Before ascending to God, be a good lord

Chapter 163 161. The Maned Wolf's Ball
The dinner at the Earl's Mansion was very much like the Blue Dragon Clan's ball. Except for the simplicity of the hall and the slow dance moves of the nobles present, everything else reminded me of the ball in the royal capital.

Lante didn't want to dance, so he asked Flower of the Maned Wolf to dance a tune and then rested.

"Master Viscount, why don't you dance anymore?" Not long after, Elenda Maned Wolf ran over to gossip with Rand, "Could it be because there are no tails among the dancing women here?"

Although Elenda's older brothers had also studied at the Blue Dragon School, they did not make as much noise as Lan Te.For example, Derek Maned Wolf did not dare to invite Gu Leiya to dance, and no one in their family dared to invite Dugan to be his family knight.

Therefore, Elenda likes to have fun with Lante every time she sees him, and Lante does not want to be as familiar with the little wolf girl, "Miss Knight, if you can use this curiosity to knight training, I believe it will be soon." You will break through the intermediate level."

"For me, an intermediate knight doesn't mean much. If the level is too high, there will be fewer in-laws I can choose. Otherwise, why would Teacher Gu Leiya be followed by so many people, but no one dares to pursue her? "

Elenda is telling the truth. Compared with professionals, female demon possessors are more valued for blood inheritance. Unless Guleya is a woman whose bloodline is incomparably outstanding, other female demon possessors are more important than stimulating bloodlines. After that, the family wondered how to choose a marriage partner.

Female demon possessors without the protection of the family will be easily manipulated by the big family just like Wendy and the others.

"It seems that Ms. Elenda has someone she likes?" Rant didn't want the topic to be too heavy, so he asked casually.

"No." The corner of the wolf girl's lips turned up, and she looked at Lante with her big eyes, "Master Viscount, please don't get me wrong. I have no interest in you at all. I came here to find you only because I was afraid that someone here would like me."

"Thank you very much for your clarification. I knew that I should not be too confident in my charm as an ordinary border viscount."

"I want to ask you something." Elenda suddenly approached Rant's ear, and asked in a low voice, "If, my eldest brother and second brother, who would you support?"

"Huh?" Lante didn't understand at once, but he soon came back to his senses, "Isn't the Earl doing well now?"

"It's okay if you don't want to answer, you don't need to say such things to me." The little wolf girl knew that Lante didn't want to get involved in the dispute of the earl's family, so she left angrily.

. . . .

When the bored Rand was about to leave the Earl's Mansion, he was stopped by a young knight.

"Master Viscount, I am Kevin Elk, the heir of Viscount Elk." The young and talkative knight wanted to chat with Rand, "I heard that the Earl's family has added a new group of family knights this year."

"Oh" Rand replied blankly.

"Master Viscount really doesn't want to participate in the battle in the Frostwolf Forest?" Seeing that Lante had no desire to communicate, Kevin began to forcibly strike up a conversation.

"I really don't want to, I've been very busy recently"

"That's right, if Lord Viscount makes a move, what's the matter with us?" Kevin used all his words, but the two were not familiar with each other, so they could only be in a hurry.

"What exactly does Kevin Knight want to express?" Rand really didn't want to chat awkwardly.

"Can my lord lend us some armor and horses?"

"How much? How to pay?" When the ordinary chat turned into a business discussion, Rand became slightly interested.

"10 horses, 10 body armors, our family doesn't have enough money, and we can't pay them all at once." However, Kevin lacked confidence because of the difference in strength.

"What do you have at home? You can mortgage it first." Rand has always been more tolerant of neighbors' payment methods, "If you really don't have enough, you can take a look at your home's specialties."

"Really? That's great. Our family has a shop in the Southern Marquis Territory, which can be mortgaged to you." After Kevin said it, he saw Rand's eyes looking like a fool, so he quickly changed his words, "I mean, we My shop can directly buy food from the south, I heard that you need a lot of food, my lord?"

"I really need it. I don't know what kind of price you and the Viscount Elk can give you, the knight?"

The two young men reached an agreement in principle. The rest of the specific agreement depends on the negotiation between the caravans. Rand was very curious about how the elk family could pay for the business worth 3000 gold coins with food.

"The food can be delivered to you in installments." Kevin was very grateful for Rand being able to loan his horses and armor. "Your territory does not only need food this year, our family can deliver old food to you every year."

"The grain of 3000 gold coins is not a small amount. Even if the elk marquis in the south is as good as your family, their old grain is not in vain." Rand has never learned about the planting situation in the south, so he wants Kevin to tell him more speak.

"My lord, I'm afraid you don't know how much the southern nobles are willing to clear their stocks when a large amount of new grain is harvested."

"Even so, a large amount of grain is still a lot of money." At this time, Rand suddenly had a new question, "And why would they rather deal with last year's old grain at a lower price than reduce grain production?"

"Ha, it seems that you have never been to the southern territory. Food production in the south is not only due to the suitable climate and the help of the elves. Every year, the empire will also give a lot of paving, including magical subsidies for seeds, plots and large magic circles. Because of these subsidies, the fields in the south can produce three seasons of grain a year. Every season is a bumper harvest." Kevin found Rand's point of interest, so he quickly introduced it.

"You mean grain subsidies?" Rand seemed to hear a vocabulary only in his hometown.

"Yes, the landowners hired people to cultivate, cast spells, and build magic facilities for the food in the south. The local nobles bought it and sold it to the entire empire. The whole process is very similar to your family's salt business. There are strict requirements, just to ensure that everyone can eat enough."

"Whether it's a farmer who works, a mage who maintains the Harvest Circle, a land owner, or an aristocrat who manages the entire grain production, they can all get subsidies based on the yield per mu. On the contrary, if the grain harvest fails, or someone deliberately hoards grain, not only can't get it If you get the subsidy, you have to accept the fine from the Imperial Grain Department.”

"So the nobles will not take the initiative to increase food prices by reducing production, but earn food subsidies by increasing production." Kevin described a very professional division of labor for grain production for Rand, in which from farm laborers to nobles, They are all just executors of the empire's food policy.

"My God, if there is too much food and no place to put it, wouldn't it lead to waste?"

"It's possible. It is said that the Grain Department also has a department that provides subsidies to nobles who destroy old grains. It is next to the department that distributes grain subsidies."

. . . . .

Early the next morning, Rand met Dugan from Dragon Tooth City. He brought Rand two magic rings of magic grains and monster meat. Rand asked Duggan to help customize 40 sets in the capital. High-magnification crystal telescopes, these telescopes with 2-3 runes can greatly increase the multiplier of long-distance viewing.

Rand bought a new magic ring, which will be used for carrying supplies when his confidant travels in the future. At the same time, he also sent two hand-held magic mirrors for the two caravans from Rotor to Maned Wolf, and from Rotor to Wangdu. communication.

Rand had a meal with Dugan at noon, and asked Dugan to verify the authenticity of the purple potion.

"This potion is of good quality. It should be the purple clover that can only be found in the Frostwolf Forest." Dugan is well-informed and can recognize the potion whenever he sees it. Almost, potion is only one aspect, and the use of magic power is the key."

"Approximately how many bottles can be used to upgrade a junior monster to an intermediate level?"

"It's hard to say, the bloodline of the monster and its own state are both affected." Dugan looked at the lord in front of him and said, "If it's your black-scaled horse, I guess it can be upgraded within 100 bottles, but I want Just to remind you, mid-level monsters are equivalent to mid-level professionals, and generally only high-level knights or great knights can control them."

What Dugan means is that although high-level professionals can control intermediate-level monsters, they may not necessarily look up to them; intermediate and advanced professionals may not be able to control intermediate-level monsters.

"I know it well," Rand was anxious to upgrade Agni, not only as his mount, but more importantly, to improve the quality of his black-scaled horse population, so there is no need to hesitate, and he took out the blueprint of the connecting rod, "Look Is there any place in Wangdu that can do this, if it’s not possible, you can go to the imperial capital to buy it.”

(End of this chapter)