On the 13th of August, Lollister had a daughter. Mistress Tracy, who was a new mother, named her baby Nicole Ollister. Lollister had no choice … … He decided to have a proper discussion with Mistress Tracy about their identities. However, Mistress Tracy rejected his suggestion and insisted on her own life.
"Locke, I understand what you mean." Miss Tresti looked at little Oligas in her arms tenderly. In her heart, the child was ranked ahead of Lollister. "I think this is good. Are you not going to acknowledge little Oligas as your daughter if we don't get married? I'm a female scholar, and I'm not suited to be a lord's wife. I'll have to spend a lot of time socializing. I'll put all my energy into building an academy. I'm already satisfied with little Ollister inheriting Nicole's name … … "
Lollister couldn't convince Mistress Tracy, and he couldn't lose his temper in front of the mother and daughter. He could only leave resentfully.
Laurist was in a bad mood after being snubbed, so he took his sword and went to look for the captive Viscount Christopher. Right now, the only person who could spar with Laurist was this 1st Rank Great Swordsman. After parrying more than a hundred blows, Viscount Christopher wisely surrendered. He took the towel that Schwald passed to him and asked curiously, "What's wrong with you today? You seem to be especially violent … …"
"Nothing, I'm just a little annoyed. Oh right, I'm going to Maple Manor in two days. Do you want to come with me? "Lollister asked.
Although Viscount Christopher was a captive, he had a lot of freedom in Monolith Castle. Apart from not being able to return, he was treated like a visiting noble.
"Nah, I'll stay here. I want to find some time to enjoy our sparring. I don't want to go with you and be used as a punching bag every day … "Viscount Christopher rejected Laurist's invitation.
Alright, since that was the case, Laurist did not force him. He went to the mountain behind the castle. There was a newly built training field there, and Redi practiced the Dan Sea Qi Gathering Technique that Laurist had taught him in a small stone house.
What surprised Laurist was not Lei Di's progress in the Dan Sea Qi Drawing Technique, but that Lei Di's silver dou qi did not seem to be affected at all. It was unlike when Laurist was practicing the Metal Water Art, where the dou qi in his veins flowed into his meridians and dantian. Buckingham thought about it and came to the conclusion that there were two reasons. One was that the Pill Sea Qi Drawing Art was peaceful and not as overbearing as the Metal Water Art. Secondly, Lei Di was already a Silver-ranked Dou Qi and had a solid foundation. He was also training in the first level of the [Dan Sea Qi Drawing Technique], and from the reaction of his Dou Qi, the first two levels of the [Dan Sea Qi Drawing Technique] should not be able to shake his position as the ruler of Dou Qi.
Laurist got Lei Di to sit cross-legged while he sat behind him. He placed his palms on Lei Di's back and let Lei Di practice the [Dan Sea Qi Drawing Technique] while injecting his Inner Force into Lei Di. The benefit of this was that it could strengthen Lei Di's understanding of the flow of Inner Force in his meridians, and it could also help Lei Di practice the [Dan Sea Qi Drawing Technique] … …
After a small circulation, Laurist retracted his palms. Lei Di's internal condition was similar to what he had guessed. After practicing the [Dan Sea Qi Drawing Technique], although his Silver Dou Qi was still there, Lei Di could no longer improve his Dou Qi. In other words, he would forever be stuck at 1-star Silver rank and would never be able to advance to the next rank.
The first and second levels of the [Dan Sea Qi Drawing Technique] were mainly to familiarize himself with the flow of Inner Force in the twelve major meridians and expand the twelve major meridians. The main goal was to nurture Qi and store Inner Force. The most difficult part was the next three levels. The third level was to open up the eight extraordinary meridians and twelve major meridians, allowing the Inner Force to circulate in a large circle. Reaching the third level was already the peak of Overt Energy. The fourth level was the stage of Covert Energy, and the fifth level was the legendary Transforming Energy. In terms of Dou Qi, Laurist estimated that the Transforming Energy stage was equivalent to the realm of a Sword Saint.
Laurist didn't return to the Maple Forest Villa on a whim. Ever since the assassination attempt last year, he had yet to return to the Maple Forest Villa to see his precious son. Furthermore, Laurist had just received a letter from Barlek's father saying that the construction of the shipyard had been completed. However, the craftsmen had an intense argument about what kind of ship to build, and Laurist had to personally decide on the design of the ship.
Laurist ordered Redi to stay here and practice the [Dan Sea Qi Drawing Technique]. He had to reach the second level in three months. With Shi Huade by his side, he didn't need Redi to be his servant anymore.
After returning to the Maple Forest Villa, Laurist realized that Elina was very happy to welcome him. On the other hand, the two and a half years old little brat had completely forgotten about his father. Not only did he open his mouth and cry as soon as he hugged him, but he also crawled over and bit his mother because Laurist had forcefully taken over his mother. Laurist didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Laurist felt that he owed Elina and Redi a lot, so he decided to bring them back to the Rock Castle with him. This way, the little brat would recognize him as his father in the future. However, Elina was as stubborn as Miss Trish. She would rather die than leave the Maple Forest Villa, and Laurist had no choice but to comply with her wishes.
After circling around the Maple Forest Villa for two days, Laurist set off for Oxhorn Bay. Oxhorn Bay was a large bay that connected the Blade Peak Mountain and the Black Clay Swamp. It was named for its resemblance to a bull's horn. In the beginning, it was named by the prisoners of war, but it became an official name as time went by. The map of the family's territory also marked the name Oxhorn Bay.
The passage between the Blade Peak Mountain and the coastal highlands of the Black Clay Swamp had already been opened. It would take less than a day to travel from the Maple Forest Villa to Huyang Town. When Laurist brought the guards to the entrance of the Blade Peak Mountain Range, he discovered that Master Xiluba, who was in charge of the Black Clay Swamp's general development project, and his assistant, Sang Ben, had brought a group of people and were measuring something halfway up the mountain. When they saw Laurist and the others arrive, they hurried over to welcome them.
"What are you doing?" Laurist asked as he got off his horse.
After a few years, Siroba no longer peed his pants whenever he saw Laurist. On the contrary, he was very grateful to Laurist for giving him the opportunity to show off his skills. After all, no kingdom or duchy would be willing to invest such a huge sum of money into a project like the development of the Black Clay Swamp, given the current state of affairs. What Master Siroba was sure of was that once the Black Clay Swamp development project was completed, his name would go down in history as the designer of the project. To him, this was a real opportunity.
However, since he used to treat Laurist as a demon and peed his pants a few times, Master Siroba still felt a little awkward when he saw Laurist. Therefore, he signaled his assistant, Sang Ben, to go up and talk to him.
After bowing to Laurist, Sang Ben said humbly, "Sir, we're planning to see if we can build a fortress on the hillside. We're currently measuring if this place is big enough …"
"Oh?" Laurist looked around and realized that this was a good place to build a fortress. It used to be a pointed peak, but now it looked like it had been chopped in half. The top part of the peak had been filled with rocks and gravel, and the bottom part had become a part of the tunnel. If they built a fortress here, not only would they be able to overlook the Black Clay Swamp, they would also be able to seal off the main road to Huyang Town from the Mountains of Blades. The terrain was dangerous, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. As long as they had a team stationed here, the safety of the port city built on the high ground would be guaranteed.
"Not bad, your planning is very thoughtful and thoughtful," Laurist complimented.
"Sir, this plan is still on paper. We're considering if we should cut off half of the peak next to it and connect it to this place. Firstly, it will expand the area, and secondly, the spring on the other peak can be used as a water source for the fortress. However, this will double the amount of work. We're currently evaluating this …" Sang Ben reported.
Laurist nodded, "I believe in your professionalism and that you will make the right choice for the prosperity of the family. I'll leave this matter to you. I won't interfere."
"Sir, there's one more thing I need you to decide." Sang Ben took a step forward and pointed in the direction of the sea, "Sir, in the original construction plan of the port city, the family planned to fill in the reefs near the sea. However, after a year of investigation and research led by Master Xiluba, we believe that filling in the reefs near the sea that are tens to hundreds of meters wide is a thankless task. Not only is it a huge amount of work, it will also leave a hidden danger to the safety of the port city in the future. We believe that we should keep the reefs near the sea. We only need to fill in the area where the shipyard is and build two docks that lead to the deep sea to satisfy the needs of the family's fleet … "
"How about this, I'll be at the shipyard for the time being. Tonight, gather your opinions and plans and write a report to me. Also, bring out your initial plans and plans for the port city. I'll gather all the departments in the family for a discussion before making a decision." With that, Laurist nodded at Master Xiluba before mounting his horse and riding towards the shipyard by the sea.
The shipyard was located in the innermost recess of Oxhorn Bay. The empty space behind it was filled with large piles of dried logs. Old Man Barlek brought a group of carpenters and led Laurist and the others into a spacious hall. There was a large pool in the hall, and more than ten models of sailing ships of different sizes were floating on it.
Old Man Barlek pointed at the models floating on the pool and said, "Sir, these already include most of the types of ships in Galinthea. However, we can't decide on the type of ship we want to build. Some think it should be a warship, while others think it should be a merchant ship. That's why we asked you to make a decision, Sir."
Laurist shook his head, "Our family has yet to open up a sea trade route, so we don't need to build a merchant ship immediately. Warships take a long time to build and are complicated to build, so we don't need them urgently. The family's navy has just been built, so the most important thing is to build a training ship for the sailors. "
"But, Sir, there's no such thing as a training ship …" The oldest of the craftsmen stood up.
"If there's no such thing, you can design your own. The requirements for a training ship are simple. The ship must be of medium size, have a few long-range weapons, and be easy to control. It doesn't need to be fast, nor does it need to have a strong defense. It only needs to be able to resist storms and sail in the deep sea. The main purpose of the training ship is to train the family's sailors so that they can adapt to life on the sea and master the various skills needed to pilot a ship. This will allow them to form a preliminary fighting force. You can discuss according to my requirements and design a training ship that meets my requirements. Can you do that? "Laurist asked.
"Sir, I think we can try …" The old craftsman looked around at his companions and nodded.
"Then let's do it this way. You can go down and discuss, then show me the design or model. I'll stay here for a while until I'm satisfied with the design," Laurist said.
… …
On the grassy plains where cows and sheep could be seen, there was a majestic and large scale fortress castle. From afar, it looked like a powerful demonic tiger lying quietly on the vast grassy plains.
This was the center of power in the Eastern Barren Province. It was the base of the War God in the hearts of the border guards, the third-level Great Swordsman Archduke Fisablun. It was also the base camp of the border guards, the famous Crouching Tiger Castle.
However, Archduke Fisablun's face was flushed red, and he was seething with anger. The silver cup in his hand had already been crushed into a ball. No matter who it was, receiving several pieces of bad news in the morning would undoubtedly make him feel terrible. One of the reports had already touched the bottom line of the War God Archduke.
There were a dozen or so Archduke Fisablun's family knights standing in the hall, but they were all silent at the moment. No one was willing to console their lord. Other than racking their brains to find a way to solve the predicament they were facing, they were powerless against the Archduke's temper.
"Grandpa, what's wrong with you?" Princess Sylvia, dressed in hunting attire, walked into the solemn hall in a valiant manner. The dozen or so family knights present all breathed a sigh of relief. With the arrival of the Grand Duke's favorite granddaughter, the Grand Duke would no longer throw a tantrum.
"My little girl, why are you here? Grandpa is fine. I received some bad news in the morning, so I'm not in a good mood … "Archduke Fisablun forced a smile.
"Let me see what bad news it is." Princess Silvia picked up a few pieces of animal skin paper on the table beside Archduke Fisablun and looked at them. "A business bulletin from the Visia Chamber of Commerce? They said that they want to replace the mining equipment for two years, and they are willing to compensate our family's losses with gold fords? What does this mean? "
Archduke Fisablun let out a long sigh. "Silvia, your uncle, His Majesty the King, has actually sold the two iron mines that are the lifelines of the kingdom to the Visia Chamber of Commerce for 30 years. The Iberian Kingdom only has these two iron mines that are easy to mine and of good quality. They are the guarantee for the production of the most important military equipment for the kingdom's army. In the past, according to the agreement with His Majesty the King, one out of three of the iron mines' output was used to provide military supplies for the border legion.
Now, the two iron mines have been handed over to the Visia Chamber of Commerce to manage. Although they acknowledge the agreement we signed with His Majesty the King, that's the output of the iron mines, not complete military equipment. They said that they want to replace the mining equipment, which is obviously deceiving us. Even if one out of three of the iron mines' output is exchanged for gold fords as compensation, what's the use? What we need is military equipment, not gold coins. Right now, even if we have money, we can't buy military equipment … "
"Grandpa, don't worry. I know a place that produces very good standard equipment. I can help you contact it," Princess Silvia said.
"Where is it?" Archduke Fisablun was very surprised.
"The Norton Family of the North. The standard armor of their family's armed forces is the most beautiful and powerful I have ever seen, and its defense is very strong. "
"The Norton Family? No, no, they are our enemies. Not only did they imprison your uncle, our Majesty the King, even your uncle Christopher and more than fifteen thousand border legion soldiers have become their captives. Now, I am having a headache about how to redeem them … "Archduke Fisablun shook his head repeatedly.
"Grandpa, the head of the Norton Family, Count Norton, once said that there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. I feel that even if you treat him as an enemy, he might not treat you as an enemy. Uncle only has himself to blame. He should not have set his sights on the Norton Family. The Norton Family did not provoke him, and only stayed in their own family territory to uphold the oath of guarding the Northern Border for the Empire. Uncle had to go on a punitive expedition against them, and after suffering a defeat, he even sent a master swordsman to assassinate them. This is really too despicable, and not honorable at all.
If the Norton Family wanted to take revenge, they would capture him and imprison him, and not hang him to death is already very kind. Moreover, they have occupied the Imperial City, so don't they also treat aunt with respect? Both my godmother and I have seen that Count Norton. The last time he defeated uncle's army, he even escorted us back home. Let me make a trip to the Northern Border, and while I am at it, I can also redeem Uncle Christopher and those captured border legion soldiers. What do you think? "Princess Silvia pulled Archduke Fisablun's hand and began to act like a spoiled child.
"There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests … Hahaha, this is a little interesting. Alright then, Silvia, you and Sandy will make a trip to the Northern Border, and see what kind of answer the Norton Family will give us … "Archduke Fisablun made a decision.
…
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
