, and a large number of empty husks. Even before the harvest, it was clear that the year’s grain yield would be disappointing.

At the same time, the sweet potatoes on Xiao Yang Mountain were ready for harvest.

In stark contrast to the other estates, which were shrouded in worry, Xiao Yang Mountain was filled with the joy of abundance.

Hired laborers turned the soil and dug up the sweet potatoes, then carried them down the mountain in baskets.

Farmers and workers from nearby estates craned their necks to watch.

In truth, they had been curious ever since sweet potatoes began to be cultivated on Xiao Yang Mountain.

After some of the vines were sold, people had a rough idea that this was a new crop, something edible.

But if it was just the leaves being sold, planting an entire mountain seemed excessive.

Today, seeing the laborers carrying basket after basket of sweet potatoes down the mountain, they finally realized that the main purpose of these plants was to eat the tubers underground.

They wondered if these red, chunky things tasted any good.

Most of the first batch of sweet potatoes was sent to the warehouse, with only a small portion taken to the marketplace for sale.

Given this year’s circumstances, hoarding grain was more important than saving silver.

Of course, Wei Ruo still needed to sell some sweet potatoes for cash flow, but there was no hurry; she would wait until all the batches were harvested and the total yield assessed before deciding how much to sell.

For now, only a few were sold, mainly to promote the new crop and pave the way for larger sales later.

At the marketplace, a small stall selling sweet potatoes set up a charcoal grill, roasting them right there.

Soon, the aroma of roasted sweet potatoes attracted many curious passersby.

Thanks to the prior sale of sweet potato leaves and dried sweet potatoes, people already knew the crop was edible and tasted decent.

The roasted sweet potatoes were reasonably priced—not cheap, but not expensive either—at five coins apiece.

With grain shortages looming and rice prices already rising in the shops, this seemed a fair price.

Once the first buyer tasted one and declared it delicious, sales picked up rapidly, and the batch sold out quickly.

Many wanted more, but the stall had already packed up; those interested would have to come back another day.

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In Listening Pines Retreat, Wei Ruo was in exceptionally high spirits.

Xiu Mei shared her joy—for every harvest, the young lady’s mood soared, and if crops matured every day, she would likely be this happy all year round.

What Xiu Mei did not know was that Wei Ruo’s happiness was not only due to the sweet potato bounty on Xiao Yang Mountain, but also because the sweet potatoes she had planted in her own courtyard had ripened.

Though the quantity could not compare with the mountain harvest, these were grown by Wei Ruo herself and could earn her experience points.

Having been only one hundred experience points away from upgrading her space to level three, the harvest brought in two hundred points, and the space successfully advanced to the third level.

Now, not only did she gain a new plot of land for cultivation, but also unlocked a new spatial plant—mushroom mycelium.

After the upgrade, Wei Ruo immediately planted them in her space; the land within the space could grow anything, requiring no special soil or environmental preparations.

Even though mushrooms and regular plants needed vastly different environmental factors, the space’s land accommodated both effortlessly.

Wei Ruo also wanted to cultivate mushrooms outside the space, which would be much more complex, requiring specific materials and suitable conditions.

Under current circumstances, mushrooms offered several advantages: first, their growth cycle was very short—under optimal temperature and humidity, they could mature in a week.

Second, they did not need to be planted in the ground, thus not occupying precious arable land. In Xing Shan County, land was scarce, and even with the addition of wasteland south of the city, per capita farmland was still limited.

Lastly, what delighted Wei Ruo most was that Xing Shan County was mountainous, with many caves. On her last visit to the Xie family’s villa, she discovered numerous natural caves in the nearby hills.

If the humidity and temperature in these caves were suitable, they would be ideal for mushroom cultivation.