Business at the hot pot restaurant had been getting busier these past few days. Time passed quickly, and it was already August. This meant the sweet potatoes she planted earliest were ready for harvest.
Yaelle ran excitedly to the backyard, eager to see the results of her hard work. She enthusiastically directed Worker Pang and the other workers to dig up the sweet potatoes as she wanted. After some effort, they finally dug up all the sweet potatoes.
Looking at the piles of sweet potatoes before her, Yaelle felt a strong sense of achievement. She had them carefully weighed and found that this small patch of land produced 458 jin of sweet potatoes. This harvest made her very happy and proved her planting skills were excellent.
As the weather grew cooler, it was the best time to plant potatoes. Yaelle remembered the potatoes stored in the cellar, so she decided to take them out, cut them into pieces, and plant them. She watched carefully as they handled each piece, making sure every piece had eyes so they would sprout properly.
Finally, she arranged for the potato seeds to be planted evenly over almost one mu of land, hoping for a good harvest. Looking at the land she had worked on bit by bit, Yaelle felt full of hope for the future.
She finished harvesting the sweet potatoes and planting potatoes all in one day, feeling very accomplished. After storing everything in the warehouse, she carefully selected a few medium-sized long sweet potatoes to send to the kitchen. After dinner, the chefs buried them in the still-warm ashes of the stove.
When they pulled them out after the meal, the sweet potatoes were fully cooked. She broke off the burnt skin outside to see the golden yellow flesh inside. They looked very tempting, and one bite was fragrant and sweet.
It felt so good; she hadn't eaten roasted sweet potatoes in a long time. Especially those cooked in a traditional stove in the countryside tasted better than the street ones, which were usually charcoal or electric roasted. These were dry and soft inside.
The next day, Michael came over for lunch. She had her staff prepare steamed sweet potatoes, boiled sweet potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, and sweet potato buns. The sweet potatoes were fragrant and sweet, and the buns were soft and tasty.
Michael grew happier as he ate. When he heard that the yield was 4,500 jin per mu, he laughed so hard his eyes disappeared and praised Yaelle as the savior of the whole Dayu Kingdom.
After all arrangements were done, Yaelle planned to visit Maxim at the academy. She reported to Michael and, although he was reluctant at first, he agreed after she promised firmly.
But he required her to wear men's clothes, bring at least four guards, and only stay one night before returning. Yaelle agreed, planning to obey since she didn't want to risk her life.
On the morning of August eighth, after breakfast, they set off. Riding in a slow carriage, they enjoyed the scenery along the way. At noon, they stopped by a small river to eat grilled fish.
The fish was freshly caught from the river, and the chief guard was quite skilled. She also brought plenty of seasonings, and the fish tasted great. Since cooperating with Xavier, their family's seasonings had become richer.
She even made a simple thirteen-spice blend, and their head chef's skills had improved.
She brought some sweet potatoes besides the seasonings, along with some easy-to-carry cakes and flatbreads. After eating some grilled fish, she still felt unsatisfied. She sent two guards out to search farther for any huntable animals.
The two guards returned carrying two wild rabbits and three pheasants. Yaelle picked some large non-toxic leaves nearby. She wrapped the marinated pheasants in the leaves and covered them with mud to make beggar's chicken, then buried it under the fire.
The other food was roasted directly over the fire. Although the wild chicken and rabbit meat were a bit tough, a little hard to chew, the overall taste was very good. It was fresh and flavorful, leaving a pleasant aftertaste.
When everyone had almost finished eating, Yaelle carefully took the beggar's chicken out from under the fire. She gently peeled off the mud and leaves. Immediately, the strong aroma of the wild chicken filled the air.
Because it was marinated just right, the chicken was tender and juicy, much more than the roasted meat. It was irresistible. As expected, everyone ate their fill and felt very satisfied.
After resting a bit to digest, they used river water to extinguish the fire. Then, they continued their journey.
Since the destination was not very far, they arrived early in the afternoon. The academy was still in session, so they decided to book rooms at a nearby inn.
They booked four rooms in total. Yaelle took one alone. Attendant Sean and Attendant Sam shared one. The guards shared two rooms, two per room. This arrangement ensured everyone's privacy and made it easy to communicate and watch out for each other.
After a short rest, Yaelle decided to take Attendant Sean and the two guards out for some sightseeing. Because they needed to take turns on night duty, the others stayed in the inn to rest.
Since she was dressed as a man, it was relatively safe. She only needed to be a bit careful.
Yaelle strolled through the busy streets, her eyes attracted by many beautiful items. She found many things she liked, not only choosing gifts for herself, but also for her brother. She even picked something thoughtful for Maxim.
Overall, she freely selected the things she liked without worrying about the price. Now, she no longer had to worry about money and could enjoy shopping.
When she finished shopping and returned to the inn, the sun was already setting. It was almost time for Maxim to finish classes. She went to her room, organized her shopping, washed up, and changed into clean clothes. Then, she took the group and went out again.
At the academy gate, Yaelle glanced at the time. There was still some time before class ended. She did not rush but waited patiently.
About fifteen minutes later, the academy's main gate slowly opened. Groups of students began to come out. Some walked in small groups, laughing and playing.
Others linked arms, chatting about various interesting things. Some carried books and discussed knowledge from them as they walked.
Watching these lively young people, Yaelle felt a deep sense of youth.
She walked to the gate guard and greeted Servant Carter, who was on duty there. Taking advantage of no one noticing, she quietly slipped him a copper coin and asked him to call for Maxim from the exam class.
Servant Carter took the coin, smiled, and put it in his pouch. He said, "Don't worry. I'll call him right away and come back soon." Then he turned and ran into the academy.