HCB Chapter 186 Return
Chapter 186 Return
"Cuckoo! Cuckoo!"
After a burst of crisp and continuous bird song, John reluctantly moved his head away from the duck down pillow he had just bought a few days ago, and got up from the bed to start his new day.
Next to the bed, a wooden-cased clock was running non-stop. Through the glass below, one could see that its interior was made up of various metal gears and chains. As the chains and gears turned, the three hands of the clock above were also moving slowly.
Glancing at the ticking clock next to him, John rang the bell on the table to call the servants. Immediately, several servants came in. Before the servants could salute, John pointed at the clock and ordered them:
"Take this clock out of here for me."
Simon bought this clock from an Issu merchant. According to the Issu merchant, this clock contains the most advanced mechanical technology today. It was made by a master watchmaker using precious wood and precision parts. At every hour, a wooden bird will pop out from the wooden door above and shout to remind people of the time.
But no matter how well the Isu merchant played it, John couldn't stand its incessant ticking sound. Anyone who has a noisy machine nearby at night will find it annoying.
As the servants carried the clock onto the cart and took it away, the whole room returned to silence, and John got dressed and went downstairs to enjoy the breakfast that had been prepared.
Although he was already a nobleman with a vast territory, John's daily life was considered frugal among nobles. This was mainly because of the eating habits he had developed over the years on the border and the tight finances that made him subconsciously resist extravagance and waste. Except for the sumptuous lunch at noon, John controlled his diet at other times to a normal amount.
John's breakfast usually consists of bread, meat, and thick soup. Although most nobles would drink a little wine at the end, John never drinks alcohol except on necessary occasions, and only occasionally drinks some juice.
While putting the cut pieces of ham into his mouth with a knife and fork, John listened to the civil servant next to him reciting the documents sent from the border.
"The Yoda heavy cavalry attempted to invade northward from the southern border of Franche-Comté in the morning, but was repelled by artillery fire from the soldiers stationed in the fortress. The commander of this heavy cavalry is suspected to be Adam, a Yoda noble who was captured twice by our army. During this invasion, Adam was suspected to have been injured by a cannonball, and other Yoda soldiers took him to retreat southward."
John wiped his mouth with a napkin, washed his hands in an iron basin of water and dried them with a towel, then took the document handed to him by the clerk.
After reading the content above, John thought of that stupid and arrogant face again.
"It's a blessing to be born into a wealthy family, otherwise I would have been killed long ago."
After finishing breakfast, John returned to his desk in the bedroom and started working. When he saw the documents piled up on his desk by the clerk, John couldn't help but sigh inwardly:
“There is still a long way to go.”
Fortunately, there had been no fighting on the border recently, and most of the documents were reports on production and construction in various places. John finished processing some of the paperwork in a short time.
When John opened one of the documents, the content on it attracted his attention. It was about the production of Reginale Flower Manor.
With the arrival of summer, in addition to the wild flowers swaying in the grass, the flower seeds sent by Lady Reginale also bloomed. In just one day, the entire estate was covered with white flowers.
According to reports from officials who went to inspect the estate, there were no flowers of other colors except white in the entire estate. Under the sunlight, the petals glowed white, just like angel wings, and a faint fragrance was revealed when approached.
The flower growers transferred the plants into pots without harming them, and the Reginale Chamber of Commerce's carriages transported them back to Windham. The Chamber of Commerce recycled them at the price of two silver coins per pot of plant, which greatly reduced John's financial burden.
However, this manor does not only grow one kind of flower. This time, the Chamber of Commerce did not come here only to recycle the plants, but also brought flowers that bloom in autumn. When autumn comes, this place will be surrounded by blooming flowers again. At that time, the Chamber of Commerce will come again to recycle the flowers, and John can also earn a considerable sum of money.
However, John thought of Matilda who had entered his life. Originally, John wanted her to live in the manor after it was built, but Cyril opposed this.
"My lord, I think that if Miss Matilda stays with you, your safety will be guaranteed to a certain extent. Although your current security level can already withstand the attacks of most assassins, it is inevitable that there will be fish that slip through the net and try to assassinate you. From what I have observed, Matilda has a keen reaction ability and sense of smell, and is also proficient in long-range weapons. During the time I am away, having her by your side may allow you to get some warnings before danger occurs."
After listening to Cyril's advice, John did not force Matilda to move out, and Matilda never mentioned the matter again after the manor was built. There was no way, John didn't know much about assassins, so it was better to listen to the advice of professionals.
However, John felt that it was necessary to ask Lady Reginale for an explanation. Although she gave John generous compensation afterwards, this matter still had to come to an end. While the border was still relatively stable, it would be better to talk to her as soon as possible.
"Someone come!" John shouted to the outside of the door. After the guard entered, John ordered:
"Tell the coachman to prepare the carriage, and go to Wendam tomorrow."
It was the next morning, and after having breakfast, John set out for Windham under the escort of a hundred-man team of White Wolf Knights. Since John traveled light this time, he saw the tall walls of Windham with giant sculptures carved on them after a few days.
The guards at the city gate did not dare to neglect John's flag and ordered the soldiers to let him pass after a brief inspection. After entering the city, John did not choose to return to the apartment to rest, but went directly to the headquarters of the Reginale Chamber of Commerce.
On the way to the Chamber of Commerce, John opened the curtains and looked at the scenery outside. On the street, citizens were still living their normal lives, but the only difference was that some Black Watch mercenaries wearing black armor were mixed in the crowd. Although Wyndham did not have strict management of mercenaries, no mercenary dared to wear armor and hold weapons in public. After all, this was Wyndham, where the rich and powerful gathered. If ordinary people did this, it might be regarded as a provocation to the entire city.
But it may also be that the powerful people knew that the Black Watch company had opened a business in Windham, and the king and John had reached a deal, so no one stood up to criticize it.
When the carriage stopped at the entrance of the Chamber of Commerce, the waiter in charge of the reception immediately stepped forward. John got out of the carriage and asked the waiter:
"Is your Chamber of Commerce President, Madam Reginale, here? I have something important to discuss with her."
"The president has gone to the south to inspect the plantations. She will probably be back in two days."
After receiving the waiter's answer, John had no choice but to say "Please tell Lady Reginale that Earl John is visiting" and then returned to his apartment in Windham.
Just as he was thinking about how to explain to Lady Reginale, a White Wolf Knight stood outside the door and said:
"Sir, there is a letter."
"Could it be Mrs. Reginale?" John walked forward and took the letter. However, what caught his eye was not the emblem of the Reginale Chamber of Commerce, but the scale emblem representing the Wendam Court. After John took out the letter, the content on it made John go from confusion to shock:
"To Lord John Hohenzollern: Due to your previous behavior, Count Hoss accused you of violating the legal rights of his vassal. After the court's evidence collection and investigation, it was confirmed that you were suspected of beating other noble servants and illegally imprisoning others. You are ordered to arrive at the Windham Court at 10 o'clock tomorrow. If you fail to arrive after the deadline, the prosecution will be deemed to have won the case and you will bear all responsibilities. - Windham Court"