CH 74

May is the month when the roses bloom.

The two cities of Wissas and Fort Comoy have been hailed as “rose blooming cities” by people in the Desinian Territory more than a year ago.

When May comes, the fragrance of roses can be smelled almost everywhere in the city—the flower beds around the bell tower, the cloister outside the church…and Xia Zuoyi’s castle.

Udit once said that he would personally plant a romantic and beautiful rose garden for Xia Zuoyi.

Now such a glorious wish has long been realized.

—Large swaths of roses bloom in the garden, rose walls, rose-decorated passages, rose roads… 

The air was full of fragrant and rich flavor, which permeated around the castle and attracted swarms of butterflies and bees to fly and hover among the roses.

Egg Yolk followed Xia Zuoyi into the flower garden to pick roses.

The big lion carries a basket on both sides of his broad back, which is padded with a soft cloth and placed with roses that are pruned after picking.

Bright and beautiful roses are crowded together in clusters, attracting the attention of bees or butterflies. When they fly close, they’re immediately driven away by the lion’s long tail.

Xia Zuoyi wears a simple white shirt with a tie at the collar, with the sleeves rolled up. The inside of the sleeves is sewn with cloth strips, which can be tied to the buttons at the top of the sleeve.

Below are black suspender shorts. Because the weather is getting hotter, his trousers only reach his knees, and a pair of small black leather shoes are on his feet.

He’s holding a scissor specially used for pruning flower branches. From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the big lion shaking his big head with thick and dense mane, and then lying on the path of the flower bed and covering his nose with his chunky big paws.

But after lowering his paw, he immediately sneezed due to the strong fragrance of flowers.

Xia Zuoyi suppressed a smile, “Egg Yolk, the roses have been picked, we can now go out.”

As soon as his voice fell, the big golden lion couldn’t stand it anymore and quickly trotted out of the rose garden.

Xia Zuoyi finally couldn’t help laughing. He leisurely strolled behind him with his hands on his back.

After Egg Yolk ran out of the rose garden, he stood waiting for him at the door. Two roses in the basket fell on the ground and the big lion looked at it and whined.

When Xia Zuoyi walked over, he picked up the two roses and cut off some branches and green leaves with scissors, each on one side, and clipped them in Egg Yolk’s ears.

When the wind blew on his temples, even the roses near his ears trembled slightly.

Xia Zuoyi spontaneously praised, “Our Egg Yolk is so beautiful.”

“Ao.” 

Egg Yolk heard the compliment in his tone, affectionately approached Xia Zuoyi, and circled him twice. The innocent lion didn’t realize the “sinister intentions” of human beings.

An idea suddenly popped up in Xia Zuoy’s mind. Looking at Egg Yolk’s appearance, he muttered, “Well, maybe you can use rose petals to make some candy and cakes…” 

These days, he’s also thinking about how to put white sugar and fruit candies into the market.

He took the big golden lion back, muttering as he walked, “The candy shop is about to open, but there can’t be only one kind of fruit candy, although it’s only temporary…”

“At such an era when sugar is so scarce, I don’t know what kind of sensation this candy shop will cause.”

“I hope by then… Let Ferdinand and Walker strengthen the defense at the border first…” 

Egg Yolk allowed Xia Zuoyi to comb along his bushy mane, walking while listening quietly. The two roses firmly fixed on his temples were really very eye-catching.

The servants who saw them stifled their laughter. It’s rare for the lord to be mischievous.

…

The price of sugar is expensive, with its value even equaling that of gold coins.

Ordinary little nobles can’t eat it all the time, let alone the lowly civilians and slaves.

As was mentioned before, the civilians and slaves who originally lived in Wissas had never even seen sugar…

When a thing is scarce, it’s precious.

It’s normal for white sugar to be sought after by nobles. Moreover, white sugar is also linked to aristocratic status.

Boris had investigated all the news about Maldiz for Xia Zuoyi, and had mentioned Maldiz’s preferences—he absolutely loves to eat sweets.

Maldiz was born in the Saint Airo Empire.

He has followed the noble young master since he was a child, and once had the honor to sample the taste of food made of sugar.

That kind of flavor is the most unforgettable thing for a child who had tasted sweetness for the first time.

But after that, such opportunities are pitifully small.

Maldiz is probably born to be an extremely sweet-loving person. If he can’t eat sugar or sweets for a period of time, it would always occupy his mind.

His preference for sweet food has never been mentioned to others, but it can be observed through his daily habits.

For example, most of Maldiz’s monthly money is used to buy a very expensive sugar candy in the Saint Airo Empire—made exclusively of white sugar.

Now that he knew Maldiz’s preferences, Xia Zuoyi made plans accordingly.

The most abundant fruit in Desinian Territory is lemon, which is easy to obtain.

Add an appropriate amount of lemon juice into the boiled syrup, then pour the syrup into a mold and stir to form, continue to stretch… Finally, hard fruit candies are formed.

This sweet and sour candy is bound to be more expensive than sugar.

After all, we must first consider cost and labor.

White sugar is one of the main raw materials. Just by virtue of this, we can think of what kind of price lemon candy should be positioned at.

Otherwise, Maldiz and Paul would not have looked solemn before they left.

Xia Zuoyi had read about the history of the real Middle Ages before, which mentioned the war caused by sugar.

This doesn’t mean mere plundering.

Whether in the real Middle Ages or on the Western Continent, sugar is an extremely rare material.

Sugar will replenish body energy, and eating sugar will make people unconsciously produce a happy and joyful feeling, which is an irresistible sensation.

There are huge commercial interests behind sugar.

Once the price of a thing reaches a very expensive point, there must be capital to chase, try to control and own it.

For all this, they can do anything, such as colonial plunder, slave trade…

Fortunately, the situation in the Western Continent is different from the real Middle Ages.

At the very least, sugar cane is produced in the most remote areas… Although white sugar is extremely limited, it can also be owned by great nobles in the two empires.

Because the place where sugarcane is produced is controlled by both the Saint Airo Empire and the Anas Empire at the same time, both sides occupy half of it, so disputes often arise.

But no side could win.

Under such circumstances, the white sugar and the fruit candy made by Xia Zuoyi will surely become unique. Once they’re available, they will flow into the market, into other small countries and empires…

Then it will inevitably break the current inherent situation.

A steady stream of gold coins would flow into Desinia’s pockets like a tide, but it will be accompanied with coveting, spying, and danger…

Producing sugar from beets was his idea three years ago.

Because of the Pope’s words, Xia Zuoyi dismissed this idea again.

Three years have passed.

Since Xia Zuoyi had created beet sugar, it meant that he’s fully prepared to deal with everything. The act of allowing Maldiz and Paul to bring a box of fruit candy back to the Saint Airo Empire was a signal.

Two days later.

A shop with the logo of the Thorns Chamber of Commerce engraved on its signboard opened in a low-key manner on the most prosperous street in the city of Wissas.

The name of the store—Desinia Candy Shop.

Although there is no big publicity, the name of this store is really conspicuous, not allowing people to ignore it.

All the passers-by couldn’t help stopping.

“C-candy store?! It won’t be to…sell sweets…” This person’s tone was full of uncertainty.

Someone nearby looked into the shop, “Although the door is closed, someone is moving inside…”

And the closed door is locked from the inside.

“What’s happening? Does this shop really sell candies?!”

“Okay… Although it’s the lord’s shop, even if it only contains sweet sticks and honey, I’ll buy it…” A passing nobleman muttered.

At this time, both Udit and Gibran guarded the candy shop.

Toby squatted by the window and stared outside.

From time to time, he reported the situation outside to the butler and his brother. Now, he speaks enthusiastically.

“Butler Udit, Brother, the people outside are crowding more and more. I think the candy we prepared today must not be enough for them to buy!”

Udit took a sip of the scented tea slowly.

He wears a close-fitting butler’s suit, with white gloves on his hands, and a badge representing the Desinia family pinned on his chest. His hair is combed back, revealing a calm and unhurried look after years of precipitation. 

He’s also old enough to marry and have children.

But no matter who persuades, including Xia Zuoyi, he still hasn’t married yet.

Udit put the scented tea back on the table, walked to the window, and said, “Most people around the store are civilians. Sugar and fruit candies are expensive, so they may not be able to afford it…”

A piece of candy is expensive enough.

“However, as long as there are nobles buying, according to the lord’s expectation—the goods in the store will be sold out by night.”

Gibran nodded, “After all, there’s only a limited amount of both sold in the store today.”

“The main thing to do today is to spread the news of the candy shop until it spreads throughout the territory.”

Gibran has now completely taken over the financial situation of the Thorns Chamber of Commerce in the territory.

He reported to Xia Zuoyi the situation every seven days and sorted out the financial statements of Thorns Chamber of Commerce every month for Xia Zuoyi to review.

Long-term training and continuous learning have made Gibran mature.

…

—Desinia Candy Shop only opens from noon to sunset. White sugar and fruit candies are sold in limited quantities, and the way of selling them is by large, medium, and small cans.    

This is the news that Xia Zuoyi will deliver on the first day of the Desinia Candy Shop’s opening.

When the staff in the store removed the door lock inside, an unstoppable “wind” would set off a tornado in the entire Desinian Territory.