flstandardbreds Chapter 353: Ciel and his son picking mushrooms
Chapter 353: Ciel and his son picking mushrooms
In a forest within the Forest Governor's territory, Charles and his son rode on horseback, passing through a narrow path. The sound of horse hooves was particularly clear in the silent air, and occasionally accompanied by a few bird calls, breaking the tranquil atmosphere.
"Eh..."
However, Master Charles was not in the mood to appreciate it at this moment. Painful groans kept ringing in Charles' ears. Looking at his son who was complaining in the back, Charles was speechless. He now understood what it meant to suffer the consequences of one's own actions.
Last winter, he had to persuade his son to get him out of the dungeon. Although he didn't appear to have any injuries, his legs were so painful that he could hardly walk. He had to lie in bed for a month before he was able to get out and walk.
"Hold on a little longer. It's rare for you to come out for a walk. Take some natural air. Don't get bored at home."
Charles persuaded while admiring the scenery in the woods. After staying in the forest for a few months, he gradually integrated into the life of this place. He took a deep breath, feeling the fresh air and the breath of nature. Everything in front of him was completely different from the city where he lived before.
The living standards of civilians here are much higher than those in the city where he lived before. There are almost no homeless people on the streets, and ordinary people work enough to afford their living expenses.
Although the Forest Territory had a large amount of military expenditure, the financial report showed that the territory was still able to maintain operations. Charles had personally read several financial accounts, and the figures convinced him, and he was extremely surprised: even in the face of such huge expenditures, the territory's economy was still stable, and the people did not feel difficult in their lives due to the huge military expenditures.
Charles' thoughts drifted back to when he first joined the city council, and an old councillor once said to him:
"If a city can function perfectly, then no matter how counterintuitive the original policy is, it should not be changed at will."
Now this sentence echoed in his heart, like a foreshadowing. He understood that governance is not about blindly changing, but about continuous operation and optimization based on the existing foundation.
After realizing that the Forest Territory did not need him as the governor to handle government affairs, he wrote a letter to His Majesty the King to report the situation in the Forest Territory. He then decided to put aside the tedious government affairs for the time being and take his son to travel around.
Suddenly, Charles found some mushrooms under the tree in front of him. Out of curiosity, he dismounted and approached these mushrooms, carefully observing their shapes and colors. The mushrooms in front of him were quite similar to those he had tasted in high-end restaurants in the city. The smooth caps and the faint luster reminded him of the wonderful taste at that time.
As he was concentrating on studying mushrooms, he remembered that when he talked with a merchant selling mountain products, he mentioned that mushrooms grown in old forests were extremely precious and the price in the market was amazingly high. Charles' heart moved, and he realized that this might be a good opportunity to make some money to improve his life while traveling.
He hurried back to the horse, took out an exquisite basket, called his son and said:
"Come down quickly and pick mushrooms with me. We might even make a small profit this time."
When his son heard that there was money to be made, his eyes lit up instantly and he responded excitedly:
"I'm here to help too!"
The father and son squatted down and concentrated on looking for those precious mushrooms among the bushes. They carefully picked each mushroom gently, fearing to damage the roots and to avoid missing any treasure. As the number of mushrooms gradually increased, the basket became heavier, but all this made them feel more relaxed.
However, at this beautiful fantasy moment, a boy came out of the woods, wearing a simple linen suit. He held a rough wooden stick in one hand and a wooden bucket filled with mottled sawdust in the other. The boy's eyes were lively. He was very wary of Charles and his son at first, but when his eyes fell on Charles' basket, his expression suddenly became serious.
"Oh!"
The boy hit the basket hard with a wooden stick, and then poured out all the mushrooms inside without saying a word. The mushrooms rolled to the ground, making crisp sounds with the slight impact.
"What are you doing, little brat!"
When Master Charles saw that the child had poured out all the mushrooms they had picked with great effort, he prepared to teach the child a lesson.
"Why are all the ones you picked poisonous?"
At this moment, the boy's words were like cold water poured down on him, instantly extinguishing Master Charles's anger, leaving only incredible shock.
Charles' heart tightened as he stared at the boy's focused expression, his heart filled with confusion and uneasiness.
"How do you know these mushrooms are poisonous?"
The boy raised his head with a hint of pride in his eyes.
"I often pick mushrooms in the forest, so I know them well."
"Is there not a single mushroom that is edible?"
Master Charles asked persistently.
The boy was silent for a moment, and his eyes fell on the scattered mushrooms again. He searched carefully among them, as if he was making a serious and meticulous judgment. After searching for a while, he finally picked up a small mushroom from the ground. The gray cap was shining with a faint light, which looked particularly fresh.
“This is edible.”
The boy raised the mushroom in his hand and a confident smile appeared on his face.
"But, one silver coin each."
The father and son rode their horses, looking increasingly distraught on the way back. The sky in the distance was blocked by dark clouds, and the faint light shone through the clouds, as if it also felt sorry for their experience. The horse's pace was heavy and slow, as if it also felt the helpless atmosphere. Master Charles was indignant and depressed for a long time, and couldn't help but sigh:
"It's ridiculous to work so hard and end up with only one mushroom to eat!"
After that, he clenched the stone in his hand and threw it far away without hesitation, making it draw an arc in the air and fall heavily into the depths of the forest with a dull sound. Looking at the direction where the stone flew, Charles felt not only angry, but also a sense of pleasure that he wanted to vent.
Just as Charles was about to comfort his son, he suddenly noticed something strange. He looked in the direction where his son threw the stone, and vaguely heard something rustling behind the bushes. Then, a black bear came out of the woods and rushed towards Charles and his son in the distance.
"Run!"
Charles exclaimed, his voice full of anxiety and urgency. Then he tightened the reins and rode out of the woods with his son.
At this time, a light rain began to fall from the sky. The raindrops were like soft needles, and their clothes were soaked in an instant. Surrounded by the sound of rain, the world around them seemed blurred. Despite the humidity, the air was still filled with the low and shocking roar of the black bear, as if chasing them. Every roar was like a huge rock falling on his heart, causing fear to surge wildly, forcing Charles not to dare to look back. At this critical moment, he could only turn all his anxiety and uneasiness into motivation to move forward.
Finally, when Charles rushed out of the dark forest and stopped his horse a few hundred meters away from the edge of the forest, the rain trickled down his hair, taking away some of the heaviness in his heart. However, just as he was about to let down his guard, a feeling of uneasiness surged in his heart again. His son was a little too quiet.
He turned around suddenly and was horrified to find that his son, who had been chasing him, was nowhere to be seen.
son!"
Charles screamed, and his voice echoed in the air, like torn notes scattered everywhere.