Chapter 256: Don't be afraid, it's a heavy responsibility

"Thank the holy Lord's Wife! If it weren't for her, there would be no Kuangsha Holy River, and we wouldn't even have water to drink."

"Also, have you noticed! The elixir prices in Wushen Temple have dropped, and we can also choose the medicinal plants and elixirs in Yuequan Lou that can replace them! I never even dared to dream before, I can now live a life like a Beast God."

"That's right! Without the Lord there would be no life we have now, I am willing to offer my life to the Lord and the Lord's Wife!"

"I am willing too!"

Originally they were a group of impoverished Beastfolk squeezed to the limit by the major powers, and after receiving the Lord's mercy, they had a single thought: to give their lives for the Lord.

Listening to the pedestrians outside who sincerely pledged loyalty to the Lord, Jia Jian was a bit stunned, because when he was still the leader of the Central District back then, he had never seen Beastfolk in Kuangsha City so enthusiastic.

Actually... he also feels that life is much better now, without the sense of crisis from lacking water and food, he can run the trade he likes, and the backing behind him gives him fearless warriors.

Now Yuequan Lou is managed by him, and the huge coins he handles each day make him happy!

Unconsciously, a smile spreads across his face as he watches the commercial street, now countless times more prosperous than before, and he waddles into a shop, belly protruding, carrying a watermelon.

"Jia Jian! The Lord summons you to go now," a voice called from the doorway.

Jia Jian reflexively twitched, handed the watermelon to the shopkeeper, craned his neck back, and saw the sand wolf Beastfolk guards of the Lord's Residence.

Oh—... why am I suddenly summoned? What am I supposed to do there! Did I do something wrong??

His eyes went a bit glassy, and the good mood he had moments ago turned uneasy.

Although he likes to respect the Lord, he didn't say he wasn't afraid to face him—ahhh!

Seeing Jia Jian standing still, the sand wolf Beastfolk approached, raised a hand and pressed it on Jia Jian's shoulder, saying, "Now come with me, don't waste any time."

Jia Jian almost cried, feeling as if he were being escorted, he followed the guard squad to the street edge.

He took a deep breath and tentatively asked, "Um... is the Lord's Wife here?"

Please, I beg you, if the Lord's Wife is present, I don't have to face the Lord, the atmosphere would be so much better.

The sand wolf Beastfolk guard said nothing, but gave a slight nod.

Jia Jian, as if his heavy, bowed head suddenly lifted, his mood brightened and his steps quickened: "Oh oh, then let's hurry!"

Jia Jian's rapid change of expression made the sand wolf Beastfolk silently marvel in his mind: "..."

He understood that facing the Lord's authority, indeed no one could stand upright and speak properly.

Half an hour later.

Jia Jian walked through the long corridor of white columns, was led to the side hall of state affairs in the Lord's Residence, where the Lord was handling state matters.

The political and power center building of Kuangsha City is grand, with a very open view; the garden outside the state hall's columns is filled with flowers and greenery surrounding a central fountain, descending the long staircase through orderly layers of splendid palaces, at the bottom a stone-paved road leads straight to the riverbank, and across the river lies a vast desert, the economic lifeline of Kuangsha City—the Planting Base.

Walking down the way, Jia Jian thought that the Lord's Wife was also present, and he felt delighted praising this magnificent ancient architecture.

After the sand wolf guard entered the palace courtyard, he stopped, had the sentinel stationed at the door lead Jia Jian forward, then waited at the doorway for the sentinel to go in and report.

At this moment, Lin Manzhi sat behind a desk, looking at a stack of documents in her hands.

The newly built Planting Greenhouses still follow the pattern of one per five mu, totaling 400 greenhouses for two thousand mu of land.

The previous batch of watermelons planted on 38 mu, after several harvests the vines withered, she had the ground turned over, decided not to plant watermelons at Base 4, and converted the freed land to Holy Maiden Fruit.

After a large-scale watermelon planting, Lin Manzhi also roughly knew the desert's watermelon yield, about... jin per mu, and this time the watermelons totaled 380,000 jin, higher than she had expected.

This further strengthened her resolve to plant watermelons this time; of the four hundred Planting Greenhouses, three hundred are for watermelons, staggered into three sowing batches, so that without seasonal restrictions watermelons can become one of the year-round medicinal fruit plants.

The remaining one hundred greenhouses, Lin Manzhi planted cantaloupes; cantaloupes store well, can be kept in the sand for up to two months, so the pressure for rapid sales is not as urgent.

While Lin Manzhi and Mo Lie were discussing how to plan Planting Base No. 5, Jia Jian arrived at that moment.

Jia Jian respectfully entered the main hall, and after completing the bow, recalled that he had heard about opening a new Planting Base for watermelons, and his thoughts began to churn.

He saw Lord Lin seated above, and the warm‑looking Lord, and couldn't help to speak up: "Lord, Lord's Wife, I have known many merchant caravans from various places; you need not worry about cantaloupes not selling out, I am confident I can handle the cantaloupe trade for you."

Trading is his strong suit! Thinking of how several members of the caravan have now been favored by the Lord, receiving monthly benefits, Jia Jian's eyes were truly greedy.

Being favored = 100 gold coins per month + some medicinal plants.

Gold coins are easy, but medicinal plants are hard to obtain outside; Jia Jian really wants them, after all, making money is either to please females or to eat.

He admits his martial strength is inferior to theirs, but when it comes to trade, the other four combined are no match for Jia Jian.

Jia Jian, nervous, held his breath, staring at the Lord's Wife, said, "Please give me a chance!"

Lin Manzhi sensed Jia Jian's excitement, smiled and said, "The cantaloupe sales aren't urgent; I called you over because I have an important task for you."

Mo Lie lifted his gaze, his expression calm, and slowly said, "I am about to open a Fierce Sand Escort Bureau in Leitingcheng; the caravan will bring two thousand escorts there, and you will go with them; opening the market for the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau is the task I entrust to you."

Jia Jian's first reaction was fear.

Away from Kuangsha City... this can't be that I'm being driven away, right??

No!!

He was about to kneel and wail.

"You rest assured, the opening of the escort bureau has been personally approved by the Lei Ting Lord, and it's not that you'll stay in Leitingcheng forever; once the Fierce Sand Escort Bureau stabilizes on the Lei Ting Continent, you can return," Lin Manzhi's gentle voice added.

After a few seconds of daze, Jia Jian realized he had been given an important task, instantly brightened, changing his previously miserable expression: "Yes, yes! Jia Jian will definitely not disappoint your expectations."