Currently, Earl Felix Williams, who has shown great potential to be a devoted husband, ultimately managed to win Wei Wei's promise to knit him a hat by shamelessly persisting.
Meanwhile, Claude, who was invited as a guest, discovered that although Sardinson County is a border region, the number of things that could be turned into money here is simply astonishing.
After enjoying an even more sumptuous dinner with the earl's family that evening, he sincerely invited the earl to open a restaurant in the capital, which would undoubtedly attract all the nobles to dine at his establishment.
"The food is truly delicious. If I can't enjoy such delicacies in the future, I'm afraid I won't be able to eat anything else."
Felix was quite pleased with the compliment because although the other party didn't realize it, he was praising his beloved.
As for Wei Wei, what could she do but smile and pretend they weren't praising her?
Later that night, when Claude saw the hot water, toothbrush, and tooth powder brought by the servant, he immediately spotted another business opportunity after trying them out.
While a toothbrush could be easily replicated once seen, the toothpowder was different. It was a new product concocted by Wei Wei. Brushing with it gave a refreshing minty sensation, cleaned the teeth thoroughly, and instantly eliminated bad breath. If it hadn't been so late, Claude would have gone to discuss the sales of this tooth powder with Felix right away.
The next day, under Wei Wei's instructions, the servant showed Claude the sweaters she had set out to dry. Naturally, the highly warm sweaters caught his attention.
Even the doll Amy, whom Dolores always carried around, made his eyes light up.
These discoveries made Claude determined to build a good relationship with Felix.
Of course, he wasn't oblivious to the fact that these items seemed to originate from the foreign lady who was close to Earl Williams. But since the earl had no intention of letting him know, he decided to play along.
However, to curry favor with Felix, he specially prepared expensive gifts for the three ladies of the Earl's household, with the most substantial one going to Wei Wei.
Afterward, Felix's gaze toward him indeed became warmer, and his attitude improved significantly.
They quickly struck a deal on the pasta business. Claude, with great determination, convinced Felix to sell him all the currently produced pasta at a price one and a half times the market rate for flour. As for how much Claude could sell the pasta for, that would be his own business.
At the same time, since the meat sauce wasn't ready yet, Felix had his chef, Bob, teach Claude's subordinates two simple pasta recipes to use for promotion.
Claude handed over all the money he had earned from selling salt along the way to Felix, but it still fell short of the amount needed to buy the pasta. Given Claude's reputation as a prominent merchant in the capital, Felix agreed to let him pay the remaining amount after returning to the capital, though a promissory note was required.
Thus, the merchant group stayed in Sardinson County for a few days, spent most of their funds, and returned to the capital with several carts of pasta.
As the merchant group departed, they happened to pass another group heading in the opposite direction.
This was the team Felix had sent out to find an alchemist. This time, they finally found one with genuine talent who was willing to come to Sardinson County. The delay in their return was due to helping him move.
The leading knight immediately reported to Felix upon his return and provided details about the alchemist.
Roger Raymond, aged 54, was born into a noble family in the Duchy of Lops. He graduated from the Royal University of Pradi and stayed on as a professor of physics and mathematics. Privately, he was obsessed with alchemy and secretly conducted experiments in his school dormitory, which led to an explosion and his subsequent expulsion.
Alchemists weren't particularly welcome at the time, and with his history of blowing up his dormitory, other universities refused to hire him. Unable to find work and having spent his savings on alchemy, Roger was in a state of poverty, which made him willing to come to Sardinson County.
Although Roger had blown up his dormitory, his alchemical skills were quite good. Most of his alchemical equipment had been preserved because it was stored at his home, including the distiller Wei Wei wanted.
Moving all these items, especially the large amount of glassware, took an entire month before they finally returned to Sardinson County.
The price for bringing him back was Felix's promise to build him a fully equipped alchemy laboratory and fund his experiments. In return, Roger had to first research some things as per his employer's requirements.
Felix hadn't told Wei Wei about this. Roger Raymond was a surprise he had prepared for her. To ensure the surprise remained intact, Felix had kept it a secret and, before Roger's arrival, had set up a laboratory in a remote tower within the castle, far from other buildings. The equipment was to be moved in once Roger arrived, and any missing items had already been purchased by the escorting knights in the capital and brought back.
After settling Roger and his equipment, Felix took Wei Wei to see the laboratory.
The tower housing the laboratory had previously been the castle's prison, and the surrounding area was somewhat gloomy, not suitable for walks, and quite distant, so Wei Wei rarely visited.
Felix, with a mysterious expression, led her there. Wei Wei spent the entire journey guessing what he was up to. When she entered the tower and saw the well-lit laboratory on the top floor, she finally understood the surprise.
"This is..." Wei Wei looked at the laboratory, bathed in natural light from its high position. The equipment inside reminded her of the potions classroom in *Harry Potter*.
Especially since there was an old man with disheveled white hair, a long beard, and wearing a robe standing there, making it seem even more like a wizard's magical laboratory.
"This is Roger Raymond, an alchemist from the capital. From now on, you can discuss any ideas you have with him."
"Hello, Miss Wei Wei."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Raymond."
After introductions, Wei Wei eagerly asked Roger to explain the functions of the equipment in the lab.
Seeing her interest, Roger gladly obliged. When he mentioned the distiller, Wei Wei remembered her long-standing desire to make perfume and alcohol.
Roger had already learned from Felix that the primary reason for inviting him to Sardinson County was the distiller, so he explained it in detail and even suggested they try it out immediately if she was interested.
Wei Wei immediately agreed.
By now, most of the flowers in the castle suitable for essential oils had been used up, but there were still fruits that could be used for the same purpose.
Fruit essential oils can be divided into two main categories: citrus and "other fruits." Citrus essential oils are made from common fruits like oranges, pomelos, tangerines, lemons, limes, bergamots, and grapefruits. Among these, lemons and tangerines were readily available in the castle—lemons as a staple fruit and tangerines, which were currently in season, were the primary fruits being purchased for the kitchen.
Of course, essential oils from fruit peels are easier to extract through pressing, but distilled oils lack phototoxicity and won't cause allergic reactions or even cancer under UV exposure, making them safe for skin care. In contrast, pressed oils are suitable for aromatherapy but pose risks when applied to the skin.
This was why Wei Wei hadn't used fruit peels to make essential oils before—even though people of that era wouldn't know about these risks, she couldn't in good conscience deceive them.
Wei Wei went to the kitchen and found plenty of lemons and freshly bought tangerines. She had the servants peel the tangerines, keeping the fruit for themselves and took away a large pile of tangerine peels and a few bottles of beer.
The tangerine peels needed to be washed, chopped, and treated with some chemicals before distillation, all of which were available in the laboratory. It was unclear whether Roger had prepared these for his experiments or if Felix had arranged for their purchase.
The old man and the young woman spent the afternoon working harmoniously in the lab. Besides establishing a preliminary friendship, they also produced their first batch of high-concentration tangerine peel essential oil and a small bottle of alcohol distilled from beer.
The high-concentration tangerine oil had the characteristic citrus scent with a hint of floral aroma, blending into an elegant, fresh sweetness that could uplift the spirit.
The alcohol distilled from beer, while not pure enough for medical use, was suitable for making perfume.
With both materials ready, the creation of perfume and other skincare products seemed within reach.
Of course, it was still a distant goal.
The perfume recipe Wei Wei found in the encyclopedia library was quite simple, with readily available ingredients and straightforward steps. However, it would take at least two months for the perfume to be fully prepared.
"So the earliest we can get the first batch of perfume is November," Wei Wei said, still happy despite the long wait. "Although it will take a while for the perfume to be ready, with the distiller, we can start making more essential oils!"
Felix then remembered, "There should be some tangerines in Melk Town."
Melk Town was one of the three towns in Sardinson County, located south of Sardinson Castle, near the border. It was the warmest part of the county, and as a result, the townspeople were skilled in growing fruit trees, with almost every household having an orchard. Lemons and tangerines were their main products.
Wei Wei was surprised. She had always thought Sardinson County's climate was similar to northern China, with temperature variations akin to those in the capital. Since lemons and tangerines thrive in warmer climates, she assumed they wouldn't grow well in Sardinson County.
She hadn't expected there to be a town known for its lemons and tangerines.
Curious, Felix showed her a map.
It was a map of the Pradi Empire, though crudely drawn, the general outline of Sardinson County was clear.
On the map, Sardinson County resembled an irregular strip, with Sardinson Castle in the north and Melk Town at the southern end. The distance between the two was considerable.
Sardinson Castle wasn't as cold as she had imagined, with winter temperatures rarely dropping below freezing.
What surprised Wei Wei the most was that just south of Melk Town was the Mediterranean Sea.
Initially, Wei Wei had seen the world map in the system, but she had only noted the most significant change—the splitting of the Eurasian continent. She had only glanced at the rest.
Now, recalling the map, she realized that the Pradi Empire was located between what would later be Turkey and Italy (though those countries didn't exist under those names yet).
Given this geographical location, it made sense that the southern part of Sardinson County was suitable for growing fruit trees.
This meant that some of the plants in her "experimental field" that required warmer climates could potentially be grown near Melk Town.
Unfortunately, although part of the region bordered the sea, the beach area was small and rocky, making it unsuitable for building a port. As a result, Sardinson County had no maritime trade routes and no connections with other Mediterranean countries.
Thus, the fruits from Melk Town were usually sold to neighboring counties. The long journey often led to spoilage, and even when they arrived, the prices weren't great, barely covering the costs.
"So should we buy fruits from Melk Town or set up a factory there?"
"Let's buy from them," Felix said. "Melk Town is next to Baron Hunt's territory."
Though he didn't elaborate, Wei Wei understood.
From the last ball, it was clear that among the five barons in Sardinson County, Baron Hunt was the most greedy and notorious scoundrel. Building a perfume factory in Melk Town would likely invite trouble from him.
"Then should we continue making perfume in the castle for now? But Mr. Raymond's distiller is too small; the output isn't sufficient."
This was Wei Wei's thought upon seeing the distiller in the lab. Being a personal research device, it was indeed small and inefficient, which was why they had only managed to produce a small bottle of essential oil and alcohol after an afternoon of work.
"Don't worry about that. I've already prepared for it."
Felix then took her to see another surprise.
The location was still near the alchemy lab's tower, but not inside it. Instead, it was in a stone building adjacent to the castle walls.
This empty building had originally been a resting and changing area for the guards of the castle prison. Now, it had been thoroughly cleaned, and a distiller ten times larger than the one in the lab—standing two meters tall—was placed in the center of the room.
"Where did this come from?" Wei Wei was astonished.
"I had it custom-made by a blacksmith."
The blacksmiths in Sardinson County weren't skilled enough to create such a large device. Felix had learned of a blacksmith in a neighboring noble's territory who could make distillers and commissioned this one. Due to its size, the blacksmith had worked overtime for months to complete it, delivering it just two days before Roger Raymond arrived.
Originally, Felix had planned to show Wei Wei the alchemist's lab first and then reveal this large distiller for a double surprise. However, Wei Wei became so engrossed in the lab that she didn't want to leave, delaying the second surprise.
But the effect was still impressive.
Wei Wei circled the large distiller several times, regretting her lack of foresight. She had completely forgotten that she could have drawn a design and had it custom-made. Although she didn't have the exact blueprint for this type of distiller, China had various distillation devices long ago, and she could have researched and drawn a design herself.
Unfortunately, she had been distracted by many things, busy with one task after another. While she had plans, she had overlooked many details.
Ultimately, it was due to her lack of experience, often acting on impulse and not being meticulous enough.
She made a mental note to improve this aspect.
With the production distiller ready, there was no reason to wait.
Felix sent people to Melk Town to post a lord's announcement, informing the townspeople that he needed fruits like tangerines and lemons, and the more, the better.
September marked the start of the lemon season, and tangerines would be in abundance by October. These fruits were grown in the orchards around Melk Town, with lemons being more prevalent.
Previously, the townspeople had to find ways to transport their fruits to the main city of a neighboring county to sell them, often at low prices. Now, the earl was offering a price slightly below market rate but higher than what they could get by selling themselves. Moreover, the journey from Melk Town to Sardinson Castle took only a day by carriage, much shorter than the week-long round trip to the neighboring county.
Hearing of this opportunity, the townspeople of Melk Town quickly gathered their families to pick lemons, hoping to deliver them to the earl as soon as possible and earn some income.
No one doubted the authenticity of the earl's announcement. The town's mayor had already opened a grain store to buy wheat and make flour, hiring townspeople to work there. The promised benefits had been fully delivered, and the wages were paid in full without any deductions.
The only regret was that since the town primarily grew fruit trees, there was less wheat compared to other areas, resulting in fewer workers needed than in the other two towns.
Thus, this time, they also trusted the earl's credibility.
The announcement had barely been up for a day when eager fruit farmers drove their carts overnight to deliver lemons. The castle's owner indeed didn't deceive them; as long as the lemons met the quality standards, the person in charge of purchasing paid promptly.
Seeing that the earliest arrivals had received the promised payment and returned happily, the other fruit farmers couldn't sit still. Soon, carriages from Melk Town to Sardinson Castle became a continuous stream, startling the barons and knights whose territories lay along the route. They all wondered why the earl was suddenly collecting so many lemons.
It wasn't until the lemon essential oil hit the market that they understood the reason.
For now, they could only speculate.
The purchased lemons had peels suitable for essential oil extraction, but the flesh and seeds were also useful. The flesh could be used to make lemon jam, and the seeds had medicinal properties and could be used in eye creams. Essentially, every part of the lemon was valuable.
However, processing these valuable parts was labor-intensive. Without machines, everything had to be done manually—peeling, extracting the flesh, and removing the seeds—requiring a significant number of workers.
After some thought, Felix decided to recruit women from his serfs to handle these tasks.
The stewards rode to various serf settlements to announce the news.
"Women aged fourteen to fifty, as long as they work diligently, can come to the castle to serve the earl. They will be provided one meal a day, and each day of work will count as half a day of a man's service in reducing taxes."
This news left the serfs stunned. Previously, only men were required to serve, and women were never allowed to participate. Now, even though it only counted as half the time, it would still ease the family's burden.
A woman who happened to be just under fifty couldn't help but ask, "Do we get tax reductions and food?"
"Of course, would the earl lie to you?" The steward raised his chin and snorted. "If it weren't for the current labor shortage, this opportunity wouldn't be available to you. Let me make this clear: if anyone slacks off, they'll not only be sent back but their family will also have to pay a fine!"
Hearing there were penalties, the initially skeptical people began to believe. They thought there must be a catch, perhaps the earl was finding a way to increase taxes.
But even with this concern, the lord's orders had to be followed. Fortunately, the earl didn't require many people. There were over a dozen serf villages in the estate, and each village only needed to send ten people to the castle daily.
However, due to the long working hours, many distant villages found it inconvenient to return home daily. The farther villages arranged for a ten-day rotation, so the women had to bring some daily necessities and prepare to stay with nearby relatives.
A group of nervous women made their way to the castle.
When the serfs arrived at the castle, full of worries, they found the situation far better than they had imagined.
Their task was simply to peel lemons and remove the seeds. The castle provided efficient fruit knives, and they were given a meal at noon—stewed beans. But the beans were cooked with bones! The bones were chopped and simmered with the beans, creating a rich, meaty flavor, and the broth was oily and delicious!
By evening, their work was done, and all the serfs were transported back by ox carts. Although these were cargo carts, having a ride meant they didn't have to walk and didn't need to impose on relatives, allowing them to return home before it got completely dark.
When they arrived at their villages, the cart drivers informed them that they would be picked up every morning to go to the castle, and they should not miss the departure time.
This series of unprecedented treatments left all the women who returned home in a daze, startling their families into thinking something terrible had happened at the castle, and leaving them traumatized.
When the women finally came to their senses and recounted their day's experiences with a dreamy expression, everyone reacted with disbelief, as if they were hearing a fantasy.
In truth, the women themselves could hardly believe it, but the lingering taste of meat in their mouths gave them confidence.
"If you don't believe me, just wait and see. The cart will come again tomorrow to take us to the castle."
That night, the serf villages stayed up late, discussing the news even in the darkness, unable to afford candles or oil lamps. They rose early the next morning to see if someone would indeed come to pick them up for work at the castle.