A new day arrived with the crisp chirping of birds.
The morning light streaming through the cave’s entrance was even brighter than yesterday’s.
I rubbed my eyes and sat up from my hard “bed,” habitually stretching my body until the drowsiness gradually faded.
I went to the riverside again and scooped up the cool river water to wash my face, completely waking myself up.
Looking at my reflection in the water, I smoothed out my long hair and tidied my robes.
Then, I took out the cold grilled fish wrapped in leaves that I had saved from last night and slowly ate it with plain water.
The taste was naturally not as good as when it was freshly grilled, but it was enough energy for breakfast.
After getting ready, I looked at the newly tilled land on the opposite bank of the river, my gaze becoming focused.
The core task for this morning was planting: to sow the first batch of Jade-Needle Rice seeds harvested yesterday.
Carrying the burlap pouch filled with Jade-Needle Rice Grains, Earth Yam tubers, and Borer-Expelling Grass seeds, as well as that iron hoe, I once again hopped over the stone steps to the edge of the field.
First, I needed to plan things out.
This plot of land was roughly twelve or thirteen square meters, almost rectangular in shape.
I intended to primarily plant Jade-Needle Rice, but I could try interplanting some Borer-Expelling Grass along the edges or corners of the field as an ecological defense.
The Earth Yam, however, required looser and deeper soil, so perhaps I could find a small separate patch near the river specifically for planting it.
“Let’s start with the Jade-Needle Rice.” I squatted down, opened the small pouch, and poured about fifty white Jade-Needle Rice Grains into my palm.
The grains were full and felt heavy in my hand, their ice-blue awns at the tips shimmering slightly in the morning light, brimming with vitality.
Next was the planting method.
According to the information provided by the System, Jade-Needle Rice was an aquatic herb that preferred moist conditions.
This plot was near the river and the soil was already moist, but perhaps it still needed more precise water management.
I decided to use the “hole planting” method, which would make it easier to control the spacing between plants and for later management.
I used my feet and visual estimation to roughly map out the row and plant spacing in the field.
The Jade-Needle Rice plants weren’t particularly tall, but their tillering ability was unknown, so I decided to be conservative at first, leaving about 25 centimeters between rows and around 15 centimeters between plants. New chapters come out on NovelPing first.
After planning the positions, I took up the iron hoe and lightly dug shallow holes about two to three centimeters deep at the marked spots.
The soil at the bottom of each hole was soft and moist.
Then, I carefully took a single Jade-Needle Rice Grain and placed it into the hole.
The moment my fingertips touched the soil and the seed, those strange and faint abilities of “Leyline Perception” and “Flora Communication” were automatically activated.
I could “feel” the life dormant inside the seed, and also “feel” the moisture and fertility of the soil at the bottom of the hole.
“Hope you sprout smoothly,” I whispered a blessing, gently covering the seed with fine soil from around it, then using my palm to press it down slightly to ensure the seed was in close contact with the soil, but not buried so deep that it would affect its breaking through the ground.
Just like that, one by one, I focused and patiently repeated this simple yet hope-filled action: dig the hole, place the seed, cover with soil, and press lightly.
The warm sun shone on my back, and a gentle breeze blew past, bringing the coolness of the river water.
The surroundings were very quiet, with only the faint sounds of me digging and covering the soil, and the occasional chirps of birds.
Fifty seeds are not many, but when I planted the last one and straightened my slightly sore back, my forehead was already covered in fine beads of sweat.
However, my heart was filled with peace and anticipation.
Fifty planting spots were neatly arranged on the newly turned ridges of the field, like rows of soldiers waiting for inspection, or like the points of hope the earth was about to reveal.
“Next is the Borer-Expelling Grass.” I carefully put away the remaining Jade-Needle Rice Grains.
Then I took out the small black seeds of the Borer-Expelling Grass.
I used the tip of the hoe to scratch a few shallow furrows along the edges of the field, sparsely scattered the Borer-Expelling Grass seeds inside, and gently covered them with a thin layer of soil.
They would grow into a natural “pest-repelling barrier” in the future.
The final step was watering.
Although the soil was moist itself, a thorough watering was needed after planting to ensure the seeds absorbed enough water, which would favor germination.
I walked to the river, filled the bamboo canteen with water, and evenly sprinkled it over the newly sown land.
The clear river water seeped into the soft soil, nourishing the source of life buried within.
I stood at the edge of the field, looking at this small plot of land into which I had poured a whole morning’s effort, feeling a mixture of accomplishment and a hint of exhaustion.
“The first batch of seeds is finally planted.” I wiped away my sweat, my ice-blue eyes reflecting the freshly turned soil and the neatly arranged planting spots.
I silently did a quick estimate in my head: Fifty seeds, if they all survived, each producing a normal number of tillers, panicles, and grains, considering the Jade-Needle Rice Grains themselves are large but the yield per plant might be limited, and this being the first trial planting with a lack of management experience…
An optimistic estimate would be that this small field could ultimately yield…
around two jin of Jade-Needle Rice Grains?
This number made me frown slightly.
Compared to the one hundred kilograms required by the System Main Quest, it was nearly a hundred times short.
“Next time I plant, the scale will have to be expanded at least five times, no, ten times…
” I looked at this small experimental plot, then looked at the vast, uncultivated gentle slope along the riverbank all around.
The task seemed simple, just submitting the grain, but behind it meant needing to cultivate a land area several or even dozens of times larger than this, investing a corresponding multiple increase of labor and time, and also dealing with uncertain factors like possible pests, diseases, and weather changes.
A heavy sense of pressure quietly crept in.
“The road ahead is long and arduous…” I sighed softly, raising a hand to rub my temple as my long, creamy-white hair swayed.
But though I sighed, there was no retreat in my gaze.
The path had to be walked step by step, the fields cultivated plot by plot.
At least, the first step had already been taken.
The morning’s hard work came to a close.
The sun was just right, so it was time to check the fish traps I had set yesterday, prepare lunch, and also consider what to do this afternoon to lay another foundation stone for this “long and arduous” future.
Perhaps I should go see if there was a catch in that fish trap?
Or start planning the next, larger field?