Lord: Stripped of My Inheritance from the Start - Chapter 245 - 244: Unexpected Development

Chapter 245: Chapter 244: Unexpected Development

Chishan Town.

The atmosphere among the five Knight Squads of the Fifth Knight Order stationed here, under the command of Wushan Castle, had grown increasingly tense recently.

They had noticed more and more men from Casier Town. During the day, they could even stand on the high mountains and clearly see the enemy’s Cavalry charging out of the town.

The enemy had not only set up camp outside the town but had also dispatched Scouts to survey the terrain along the mountain paths, seemingly in preparation for an attack.

War could break out at any moment.

“What’s the situation tonight?”

Vice Leader Hahn climbed a high slope and questioned the captains of the two Knight Squads on duty that night.

He squinted into the distance.

The soldiers from Casier Town had already built several camps outside their town. Bonfires were burning brightly, a clear sign they had no regard for the defenders of Chishan Town.

The problem was, they didn’t dare to take the initiative and attack.

For one, they were unsure of the enemy’s strength.

For another, negotiations had been ongoing for the past few days.

But most importantly, Hahn felt their own defensive fortifications were excellent; charging out to fight would be completely unwise.

“Compared to yesterday, there’s one more bonfire. Another group of men must have arrived.”

One of the captains pointed to a bonfire on the right. “It looks like they’re continuously bringing in reinforcements.”

The other captain added, “Lord Hahn, I think we should summon the other Knight Squads as soon as possible to prevent any surprises.”

“Yes, I’ve already notified Coren. His five Knight Squads are on their way and should arrive tomorrow morning.”

Hahn was troubled. The negotiations over the past two days hadn’t gone well. The other party had brazenly demanded forty percent of the iron ore shares for free. Their attitude was incredibly arrogant.

Neither Hahn nor Coren would ever agree to that. If things continued this way, a fight might really be unavoidable.

He wanted to project an atmosphere of being ready for war, but he didn’t want a real war to actually break out.

“Those damned bastards!”

He frowned, his eyes narrowed as he stared at the enemy camp. Suddenly, a cold glint of light seemed to flash in his vision.

’What was that?’

Hahn’s heart suddenly tightened.

Soon, enraged shouts echoed from below, and the glow of Fighting Qi Armor flared to life.

“This is bad!”

The faces of all three men changed drastically.

…

「May 25th. Ronin’s birthday.」

The chefs and servants of Wushan Castle were all busy with elaborate preparations.

Although there were far fewer guests than at the start of the year, there were still some attending.

For example, Ronin’s older sister and brother-in-law, Sir Kabil and Mrs. McKinney of Splendid City, would be coming with their son, Martin Pedersen.

In addition, some Knights who had dealings with Ronin had also been invited.

These included the father and son duo Toru and Galier, Civil Servant Albert, Finance Officer Curry, and the Gaman Knight whom Wiggin was arranging to escort supplies to Chishan Town.

Usually, when Wushan Castle held a banquet, these men would be present as “logistics” staff. They were rarely guests, so they placed great importance on being able to attend tonight’s dinner.

“Hey, little Martin, long time no see.”

In the courtyard, Ronin was enthusiastically greeting his nephew.

Perhaps having inherited Mrs. McKinney’s beauty, Martin looked quite delicate.

However, he seemed to have inherited his height from his father, Kabil. At only four years old, he was already almost four feet tall and would likely not be short in the future.

“Martin, hurry and give your uncle your birthday wishes~” Mrs. McKinney reminded him from the side.

The little boy was very obedient and immediately recited a string of well wishes to Ronin, making him laugh and thank him.

Not far away, Kabil sat leisurely under a parasol, enjoying afternoon dessert with Wiggin while watching his wife and son play with Ronin.

His thoughts, however, drifted to last August, when some had speculated that Ronin would die in Mountain Forest Town.

They had hoped that after Bretton inherited the Noble Title, should the powerful Hyde Clan become too audacious, he—as Mrs. McKinney’s husband—could unite forces to oppose Ossen Count.

After all, his son Martin had half the blood of the Wushan Clan in his veins.

To be honest, he had hesitated for a moment back then. For the Pedersen Clan, which had not yet become true nobility, it was indeed a massive temptation.

But he hadn’t taken any action, choosing instead to quietly watch how things unfolded.

In hindsight, it was fortunate he had remained noncommittal. Who could have predicted that Ronin, who had been sent to a remote backwater like Mountain Forest Town, would rise so meteorically? Not only had he made a stunning debut, but he had also regained the trust of the Marquis.

Kabil’s father had been an ordinary Intermediate Knight in the Wushan Castle Knight Order, and his mother was just a common Free Person.

That he could become a Sir and marry Mrs. McKinney was ten percent due to the opportunities his father gave him early on, and ninety percent due to his own hard work.

Now, he was both the Leader of the Second Knight Order and the acting administrator of Splendid City, which had made the Pedersen Clan a rising power in Wushan Ridge.

As a rising power, the Pedersen Clan’s philosophy was to advance steadily and surely, never rushing for quick gains. This also fit his rather cautious personality.

With Ronin’s sudden rise, he no longer needed to worry about the future. Moreover, Lurans was still around, and his father-in-law, Wiggin, was still alive and well. No one knew what path Wushan Ridge’s future would take.

After playing with Martin for a while, Ronin returned to his chair, sat down, and took a sip of tea.

“Father, I thought for a long time last night. There are two things I hope you can help me with.”

Wiggin moved the book that was covering his face, sat up with a hint of sleepiness, and broke into a smile.

’Ronin speaking like this means he’s probably agreed to go to Chishan Town in my place.’

“Go on, Ronin. As your father, I’ll definitely help if I can.”

Kabil, who was sitting nearby, also grew curious.

“First, the Wubei Territory is in a critical period of development, and I need a large number of people to work for me. So, I was hoping you could see about transferring some people to me. It doesn’t matter if they are Free People or Peasant Slaves, as long as they can work.”

Wiggin barely had to think before waving a hand dismissively. “That’s a small matter. Wushan City has a large population, and there are plenty of small towns and manors nearby. Whether it’s Free People or Peasant Slaves, I can easily round up ten or twenty thousand for you with a single order.”

As he spoke, he looked at Kabil. “Splendid City also has a large population. Kabil, you can pull some for Ronin, too.”

Ronin looked at Kabil in surprise, not expecting his brother-in-law to be drawn into this matter.

Kabil was also a little surprised but quickly recovered with a smile. “No problem. I’ll make the arrangements as soon as I return tomorrow.”

Truth be told, he was only the acting lord of Splendid City. The city’s true master was none other than Wiggin, sitting right before him.

It’s just that over the years, aside from keeping an eye on how much money could be extracted from Splendid City annually, Wiggin had handed over all other political and administrative matters to Kabil.

Wiggin asking Kabil today to dispatch personnel to the Wubei Territory was practically the first task he had assigned as the city’s true lord.

Fortunately, neither Wushan City nor Splendid City was short on people, so sending a batch to the Wubei Territory was of little consequence.

“Then, thank you, Kabil!” Ronin said gratefully.

“Don’t mention it. It’s only right that I offer you this little bit of help.”

Kabil wasn’t lying. He was more than happy to see the Wubei Territory grow stronger.

“And your second request?”

Wiggin asked with a smile, “Sending you that many people is worth at least ten thousand Gold Coins. Don’t tell me you’re going to ask me for Gold Coins next. My pockets aren’t that deep.”

Ronin could see it clearly now. Wiggin placed a high value on tangible currency like money. He had mentioned it last night, and now he was bringing it up again.

“Rest assured, Father. This matter will actually bring you a profit,” Ronin said with a smile.

“Oh?”

Wiggin’s eyes lit up. “Quick, tell me about it.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by novlove.com