The fact that the Song delegation shifted the topic to crops played right into Wei Wei's hands.
After all, she had her eyes on the goods the delegation brought with them.
Long before the Great Song envoys disembarked at Slot, Felix had already sent knights and stewards fluent in Latin to cozy up to the crew left behind with the ships, hoping to learn what kinds of goods they had brought.
This turned out to be quite easy. After drifting at sea for nearly a year, the Song men were quickly seduced by the cuisine in Slot. At Wei Wei's instruction, the kitchen had prepared an abundance of vegetable and meat dishes, a welcome change from the endless seafood they'd been eating.
So, when the stewards casually brought up the subject of trade goods, the crew was more than willing to share. Since the entire purpose of their journey was commerce, they had even prepared a Latin inventory list before entering the Mediterranean. When asked about it, they handed it over readily.
The stewards who could read and write quickly made multiple copies of the list, releasing carrier pigeons to deliver them to Felix at top speed.
The inventory was rich: porcelain, tea, silk, and other beloved Eastern products. Moreover, after passing through over twenty countries, the delegation had also acquired a variety of local specialties, further enriching their offerings.
However, because of this, their original Eastern goods were running low. The fleet's final planned destination was to visit Rome in Italy after passing through the Mediterranean, then return to Huaxia along the same route.
Had it not been for that itinerary, they might have already sold out of their goods in previous ports, where people were eager to buy anything from the East.
Still, even what little remained aboard the fleet was an overwhelming surplus for Sardinson—more than they could consume.
Money was not the issue. The real problem was what use they had for it. Wei Wei had no interest in playing middleman. For her, the most enticing items weren't the widely sought porcelain and silk, but the tea and other lesser-known supplies.
This enormous fleet wasn't just carrying goods—it was well-equipped for long-term survival at sea, with extensive facilities. In addition to food and water, they raised pigs, grew vegetables and medicinal herbs, and even brewed alcohol on board. Aside from the motion of the waves, life on those ships was hardly different from living on land.
What Wei Wei truly coveted were the herbs they grew for their use, and the poorly selling tea.
Yes, surprisingly, Huaxia's tea wasn't doing well in Europe. Though tea originated in Huaxia, flourished during the Tang Dynasty, and reached its cultural peak in the Song, foreign nations had yet to embrace it.
During Tang times, tea was boiled; in Song times, people practiced matcha-style tea ceremonies, whisking powdered tea. The transmigrator-turned-emperor of Song preferred steeped tea and had instructed his people to perfect pan-frying techniques. As a result, the tea aboard the fleet came in the form of pressed tea cakes, more durable and portable than powdered tea.
Still, tea had only spread to Huaxia's neighboring regions. The rest of the world hadn't seen it.
It takes time to popularize something new. Unless an item has immediate, obvious benefits, most people are skeptical of unfamiliar things.
Tea is one such product. It looks like dried leaves and tastes slightly bitter when steeped. Without an appreciation for the taste or an understanding of its benefits, few people would be eager to spend money on it.
As a result, although the delegation had tried to promote their tea throughout the journey, most buyers only purchased a small amount out of curiosity. Silk and porcelain, which had more immediate visual appeal, were much easier to sell.
Consequently, the tea ended up as a slow-moving product, and was likely to be brought back for sale to nearby Asian countries, where people knew its value. As far as Europe was concerned, tea would have to wait for the next voyage.
The delegation hadn't brought that much tea, relatively speaking. Silk and porcelain were more valuable, and tea was considered a strategic commodity in the Song. Since it was their first time bringing tea westward, they had anticipated a lukewarm reception and only allocated one shipload.
Even so, a single ship of tea was no small thing—on those giant sailing vessels, that meant over 100 tons. Half of it had already been sold along the way, but over 50 tons remained—far too much for Sardinson alone to absorb.
These teas came from the finest tea plantations in Huaxia and were already expensive back home. After being transported across the world, their price had increased several-fold. Wei Wei wasn't willing to spend that kind of money, not even with her wealth—she wasn't about to be taken for a fool.
After dinner, most of the guests were escorted to their rooms. Wei Wei invited the ambassador and two deputy envoys to her study for formal talks.
When the Song delegation expressed interest in buying sweet potatoes, Wei Wei smoothly responded that Sardinson was willing to sell—but only by barter.
If they wanted sweet potatoes, they had to trade an equal weight of tea. The same rule applied to corn and other crops.
At that, the envoys' faces darkened.
They had already inquired about the sweet potato price, and they knew that even a 10:1 ratio of tea to sweet potato would be a loss. To ask for equal weight was outrageous.
Even with their earlier goodwill toward Wei Wei, they now saw her as a greedy profiteer.
But Wei Wei remained calm and responded with mock helplessness. "We don't have much sweet potato left. What we've reserved is for next year's planting. Selling it to you will affect our harvest. I hope you can understand our situation."
She gently fanned herself, then continued, "In fact, we're already cultivating our tea plants. In another year or two, we'll have our tea."
Which meant their tea would soon be worthless to her.
The three envoys glanced at the tea on the table.
For this negotiation, Wei Wei had brewed them some of her limited tea stash, using custom ceramic teaware modeled after zisha (Yixing-style) pots.
As seasoned tea drinkers, they recognized that it was new tea from this year, not of high grade, and not from Huaxia. But more importantly, Wei Wei knew how to process and brew tea, meaning she had grasped the technique of tea pan-frying.
That sparked a sense of alarm.
If Europe began to cultivate tea, it would inevitably impact Huaxia's tea trade.
But then Deputy Envoy Hao, a tea expert, shook his head. "This land is not suitable for tea cultivation."
"Indeed," Wei Wei agreed. "Most of Europe probably isn't. It's possible to grow some in small batches, but not enough for mass production."
So her few tea bushes posed no threat to the Song tea trade. Even in modern times, Huaxia dominated the global tea market.
"But even small-scale cultivation is enough to meet our own needs."
"Let's speak plainly," she added. "It may look like you're getting the short end of the stick, but your tea isn't exactly top-tier. We know what it's worth in Huaxia. Meanwhile, we're the only ones who can sell you sweet potatoes—unless you want to negotiate with the nobles and merchants who bought from us earlier."
Of course, they knew that was impossible.
Even if someone was willing to resell the sweet potatoes—unlikely as that was—the prices would be just as steep. Worse, the delegation had limited time in Sardinson. They couldn't waste days chasing leads.
Besides, they'd already tried that tactic earlier. By the time they arrived, most seeds had been shipped out, and almost all had confirmed buyers—many of them nobles who couldn't be pressured into breaking deals, not even for the Song delegation.
And even if someone was willing to sell, their price would be even more outrageous than Wei Wei's, and their stock too small. The maximum allowed per person had been 10,000 jin, which wasn't nearly enough for what the delegation needed.
Sure, even a single piece would be enough to eventually propagate vast fields in Huaxia—but why waste time and effort, if they could start with a larger stock?
Wei Wei's terms made them hesitate.
Just then, Felix interjected: "Our king is considering banning the export of these new crops. Once the order is given, no matter what price you offer, we won't be able to sell them."
Because he was the only one present who couldn't speak Huaxia, Wei Wei and the ambassador had been speaking in Latin. The ambassador replied in Huaxia, but their interpreter translated everything—so Felix had understood every word of the negotiation and chose the perfect moment to chime in.
His message was clear: even if you try buying from others, it may soon be illegal to sell.
The envoys understood immediately. If Pradi's king enacted an export ban, there'd be no way to bring any of the crops back.
Seeing them waver, Wei Wei pressed her advantage: "Of course, if you're willing to accept this deal, we're also open to other exchanges. Would you be interested in taking back some fruit and vegetable seeds?"
Absolutely. They had tasted the fruits and vegetables in Sardinson, and bringing those back would enrich Huaxia's agriculture, too.
In the end, the Song delegation agreed to Wei Wei's terms. They would trade 50 tons (100,000 jin) of tea for an equal weight of sweet potatoes. Additionally, they offered silk, porcelain, and medicinal herb seeds in exchange for 50,000 jin of corn, 10,000 jin of potatoes, and a selection of tomato, watermelon, and strawberry seeds.
They were also highly interested in canned food, pasta, and instant noodles produced in Sardinson, and placed a large order.
Wei Wei didn't gouge them this time. The price for silk and porcelain was calculated at 20% below what they charged other buyers, and she used that value to trade for other goods.
Not one to miss a deal, Wei Wei also bought a large amount of silk and porcelain at the discounted price, planning to either keep it or sell it at a profit.
Both sides were very satisfied with the outcome. And at the end of the negotiations, Wei Wei gifted them a seed sampler pack.
It contained 20 different types of seeds, in varying quantities—crops she had tried and failed to cultivate, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber trees.
She figured the Song emperor would appreciate the gesture.
Besides, if she left the seeds idle, they'd eventually die. Sending them to Song was a diplomatic gesture, and once she crossed the Mediterranean into Africa, she could assemble her fleet and acquire those tropical plants from the source. The locals would surely be willing to trade if there was profit to be made.
As she saw the delegation off, Wei Wei cheerfully invited them to return in the future, especially if they brought more rare plants from Huaxia, which she'd happily trade for.
Before they left, they were given a tour of the estate's experimental greenhouse, filled with unknown species—but not a single seed was offered. The envoys left itching with frustration, swearing they'd be back.
Who would've thought the seemingly sweet and innocent young countess would turn out to be such a clever little fox?
After the delegation departed, Wei Wei finally had a chance to ask Felix:
"Is the king planning to ban the export of those crops?"
"He was considering it, but eventually gave up on the idea."
Of course, the king didn't want such valuable resources falling into the hands of other countries. But unlike Huaxia, European political systems didn't grant monarchs absolute power. The king couldn't control what nobles did within their territories. If some of them wanted to sell the crops abroad, there was little he could do to stop it. Even large merchants might ignore his commands. So in the end, the idea was just that—a passing thought.
By the time the king even considered it, Sardinson had already sold most of the crops to merchants. Some of them had probably already been shipped out, making a trade ban at that point essentially meaningless.
So when Felix brought up the "ban" during negotiations, it was pure bluff, banking on the Song envoys not knowing how local politics worked.
He figured even if the delegation later met the king in Pradi's capital, they might not put the pieces together.
Wei Wei gave him an approving smile.
After the delegation left, Wei Wei's curiosity turned toward shipbuilding. Though she hadn't personally seen the ships from the Song fleet, Felix's men had sketched their designs and sent them back. Felix, upon examining the drawings, was visibly envious of the massive, multi-functional vessels—capable of carrying huge cargoes and outfitted for naval combat.
Currently, Felix owns only two trireme-style warships, bought from the royal harbor in the capital. These were mainstream ships in the Mediterranean—suitable for both battle and transport. Originally, Felix had been quite satisfied with them. But after comparing them to the Song fleet's vessels, he was thoroughly unimpressed.
"They're smaller, slower, and weaker in combat—there's just no comparison."
"If we had one of those giant ships from the Silk Kingdom," he added, "we'd never have to worry about pirates again."
For now, those two ships only ferried goods between Sardinson and the capital along the coastal routes—they never ventured deep into the Mediterranean. But Felix had grand ambitions. Sooner or later, he intended to establish a maritime trade fleet that could travel between Mediterranean nations. One of the main reasons he had commissioned a port at Slot was precisely for this future goal.
They hadn't started building the trade fleet yet because Sardinson's production still couldn't meet even domestic demand, much less support overseas commerce. The other, even bigger obstacle: a shortage of skilled personnel.
That was what worried Felix the most. Sardinson was growing rapidly and needed talent in every field. But seafarers and business-savvy professionals were especially hard to find. Realistically, they would have to train their people, and that would take years.
Still, ships could be prepared in advance. Once the port was complete, the shipyard would soon follow. At that point, they could begin building their vessels.
After reviewing the sketches, Wei Wei dug through her resources and quickly identified the ships as Ming Dynasty designs. Without steam engines or steel, Ming-era shipbuilding represented the height of ancient Huaxia naval technology—arguably the most advanced on Earth during its time.
Thanks to her knowledge base—her encyclopedia system—she had access to that technology.
Wei Wei spent some time redrawing the structural blueprints and brought them to Felix.
He was thrilled when he saw the designs, though he couldn't help harboring some doubts.
When Wei Wei had first told him that her seeds came from her homeland, Felix had never questioned her. But after meeting the Song delegation, he couldn't ignore the inconsistencies.
If the seeds had truly come from the Silk Kingdom, wouldn't the delegation have recognized them? Wouldn't they have already possessed them, instead of being willing to pay a fortune for them?
And another thing—the Song envoys had proudly stated that their ships represented the latest innovations from their kingdom. Yet Wei Wei had only glanced at the sketches and instantly produced detailed technical drawings. That was... remarkable, to say the least.
After pondering it for several days and failing to find a logical explanation, Felix finally decided to ask her directly.
"Did those seeds come from the Silk Kingdom?"
Wei Wei had long expected this question—though she was surprised it had taken him this many days to ask.
"I thought you'd bring it up the day the delegation arrived."
Felix had certainly wanted to. But he'd felt it wasn't the right time, so he'd waited until the visitors were gone.
Now he simply waited for her answer.
"They weren't from the Silk Kingdom," Wei Wei said seriously. "I got them on my way to Europe—from someone else."
She looked directly at him. "But I can't tell you who gave them to me, or why. I promised not to reveal that secret."
Everything she said was true. What Felix could never imagine was that the giver wasn't a person at all, but a reincarnation system from the underworld.
She watched him a little nervously, unsure whether her almost non-answer would satisfy him.
Felix looked at her, his expression unreadable—but he didn't seem angry.
A silence settled between them.
Then suddenly, Felix said, "Did they give you those things because they were in love with you?"
His tone was... distinctly sour.
Wei Wei's refusal to reveal the origin made Felix suspect that the mysterious benefactor might have had feelings for her. After all, their relationship had grown slowly over the past three years. Though Wei Wei hadn't been deeply attached to him at first, Felix now felt confident that they truly loved each other.
Their bond was strong. Wei Wei wasn't leaving. And everything she had brought would ultimately benefit him.
What right did he have to complain?
Felix wasn't the type to accept someone's gifts and then hypocritically demand to know where they came from.
He was certainly curious. But if Wei Wei didn't want to tell him, he wouldn't force her.
Still, that jealous twinge was hard to shake.
He suspected that maybe—just maybe-the mysterious source of all these miraculous items had given them to her out of affection.
The idea that someone had showered Wei Wei with gifts to win her over left Felix feeling extremely sour.
Wei Wei froze for a moment, then burst out laughing.
The more she laughed, the harder it became to stop. She doubled over, nearly breathless with laughter.
Finally, she clutched her stomach and said, "What are you even thinking? That's not it at all—it wasn't even a 'he'!"
Her system didn't have a gender, and based on its "production date," it was practically a baby.
To ease Felix's mind, Wei Wei added, "Those things were prizes—or maybe you could call them compensation. But it was not for the reason you're thinking."