The one mu of land in the palace garden had used up 200 jin of sweet yams, leaving Yin Jixue with 300 jin remaining. She planned to plant the rest outside the city.
Ruoshui was worried that the low-ranking demons might secretly dig up the crops if they were planted outside. However, she didn't dare speak ill of them in front of the Queen.
Yin Jixue had already considered this—this would be a test. She wanted to see if the low-ranking demons were worth saving.
Upon arriving outside the city, she instructed the guards at the gates to summon influential figures from the nearby villages, possibly a village chief or a squad leader.
"Your Majesty, they have arrived."
Yin Jixue observed the three demons before her—two elderly men and a middle-aged man. They were wrapped in long black robes that covered them from head to toe. Upon seeing Yin Jixue, they removed their hoods.
All three demons had dark skin and frail builds. Even the middle-aged man was only about 1.5 meters tall, while the elderly ones were barely over 1.2 meters.
One of the elders leaned on a cane. His hair was gray, and his skin, having lost its moisture, was dry and wrinkled. He wasn't as grotesque as she had imagined. His pupils were vertical slits of green, his lips were darkened, and his ears, pointed like an elf's, stood upright.
The three demons looked quite similar—short in stature and somewhat peculiar in appearance, but not terrifying.
Yin Jixue suddenly recalled that demons were ranked by their appearance. These three were likely the only low-ranking demons in the surrounding villages who were presentable enough to meet her.
"I'm here to assign you a task," she announced. "If you complete it, I will share half of the rewards with you. If you perform well, Black Dragon City's future development will include you as well."
Revealing her identity sent the low-ranking demons into a frenzy.
The Queen had said that if they did well, they would be part of Black Dragon City's growth!
Overcome with excitement, they knelt. "Your Majesty, even if it costs us our lives, we have no regrets!"
Yin Jixue gestured to Feng Xiu.
"The Queen does not want your lives," Feng Xiu stated coldly. "She is giving you 300 jin of seeds and needs you to cultivate farmland and plant crops."
The three demons exchanged uneasy glances. "But… this scorched land cannot grow crops."
Feng Xiu snapped, "The Queen's orders are not to be questioned! Just do as you are told!"
She was the enforcer, and Yin Jixue followed up with the reward.
"You only need to plant them with sincerity, and I will take note of your efforts," Yin Jixue said. "However, you may not keep any of the seeds for yourselves. I will return in three months to check on your progress."
The three demons hurriedly swore oaths, suspecting this was a test of their loyalty. They were willing to lay down their lives for the King, and for the Queen, it was no different.
"Paji, Qiao, Yu—we will not disappoint Your Majesty!"
From left to right, the middle-aged demon was Paji, while the two elders were Qiao and Yu.
Yin Jixue instructed Ruoshui to bring over the sweet yams.
"Go back and gather your people to clear the land. I will have guards stationed here. Once the land is prepared, you may collect the seeds."
At that moment, a notification appeared in her mind:
[Mission: Collect 200 Faith Energy Points.]
[Reward: 1,000 kg of Primary-Grade Nourishing Crop – Sweet Yam.]
[Item Description: Known.]
"Again with the sweet yams?" she muttered. The system always generated missions based on her needs, meaning food scarcity was still the most urgent issue.
Checking her progress, she saw 137/200 faith points had already been collected. That reminded her of the magic crystal mine.
This matter required someone trustworthy. Unfortunately, she had no confidants. She could only rely on the Demon King's subordinates.
"Tengshe, come here."
Tengshe was the envoy responsible for collecting tribute from the Yin Dynasty. He had also been the one to escort her to the demon territory, and he had treated her fairly on the journey.
"If Black Dragon City discovered a magic crystal mine, what would happen?"
Tengshe's usually emotionless face showed a hint of confusion.
"We would mine it… and trade it for food."
Everyone knew Black Dragon City had no magic crystal mines.
"Well, I found one," Yin Jixue said matter-of-factly. "It's around here—take note of the location."
She looked up to see Tengshe frozen in place.
"…Tengshe?"
He snapped out of his daze. "Are you serious?"
Yin Jixue's brows furrowed. "Why would I joke about something as important as a magic crystal mine? I was the top scholar in the Yin Dynasty. Just by analyzing the mountain formations, I can determine the distribution of mineral deposits."
Realizing his rudeness, Tengshe immediately dropped to one knee.
"I was out of line. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Yin Jixue sighed. She was running out of patience. "Here's your chance to make up for it—confirm the mine's location and organize the low-ranking demons for mining."
Tengshe hesitated. "Why involve the low-ranking demons? We are stronger than them."
Yin Jixue shook her head. She needed to balance responsibilities.
"They eat less and are easier to sustain. Mining is labor-intensive. You and the other elites are the King's trusted subordinates. The stronger you are, the greater your responsibilities. Don't waste your energy on mining."
Tengshe's heart trembled. No one had ever acknowledged his worth before. But now, the Queen had affirmed his abilities.
"I will not disappoint Your Majesty!"
Yin Jixue sighed softly. Tengshe was like a rebellious teenager craving approval. Just a little praise, and he was ready to lay down his life for her.
She should compliment her subordinates more often.
To be fair, she assigned Gouchen to oversee the farming efforts. He would remain outside the city until all the seeds were planted.
Yin Jixue noticed something curious—the Demon King's subordinates seemed happiest when given work.
Good news soon arrived.
Tengshe had located the magic crystal mine within half a day and had stationed heavy guards around it.
Following her instructions, he selected a group of strong low-ranking demons to begin mining.
Yin Jixue paused her writing. "This is the new mining regulation. Deliver it to Tengshe."
Feng Xiu carefully tucked the scroll into her robes. "I will return quickly."
If you want a horse to run fast, you have to feed it well.
Her letter instructed Tengshe to provide one meal a day for the miners, made from mashed sweet yams boiled into porridge.
After completing her mission, she received 2,000 jin of sweet yams. She set aside 500 jin for the low-ranking demons and stored the rest in an empty palace chamber as emergency rations.
As the Queen, Yin Jixue took the initiative to reduce the palace's meal portions to just one dish per meal. However, since arriving in the demon territory, she had never truly felt hunger or exhaustion. She always had boundless energy.
She suspected this had to do with her past life—back in the apocalypse, surviving on water alone for three days was normal.
Tengshe couldn't understand the Queen's actions, but he still followed her orders.
"The Queen is merciful," Tengshe told the miners. "She has granted you one meal a day. If any of you slack off, think about whether you deserve Her Majesty's kindness!"
He snapped his whip in the air to intimidate them.
The gathered demons didn't cower. Instead, they were in utter disbelief.
Food? They were actually receiving food from the city?
They exchanged glances, ensuring they hadn't misheard, then fell to their knees, bowing in gratitude toward the palace.
Tengshe watched in silence, his emotions complicated.
The Queen… was not at all what he had expected.
To these low-ranking demons, one meal a day wasn't just physical sustenance—it was hope.