The peaceful town of Fuel hides an unimaginable crisis behind it.
The next day, Arthur had just gotten up when Mayor Larking, who had not slept well the previous night, came to visit again, and brought a bunch of gifts and local specialties.
Before Arthur could speak, Larking took the initiative to explain: "Earl Milne is your neighbor. You must visit him out of courtesy. I prepared some gifts for you in advance."
It must be said that larking is indeed a talent in terms of human relations.
Arthur just glanced at the gifts behind Larking and said lightly: "Where is the tax increase list I asked you to prepare?"
Larking was stunned. He thought Arthur was just joking last night, but he didn't expect that his lord was actually going to settle accounts with Earl Milne.
Larking hesitated for a moment, then continued to persuade: "My Lord Viscount, I think we should forget about the previous matter. I heard that the Earl of Milne's family belongs to the side branch of Grand Duke Palmer. If the conflict is really made public, I'm afraid it will not end well later."
Arthur smiled. Now he finally understood why Earl of Milne targeted him. It turned out that he was implicated by this guy, Dino.
Dino is now a popular figure in the Frost Thunder Corps. Not only does he control the logistics of the army and the corps, but after obtaining the Nanjing, his old injuries have been completely healed and his fighting spirit has broken through. He is already an eleventh-level warrior. The weak scholar in the eyes of the people is now the strongest person under Grand Duke Palmer of the Frost Thunder Corps, and has become the most powerful candidate for the next legion commander.
Dino's popularity naturally caused great dissatisfaction among the original vested interest forces headed by the eldest son Edmond, so they did a lot of tricks behind the scenes.
Because of his appearance in the last transport convoy robbery, the relationship between Arthur and Hero is no longer a secret. Earl Milne intends to target him, and I am afraid that the real target is still Hero.
Thinking of this, Arthur sneered, "Take all the gifts back, and prepare the list as soon as possible. I want to settle this account with Earl Milne."
Larking was kind and hoped that his lord would not provoke Grand Duke Palmer, one of the most prominent nobles in the kingdom, but he did not expect the result to be counterproductive, so he had to retreat in disgrace.
After breakfast, Arthur called Jose and the soldiers who accompanied him this time, and asked Larking to arrange a guide and left the town hall.
Arthur had no purpose for this trip. He just strolled around his territory, looked at the people's customs and products, and chose a suitable address for his future viscount's mansion.
After walking through two nearby villages in the morning, Arthur was in a good mood. Although the residents of the territory are not rich, they have enough food and clothing, and there are few bandits. It seems that the mayor Larking is doing his best in daily governance.
Arthur also took a tour of the iron mine on the mountain. The mine also belongs to Arthur's private property. There is only one mine pit still in operation on the mountain, and there are not many miners. After the tariff is imposed, the sales of ore have indeed been greatly affected.
The unexpected gain is that Arthur is quite satisfied with the environment of this small mine called "Dragon Ridge". The mountains are densely wooded, the environment is quiet, and the rocks are hard. There is no need to worry about the danger of natural disasters such as mudslides and landslides.
Arthur has planned to build the Viscount's Mansion under the "Dragon Ridge". Many nobles like to build castles and mansions in the center of the town, but Arthur has too many secrets and hopes to avoid the eyes and ears of outsiders. What's more, the mansion is built on the mountain, and Arthur also plans to open up the mine to build an underground secret room or secret passage.
It was past noon when they returned to the town after this trip. Arthur led the hungry crowd to the largest tavern in the town, intending to reward his brothers.
Arthur pushed the door and entered the tavern, and a noisy sound of beating and scolding came to his face.
I saw that three or four tables in the middle of the tavern had been overturned, and five or six men dressed as warriors were beating two people lying on the ground. Several maids in the tavern were so scared that they hid in the corner and dared not come forward.
In addition to the men who started the fight, there were five people standing around in the tavern, hugging their shoulders and watching the excitement. Surrounded by the crowd was a young man in brocade clothes. The man was thin and pale, and his face showed an almost morbid paleness, and a pair of narrow and long drunken eyes were almost blurred.
"The one in the middle is Earl Milne's third son, One tans, and the one beaten on the ground is the owner and waiter of the tavern. It seems that the third son drank too much again today." The guide beside him whispered to Arthur.
Arthur frowned, "Jose."
Jose understood and shouted, "Stop, stop fighting."
But the men who started the fight didn't take Jose seriously at all, and continued to punch and kick the two men on the ground.
Jose stepped forward and kicked the two men on the outermost edge. The rest of the people stopped, but surrounded Jose with a covetous look.
"Who are you? How dare you meddle in the Milne family's affairs." One tans looked at Arthur with a haughty look. Although it was Jose who started the fight, he had already seen that Arthur was the leader of the people who had just come in.
"This is our Lord of Fuel Town, Viscount Jiang Arthur." The guide on the side hurriedly stepped forward to introduce.
"Oh, you are that Arthur? I will teach your people a lesson for you and tell them to learn to respect nobles when they meet them in the future." One tans still looked at Arthur with a disdainful look.
"Yes, I am the Arthur. Now that you are in my territory, come and salute me." Arthur said lightly.
"My father is Earl Milne. Why should I salute you, a viscount?"
"Your father is an earl, but you are not. Didn't your earl father tell you? You have to salute when you meet a noble with a higher title than you, otherwise it is disrespectful." Arthur actually used the nobles' tricks to deal with One tans.
One tans was choked with anger for a moment, and said angrily: "Let me salute you, a bumpkin, you are not worthy! Let's go!"
One tans was ready to leave after saying that.
Arthur sneered, "My viscountcy is not your earl's mansion. Today, I will teach you what it means to respect nobles on behalf of Milne. Jose, take him down."
"Arthur, dare you touch me?"
One tans was still shouting, and Jose and his soldiers had already pounced on him like wolves and tigers.
The ten guards brought by One tans were only capable of bullying the common people. When they met Arthur's killers who came down from the battlefield, they were all knocked to the ground in just one encounter.
The soldiers had long looked down on this pretentious noble boy. After knocking him down, they beat up his guards and One tans together, making One tans swollen and wailing.
"Captain, what should we do?" Jose asked after beating him to his heart's content.
Arthur sneered, "I was originally planning to go to Milne's Earl's Mansion to settle accounts with him, but I didn't expect his son to come here on his own initiative. Then let him come to see me. Pick a messenger and send him back, and strip the rest of them with their shirts off and tie them up in a row outside the bar. Let the nearby nobles and robbers know that my Arthur's Viscount is not a place to run wild."
Arthur, who was never afraid of big things, provoked a dispute among nobles when he first arrived at the territory.