Published: March 12, 2025
Chapter 356: Smith
After the ox cart stopped, Zhao Hai and the others got off. In front of the Lord's Mansion, there were only two guards standing. Both were dressed in heavy infantry armor, with their faces covered, standing still as if they were just two sets of armor on display.
From the ground of the square to the door of the Lord's Mansion, there were a total of twenty steps. Zhao Hai slowly walked towards the mansion's entrance, which attracted the attention of many people. Those who were strolling or doing business in the square turned to look at Zhao Hai.
However, Zhao Hai paid no mind to the gazes of the people. When he reached the front of the Lord's Mansion, the two guards remained unmoving, as if they hadn't seen Zhao Hai at all. This puzzled Zhao Hai, but he still reached out and knocked on the door's knocker.
After lightly knocking twice, Zhao Hai stopped. At this moment, the mansion door opened, and a young man dressed as a servant stepped out. He looked to be around thirty, with an average face. He glanced at Zhao Hai and then bowed, saying, "May I ask what business you have, sir?"
Zhao Hai smiled slightly and replied, "A friend asked me to deliver this letter to the city lord. Please pass it on." After saying this, he took out the letter written by Ibel.
The servant took the letter, glanced at it, and then his expression changed. He opened the door wider and said, "Sir, please come to the reception room for a moment. I will deliver the letter immediately." He then invited Zhao Hai into the reception room.
Once inside the Lord's Mansion, Zhao Hai realized that it was indeed very spacious. Upon entering, there was a row of houses specifically for receiving visitors. Behind this row was a training ground, but there was no one practicing martial arts at the moment. After passing the training ground, there was another row of houses, with a sign that read "Discussion Room." Further in, it became less visible, but just the part he could see was already quite large, comparable to the size of the square outside.
Zhao Hai entered a reception room that was quite nice, furnished with a complete set of sofas, and the walls were adorned with various calligraphy and paintings. As soon as he entered, a servant brought him Kaya and then quietly retreated to the door, everything seemed very orderly.
Seeing this situation, Zhao Hai couldn't help but nod to himself. From the performance of these servants, it was clear that the Karlqi Family conducted their affairs with great propriety and trained their subordinates well. They truly deserved their reputation as one of the top noble families on the continent.
Zhao Hai did not rush, sitting quietly in the reception room while sipping Kaya. Now that he had reached the Lord's Mansion, he actually felt a sense of calm. He had already done what he needed to do; all that was left was to see how the Karlqi Family would respond.
As Zhao Hai began to drink his second cup of Kaya, a sound of footsteps came from outside. The servant who had opened the door for Zhao Hai before pushed open the reception room door again. Following him was an elderly man who appeared to be in his sixties or seventies. He was dressed in a silk steward's uniform, not a wrinkle to be seen, and his hair was neatly combed, seemingly meticulously arranged.
With a very serious face, likely due to always maintaining a stern expression, his face was covered in vertical wrinkles. His hair was slightly graying, but his eyes were bright and energetic, giving off a glimmer of vitality.
Zhao Hai quickly stood up, and the elderly man approached him, bowing slightly. "Hello, sir. I am the steward of the Lord's Mansion. The city lord wishes to see you. Please follow me."
Zhao Hai hurriedly bowed and replied, "Thank you, steward." He then followed the steward out.
As they left the reception room, Zhao Hai noticed the same servant was heading towards the mansion's exit. He felt reassured, realizing that the servant was likely going to arrange things for Laura and the others.