Mellyan’s face flushed slightly, and she softly replied, "Lord, may the Dawn Goddess’s grace forever shelter you."

Marian Safir, the nun with green hair, left a deep impression on Su Li last year during the ritual where she danced devotedly wearing a mask. Her youthful innocence and pure allure, along with the absence of any distinctive hair features, were unforgettable to him.

Therefore, when Mellyan saw Su Li immediately recognize her, she naturally understood the reason why.

The priestesses of the Goddess are generous at the rituals, yet their private lives are not wanton. On the contrary, they believe in love and maintain purity. When recognized naked, it’s natural for her to feel a bit shy.

But this was precisely what Su Li valued in her. She had to constantly maintain a pure heart and virtuous body like a maiden. Regardless of her mental purity, her virtuous body was a necessity.

Because the highest level of Purple Crystal Gold Brandy is promoted as being cultivated, tended, and harvested by elite-level pure maidens, and then brewed by a mysterious and beautiful witch.

Su Li even remembered that Mellyan’s ability was the Jade Garden. Wherever she was, the Wind of Jilun blew like a fresh and warm breeze, promising harvest and growth, like a spring rain nurturing and nourishing all things. As warm as the earth and as fresh as a spring. Once it lands, it gathers into ponds and streams flowing across the land, becoming lifegiving rivers, like the pulsing of blood.

And indeed, in this vineyard, it had formed a pond-sized Jade Garden.

Su Li asked Mellyan, "When did you break through to the elite level? Did the size of this Jade Garden increase due to the enhancement of your strength? Why do I feel like this garden seems to have grown quite a bit?"

Mellyan immediately nodded, saying, "Yes, my lord, your wisdom is indeed as exalted as the Divine Chosen of the Sun Goddess. Do you remember the Spring Brings Life to All Things ritual at the beginning of this year? After the ritual began, the Dawn Goddess’s light shone upon the world, with golden rays hanging like a heavenly tapestry. The entire territory was bathed in the goddess’s divine grace. Many nuns of the Dawn Church received blessings, and I was one of those who ascended during that blessing."

"After breaking through to an elite-level nun, the area of my divine magic, the Jade Garden, expanded. Since I stayed here, the garden’s area kept expanding, and now it covers more than 10 acres of the Purple Crystal Vineyard due to my influence."

A garden covering an area of 10 acres indeed isn’t small. It’s comparable to a small park.

And the output from this Jade Garden is indeed significant. Mellyan continued, "The yield of Purple Crystal Grapes is high, with an average of 3000 pounds per acre, but thanks to the Breath of Harvest and the effect of the Jade Garden, the yield here reaches 4000 pounds per acre, and the quality is extremely high, sweeter and plumper." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Su Li quickly calculated that this 10-acre vineyard could produce 40,000 pounds of grapes, which would make 8,000 pounds of grape wine. Then, every 10 pounds of grape wine could be distilled into 4 pounds of brandy, which means 3200 pounds of brandy.

Upon calculating this number, Su Li’s face showed delight, which meant the high-quality Purple Crystal Gold Brandy could produce over 2140 bottles!

Selling this wine at Marle Castle fetches an impressive 60 Golden Crowns per bottle, and with its rising fame, the price could potentially increase further this year, perhaps reaching over 60 Golden Crowns when sold directly to trade caravans in the territory, without even having to transport it to Marle Castle.

It should be noted that many caravans also purchase this fine wine in Marle Castle to transport it further into the Empire.

At this moment, Su Li truly understood why brandy production was so highly valued within the Empire since the price of just one bottle equates to the annual output of dozens of ordinary farmers.

This could likely become the territory’s most profitable industry alongside industrial casting and arms trading.

However, clearly, the scale of this industry could extend far beyond just this. Mellyan continued, "The remaining 40+ acres of Purple Crystal Grapes may have slightly lower yields and quality, but their sheer size allows us to further enhance the reputation of our territory’s brandy, spreading the name of Purple Crystal Brandy across all strata."

"Moreover, the vineyard area planted within our territory isn’t limited to these 50 acres. Unlike grafting in orchards, we can simultaneously employ both cuttings and seeds here. Under the leadership of the Dawn Nuns, we’ve mobilized hundreds of serfs, further expanding the entire Bauhinia Vineyard, which now spans over 400 acres in total, though the remaining 350 acres might take 4–6 years to bear mature fruit."

Actually, this is the truly reliable way of farming and managing—mobilizing a large-scale civilian labor force in the territory for more widespread planting, laying a solid foundation for cultivation. Don’t look down on them just because they aren’t producing current profits. The foundation laid over the years will yield returns in 4–6 years, potentially resulting in thousands of acres of vineyards, surpassing what a few nuns could ever manage on their small plots using divine magic.

Of course, one shouldn’t favor one over the other; these two farming methods complement each other. One provides larger scale for victory in quantity. The other offers higher quality fruits to establish the territory’s reputation.

Ultimately, the renown of both will mutually bolster each other, making the Hesse Territory’s Purple Crystal Gold Brandy famous across all levels of the Empire.