Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King-Chapter 414 - 291: Joining the Candle Sect, Status Rises, Elder-in-Training, Inheriting the Estate!
Fuk Dachuen smiled and said, "I am not yet an elder, today I come to take over the bee farm, please lead the way."
Fuk Dachuen said, "Alright, please board the ship." Nangong Liuli had a peculiar expression, her feet difficult to move. If she were to jump around, it would damage her dignity and expose her predicament. Thus, she stood firmly without moving.
Li Xian deliberately ignored her. He let her fume for a moment, then picked her up and carried her onto the ship. There was a stable in the cabin, with horses brought aboard, leaving the carriage ashore. Once everything was ready, the ship gradually left the shore and headed towards an island.
Nangong Liuli was supported standing by the deck, observing the scenery of Dongran Lake. She had been captured and brought here, now seeing the view of Dongran Lake for the first time. Huaiyin Prefecture’s "Dongran Lake" is indeed a wonder of the world.
The lake breeze was gentle. It slightly lifted her cloak, revealing the floral rope wrapped around her ankle without her noticing. The boatmen were busy, not paying attention.
A gradually heard "buzzing" sound emerged. An island approached, Fuk Dachuen came forward and said, "Mr. Hua, please apply the bee repellent balm to avoid bee stings."
Li Xian nodded. He applied the bee repellent balm to his sleeves, neck, and other areas. Then he dismissed Fuk Dachuen and others, untied Nangong Liuli’s cloak, and helped her apply the balm everywhere. Nangong Liuli was unsure of whether to be angry or annoyed, she spat lightly twice and gave up.
The ship docked. The scent of flowers was overwhelming, Fuk Dachuen brought in the horses, Li Xian hugged Nangong Liuli, gently placed her on horseback, sitting sideways. Although Nangong Liuli struggled to utilize her Inner Qi, her skills remained intact, she easily stabilized on horseback. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
Li Xian led the reins, inspecting the bee farm while Fuk Dachuen provided introductions.
The species being cultivated is called "red bee." Honey is the primary product, its production depends on the environment. Bees focus on "gathering" rather than "producing," so the bee farm cultivates "fragrant crisp flowers," "oil fan flowers," two species of flora, and plants fruit trees such as "lychee trees," "longan trees," as sources of "nectar."
The island spans roughly over three thousand mu, holding nearly five hundred beehives, each producing "thirty pounds" of honey. Monthly honey production exceeds fifteen hundred pounds, sold externally... roughly fetching a thousand taels of silver.
On Bee Island stands a pavilion, containing the records of annual accounts. Li Xian browsed the accounts, feeling his heart pounding as he meticulously cleared up the intricacies. Accounting for the expenses of beekeepers’ food, clothing, living, transportation losses, each month brings in around nine hundred taels.
Li Xian exclaimed, "Although it cannot compare to Madam Wen’s industry, achieving a monthly income of a thousand taels is already notable!" He had learned about Essence Treasure beast meat, where firing up the tripod and burning charcoal would cost at least three thousand taels of silver, up to five thousand taels. Essence Treasure meat is comparatively cheaper, with charcoal, water, renting the Treasure Tripod and labor being the most costly.
In the Flower Cage Sect, elder-hosted cooking of Essence Food requires elders to spend money, fire up the tripod, and cook away. First taking their portion of Essence Treasure, the remaining Essence Meat and Essence Soup are distributed among the disciples. Hence every elder has many Flower Cage disciples attending to them, receiving thoughtful service.
After the elder fires up the tripod and cooks Essence Food, the sect rewards them with ’one tael of merit silver.’ Even though firing up the tripod for cooking is part of martial arts cultivation, spreading blessings to the disciples counts as a contribution.
"Obtaining this bee farm, accumulating wealth, every few months, one can afford to fire up the tripod! So, this is how the Flower Cage Sect operates."
He was quite pleased, strolling around the bee farm everywhere. Nangong Liuli was also astonished, noble families need not worry about Essence Food, but she naturally understood the value of wealth. The Nangong Family is exceedingly wealthy, but maintaining family operations requires substantial funds. Nangong Liuli excels in management, cooperates sincerely with Li Xian, sharing mutual interests, upon obtaining the bee farm, her mind becomes lively, contemplating how to utilize it.
The honey produced here, known as ’mellow crisp honey,’ is mainly sold to ’Sword City,’ ’Hope Lake City’... a stable distribution channel, favored by noble families. Since Li Xian took over the industry, he must strategize its future sales trajectory; only by securing gold and silver can value be realized.
Li Xian asked, "Liuli, what do you think?" Nangong Liuli smiled and said, "What a great deal!"
Red bees were exceptionally active, buzzing loudly. Li Xian stretched out to catch one, gently stroked it, and released it back to the swarm. Having surveyed this bee farm, he boarded another ship heading to the next island. At this time, the weather was quite hot, just past noon, with heat waves constantly hitting back. Although Nangong Liuli was draped in a cloak, shielding her embarrassment, she felt extremely hot, sweat visible on her forehead and neck.
The second Bee Island was notably smaller, merely over a thousand mu, with roughly over a hundred beehives. Cultivating ’Golden Jade Bee,’ golden-yellow in color. Nangong Liuli astonishedly said, "This type of bee is extraordinary, rumored to be flying gold!"
Golden Jade Bees lay resting on ’tree leaves,’ their bodies plump, the island extraordinarily quiet, without the buzzing of the red bee island. The Golden Jade Bees are as valuable as gold and jade, their nature lazy and picky, with low efficiency in honey gathering, yet the honey they collect is as precious as golden oil!
Golden Jade Island plants two types of floras, ’nectar fragrant flowers,’ ’gold and jade flowers.’ The Golden Jade Bees collect these flower nectars to produce the luxurious ’Golden Embryo Jade Essence,’ which was once a tribute, two hundred taels for a pot!
Li Xian examined the accounts. Inevitably disappointed, the ’Golden Embryo Jade Essence’ production is extremely low, sometimes yielding no result for months, sometimes producing a few pounds per month. When it comes to monetary circulation, it does not match up to the red bee island. However, it remains ’Tong Sannian’s’ lifeblood.
Nangong Liuli informed Li Xian that if this bee farm were to be closed, selling Golden Jade Bees would fetch a decent price. Should there be a way to eliminate the laziness of Golden Jade Bees, financial resources would continuously flow.
Having inspected this location, it was already evening. Fuk Dachuen informed that Tong Sannian’s sudden passing left two months of honey backlog at the bee farm. Li Xian was quite delighted and decided to plan external sales.
Having thoroughly observed the two bee farms, only one orchard remained, cultivating ’Blue Water Grapes,’ with vibrant color and taste, mainly sold to ’Jade City,’ regarded as luxurious fruit. But the grapes mature in April and May. When Tong Sannian was alive, they had already been sold to Jade City, so in the short term, the orchard is unlikely to produce profit.
