Published: March 12, 2025
Chapter 347: The Test of the Shelley Family
Zhao Hai and the others had become accustomed to the recent nights; if no one attacked, it felt off to them. So when they heard hoofbeats, they all stood up, and Zhao Hai activated the surveillance projection from his space.
Before long, a cavalry unit appeared on the monitor. This unit consisted of about five hundred soldiers, but they were not Heavy Armored Cavalry. Instead, they were light cavalry, armed with bows, knight's spears, and two-handed swords, and wearing leather armor.
Hanging from their saddles were several severed heads, which puzzled Zhao Hai and the others. The bloody appearance of the heads suggested they had been killed not long ago. What was going on?
Soon, the cavalry arrived at Zhao Hai's camp but did not attack. Instead, they stopped and dismounted.
Dismounting was a gesture of goodwill. Everyone knew that the main combat strength of cavalry lay in their horses, so when they got off, it indicated they were not there to attack.
Zhao Hai looked at the cavalrymen in confusion, unsure of their intentions. At that moment, one of them stepped forward and bowed to Zhao Hai, saying, "Is this Mr. Wells?"
Zhao Hai nodded and replied, "Yes, that is me. May I ask who you are?"
The cavalryman immediately said, "I am Wei Li, the captain of the light cavalry from the Shelley family. I come on behalf of the family to ensure your safety, as you have been under a lot of stress these past few days. However, your sudden change of route caught the family off guard, so please forgive us."
Zhao Hai was taken aback. He did not expect that the people arriving were from the Shelley family, and they were there to protect him. He quickly said, "You flatter me. So it's friends from the Shelley family. Please come into the camp. Wan Ying, Shun Yi, prepare some lamb and lamb soup for these brothers."
Xu Wanying and Shun Yi responded and quickly took out several large pots to prepare food for Wei Li and his men. When Wei Li saw Zhao Hai inviting them into the camp, he let out a sigh of relief and signaled his subordinates to set up a few tents outside the camp. They then collected the severed heads from their saddles. Zhao Hai understood without asking that those heads belonged to people who had attempted to attack him and were killed by Wei Li and his men.
Zhao Hai invited Wei Li to sit by the campfire and then asked, "Brother Wei Li, you said you were sent by the Shelley family to protect me? Why is that? I only have a milk wine trade with the Shelley family. Our friendship doesn't seem deep enough for this."
Zhao Hai knew that when dealing with soldiers, he should skip pleasantries and be straightforward to gain their favor.
Sure enough, Wei Li immediately replied, "Sir, you are too polite. Although your interactions with our family are limited to milk wine transactions, you have recently done us a great service. You defended our family at the Battle Fortress, and then you consistently dealt with the pursuit by Duke Ryan. All of this is due to our family, and we feel compelled to send someone to protect you. However, our family has been somewhat low-profile due to Duke Ryan's oppression, which is why it took us so long to find you."
Hearing this, Zhao Hai realized that he had genuinely established a connection with the Shelley family; they had sent people to protect him, marking a good start.
Zhao Hai smiled and said, "It's nothing. We are business partners, and I was just caught in the situation. They used me as an excuse, so I naturally couldn't ignore it. This has nothing to do with helping your family; it's about my reputation."
Wei Li laughed heartily and said, "You say that, but we cannot disregard this kindness. No matter how you look at it, this matter arose because of us, so our family sent us to ensure your safety. Moreover, the family asked me to convey a message: this matter will soon pass."
Zhao Hai was taken aback and looked at Wei Li, asking, "What do you mean? Are you preparing to counterattack?"