Early morning, Alfalfa City's City Lord's Mansion.
Ron pushed away the strange woman wrapped in a sheet beside him. His eyes swept past her exposed white skin, but he didn't stop.
However, the woman seemed to be unsatisfied and continued to pester him coquettishly.
Ding.
It wasn't until Ron threw a few silver coins that the woman stopped pestering him. She put on her clothes with a smile and left the room.
Ron rubbed his slightly swollen head and put on his nightgown. He went to the bedroom's floor-to-ceiling window and pulled open the huge curtains.
The sun was shining brightly outside the window. It was another beautiful morning.
Unfortunately, Ron's mood couldn't be good.
It had been almost half a year since Queen Aisha appointed him as the City Lord of Alfalfa City. Ron's hot blood had been extinguished by the cold reality.
He originally thought that this was an opportunity to revitalize the Lute Family, but now it seemed that this was simply a bottomless pit.
This pit had swallowed almost all of Ron's enthusiasm and hope. Perhaps it would continue to swallow the Lute Family's glory and even their inheritance.
In the past, even if the Lute Family had been stripped of their title by Queen Aisha because of their participation in the Savoy family's rebellion, Ron wouldn't touch those dirty and lowly commoner women.
But now, Ron had given up on himself.
Even if the noble bloodline of the Lute Family flowed out to those lowly commoners, it was still better than being cut off.
Dong dong.
The door was gently knocked twice, and Ron responded softly.
Immediately, an old maid came in with a noble's robe and began to dress Ron.
The maid's actions were a little rough. Ron frowned, but he didn't say anything.
With the Lute Family's current situation, they could no longer afford young, beautiful, and clever maids. Ron was worried that if he scolded the maid in front of him and made her run away, no one would help him dress in the future.
This was actually a very serious problem for nobles because noble's robes were very troublesome. Without the help of a servant, there was no way to wear them.
Many commoners liked to tease that "stupid nobles don't even know how to wear their own clothes". But in fact, if they really tried on a noble's robe, they would be completely dumbfounded.
Just as Ron was enduring the maid's rough hands and feet, the door was knocked again.
Soon after, his son, Jason, strode in and reported, "I'm sorry.
"Father, a caravan from the Northern Frontier entered Alfalfa City last night."
"Caravan? From the Northern Frontier? "
"Yes."
Ron's brows furrowed tightly as if he couldn't believe that a caravan would dare to come to Alfalfa City.
Alfalfa City was a "city of chaos" sandwiched between the Northern Frontier, the Eastern Region, and the Half-elf Kingdom. It had always been a haven for criminals.
Therefore, although its geographical location was very good and suitable as a transit point for cross-border trade, as long as a businessman was sane, he would not choose to pass through here.
Could it be that it was some hothead who didn't know the situation in Alfalfa City and had recklessly barged in?
"Which chamber of commerce are they from? How many are there? "
"This caravan doesn't have a banner, so I don't know which chamber of commerce they belong to. However, there aren't many people in their caravan. There are only about ten of them, and there's also an unknown mercenary team escorting them. There are less than a hundred people in total. "
They really do seem like hotheads, Ron thought.
They actually dared to do cross-border trade with so few people. Even if they didn't go through Alfalfa City, they would probably be targeted by bandit groups at the chaotic border.
"Forget it, don't worry about them." Ron waved his hand casually. In his heart, he had already regarded this caravan as dead people.
Jason hesitated for a moment, but still reminded him, "Father, do you still remember the information we just received about the Northern Frontier?"
"What information?"
"It's the Northern Frontier Foreign Trade Company established by Count Angele. According to the orders issued by the Duke Of St. Hilde, only this company can carry out foreign trade in the Northern Frontier. "
Ron only reacted when he heard this.
So this was a smuggling caravan!
No wonder they didn't have a banner, and no wonder they had to go through Alfalfa City.
Only in this Chaos City could they avoid being searched by the Northern Frontier Border Patrol and carry out foreign trade privately.
Seeing that his father's expression changed, Jason suggested, "Father, we should send people to control this caravan and find out who's behind them. Then, we can escort them to Silvermoon City. This way, Queen Aisha and Count Angele will definitely be very satisfied. The support you've always wanted may be available."
Ron listened to his son's suggestion. Not only was he not moved, but he also frowned.
After thinking for a while, he slowly opened his mouth and asked, "Do you think a small smuggling caravan can exchange for Queen Aisha or Count Angele's support for Alfalfa City?"
Jason was suddenly speechless.
In fact, he also understood the awkward situation Alfalfa City was in. He knew that no matter if it was Count Angele or Queen Aisha, under the current circumstances, they wouldn't really send troops into the city to help the Lute Family.
A small smuggling caravan obviously couldn't change the overall situation.
"There's nothing wrong with trying, right …?" Jason said unwillingly.
Ron shook his head. A trace of craftiness flashed through his eyes as he said, "No, we shouldn't capture this caravan. Instead, we should allow them to pass through Alfalfa City. We should even secretly provide them with a little convenience."
"Why?" Jason obviously didn't follow his father's train of thought. He was suddenly a little dumbfounded.
"It's useless even if you capture a small smuggling caravan. Queen Aisha and Count Angele may casually reward you with some insignificant things, but they definitely won't send an army to Alfalfa City.
However, what if Alfalfa City becomes a 'Holy Land of Smuggling' between the Northern Frontier and the outside world? "
Jason's eyes lit up. He finally came back to his senses and immediately said, "Then Count Angele definitely won't sit idly by!"
"That's right." Ron smiled and nodded. He said complacently, "The Northern Frontier Foreign Trade Company is involved with such a huge interest. If we allow these smuggling caravans to converge in Alfalfa City and continuously poach the company's business, it will damage the prestige of the House of Saint Hilde. Hehe, at that time, will Count Angele still be able to hold back and not care about Alfalfa City?"
Jason also became excited. He seemed to be able to see the prosperous scene of Alfalfa City becoming a 'Holy Land of Smuggling'. However, he immediately asked with slight worry,
"But Father, if we sit idly by and watch the smuggling caravans pass through Alfalfa City unimpeded, will Count Angele blame the Lute Family for this?"
"What can we do?" Ron spread out his hands and said with a smile, "Although I am the City Lord of Alfalfa City in name, everyone knows that the real master of this city is someone else. Even if Count Angele blames us, we have a reason to shirk responsibility."
Jason nodded and said in agreement, "Okay, Father. I will send people to keep an eye on that caravan to prevent some blind fellows from making a move on them."
Ron stopped his son and asked with a sneer, "If the Alfalfa Brotherhood really wants to make a move on that caravan, will you be able to protect them?"
Jason suddenly froze on the spot.
Although he didn't want to admit it, the current order of Alfalfa City was indeed in the hands of the Alfalfa Brotherhood. Their Lute Family, as an 'official force', couldn't protect them.
"Then … what should we do?" Jason asked somewhat gloomily.
"We don't have to do anything," Ron said faintly. Seeing his son's puzzled face, he asked in reply, "Where do you think this caravan's destination is?"
To come to Alfalfa City from the Northern Frontier, they could only go to the Half-Elf Kingdom or the Eastern Region. However, Jason rolled his eyes and instantly understood his father's meaning.
He immediately said, "They should be going to the Eastern Region!"
"That's right." Ron nodded and said with a smile, "So, as long as this caravan isn't stupid, they must have already informed the Eastern Region. Since they dared to go through Alfalfa City, it means that the Alfalfa Brotherhood should have received the information in advance. At most, they will collect some toll from them and won't really make a move on them …"
* Knock, knock, knock. *
At this moment, someone knocked on the door again.
Ron responded. Then, he saw his sheriff walk in and report, "Sir, I'm sorry.
"Sir, a merchant just came to report a case."
Ron's heart skipped a beat and he hurriedly asked, "Is it the people of the caravan that entered the city last night?"
"Yes."
"What case did they report?"
"They said that something important was stolen from the caravan last night!"
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