After being laughed at by Wei Wei, Felix himself felt a bit childish for asking such a question. Though he was still curious about where those seeds came from, he honored his promise and never asked again.
The ship blueprint was carefully hidden away by Felix. He had originally planned to wait until the shipyard was completed before hiring a shipbuilding team to work for him. But now, with this priceless blueprint in hand, he decided to upgrade the shipyard's security to the highest level. All workers inside would be slaves—he was determined to ensure complete secrecy.
But finding a slave who knew how to build ships was no easy task. After some thought, Felix sent a letter to the slave trader Baird Barret, asking him to keep an eye out for such talent.
Currently, the number of slaves in Sardinson County had grown to nearly three thousand, most of whom had been brought in by Baird Barret. The majority were foreign slaves. However, since the wars abroad had ended, the number of slaves had dropped significantly. Each batch now consisted of only a handful, not even enough to warrant a special trip. Ships traveling to and from Sardinson would simply drop them off. While the quantity had decreased, the quality had markedly improved—most of the slaves now had at least one skill. Naturally, their prices were much higher than those of ordinary slaves, but the quality was worth every coin.
It would take years actually to build the ship. After handing over the blueprint, Wei Wei ran off to inspect the batch of tea she had purchased.
Fifty tons of tea was no small amount. After it was delivered, Wei Wei had already checked it. There were many types of tea, though she wasn't an expert and couldn't distinguish the specific varieties. Still, she could at least tell the difference between black tea and green tea. To cater to Western tastes, the majority of the tea brought by the Great Song delegation was black tea, with only a small portion being green tea. Unfortunately, the overall quality was rather mediocre. After brewing a few cups, Wei Wei concluded that it was the kind of tea you'd find in cheap taverns in historical dramas, where a whole bowl costs only a copper coin.
Yet they were selling this tea for over one tael of silver per jin, sometimes even more. She didn't even want to calculate the profit margins at this point.
Moreover, the tea had been drifting at sea for over half a year. It was inevitable that some of it had become damp. Some batches were so badly affected that even when squeezed by hand, the leaves didn't crumble as they should have. While they hadn't gone moldy yet, it was clear they were on the verge.
The knights in charge of receiving the goods didn't know any better, so they hadn't noticed anything wrong. They assumed the tea was simply supposed to be like that.
Wei Wei had mentally prepared herself for this outcome, but when she saw the tea in person, her face still turned green with dismay.
As long as the tea wasn't moldy, damp leaves could still be dried and consumed. But their color, fragrance, and taste would all be affected. If this were in Huaxia, she probably wouldn't even be able to sell it. Wei Wei felt her original asking price had been far too low—she should've driven a harder bargain.
But what could she do? She had already bought it.
Taking advantage of the good weather, Wei Wei quickly organized workers to dry the tea. In the Great Song, tea was often compressed into tea cakes, which made it easier to transport. However, drying them took more effort. Still, compared to loose-leaf tea, tea cakes were less prone to dampness, so their condition was noticeably better.
The tea that was too damp to drink wasn't wasted either. After some treatment, it could be repurposed as a deodorizer or even used in hair care—waste not, want not.
Once the tea was mostly dried, Wei Wei began teaching everyone how to use it.
Tea has many health benefits. When it first spread to Europe, it was considered a medicinal drink. Wei Wei, of course, didn't forget to explain all this. But the main reason she had bought so much tea was simple: tea could mask the gamy smell of milk.
At this time, dairy was a staple in the European diet, especially fresh milk. Almost every well-off household would drink a cup daily. They were already used to the smell, but when Wei Wei brewed some tea and mixed it with milk and sugar to create milk tea, everyone in the castle immediately fell in love with the flavor.
Back then, people had little concept of health, so any talk about tea's benefits sounded like fluff. To them, tea tasted like the bitter herbal drinks they sometimes had in summer, not very appealing. But once milk tea was introduced, it was an instant hit.
Dolores was the first to get hooked. She often drank tea with Wei Wei and had already grown accustomed to the taste of various herbal and floral teas. Though she wouldn't say she was a tea lover, she wasn't opposed to it either. Plus, she often drank tea grown by Wei Wei herself and could easily tell the difference between fresh and stale leaves. After trying the newly purchased tea once, she didn't want to touch it again.
But young girls—who doesn't like milk tea? The milk and sugar masked the tea's flaws, and the drink itself was a European invention, perfectly suited to local palates. When Wei Wei first brewed a pot and offered it to everyone, she ended up drinking half of it herself. Even the youngest, Caroline, clung to her cup after taking just one sip. When she finished it, she looked up with wide, pleading eyes and asked for more.
Wei Wei was utterly charmed and poured her another half cup. The little one quickly downed it, hiccupping from the milk while still wanting more. Wei Wei had to gently coax her into waiting until next time.
The tea was already past its prime in terms of shelf life and couldn't be stored for too long. Since everyone in the castle liked it, Wei Wei set aside a portion for daily use and distributed some as rewards to knights and servants. Even after that, around twenty tons remained, which she sent off to be turned into milk tea for sale.
Visitors to Sardinson soon discovered a new local delight—an Eastern drink called tea. On its own, it tasted bitter, but when mixed with milk and sugar, it became delicious milk tea. Add a soft, sweet cake on the side, and it was the perfect indulgence for a leisurely afternoon.
Yes, the countess who started selling milk tea wasn't content with offering just a drink—she launched a full afternoon tea experience. She even worked with the castle's baker to develop cakes. A cake shop was opened near the Dingle Plaza, with rows of tables and chairs outside, shaded by canopies and decorated with flowers. On their days off, customers would drop by, order a fragrant cake and a pot of milk tea, and sit with friends to chat and relax. It was the ultimate leisure activity.
This new pastime quickly won everyone's favor. The cake shop soon became the go-to social spot, second only to the tavern. From morning till night, every seat outside was filled. Despite the crowds, people instinctively kept their voices down to avoid disturbing others. The atmosphere was completely different from that of a noisy bar.
The shop was especially beloved by women. Unlike men, women couldn't frequent taverns every day. With limited entertainment options and busy lives tending to family, they had long lacked a proper place to unwind. Now they had one. As long as they bought something, they could sit as long as they liked. Gradually, the shop even became one of the most popular places for young couples to go on dates.
With the rise in customers, seats at the cake shop were often in short supply. Fortunately, the store also offered takeaway services. The elegant and delicious cakes could be packed into paper boxes, and milk tea could be carried home either by renting a container (with a deposit refunded upon return) or by bringing your own. One hand holding cake, the other holding milk tea—just walking through the door at home would instantly make you the most popular person in the household. All the kids, regardless of age, would swarm around you, begging for just a sip or a bite.
Though the prices of the cake and milk tea were on the higher side, they were still within an acceptable range. People's living standards had improved—maybe not enough to indulge every day, but a weekly visit, whether for personal enjoyment or to bring some home, was entirely doable.
It wasn't long before the cake shop opened new branches. Two more towns in the area, as well as Slot and even Princia, opened branches with Allen's support. Each location thrived and brought in excellent revenue.
Once the cake shop was up and running, new cake flavors would be introduced regularly, which quickly became customer favorites. Milk tea, too, was immensely popular. Unlike the cakes, whose recipes were closely guarded secrets—there was nothing hidden about how milk tea was made. The only thing people lacked was the tea leaves.
Cakes had a short shelf life and couldn't travel far. Without the recipe, they were exclusive to Sardinson's cake shops. But milk tea? As long as the ingredients were available, it could be sold anywhere.
Naturally, the merchants were very interested—nothing excited them more than a lucrative business opportunity.
Wei Wei had always intended to promote tea, especially since this large batch would eventually spoil if not sold. Sardinson alone couldn't consume it all before it went bad. So she instructed the cake shop staff to openly show the tea-making process instead of hiding it. If customers asked, they would even explain the tea's origin and its benefits. This generated interest among merchants, who were quick to pick up on the potential.
Many already knew that the tea came from the Great Song delegation, which was still sailing around the Mediterranean. But since Wei Wei had bought out their entire stock, no one else could get their hands on it. If anyone wanted tea, they had to go through her.
Wei Wei calculated her inventory carefully. After setting aside enough to supply five shops for a year, she sold the rest. She wasn't worried about running out later—her tea trees had been growing for three years and would be ready for regular harvesting next year. While she might not be able to supply massive quantities, meeting the needs of a few shops was completely manageable.
And her selling price was a bit lower than that of the Great Song delegation. After all, the tea wasn't great in quality. The delegation could rip people off and disappear. Wei Wei, however, lived here long-term and needed to maintain her reputation. Even with the lower price, she still made a handsome profit, which helped soothe her feelings about being scammed initially.
The tea sold like hotcakes. Because the supply was so limited, merchants even began to drive up the prices themselves. Even so, aristocrats eagerly waved their coin purses to get some.
Tea was quickly recognized by the public. Its high acceptance suggested that when the Great Song fleet returned, their tea might become as sought-after as silk and porcelain.
Speaking of silk and porcelain, Wei Wei had also purchased a good amount from the delegation. Silk already had immense value in Europe, so rare it was said to be worth its weight in gold. Porcelain, on the other hand, hadn't yet spread to Europe, but its beauty was impossible to overlook. It drew attention the moment it appeared and was immediately regarded as a collectible, no less valuable than silk.
It was said that when the Great Song delegation arrived in the capital of the Pradian Kingdom, the king bought large quantities of silk and porcelain at high prices, even hosting a royal banquet to show off his new treasures.
Just look at how others displayed their porcelain proudly on shelves for admiration. Then look at Wei Wei's castle, where porcelain was casually used on the dining table to serve food. Wei Wei couldn't help but marvel at her extravagance—and then simply decided to keep being extravagant.
Even Felix and the others didn't think much of it. After all, the first porcelain they ever saw was Wei Wei's two exquisite tableware sets. After they married, if the two dined together, Felix would always use those same sets. He'd grown used to them. Compared to those, the porcelain she bought from the delegation was far inferior, so Felix wasn't particularly impressed.
And since tableware was meant to be used, why not keep a few sets for personal use? At worst, once they were done with them, they could put them on display like everyone else.
This time, Wei Wei had bought over a hundred porcelain sets and two hundred bolts of various types of silk from the Great Song delegation. They picked a few favorites to keep, then resold the rest, earning a massive profit in the process. Merchants practically fought each other for the goods.
The craze sparked by the Great Song delegation didn't fade even after they left the Mediterranean. On their return journey, they sailed a different route and didn't pass by Sardinson again. Wei Wei, unconcerned, simply moved on.
After the autumn planting ended in September, the people of Sardinson turned their attention to the exams for the new year.
In addition to the civil service exam, there was also the long-awaited knight promotion trial, not for awarding titles, but for selecting outstanding squires to be promoted to full knights through combat trials.
The civil service exam, like last year, was prepared by Wei Wei and Felix. Candidates took the written test in the castle's front courtyard, and those who passed proceeded to the oral exams. Compared to last year, this year's candidates were better prepared and more numerous. Over twenty thousand people registered, three-quarters of whom had traveled from other regions to participate.
Sardinson didn't have a high level of education. There weren't many scholars before. But starting last year, Wei Wei had focused on improving education. Though the school buildings were still under final repairs, teachers had already been hired. These teachers had been substituting for the manor's child laborers and were more educated and experienced. After a year of teaching, the children in the estate had made noticeable progress.
However, that progress still wasn't enough for them to pass the civil service exam. Many locals who had taken the test last year just to try their luck, only to fail the first round, didn't dare register again this year. As a result, fewer Sardinson natives took part compared to last year.
Outside candidates were drawn by the benefits of becoming a civil servant. Last year, there hadn't been much publicity, so many didn't know about the recruitment. Those who missed it regretted it deeply. This time, they arrived early to prepare. Many of them took up temporary teaching jobs while they waited, which helped Sardinson towns and villages secure qualified teachers for their children.
This year's written test was harder than last year's, but with the previous experience, everyone knew what knowledge to focus on. As a result, the number of people who passed the first round multiplied—almost half of them qualified.
For the oral exam, neither Felix nor Wei Wei participated. Instead, it was handled by their subordinate officials. Dingle's trial government had been operating for over a year. After the initial chaos, things were now running smoothly. Each department had its system and knew exactly what kind of talent it needed. The selected candidates were more likely to be a good fit than those chosen directly by the count and countess.
Of course, a bit of supervision was still necessary to root out any corruption. Felix sent several trusted aides to oversee the interviews—not to interfere, but to ensure fairness. Their presence alone made interviewers more cautious.
Once the results of both rounds were published, the knight squire promotion trial officially began.
Knight squires weren't far from being knights themselves. The former Earl of Sardinson simply couldn't afford to support that many knights, so squires either had to fend for themselves after graduation or wait for a knight to retire. The former was extremely difficult—nobles preferred using knights they had trained personally and rarely accepted outsiders unless they were exceptionally gifted.
And the quality of Sardinson's knights had always been mediocre. Supporting knights required serious money, and the old earl didn't have it. The knights barely had enough to eat, and the squires had even less.
These squires knew they had little chance of being accepted elsewhere, so many refused to graduate, preferring to wait until their mentor retired and passed on the position to them.
But since Felix took over, living conditions had improved dramatically. The knight corps had better meals, which led to stronger bodies and better training. Their skill levels naturally improved.
Now, Felix planned to promote a whole new batch of knights. There were plenty of openings, and any squire who performed decently had a shot. The duels were largely a formality.
Sardinson didn't have a dedicated tournament ground, so the promotion trial was held at a pasture. The flat grasslands were perfect for jousting. A fence was set up around the perimeter. Fully armored contestants rode in from opposite ends, holding shields and lances, and charged at each other amidst cheers from the crowd. The one who remained mounted was declared the winner.
Of course, since the point of the trial was to assess the squires' training, their opponents were actual knights. Passing wasn't about winning—lasting at least ten minutes in combat without falling was enough to qualify.
There were also archery and swordsmanship contests. Those who performed exceptionally well received extra rewards. Those who passed would be promoted. As for the truly hopeless cases... well, they'd probably have been dismissed by their mentors long ago. They wouldn't still be squires.
The competition was held inside the estate, so outside villagers couldn't attend. But the castle staff were allowed to watch. Wei Wei even gave them half a day off so they could enjoy the spectacle—a gesture of solidarity and celebration.
Hank was dragged along by his younger brother, Chimi. Chimi had shown great promise and had been chosen as a page by a knight. His mentor's squire was competing today. If that squire got promoted, Chimi would become the knight's only student and receive personal training.
Though he didn't dislike being taught by the squire, Chimi was excited at the thought of learning directly from the knight.
And there were many kids like him. Among the original batch of child laborers, many talented boys had been selected to serve as pages. As long as they worked hard, they were likely to become Sardinson's new generation of knights.
Chimi clung tightly to his brother and pushed his small frame through the crowd with all his strength until they were right against the front fence. When his mentor's squire entered the field, he immediately began waving and shouting. When the armored knight on horseback returned his wave, Chimi screamed in delight.
"Hank, look! It's Charlie! He's going to win—he's the best!"
Hank, nearly crushed by the crowd, glanced at the squire, whose face was completely covered by a helmet, and had no idea how his brother recognized him.
But none of that mattered. He was in a good mood.
In the past, someone of their birth had no chance of becoming a knight. When Chimi had shared his dream, Hank had encouraged him, though he knew it was nearly impossible. At the time, he had resolved to work hard, earn the earl's favor, and make enough money to find a knight mentor for Chimi.
But now, before he'd even started earning, Chimi had already become a knight's page. It felt like a dream.
Yet the cheering and applause around him made it clear—this was all real.
Truly... what a blessing.