BDSMST -Chapter 143 A Request from a Foreign Land

Arthur’s voice carried a weight that stood in stark contrast to the festive atmosphere of the banquet. He began to tell the story of the lands across the sea.

“My homeland, the Kingdom of Frank, lies in the western part of a vast continent. Our lands are entirely different from yours,” he recalled, carefully organizing his words and speaking slowly through a translator.

“There, the mountains stretch endlessly and forests are dense, but the plains suitable for farming are scarce. To make matters worse, our soil is extremely poor,” Arthur said, a trace of bitterness crossing his face. “No matter how hard our farmers toil, the wheat and oats they sow produce pitifully low yields. An entire year’s harvest barely suffices to survive.”

“Our people often go hungry. Whenever natural disasters strike—droughts or floods—vast fields are destroyed. And with that comes terrible famine.”

He paused, sipping from his teacup as if to steady his emotions.

“Famine means death. I have seen too many people starve to death on the roadside. The cries of children echo through entire villages. Brothers draw swords against each other over a moldy piece of bread. Such scenes are nothing less than hell on earth.”

The private room fell silent. Jiang Suisui, Gu Yan, and Bai Yutang listened quietly. Though they could not fully grasp that despair, Arthur’s heavy tone allowed them to imagine its cruelty.

Jiang Suisui thought back to when she first arrived in this era. Even in Great Xia, countless people were struggling on the edge of hunger. Had she not possessed the space, the villagers of Woniu would likely have faced a similar fate. Her empathy deepened her understanding of Arthur’s words.

“Our king is a benevolent ruler. He has tried every possible method—encouraging the reclamation of wastelands, building irrigation—but with little effect. The barrenness of the land is a fundamental problem that human effort alone cannot change.”

Arthur continued, “To seek a new path, His Majesty the King formed our country’s first long-distance naval fleet. He put up half of the royal treasury to support us in seeking hope in the fabled East. Our ship has drifted across the sea for an entire year. We have endured terrible storms, losing three ships and half our crew; we have fought wild beasts and hostile tribes on unfamiliar islands. We faced countless hardships before finally arriving here.”

He lifted his head, his blue eyes earnest as they met Jiang Suisui’s.

“Until we discovered your crops in the market of Jinling. We bought some to bring aboard. Our agricultural experts studied them and reached a conclusion that filled us all with immense joy—these two crops not only taste wonderful, but their fruits and seeds seem naturally imbued with extraordinary vitality! Perhaps they truly can grow on our barren land!”

As he spoke, he rose from his chair. He said nothing more polite or ceremonial but performed an act that took everyone by surprise.

He dropped to one knee before Jiang Suisui, executing the highest knightly gesture of fealty to a sovereign.

“Honored Madam!” His voice trembled with emotion. “I, Arthur Clemons, swear on my family’s honor that I seek not personal wealth, nor my king’s glory. Everything I do is for the millions of my compatriots struggling to survive hunger!”

The attendants behind him followed suit, kneeling in unison.

“I beg you!” Arthur lifted his eyes, hope shining in them. “Please sell us the seeds of these miraculous crops! We are willing to pay any price!”

He signaled to one of his attendants. The man stepped forward and placed a heavy metal chest on the floor.

When the chest opened, a dazzling brilliance burst forth, nearly blinding everyone.

Inside lay a chest brimming with exquisitely cut, enormous gemstones. Rubies glowed like fire, sapphires deep as the ocean, emeralds green as sacred tree leaves, and countless flawless diamonds refracted light like dreams.

Even Bai Yutang, who had seen countless treasures as head of the Bai family, gasped at the sight. The value of this chest could likely buy over half of Jinling City.

The Kingdom of Frank had indeed come with everything it had.

Jiang Suisui looked at the kneeling Arthur and then at the chest of jewels. Her heart churned with turmoil.

She was faced with an unprecedented choice.

Selling the seeds would mean her “golden touch” crops would be introduced to other continents of this world for the first time. What consequences might this bring? As Arthur said, it could save countless lives—but could it also spark competition for resources, or even war, because of these high-yield crops?

She did not know.

But to refuse? She thought of the starving children Arthur had described, of that hellish scene on earth, and her heart could not harden.

As a healer, her original purpose had been to save lives. Now she had the power to save millions in another way. Could she truly say “no”?

She looked at Gu Yan, sending him a questioning glance.

Gu Yan’s expression was equally serious. As a general, he considered broader implications. A crop that could dramatically increase food production was, in essence, a vital strategic resource. Handing such a resource to a completely foreign nation carried risks beyond calculation.

He slowly shook his head.

Seeing Gu Yan’s response, Arthur’s hope dimmed. The gleam in his eyes waned.

Jiang Suisui’s heart sank too. She understood Gu Yan’s concern, but she could not ignore the sincerity in Arthur’s eyes—the weight of his devotion to his starving countrymen.

After a long silence, she finally made her decision.

“Mr. Arthur, please rise,” she said softly, her voice easing the tense atmosphere.

“The seeds—I can give them to you.”

Arthur’s eyes instantly lit up again.

“But,” she continued, “I do not want your gemstones.”

Arthur froze, puzzled.

Jiang Suisui looked at him, then at Gu Yan, and spoke her conditions clearly, word by word.