e-booksonline Chapter 150 Looking down on people
Chapter 150 Looking down on people
Although the early summer heatwave had not yet swept across the northern border, the midday sun was gradually showing its power, baking the ground and causing steam to rise.
Anthony reined in his packhorse, gazing at the towering city wall that stood a dozen meters high in the distance, his heart filled with emotion.
He had only been away from Qifeng for half a month, and this wasteland was no longer the simple settlement he remembered.
Although tremendous changes have taken place, it finally feels like a home.
"My goodness! Chiffon Hill is going to be built so quickly!"
"Yes, all that's left is to close the city gates!"
The soldiers behind him were also filled with excitement. Returning to Chiffon's territory, a strange sense of peace instantly washed over them.
Just then, two patrolling soldiers strode out from the shadows at the edge of the black pine forest.
The two were clad in gleaming iron armor, with menacing spikes protruding from their shoulder armor and gold-embossed swirling cloud patterns on their chest protectors—a signature feature of Chiffon.
He carried a 1.6-meter-long double-edged sword on his back, and the armor made a crisp cracking sound when he walked, which was quite imposing.
One of them stepped forward; it was Kevin, Anthony's former teammate. He patted Anthony on the shoulder and laughed heartily.
"Anthony, you're finally back! How was the mission?"
Anthony stared in disbelief, his finger fixed on Kevin's armor and greatsword, and immediately asked a question.
"Where did you get this gear?!"
The two hundred soldiers behind him also gasped in surprise, their eyes fixed on their standard-issue weaponry, their mouths practically watering.
If girls like pretty jewelry and clothes, then soldiers have little resistance to new equipment.
Especially since they were former reserve soldiers, who wouldn't yearn for a set of magical equipment of their own?
Even among the Wolf Warriors, only the Knights can equip all of them with a set of weapons; nearly half of the high-ranking legions can only use ordinary ironware.
...
Kevin patted his chest triumphantly, the chiffon gold seal on his armor gleaming.
"This is the first generation of standard-issue weaponry issued to the legion by the lord. Everyone receives it. You may not know, but the lord is preparing to reorganize the legion!"
Everyone has it!?
These four words struck Anthony like a thunderbolt. He could no longer contain himself, turned his head, waved his hand at the team, and roared:
"Walk!!"
"Return to the lord's manor to report!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he jerked the reins and galloped towards the camp. The two hundred soldiers instantly went wild, howling and urging their horses to run.
"Giving out magical equipment!"
"Oh, oh, oh!"
All the fatigue from the long journey over the past few days was thrown to the winds at this moment!
...
...
The balcony on the second floor of the lord's mansion.
Richard wrapped the rose in the flowerpot in a white cloth, shook it a few times, and pulled it up by the roots.
Lina carefully cleaned the soil from the roots before placing the entire bouquet of roses into the wooden tub.
Simply drop this rose into the Seed Maker to get ten rose seeds.
After replanting, this cycle yields one hundred flower seeds, and the black pepper has multiplied to half an acre in this way.
If planted throughout the summer, black pepper can produce tens of tons, enough for some creative projects later.
...
At this time.
The castle guards came to report the news of Anthony's return. Richard's eyes lit up, he put down the flowers he was holding, and quickly went to the outside of the mansion.
At the entrance of the lord's manor, two hundred soldiers stood in formation, covered in dust, yet each held their head high and stood ramrod straight.
Richard walked slowly past the line, his gaze sweeping over every face, all of them intact, without missing limbs.
After being on edge for over ten days, his anxiety finally subsided, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief.
Anthony, standing in the front row, announced loudly.
"My lord, we have successfully completed our mission and the fourth and fifth battalions are all back in force!"
Richard patted Anthony on the shoulder, his eyes full of approval.
"Good! Good! Good!"
Then he turned to the soldiers in formation and praised them loudly.
"Thanks for your hard work!"
"Go to the Craftsmen's Department later to collect your standard magical armor sets; everyone will get one!"
"While you were away, the territory produced several kinds of fruit. If you want some, just go to the warehouse and get them yourself!"
"I'll be hosting a feast tonight, with unlimited drinks, and then I'll give you all two days off to relax and unwind!"
Upon hearing this...
Two hundred soldiers pounded their chests, instantly unleashing a deafening roar.
"Chiffon cake!!"
"Chiffon cake!!"
Richard smiled and waved his hand, signaling the troops to disperse. The soldiers quickly rushed towards the artisans' quarters, cheers and shouts rising and falling, the garrison immersed in frenzied joy.
Richard led Anthony back into the mansion.
"Tell me about the situation in the capital. Was the gold coin exchange smooth? Did you encounter any problems?"
Richard took his seat as lord, while Anthony stood in the center of the hall. Lina poured each of them a glass of ale.
Anthony took the wine glass, and upon hearing the lord's question, the joy on his face turned into helplessness, and he let out a bitter laugh.
"Reporting to my lord."
"The exchange process went smoothly. The more than 600 kilograms of gold we brought were exchanged for 1,258 gold coins at the imperial market price."
He paused, then suddenly scratched his head awkwardly, his tone tinged with frustration.
"that is..."
"The officials at the Royal Mint are so condescending! They said we don't have enough gold, not even enough for a single furnace!"
"He said he wouldn't have traded it to us if it weren't for the fact that we came from a remote territory in the far north!"
"He also said that if the next exchange amount is less than five thousand gold coins, you can just go to the branch factory in the Grand Duchy to exchange it!"
Richard was about to drink from his glass when he heard the report. A look of surprise flashed in his eyes, and his arm froze instantly.
What the hell?!
So all the previous worries about the gold being stolen and the cautious approach were unnecessary?
In the end, they were looked down upon by the people at the Royal Mint, who complained that there wasn't enough gold.
Five thousand gold coins, that's more than two thousand five hundred kilograms of gold!
The Royal Mint's coin production was so vast that over 600 kilograms weren't even enough to start a single furnace...
It seems so.
It must have been due to some special minting technique, rather than being forged one coin at a time by hammering, as he had imagined...
No wonder...
The system-certified currency is indeed not as simple as it seems on the surface.
but...
It's not something to swallow when someone underestimates your gold reserves!
You can say my chiffon cakes are no good here or there, but you can't say I'm poor!
Richard pursed his lips.
A hint of amusement flashed in his eyes.
Not enough?
From now on, we'll just ship hundreds of tons over there and let those snobbish guys see the financial power of Chiffon!
However, the most urgent task is to gather 5,800 gold coins to allow all members of the Chiffon Legion to change their class.
otherwise.
Exposing one's wealth before having sufficient strength is tantamount to courting disaster.
I was worried about the Wolves attacking Frostfowl, so I didn't go to Frostfowl Territory to exchange my currency. But now, if I need to quickly obtain a sum of money, I really need to reconsider...
...
Thinking of this.
Richard composed himself, put down his untouched wine glass, and asked:
"Let's not talk about gold coins anymore. What's the situation in the North now?"
"Did you hear anything during your trips to and from the capital? Did Shuangmo and Benlang make any unusual moves?"