The sailor, Moji, stared closely and saw it was a small round bird with strange eyes, covered in a full coat of downy feathers, making it impossible to tell which species it belonged to.
However, since it flew out from the shop and seemed very familiar with the maid sent by the Lord to manage the chain store, it was definitely no ordinary little bird.
The sailor market was a tradition that had lasted many years at the docks. They would bring back trendy goods from other places with their ships to earn some extra money. This time, they just got off the boat and immediately saw their loved ones, so they hadn’t started setting up their stalls yet.
Moji smiled and said, “We’ll set up stalls. After buying some Braised Beans, we’ll go sell.”
This was one of the important sources of income for sailors like them.
Those who couldn’t go out to sea hoped they would bring back some new things from outside; otherwise, how could their dock be the liveliest place around?
Jiang Zhuozhuo had also wandered around here before. After winter began, Woye Province was quiet everywhere, and many places had not a single person in sight.
She liked coming to the docks because it was a place everyone enjoyed visiting. Even the major towns currently might not have as many people.
People, even if they didn’t plan on interacting much with others, occasionally liked to be where there were crowds, just to join in the liveliness.
Jiang Zhuozhuo continued asking, “Are you setting up a stall too? What do you sell?”
Moji answered seriously, “Do you want to buy something? I sell some seeds. Maybe there’s something you need.”
People on the same ship would avoid buying the same goods; sometimes they even fought fiercely over the rights to sell certain hot items.
But few brought seeds to sell.
Seeds had very low profit margins and were easy to be scammed—after all, the verification cycle was too long. By the time you planted them and tried to get compensation, the seller might simply deny ever selling to you.
Moreover, even if you were lucky enough to find an honest seller, there was no guarantee the seeds could grow well in Woye Province.
In short, selling seeds didn’t make much money and often earned complaints.
Moji was a taciturn man, disliking disputes. He had been sailing for several years, always selling seeds each year.
Mainly because he loved planting. Every place he went, he collected local specialty seeds. Back home, he or his mother would plant each kind. If a seed sprouted well, the next year he would buy more to sell.
For this, he had self-studied a lot about cultivation.
Moji always carried a thick animal-hide notebook, filled with his own drawn plant illustrations.
He had never been to school, but when they were children, all the kids learned some basic characters with the village chief, as this helped them be more employable as sailors. The drawing skills were self-taught, fueled solely by his passion for plants.
His childhood dream was to buy a full set of the Imperial Botanical Compendium published by the Imperial Publishing House.
But later he learned the set cost a full three thousand gold coins.
To put that into perspective, building a house cost less than one gold coin. This book set was worth several thousand houses!
Once you grow up, dreams tend to fade.
After realizing how expensive the Imperial Botanical Compendium really was, Moji gave up hoping for it.
Instead, he made his own covers from thick animal hide and bought many sheets of paper. Every time the ship docked, he eagerly went to observe local plants and recorded everything carefully with his own eyes and that worn-out pen in his pocket.
In the future, his mother, his wife, and his children would all be able to see the “Moji Botanical Compendium” he created at home.
Yes, that was the name he intended to give it. He believed his children would love this gift.
If he had such a book as a child, he would have been deliriously happy.
Talking about what he loved, Moji, usually so quiet, became animated, enthusiastically sharing his wonderful plans with this curious little round bird before him.
By now, he had filled more than a dozen volumes!
The long and monotonous life on the ship became fulfilling because he had this to focus on.
Jiang Zhuozhuo hadn’t expected that a casual question would lead to meeting a fellow traveler of sorts.
No matter when or where, meeting someone who quietly worked hard for their ideals always inspired genuine admiration.
She had wanted to say that there was a full set of the Imperial Botanical Compendium in her castle (she had looked it up during her continental general studies and while searching for Braised Beans ingredients), and she could lend it to Moji. But Mei Yin had repeatedly warned her never to make promises casually to others when outside.
Better to get acquainted first, then consider inviting him!
She was already a mature little bird and couldn’t let Mei Yin worry so much!
Jiang Zhuozhuo made up her mind and immediately asked what seeds Moji had brought back.
She wanted any crop that didn’t exist in Woye Province—whether sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, or salty. She wasn’t afraid of strong flavors, only of tastelessness!
Moji spread out a coarse cloth for his stall and took out the seeds he had brought, introducing them to Jiang Zhuozhuo.
With every new seed he named, Jiang Zhuozhuo’s eyes brightened a little.
By the time he finished explaining, her eyes practically shone like light bulbs. She said, “Can all these really be grown? If you’re not in a hurry to go out to sea, could you come guide us on planting? We will pay you. Whatever you earn from a sea voyage, I’ll pay you double!”
This wasn’t because Jiang Zhuozhuo had money to spare, but because Moji’s talent for planting was genuinely rare.
If he came, maybe they could grow all these seeds, and then she would have a wider variety of ingredients to choose from!
For example, this Segmented Cane it sounded just like… sugarcane!
It grows segment by segment, tastes sweet—who wouldn’t believe it was sugarcane?!
Of course, there were differences. According to Moji, Segmented Cane could grow as thick as a grown adult’s thigh, probably with even richer sugar content!
With abundant sugar sources, many more foods could be made. Just look at that plump Hulu Beast pork belly—it really reminded her of the braised pork she had lost long ago.
This talent must be recruited!
Moji, suddenly the center of such an offer, was still dazed. His mother joyfully spoke, “Is this true? Are you really willing to hire Moji to grow things?”
The little round bird nodded seriously, “Of course it’s true. Why would I lie to you?”
The elderly mother urged her son, “Quickly agree, Moji! If you get double wages, you can save up enough in a few years to travel by passenger ship however you want. You might even see many new plants.”
Few mothers wished their children to do dangerous work. Moji’s mother was no different.
Her neighbor, the poor little Ivan’s father had been swallowed by the sea while working as a sailor. So many years had passed, and his body was never recovered.
They all gathered at the docks to wait for the ship’s arrival, worried about their loved ones’ safety on the journey. If someone died at sea, no ship would bring back a rotting corpse, they would just throw it overboard to feed the fish.
If given a choice, who would want their child to be a sailor, embarking repeatedly on dangerous voyages with uncertain life and death?
Moji’s friend Jinpo listened to their conversation and couldn’t help but urge Moji, “Yeah, every time you go ashore to see the plants, you get scolded. If you travel on your own, you can see all you want.”
Hearing Jinpo, Moji was somewhat tempted.
Jinpo wrapped his arm around Moji’s neck and said, “I’m also planning to apply to the Get Some Fries Chain Store. Minnie said she already signed me up. If I get hired, we can hang out again during holidays!”
Minnie was his girlfriend, a tiny little thrush, but with great inner strength and her own strong will since childhood.
Just now when he returned, Minnie had told him the chain store was recruiting and hoped he would come back to work.
If they wanted to marry, she couldn’t be left alone at home forever. She could take care of herself, but if they had children, would she have to both support the family and brood the eggs by herself?
A male bird who didn’t brood eggs wouldn’t get a wife!
After learning about the chain store’s pay and benefits, Jinpo thought there was no need to drift at sea anymore.
Dual-income married life was much better!
Hearing Jinpo’s plan, Moji finally made up his mind to stay and give it a try.
But…
Was this little round bird in front of him… an adult? Could she really decide such things?
Other birds also looked at Jiang Zhuozhuo, sharing the same doubts in their eyes.
The little round bird read their skepticism and puffed up, growing even rounder!
Outraged!
For such a small sum of money, of course she could make decisions!
How dare they judge a bird by her appearance utterly outrageous!
Jiang Zhuozhuo said, “If you don’t believe me, you can pack up now and come with me to sign an employment contract!”
Normally, hired workers didn’t sign contracts because many couldn’t read, and employers didn’t provide proper benefits, so contracts were unnecessary.
But here, Jiang Zhuozhuo had to pay social insurance and housing funds, so signing a contract for records was required.
Hearing this, Jinpo said immediately, “No need to pack up. I’ll watch the stall for you. You two fly over and have a look. It’ll be quicker!”
If Jiang Zhuozhuo wasn’t a fraud, then it was better to settle this job as soon as possible.
Jiang Zhuozhuo quickly flew toward the castle with Moji and his mother.
Moji and his mother looked at the beautiful castle drawing closer and exchanged a glance, both hardly believing it.
Could it be that this little round bird who still looked so young actually lived inside this castle?
Right, they suddenly remembered that from the start, this little round bird was very familiar with the maid from Get Some Fries Chain Store, even perching on her shoulder to talk affectionately.
Moji felt like he was dreaming.
Mother and son, dazed, followed the little bird down toward the castle, facing no resistance at all.
It was true.
They had really come to the Lord’s castle!