Volume 6: Helping the World Chapter 166 Routine
"Leo Silvester?" Primo, as the director of the Adventurer's Association branch in Elf Port, naturally knew this plains elf. He smiled and walked out of the teleportation array. "You are back to Elliot. Then we have to shamelessly trouble you."
"President Primo." Leo quickly retracted his gaze. "It's not a big deal. The Snow Wolf Tribe is a friend of the Bards Guild. This is what I should do. Um, may I ask...?"
Xiao Yun endured the dizziness and walked out, extending his hand: "Hello, Sylvester, I'm Ayun."
"Mr. Ayun." Leo's expression became serious, and he stepped forward and shook hands solemnly with Xiao Yun. "I have wanted to meet you in person for a long time, Mr. Ayun. This time your tribe has come to the Oriot Palace, please allow me to show my hospitality as a host."
He glanced at the other snow werewolves including Ayun from the corner of his eye. Hmm... Fortunately, only that snow werewolf was an outlier. The others were quite normal - wait? !
Leo stared at Balk who appeared from behind Xiao Yun as if he had seen a ghost, his mouth slightly open and his expression dull.
Balk, who is not as handsome as Dahe and not as cute as the cats, is not very conspicuous in the team of snow werewolves and cats, but his green hair is too pure - the only ones with green hair are green dragons, besides forest elves and fairies. He doesn't have pointed ears and his body shape is very normal. Most importantly, he doesn't wear a robe but a flashy spider silk robe (the standard robe for spellcasters is a very cool thing), it's hard not for Leo to think too much...
"We have never been to the Southern Continent, and we have no idea how to get from Elliot Palace to St. Bridge. Just as President Primo said, we are shamelessly coming to trouble you." Xiao Yun smiled and pulled Balk, "This is Balk, a guest in our tribe, a friend of our Snow Wolf Clan."
Leo: “Hmm…”
Balk frowned: "What are you looking at?"
Xiao Yun turned his head and looked at him expressionlessly, his eyes clearly showing "Why are you so childish? How can dad trust you?"
"..." Balk's dead eyes, "Just look around."
"Ha, ha, ha." Leo laughed stiffly, "Mr. Ayun, everyone, please follow me."
Leo turned sideways and made an invitation gesture. Just as he raised his foot, he saw a cat with snow-white skin, short silver-white curly hair, and droopy eyes like a ball of gray-blue mist instead of vertical pupils like ordinary cats approaching Balk. He lazily said to the suspected dragon: "I told you to change your hair color a long time ago, or pretend to have ears like ours. You will be regarded as a freak in Ananas. Don't you feel tired?"
"Why should I, Uncle Balke, care about what others think?" Balke puffed out his chest.
"It will be very troublesome~" Rosemary drawled out the tone.
Balk shook his head: "No."
"..." Leo silently turned his gaze to the front. No matter whether it was a dragon or not, it had nothing to do with him.
Coming out of the closed teleportation point, as soon as the door opened, everyone from the North opened their mouths in surprise - at this time of year on the grassland, the outside world was covered in silver and ice for thousands of miles, it was spectacular, but also really cold; while in Elliot Palace in the southeast of the southern continent, not only was there no snow at all, the temperature was very warm, the sun could be seen, and the flowers and trees as far as the eye could see were all growing extremely luxuriantly.
The comparison is that the three northeastern provinces are covered with heavy snow, while Guangzhou or Kunming, where people can still wear light clothing during the same period...
"The further south you go, the warmer it gets. Elliot Palace is in the southern part of the southern continent, so the climate is quite different from that on the grassland, right?" Leo said with a smile. Bloomfield is more than three times larger than his hometown, Bradrick, with a large area span and a significant north-south gap. It is really hard for people who have rarely left their hometown to understand that while they are hiding in their houses and shivering in blankets, there are still people in other places on the same continent wearing single clothes or even short sleeves and going out.
"It's normal for there to be such a big difference between the two climate zones." Xiao Yunding was not shocked at all. He said to the others, "Take off your coats. You only need to wear one layer here."
Then I saw this group of people (except for the suspected dragon tribe) taking off their thick fur coats and stuffing them neatly and skillfully into their backpacks, revealing the same style of sun cloth uniforms underneath...
Leo: "..." Are you prepared for this?
Xiao Yun added: "We hope to get to St. Bridge as soon as possible. Can Sylvester arrange a guide for us?"
"Oh, of course." Leo bowed slightly, "Please come this way."
The interior layout of the Bards' Guild's headquarters is like an extremely refined and elegant manor. Apart from the teleportation point with strict security measures (it seems that the local people are very aware of guarding against enemy surprise attacks using teleportation arrays), what you see in front of you is a courtyard full of flowers and green grass.
Carefully cultivated flowers of various colors are distributed on both sides of the cobblestone path. Not far away is a tree wall with red maples and ginkgo trees alternating, forming a natural barrier. Behind the tree wall, a wider courtyard space can be vaguely seen, and the sound of fountains can be heard. Above the tree wall is a building complex with silver-gray as the main body.
After walking along the not-too-long flowery path, we came to a courtyard corridor in the shape of a covered bridge. At the end of the corridor was a large house, with pavilions and benches on both sides for people to rest. At a glance, we could see many bards and rangers of various races.
These well-informed bards were not surprised by the sudden appearance of the snow werewolves and cats. Some of them just took a look and nodded and walked away to do their own things, while others were so absorbed in chatting or the world in books that they didn't even notice the outsiders passing by.
To be honest, Xiao Yun was a little surprised by this environment. Rather than looking like a wealthy and active civilian organization (a black gang), the headquarters of this bard looked more like a university town or a gathering place for academic enthusiasts...
"Recently, a lot of giant historical texts have been circulated from Bradrick Continent. The headquarters has opened them to the public, attracting many people to come back and take a look." Leo said with a little pride, "Unfortunately, these texts written in the ancient giant language have been eroded and damaged by time. Even with the combined efforts of the headquarters, it is difficult to translate them completely, so they cannot be published in the travel notes for the time being."
Xiao Yun: "..." I understand. You just look like young people who love traveling and music, but in fact, you are young people who really love archaeology and literature...
After walking through the courtyard corridor and entering the big house, the lobby of this headquarters gives people a stronger literary atmosphere - it is better to say that this place is a library than a lobby. Both sides are full of tall bookcases filled with books and reaching the ceiling. Countless literary youths wander around and linger. The enthusiasm is just like the university study room before the final exam...
Leo made a "hush" gesture to the guests, and led Xiao Yun and others through the library with a strong academic atmosphere. They walked along a section of the indoor corridor and finally came to a place that looked more like a hall: most of the bards who appeared here were armed, and among the people sitting on the sofas on both sides of the hall there were also businessmen who were suspected to be customers, noble butlers and the like; there was a window department similar to a counter on the east side, and many people were queuing there, and no one knew what they were doing; on the west wall were many paper scrolls covered with text, and more people crowded there to watch and discuss, and occasionally someone came forward to take down a scroll and moved it to the window department on the east side to queue up.
Noticing Xiao Yun curiously looking at the west wall, Leo introduced enthusiastically: "That's where the headquarters issues missions. Our Bards Association has a good reputation that is no less than that of the Hunters Association. If you want to transport valuable goods, escort important people, or hire highly educated history teachers, then you've come to the right place by looking for our Bards Association."
"I see." Xiao Yun nodded. No wonder the Bards Association was so wealthy. They exclusively published and distributed the most popular monthly magazine on the continent, had an exclusive express delivery business, and could also work part-time as a tutor... It would be unfair if they couldn't make money.
"General Crest wants to entrust us, but the Snow Wolf Tribe is a friend of our Bards Association. How can this be considered an entrustment?" Leo smiled confidently. "To get to St. Bridge from Elliot Palace, you only need to pass through the Kingdom of Holmes. There happens to be an excellent ranger at the headquarters who is going to St. Bridge. Please allow me to introduce this ranger to you as a guide. Mr. Ayun, I can guarantee that there is no one more suitable than this ranger."
"Since Sylvester has said so, we naturally have no objection." Xiao Yun responded with a smile. This guy means that he won't take the money, which is of course very safe~
"Please come this way."
Leo led the group into a room similar to a VIP room, where a beautiful human lady served as a "private room waitress". After instructing the receptionist to take good care of the guests, the plains elf apologized and left in a hurry... The Kingdom of Holmes was fighting a territorial war, and it was not easy to get through safely. To invite the ranger, Leo's face alone was not enough, and someone with a say in the headquarters had to speak.
As soon as Leo left, Primo moved closer to Xiao Yun and whispered, "It seems that the rumors are true. The Kingdom of Holmes has not been peaceful recently... otherwise Leo would not have found someone else."
Xiao Yun nodded. The Kingdom of Holmes was one of the six southern countries. After Carlisle spread the news, various countries boarded St. Bridget's ship one after another. However, these countries were not united. The people in power made such decisions at the national policy level. No matter whether it was good for the country or not, it was a good excuse for the "opposition party" to make trouble.
Otherwise, why do we say that people who play politics have dirty hearts? As the saying goes, the head follows the butt. As long as it benefits themselves and sacrifices national interests, how many politicians can take it seriously?
Elliot Palace is a neutral city-state with a small land area and a small population. Except for agriculture, which can barely be self-sufficient, most of the daily necessities are imported from several neighboring countries. If the neighboring countries are at war, the prices of goods in Elliot Palace will be affected, so this city-state must pay more attention to the domestic situation of the neighboring countries... Not to mention the Bards Association, a vibrant civilian group with a high turnover rate. They may know the situation of the neighboring Kingdom of Holmes better than the royal family of the Kingdom of Holmes.
"According to the intelligence Carlisle found out himself, at the latest, before the summer monsoon arrives, the Federation's army will launch an exploratory attack on the six southern countries." Xiao Yun narrowed his eyes slightly, "But there is no specific information yet on whether they will attack from Holmes or take the sea route and attack Saint Bridge directly. Now that Holmes Kingdom is in chaos, it seems like... they have opened their doors."
Primo was stunned. This traveler with the title of God of War did not like fighting, but at least he had seen enough "pigs running" and was a little horrified at the time: "Could this be?"
"Not sure." Xiao Yun shook his head slowly. "But if the opposition forces in Holmes want to sell the country for a good price, the alliance of the six southern countries is their last chance... The six countries are naturally close in geopolitics, with twin-like domestic political forms and economic development directions (similar to Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia). If they can reach a consensus on policies and advance and retreat together, the royal families of the six countries will inevitably form a more reliable alliance than the Northern Federation. At that time, the opposition forces will have even less chance."
Why are the six southern countries always mentioned together? It is because these countries are indeed very similar. The majority of their national fiscal revenue is based on the spice industry in tropical climates. In order to ensure the income from cash crops and national land sovereignty, they have evolved from the feudal land power division system to a lame feudal power division system.
Why do we say that this feudal power system is a lame system? Because the six southern countries only completed the recovery of land power, but did not complete the concentration of power. In the backward political form that lacks more dynamic channels for the lower classes to rise and cannot replenish fresh blood for the upper classes, the middle-level power is still firmly grasped by the aristocracy. The royal family cannot rule the world together with the more mobile and controllable "literati", but can only rule the world together with the aristocrats whose bloodline is the most important political capital. In such a situation, if you want to highly centralize power, you are really thinking too much...
Even in ancient China, it was after the Zhou Emperor that the Qin, Han, Three Kingdoms, Eastern Jin, Sixteen Kingdoms, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui, and Tang dynasties were set up. The emperors of many generations of regimes intentionally or unintentionally repeatedly attacked the feudal aristocratic families, and the most complete imperial examination system appeared in the Song Dynasty... It can be said that there was no more hardship. (The selection of filial and honest people in the Han Dynasty was basically a game of aristocratic families. The imperial examination system in the Tang Dynasty was still influenced by external factors and did not have the more complete independence of the later Song Dynasty. If a time traveler who takes the route of white-collar counterattack travels back to before the Song Dynasty, emmmm...)
Xiao Yun's series of guidance and support for Carlisle was fundamentally aimed at establishing a safe and reliable retreat for the Snow Wolf Clan. However, the Snow Wolf Clan did not retreat to live a life of idleness in the territory of his disciples . Xiao Yun still wanted the Snow Wolf Clan to rise and revive, so the barrier that could not be bypassed was the local nobles - looking at the harvest of the common people by the noble families in the feudal era of China (such as the Confucius Mansion), you can see that these guys have no moral integrity and do not care about the manners of eating. If Xiao Yun can have even a little confidence in the local nobles, then he is crazy.
But if you tell a prince of a country that you are going to exterminate the nobles, no matter how kind Carlisle is, you, the teacher, will be the first person to be killed... Everyone has to consider their own buttocks. In front of the buttocks, the status of master and apprentice is nothing.
Therefore, Xiao Yun had no choice but to save the country in a roundabout way, avoiding the controversial issue of whether the aristocracy had any meaning of existence, and adopting a series of "gentle" means to win over a group of nobles to gain royal power, and then using the power at hand to unite the royal families of the other five countries, so as to achieve the goal of maximizing the royal power without engaging in direct conflict with the aristocracy.
This is how the old bitch plays, ahem…
It took Carlisle more than three years to complete the policy of winning over and dividing the nobles in St. Bridget. At present, it seems that as long as Carlisle himself does not commit suicide, the nobles under his command will not cause any trouble; but obviously, the other five countries are not as scheming as him in managing their own pies well. When the nobles find that their seats are threatened, their fangs are about to be exposed.
Primo took some time to figure out what Xiao Yun said, and the expression on his face suddenly became very complicated... He was obviously the human being, but Ayun, the snow werewolf, could see the conflicts among humans more clearly than he could.
"The kingdom of the God of Knowledge that you have visited is really fascinating, Ayun. I wish I could have the chance to go there too." Primo said with emotion.
Xiao Yun... Xiao Yun silently turned his head away. He didn't feel anything when he was telling such a big lie, but now he feels so ashamed when he hears it.
Balk, who was bickering with Rosemary, vaguely heard half of what was said and looked over blankly: "Ayun believes in the goddess of knowledge? Why haven't I seen you make a statue of the goddess of knowledge?"
"That one is unhappy that believers have made a statue of her," Primo said.
"What's the matter, Ayun, just make another statue and let us see~" Balk said.
"Shut up. If you keep talking I'll find a chance to smash all your goddess statues." Xiao Yun scolded.
Balk stopped talking immediately.
"Balke, I've always heard you brag about your many statues of the Goddess of Life. When will you bring them out to let me open my eyes?" Primo said teasingly.
Balk looked up and said, "You said you wanted to see it, so I'll show it to you?"
Rosemary smiled slightly and said maliciously, "The last time Balk showed off the goddess statue, it was snatched away by Austin. He was so angry. After that, he dared not let others see his beloved goddess statue. What will happen if it is snatched away again?"
Balk knew that the snow leopard was trying to provoke him, but he just couldn't stand the provocation. With an unhappy look on his face, he took out his most treasured, life-size bust and held it high with both hands: "Open your eyes and take a good look. Master Balk is not always so generous!"
Rosemary gave a thumbs up with both hands: "As expected of Balk, so heroic!"
"Of course!" Balk handed the statue of the goddess to Primo with his nose in the air, seemingly generous but actually painful, and pretended to be indifferent, "Take it and look at it at will."
Primo held back his laughter and took the statue of the goddess to examine it carefully. It was indeed exquisite and full of charm, especially the lively face of the goddess. The spirit of the goddess moved him and he could not help but praise: "This is different from the statue of the goddess of life that I have seen before, but I have to say that this statue has more connotations of the goddess of life. It is so beautiful and full of vitality."
Balke was so proud that he resisted the urge to reach out and snatch the statue back. He stared at Primo with a look that said "keep praising, praise more"...
Primo was just about to continue flattering the guests when the door of the VIP room was suddenly pushed open with a bang. The receptionist standing at the door rolled into the room in a panic, holding her head with one hand and her stomach with the other, and she couldn't get up for a long time.
Everyone in the room: “?!”
The grassroots chief who was sitting closer to the door quickly stood up to support the human lady. Before she could get close, several guys with fierce faces rushed in. The leader seemed to dislike the receptionist who was lying at the door blocking the way and kicked him without any hesitation.
"What are you doing!!" The Grassroots Chief was furious and put his long legs in front of the receptionist. With a dull "bang", the guy's big foot kicked the Grassroots Chief's calf, which was not much harder than stone.
The grassroots leader didn't react at all, but the guy who kicked him was in so much pain that his facial features twisted...
The grassroots chief bent down and picked up the receptionist who was curled up and twitching on the ground. He glared at the grinning, frightened and angry guy, stepped back sideways and looked at Xiao Yun.
It was because the grassroots chief stepped aside to make room that the guys who had rushed in fiercely saw the situation inside the house. Everyone's face changed a little... What's going on?! There are so many burly men in this house?! (Adult Snow Werewolf x6)
Xiao Yun stood up expressionlessly and spread his hands: "Explain?"
The sturdy man, who was wincing in pain, froze and looked behind him in embarrassment.
In the "attention of all", a nobleman with slicked back hair, long and curly nail covers, and dressed like a jewelry display stand walked in with a splayed step: "Let this viscount see where the 'distinguished guest' came from to occupy this viscount's private VIP room——"
Then the nobleman who called himself Viscount got stuck. Apparently, the unfriendly looks from the burly men in the room gave the nobleman a little fright.
After seeing clearly that these burly men were all foreigners, the noble lord's expression returned to normal. His gaze paused on Primo first, then turned to Balke, who was dressed the best. He instantly confirmed that this was his "master". He immediately put his hands together , held his chest high, and tilted his head so that his nose hair could be clearly seen. He said arrogantly: "Viscount Colbert of the Kingdom of Holmes sends his greetings to you, sir."
Balk sneered and slowly opened his mouth.
"Fuck!" Xiao Yun and Qing Yan attacked at the same time, and the two of them quickly and tightly covered Balke's mouth... Uncle Green Dragon doesn't care about your background or your family background, you should learn a lesson from Long Yan as soon as he appears!
Uninvited visitors: “???”
"Balke, don't forget what you promised!" Xiao Yun said seriously.
Balke shook his head and tried to break free, glared at Xiao Yun unhappily, then sat back with a snort.
"Your Excellency... Viscount, we are just waiting for someone here and will leave soon. We don't know each other and will never have any intersection in the future. I think there is no need for dispute between us. What do you think?" Xiao Yun then turned to the visitor and spoke as politely as possible.
Viscount Colbert completely ignored Xiao Yun, who was obviously a foreigner. He first looked at Balke who sat back in surprise, then shifted his gaze to Primo who had been sitting there without moving. Suddenly his eyes lit up - he had not paid attention just now, but now he noticed that this old guy was holding an extremely exquisite work of art in his hand, which was so expensive that one could tell without a close look!
The noble lord once again carefully looked at everyone in the room one by one: a large group of foreigners, a young nobleman whom he had never seen before, who seemed to have no dignity and was controlled by his subordinates, and an old man who was not good-looking and was probably a butler... This wave is stable!
Xiao Yun was about to shout to chase him away when he saw the guy retreating swiftly. His agility was simply astonishing. Before Xiao Yun could figure out what was going on, he heard the guy shouting outside: "Someone come! This Viscount has discovered the thieves who stole the treasures of the Colbert family!!"
The nobles blocking the door understood what was going on and retreated, blocking the door from the outside, all shouting to build momentum for their masters...
Xiao Yun: “…”
Primo: “…”
Snow Wolf Tribe & Cat Tribe: "..."
Balk said unhappily: "Why did you stop me just now? Why not just spray them to death?"
Xiao Yun: “…” Damn, I know the nobles are very cunning, but I still underestimated the bottom line of these guys!
