In the early morning, the City Lord's Mansion of Clover City.
Ron pushed away the strange woman who was wrapped in a sheet, his eyes flicked across her exposed white skin, but he didn't stop.
But the woman seemed to be a little bit unsatisfied, so she entangled her coquettishly.
Ding.
It wasn't until Ron threw a few silver coins over that the woman stopped pestering her, put on her clothes with a smile, and left the room.
Ron rubbed his slightly swollen head, put on his nightgown and came to the French window in the bedroom, and pulled open the huge curtains forcefully.
The sun was shining outside the window, and it was another beautiful morning.
Unfortunately, Ron couldn't be in a good mood.
It has been almost half a year since being appointed by Queen Aisha as the lord of Clover City, and Ron's enthusiasm has been extinguished by the cold reality.
Originally, he thought this was an opportunity to revitalize the Rutte family, but now it seems that this place is simply a bottomless pit.
This huge pit has swallowed almost all of Ron's enthusiasm and hope, and perhaps will continue to swallow the glory and even inheritance of the Rutte family.
In the past, even if the Rutte family had been deprived of their title by Queen Aisha because of their participation in the Savoy family's rebellion, Ron would not touch those dirty and lowly commoner women.
But now, Ron has given up on himself.
Even if the noble blood of the Rutte family is allowed to flow out to those lowly civilians, it is better than cutting it off.
Boom.
The door was knocked lightly twice, and Ron responded lightly.
Immediately, an elderly maid came in with an aristocratic dress and began to dress Ron.
The maid's actions were a bit rude, and Ron frowned, but he didn't say much.
The current situation of the Rutte family can no longer support a young, beautiful and ingenious maid. Ron is worried that if he scolds the maid in front of him away again, no one will help him dress in the future.
Just as Ron was enduring the rough hands of the maid, there was another knock on the door.
Afterwards, I saw my son Jason strode in and reported:
"Father, a caravan from the north entered Clover City last night."
"Caravan? From the north?"
"Yes."
Ron frowned tightly, as if he couldn't believe that a caravan dared to come to Clover City.
You must know that Clover City, as a "chaotic city" sandwiched between the northern border, eastern border, and half-elf kingdom, has always been a paradise for criminals.
Therefore, although its geographical location is very superior and it is suitable as a transit point for cross-border trade, as long as it is a businessman with a normal mind, he will not choose to pass through here.
Could it be some stunned young man who didn't know the situation of Clover City at all, so he rushed in rashly
"Which chamber of commerce are they from? How many people are there?"
"This caravan did not display a banner, so I don't know which chamber of commerce they belong to. However, the number of their caravan is not large, there are only about ten people, and there is also an unknown mercenary team escorting them. Not even a hundred people."
It's really a bit of a stunned head.
Ron secretly thought that such a small number of people dare to do cross-border trade. Even if they don't go to Clover City, they will probably be targeted by bandits on the chaotic border.
"Forget it, don't worry about them." Ron waved his hand casually, already treating this caravan as dead in his heart.
Jason hesitated for a moment, but still reminded: "Father, do you still remember the information on the northern border we just obtained?"
"What information?"
"It is the Northern Foreign Trade Company established by Earl Angelet. According to the order issued by the Duke of St. Hilde, only this company can carry out foreign trade in the Northern Territory."
Hearing this, Ron reacted.
It turned out that this was a smuggling caravan!
No wonder they didn't play the banner, and it's no wonder they wanted to go to Clover City.
Only in this chaotic city can they escape the search of the northern border patrol and conduct foreign trade privately.
Seeing the change of his father's face, Jason suggested: "Father, we should send someone to control this caravan, find out who is behind them, and then escort them to Silvermoon City. In this way, Queen Aisha You and Earl Angelet will definitely be very satisfied, and the support you have always wanted may be available."
Ron listened to his son's suggestion, not only was not moved, but frowned.
After thinking for a while, he slowly opened his mouth and asked, "Do you think a small smuggling caravan can be exchanged for the support of Queen Aisha or Earl Angelet to Clover City?"
Jason was at a loss for words.
In fact, he also understood the embarrassing situation in Clover City, and knew that neither Earl Angelet nor Queen Aisha would really send troops into the city to help the Rutte family under the current circumstances.
A small smuggling caravan obviously cannot change the overall situation.
"There's nothing wrong with trying..." Jason said unwillingly.
Ron shook his head, with a sly look in his eyes, and said, "No, we shouldn't catch this caravan, but instead let them pass through Clover City, and even secretly provide a little convenience."
"Why?" Jason obviously didn't follow his father's train of thought, and was suddenly a little dumbfounded.
"It's useless even if you capture a small smuggling caravan. Queen Aisha and Earl Angelet may reward you with some insignificant things, but they will never send a large army to Clover City.
But what if Clover City becomes a 'sacred place for smuggling' between the northern border and the outside world? "
Jason's eyes lit up, he finally came to his senses, and immediately said: "Then Earl Angelet will never sit idly by!"
"That's right." Ron nodded with a smile, and said complacently, "Northern Foreign Trade Company involves so many interests, if these smuggling caravans are allowed to gather in Clover City and continue to poach the corner of this company, damage The majesty of the Saint Hilde family, hehe, will Earl Angelet be able to hold back Clover City by then?"
Jason also became excited, and seemed to see the prosperity of Clover City after it became a "smuggling holy land", but then he asked with a little worry:
"But father, if we just sit back and watch the smuggling caravan go unimpeded in Clover City, will Count Angelet blame the Rutte family for this?"
"What can we do?" Ron spread his hands and said with a smile, "Although I am the owner of Clover City in name, everyone knows that the real owner of this city is someone else, even Count Angelet If we blame it, we also have reasons to shirk our responsibility."
Jason nodded and agreed, "Okay, father, I'll send someone to keep an eye on the caravan right now, so that no one with a good eye can touch them."
But Ron stopped his son, and asked with a sneer, "If the members of the Clover Brotherhood really want to move that caravan, can you keep them?"
Jason froze in place for a moment.
Although he doesn't want to admit it, the current order of Clover City is indeed in the hands of the Clover Brotherhood, and the "official force" of the Rutte family can't cover the scene.
"Then... what should we do?" Jason asked a little depressed.
"We don't need to do anything." Ron said lightly, seeing his son's puzzled face, he asked, "Where do you think the destination of this caravan is?"
If you come to Clover City from the north, you can only go to the half-elf kingdom or the east, but Jason rolled his eyes and instantly understood what his father meant, and immediately said:
"They should be going to the East!"
"That's right." Ron nodded and smiled, "So, as long as this caravan is not stupid, they must have already greeted the East Territory. Since they dared to leave Clover City, it means that Clover Brotherhood should also close in advance. When you get the information, at most you can charge them some tolls, and you won't really touch them..."
Boom boom boom.
At this moment, the door was knocked again.
Ron responded, and then saw his sheriff walk in, reporting:
"My lord, a businessman came to report just now."
Ron's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked, "Is it the person from the caravan that entered the city last night?"
"Yes."
"What case did they report?"
"They said that the important things in the caravan were stolen last night!"
(end of this chapter)