CHAPTER 175: CHAPTER 173: EATING WHILE WORKING

Although compared to the old feudal era, the Victorians now enjoy much richer diets, lunch still doesn’t offer much variety.

Even for a grand noble like Perfikot who booked in advance, the restaurant still only served some simple dishes.

A portion of stewed lamb chops, revealing a chef generous with spices, at least masking the mutton’s gaminess.

A piece of pan-seared, juicy chicken breast, clearly seasoned with plenty of pepper grains.

Beside it, roasted potatoes, sprinkled with some cumin and coarse salt for flavor, at least passed Perfikot’s taste test as palatable and not unappetizing.

However, beyond these, the rice served left Perfikot desiring to hang the restaurant’s chef up for a whipping.

It was ninety-percent cooked rice, separated grains with a hard core, reminiscent of half-raw undercooked rice.

This is understandable as it wasn’t cooked the same way as in the East, but was instead stewed with ingredients in a pan.

Although the taste was passable with added butter, mushrooms, and some bacon for flavor, the strange undercooked texture still made Perfikot want to hang the chef up for a whipping.

But she eventually chose to endure it, merely pushing aside the poorly textured rice and opting to eat the other acceptable meats and roasted potatoes.

After all, the chef was generous with spices, which, though slightly heavy, made the dish palatable.

This is one of the benefits Victorians enjoy after becoming an empire where the sun never sets. Much like the age of exploration in the original world, which was primarily aimed at spice trade, this world’s geographical discoveries were also for Eastern spices.

If these uniquely fragrant plants were used in the old feudal era, the amount Perfikot used for this lunch alone would be equivalent to at least its weight in gold.

Of course, even though the spice trade is now very mature and spices can be transported in large quantities from the Eastern colonies to the Empire, their prices remain high, though somewhat reduced compared to before.

At least today’s lunch for Perfikot starts at 20 gold pounds, and this doesn’t include the cost of booking the entire restaurant.

It was fortunate the restaurant wasn’t busy at lunch, otherwise, the cost would have been even higher.

"It seems I’ll have to consider the greenhouse issue! I certainly don’t want to survive on potatoes and protein blocks every day," Perfikot casually remarked while sucking the juices off a bone.

Eating is certainly a pressing issue. Greenhouse cultivation can address food problems, and some recurring themes in certain apocalyptic science fiction of the original world could solve protein issues, but people can’t survive on just one type of food.

Thinking of this, Perfikot said to the court attendant beside her, "Do you know which university in Langton is best in the field of natural sciences?"

"It’s Kangqiao County University; they’ve made significant achievements in natural sciences and are an authority in the Empire on this matter," the court attendant answered Perfikot after a brief thought.

"Arrange something for me later; I have a project that requires collaboration with them," Perfikot instructed casually.

"Understood, if it’s urgent, arrangements can be made for the day after tomorrow," the court attendant noted Perfikot’s request and provided a suitable schedule.

"The day after tomorrow then, I need to visit the Royal Shipyard tomorrow," Perfikot nodded in agreement with the arrangement.

The court attendant bowed in acknowledgment and then noticed that the guests Perfikot was waiting for had arrived, reminding her, "Countess, Mr. Robert and Mr. Oliver have arrived. Should I invite them over now?"

"Yes, let them come over, and have the restaurant send over some rolls and jam, take away this stewed rice, and tell the chef the rice should be cooked until soft to be good," Perfikot said, putting down her utensils and wiping her mouth with a napkin.

Robert and Oliver were soon escorted by the restaurant’s waitstaff to Perfikot’s presence.

Both men bowed respectfully to Perfikot and, upon her permission, sat before her, somewhat reserved.

Though both considered to be under Perfikot’s command, in the presence of this rising force Countess within the Empire, none could remain composed before her.

After all, the death of millions in three cities was enough to prove this seemingly delicate Countess was a formidable existence.

Despite no inherent connection, much like how creating the atomic bomb didn’t inherently prove Einstein and Oppenheimer were terrifying entities, there were those who drew such parallels, and having witnessed the statue Perfikot erected in New Shaker City, it was hard to associate her with the word ’frail’.

As if, who ever heard of a frail noble lady impaling people on stakes?

"Countess, the task you’ve entrusted to me, to recruit talent for the Northern Territory, has been progressing fairly well. I’ve recruited about fifty former Empire civil servants with work experience, and they can handle city-level administrative tasks," Robert began his report to Perfikot, as he had dual roles under her service, naturally prompting him to act diligently.

Upon hearing this, Perfikot nodded slightly, praising, "Well done, with these people, we can proceed with other work in Langton."

"As you command," Robert, not questioning Perfikot’s order, only respectfully inquired about his next tasks.

"I’ll give you three thousand... no, make it five thousand gold pounds. Rent a decent office, organize those you’ve recruited, and have them branch out to attract immigrants for the Northern Territory," Perfikot instructed between bites of roast chicken breast, "The Empire’s Privy Council has decided to initiate a large-scale migration to the Northern Territory this year. I’m still negotiating related policies with the Noble Council, but this direction is confirmed.

So, you can begin this task. The more immigrants you attract, the more rewards you’ll receive later. I’ll determine their future positions in the Northern Territory based on the number of immigrants they attract.

Though it doesn’t precisely measure one’s talent, it reflects their ability to execute tasks, and I won’t hesitate to grant the most outstanding one a noble title."