Chapter 29
【029】 The Beautiful and Kind-hearted Lord
“How did a territory suddenly appear in such a remote area? How did they obtain the Lord’s token?” An official from the Territory Management Office couldn’t help but ask.
How did a territory get established in such a remote place? It’s practically outrageous!
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s some young heir who squandered their family’s wealth. But the fact that they managed to survive the first beast wave in such a short time does show some capability,” another official lazily glanced over and spoke indifferently.
Although the territory had survived the beast wave, among all the territories in the country, it wasn’t particularly remarkable. After all, it was just a small village.
“People who get the Lord’s token never hand it over. Instead, they secretly find a place to establish a territory, and no one knows which force is behind it.”
“The royal family’s credibility is gradually weakening. Several dukes have more power, but fortunately, things are still stable for now.”
“Should we send someone to grant a title for this territory? A level-3 village could qualify for a viscount. Rather than waiting for someone from behind the scenes to come looking for us, it might be better if we take the initiative.”
“Alright. But this place is remote, and the location is quite delicate.”
Hearing this, the other person looked at it seriously before replying, “It is quite delicate. It’s basically located in the central area of the five great kingdoms. If there’s peace, it’s fine, but if there’s a conflict… the people behind it must have guts.”
The two exchanged glances and stopped talking. They then began writing documents to report the matter.
Once reported, a dedicated team would be sent to the territory to bestow the title, and that would no longer concern them.
After finishing this task, the two officials completely shifted their attention away from this territory.
They had so many other tasks to handle! Even giving this a bit of attention was considered diligent and responsible.
At the same time, aside from these officials, many others were also focused on this territory. After confirming that no members from their own family’s side had obtained a territory, they turned their attention to other forces and secretly began speculating about their competitors.
Meanwhile, Gu Qing was unaware that her territory had attracted considerable attention in the human kingdom. After determining the lead person for the expedition to other territories, the news quickly spread throughout the territory.
This time, it certainly drew a lot of attention.
“The Lord is going too!”
“Then the team should be quite safe!”
“Absolutely! I heard Captain Alex is going too!”
“With the Lord present, it’s definitely safe.”
“Can I sign up to go?”
“I want to go too. I’ve stayed in other territories before. Some of the resources we sell cheaply here sell very well in other territories. We can take this opportunity to exchange for some things.”
“That’s true! Then I’ll sign up too. Considering the price, it’ll be worth it for a round trip!”
“Maybe we can buy some rations to take with us.”
“Right.”
“…”
Similar discussions continued to echo throughout the territory. In a short amount of time, many people who had accumulated some capital quietly signed up.
At the same time, Ji Xiuwen and others had already acted swiftly.
The first thing Ji Xiuwen did was head straight to the blacksmith shop.
At the blacksmith shop, two goblins were guarding the store.
Originally, some ordinary people worked in the blacksmith shop, making simple weapons at much lower prices than the goblins. There was a bit of business in the beginning, but once the residents had money, such weapons were eventually phased out. Even though they were cheap, their cost-effectiveness couldn’t match the iron products made by the goblins. Eventually, the original workers were transferred elsewhere, and the blacksmith shop became completely controlled by the goblins.
Of course, aside from the blacksmith shop, the carpentry workshop was the same. The items made by the goblins were incredibly useful, and they had become all the rage across the territory.
The goblins had firmly rooted themselves in the territory, and now, each of them was living a good life, enjoying full meals and warmth, all thanks to their own skills.
Upon seeing Ji Xiuwen walk in, one of the goblin employees, Claire, immediately called out, “Xiao Ji, you’re here.”
“Xiao Ji” was a nickname Ji Xiuwen had given Claire to help strengthen their bond.
Ji Xiuwen had been quite successful in building a friendship with Claire through a few exchanges.
“Here, I brought you roasted chicken,” Ji Xiuwen immediately offered his gift—yes, it was an attempt to bribe Claire.
Sure enough, when Claire heard “roasted chicken,” his eyes lit up, but when his gaze fell upon the outer layer of mud, he seemed a bit puzzled.
“This is a local specialty… mud-baked chicken. You just peel off the mud, and you can eat it. It’s really delicious,” Ji Xiuwen quickly explained when he noticed Claire’s confusion.
“Thank you, Xiao Ji,” Claire said, unable to resist swallowing his saliva.
It wasn’t that Claire had a particular bias toward Ji Xiuwen or that he would custom-make iron products for him, but the food Ji Xiuwen brought was so tasty, and it was something he had never tasted in the territory before. It had truly conquered his stomach.
“You’re welcome,” Ji Xiuwen said with a smile.
After all, Claire was a specialized craftsman, and it was important to build a good relationship!
“Has the oven and the other items I ordered been finished?” Ji Xiuwen asked.
“The oven has been made according to your specifications. The others are still being refined, but they’ll be ready soon,” Claire replied quickly.
“Great! As long as the oven is ready,” Ji Xiuwen was thrilled. His goal was simply to urge progress, but he hadn’t expected it to be done so quickly—just in time!
“Can I show it to you now to see if it works?” Claire carefully put away the mud-baked chicken, then quickly took out one of the ovens.
The oven was made entirely of iron ore, square-shaped, with all but one side sealed off. The other side could move freely, and there were two layers of grilling racks inside.
“I used special materials for the other sides, just like you said, to maintain a certain level of heat. The four rods on top and bottom will increase in temperature as the heat from the surrounding area rises. Each one is made with quality in mind,” Claire explained with responsibility, having followed Ji Xiuwen’s instructions carefully.
Seeing the completed oven in front of him, Ji Xiuwen was overjoyed.
“Thank you, Claire! Once I’ve cooked something good with these ovens, I’ll send you some,” Ji Xiuwen said happily.
“Sure!” Claire didn’t hesitate. As soon as he heard about the food, he readily agreed.
After handing over some copper coins, Ji Xiuwen hurriedly left.
As soon as Ji Xiuwen left, Claire eagerly took out the roasted chicken. He carefully peeled away the outer mud layer and ripped off the leaves inside.
When he saw the plump color and smelled the fragrant aroma of the roasted chicken, Claire couldn’t help but take a deep breath.
At this moment, another goblin approached, “Claire, give me a piece!”
“Alright, I’ll give you a piece,” Claire nodded in agreement and quickly tore off a small piece of meat to hand over to his companion.
Just then, several other goblins ran toward Claire.
“Claire, that human named Ji Xiuwen is looking for you?”
“What did he bring you to eat?”
“Let us try some!”
“…”
Claire: “…”
— Are they all like dogs with their noses sniffing around?
Ji Xiuwen had no idea that his food had already won over the goblins’ stomachs. After receiving the oven, he quickly gathered a few companions and began executing their plan.
Two days later.
The number of people who signed up was confirmed. After finalizing the list, Gu Qing turned the trip into a group task.
For group tasks, the experience points gained by others would also be shared with her by default.
The natives didn’t need to issue tasks, but the Earth survivors still required them.
Soon, the Earth survivors received a task similar to the one they had received previously.
【Dear survivors, Lord of Qingyun Village is about to embark on a journey and invites you to join her team. Will you accept?】
The Earth survivors, who had already planned to set off, saw the task and the rewards attached to it. Without a second thought, they chose to accept.
Their gaze, however, still unconsciously fell upon the leader, Gu Qing. They didn’t understand why Gu Qing had gone through the trouble of issuing a task and offering rewards, but they couldn’t help but wonder—perhaps joining this task would benefit her somehow, though they weren’t sure how.
What they were considering was whether they would benefit from it as well, like Gu Qing did.
At this point, every move Gu Qing made was a signal for these Earth survivors. Who wouldn’t want to be as strong as her?
Gu Qing, of course, noticed but didn’t think much of it.
Her method of leveling up and issuing tasks didn’t apply to anyone else, and even if they studied it, they wouldn’t come to any conclusion.
“Everyone’s here, should we set off now?” Alex asked, standing beside Gu Qing.
Gu Qing glanced at the sun, ready to answer, when suddenly she heard Ji Xiuwen’s voice.
“Lord, wait, wait…” Ji Xiuwen’s voice grew louder as he approached, and soon his figure came into view.
As Ji Xiuwen tried to approach, he was stopped by a few soldiers standing by Gu Qing.
Seeing this, Ji Xiuwen quickly said, “Lord, it’s me, Ji Xiuwen. Do you remember? I’m the one who donated 5,000 copper coins.”
Ji Xiuwen was genuinely worried that Gu Qing, being a high-ranking individual, might forget about him, so he made a point to mention the 5,000 copper coins as a reminder.
People may forget, but surely the copper coins should not be forgotten?
Gu Qing listened, unable to suppress a twitch of her lips. Ji Xiuwen really thought too much, but she still spoke to the soldiers beside her, “Let him come over.”
The soldiers, upon hearing this, stepped aside one by one.
Ji Xiuwen successfully walked up to Gu Qing.
“Lord, a few people in our group would like to temporarily join the team. Is that alright?”
“Sure.” Gu Qing didn’t ask further and nodded in agreement right away.
The next moment, Ji Xiuwen quickly informed her of the names of the people in his team, and then received the group task from Gu Qing.
After that, Ji Xiuwen awkwardly scratched his head, “There’s one more thing. Our team has come up with some convenient food. I’m not sure if you, Lord, would be interested?”
“What kind of food?” Gu Qing asked, indeed intrigued.
She had brought enough food for this trip, but it wasn’t exactly convenient.
Considering the need to save time, convenient food was certainly needed.
“Instant noodles, biscuits, and dried vegetables and fruits… these will be enough to fill you up,” Ji Xiuwen directly explained.
These were all made using the oven, plus his companion’s special skill card. They had successfully produced a large batch and were hoping to make a good profit while most people were setting off.
The “filling” feeling he mentioned was actually tied to the health points of the Earth survivors.
Their health points would drop when they were hungry, cold, or sick. They didn’t know what would happen if it reached zero, but no one wanted to find out, so the Earth survivors were very cautious about these two numbers.
Though they didn’t know how the natives calculated it, it was clear they needed these things as well.
At this moment, Ji Xiuwen’s special, convenient food stood out.
Ji Xiuwen was openly laying the benefits of his goods before Gu Qing.
He knew she would be tempted.
“You really have a business mind,” Gu Qing glanced at Ji Xiuwen and said.
“My family is in business, so I’ve been influenced by it, you know, just naturally,” Ji Xiuwen smiled, his eyes squinting into slits, looking very much like a sly fox.
He knew it, this was a done deal!
“Alex, see how much we need and buy some from Ji Xiuwen,” Gu Qing then called Alex over.
After all, Alex had planned the entire route and knew exactly how much food the soldiers would need.
“Alright,” Alex nodded, then communicated with Ji Xiuwen and bought some of the food from him.
After the sale, Ji Xiuwen smoothly asked, “The soldiers’ team has bought some. Should the other teams get some too?”
Gu Qing: “…”
She glanced at Ji Xiuwen and said, “You have ten minutes.”
“Thank you, Lord! You truly are not only beautiful but kind-hearted, such a wonderful person!” Ji Xiuwen showered her with compliments relentlessly.
Gu Qing listened, then paused. Ji Xiuwen’s silver tongue was really something.
But, well, he was saying good things! She accepted it.
On one side, Alex glared fiercely at Ji Xiuwen when he said this. To them, it seemed Ji Xiuwen was flirting with their lord. Had it not been for the fact that Gu Qing didn’t seem angry, Alex might have already taken action against Ji Xiuwen.
Ji Xiuwen naturally noticed the dangerous look from Alex and didn’t dare continue flattering Gu Qing. He quickly turned around and called over his companions.
Not long after, their voices could be heard in the crowd.
“Convenient and easy-to-carry food, a must-have for long journeys.”
“Hot noodles that you can eat just by adding hot water.”
“Crispy, delicious, and easy-to-eat biscuits!”
“The soldiers’ team already bought some, don’t miss out as you pass by.”
“This is the food that even Lord praised!”
—
The other teams, who had already been curious about what Ji Xiuwen and Gu Qing were talking about, began to surround them upon hearing these words. They ended up buying a lot of instant noodles and biscuits from Ji Xiuwen, with instant noodles being the best-seller. Out in the wild, everyone wanted to have a few bites of something hot.
In no time, all the food Ji Xiuwen and his companions had made over the past two days was sold out.
Looking at the copper coins in their accounts, Ji Xiuwen and his companions couldn’t help but smile. After tidying up, Ji Xiuwen earnestly reminded them, “This sale was quite profitable. I’ll take the copper coins and head to other territories. You guys keep working in the territory. There are plenty of people going out to gather and hunt every day, so keep selling this convenient food. Also, make some meal sets and sell them at fixed times outside. Stick to the plan, and no matter how much copper coins you spend, make sure to secure a shop… Got it?”
“And Zhuang Xinghe, be careful. Don’t let others target you.”
Zhuang Xinghe, mentioned by Ji Xiuwen, was the companion with the special cooking skills. The instant noodles, dried vegetables, fruits, and biscuits were all made with the oven and a special card he had. Even if others had an oven, they wouldn’t be able to make the same things.
So Zhuang Xinghe’s role was crucial.
“Got it. You be careful too. Take care on the road,” Zhuang Xinghe said, nodding seriously.
He knew his mind wasn’t great and he could only focus on making delicious food. If not for Ji Xiuwen, he might have been in trouble along the way, so he only listened to Ji Xiuwen.
“Alright,” Ji Xiuwen nodded.
Ten minutes passed quickly, and it was time for Gu Qing to officially set off.
A large group of people left in grand procession.
After sending them off, the remaining villagers quickly went back to their tasks.
“Chief, let’s go back!” Andre, standing beside his chief, Morgan, whispered. As they saw it, this trip was indeed a good opportunity for their clan to benefit, but they knew that following the group out wasn’t an easy task. In other territories, they might still be seen as slaves, and going would only bring trouble. It was better to stay behind.
“Sigh, Andre, I just hope that one day, our clan can walk proudly on this land, just like we live here,” Morgan, the goblin chief, couldn’t help but say. The feeling of standing in the sunlight was simply wonderful, and having experienced this brightness, they couldn’t help but desire more.
“It will happen, Chief, I believe it will,” Andre said, unable to stop himself.
Upon hearing this, Chief Morgan smiled and nodded, “I believe so too, as long as…”
As long as this territory grows stronger, their living space will expand.
Morgan didn’t know much about this Lord’s background, but he could tell that the other’s strength was formidable. Take the migrants who had been coming to the territory lately, for example. He saw the Lord’s influence in them. They treated goblins with curiosity but not the slightest trace of disdain or contempt. It was obvious from their eyes, different from other migrants.
Morgan thought that these people might have come from the same background as the Lord. The Lord’s homeland must be an incredible place. A Lord who traveled such a long distance to establish a territory here must have a purpose, and this territory would surely grow stronger.
At that time, he would call over some old friends and unite them in the territory. Perhaps one day… his wish would come true.
Chief Morgan watched the retreating figures of Gu Qing and the large group, his eyes filled with ambition.