The tables against the wall were not really placed against the edge, so people could sit in all four directions. The lunch for the professor and the other two had not been served yet, so they started talking after Shade had ordered his own lunch.
"I never expected to meet you again, Mr. Watson."
Professor Boulanger seemed very enthusiastic, but the two young students seemed a little dull:
"After I met you last time, I added what you said about the natural and cultural environment of the Pantanal region to my next paper. After the negotiations between the two countries are over, I am thinking of going to the Pantanal for investigation. There must be a lot of mineral veins there."
"Then I wish you success, Professor."
Xia De raised his glass and said that he really enjoyed dealing with such scholars:
"I haven't heard of anyone conducting any serious research in the Pantanal region for so many years. Recently, both countries have planned to develop the swamps, and those areas that were previously prohibited from entering are now allowed to enter, which is why we have the opportunity now. Professor, seize this opportunity, and you will definitely become famous."
“Academic research is not about seeking fame, but if it can bring fame, that’s certainly good.”
The professor spoke modestly, and talked with Shade about the local weather conditions for a while. There was only a small rain in the Green Lake area this spring, and Professor Boulanger thought that it would probably rain continuously starting next week.
After the drinks and food were served, Xia De finally asked:
"Professor, you came to see that rotten-eyed Barry. Are you looking for someone? I've been investigating some interesting things recently. If I can find any results, my next book will be a detective novel."
"Like Hamilton's Detective Stories? Then you must send me a copy. I love detective stories. But I'm not looking for anyone. I'm conducting a geological survey. On the Carsenrick side, there is a document issued by the college. As long as I take it out, no one will stop me anywhere. But on the Delarion side, there are some private territories that we are not allowed to enter. I spent a lot of effort asking people, and only then did I know that the rotten-eyed Barry actually owned a large piece of his own land along the lake. He agreed to let me go in and collect some soil samples, but that man was really vulgar."
Professor Boulanger said with some dissatisfaction, not knowing what kind of questioning he had just received:
"Mr. Watson, I heard you say just now that you are still friends with Bad-Eye Barry?"
"No, no, I don't know this kind of person. He's my friend, an army captain. You know, no matter how powerful a local person is, he wouldn't dare to go against the officers, especially since this is a border area."
Xia De said, and Professor Boulanger nodded in agreement:
"That's right. In that case, I feel a little embarrassed to say it..."
He smiled awkwardly:
"If it's convenient, could you introduce me to your officer friend? I've been in Delarion on the north shore of Green Lake recently and I've felt a little dangerous. It would be great if your officer friend could introduce a few bodyguards who can travel with us temporarily."
What he meant was to find someone to protect them at specific times. This was normal in military camps in border areas. After all, soldiers also needed to eat.
"Of course, I'll take you there in a moment. Captain Rades is the deputy commander of the camp, and someone under him should be willing to take on this kind of job. By the way, I also want to ask you for help with something."
Shade said, taking out the pen he found near the water ghost's lair. He didn't know who the original owner of the pen was, but based on the knowledge of pens he learned from Dorothy, he at least knew that this pen was definitely not cheap:
"Professor, have you seen this pen and this name? Maybe it is related to the person I'm looking for recently."
Professor Boulanger took the pen and asked the student next to him:
"Looks familiar, Kirk, is this the kind of pen you use?"
The tall and thin young man raised his glasses:
"Professor, this is not the kind I use. This is a custom fountain pen from Spencer. It was only sold once in Willendal two years ago. It was very expensive, and it's rusted like this."
"The name is...Druut Giles?"
Professor Boulanger returned the pen, frowned and thought for a moment:
"I seem to have heard of this name, but I'm not sure. It's not a very special name. Oh, I'll write back to Willendel and ask my colleague to help look it up. People who use this kind of fountain pen must be scholars. If it's famous, I should be able to find it."
"Thank you very much, Professor."
Shad said with a smile.
The two of them kept talking during lunch. The professor of geology and folklore was very knowledgeable, and the foreigner who had been to many places was able to express his unique insights. As for the professor's two students, they only communicated with each other with their eyes, and it was obvious that they were not used to eating with their teacher.
When lunch was almost over, a traveling merchant wearing a red scarf around his neck and a brown scarf wrapped around his head came to the tavern. He claimed that he had a special rule Rhodes card in his hand, which had not been identified and was not known to be true or false, and wanted to gamble with the people in the tavern.
This kind of gambling is not only about who will win, but also about whether the card held by the traveling merchant is real.
So, interested, Chad stood up to join in the fun, and asked Professor Boulanger to wait for him, and they would go to see Captain Rades together later.
There were quite a few people in the pub who were also interested in this, but most of them were worried that it was a scam. In addition, many people could not afford the 5 pounds bet that the peddler said, so in the end, only three people, including Shad, saw the card at the counter of the pub.
The rules of the card are very special, different from all the special cards Shade has seen:
"This is... ... Dove of Peace, Kansas Hill Talks, Suit Star 13. With the consent of all players, this game is a tie."
On the card, two hands are clasped together, with a distant view of the Kansas Mountains in the background.
The "Dove of Peace" series of cards includes negotiations and conferences that have played a pivotal role in world peace and the progress of civilization. This series of cards is very special because the rules of all special cards are "the game is a draw if all players agree", which also expresses the original intention of the Prophet Association when making this deck.
The series of cards was released about 30 years ago and has never been reprinted. Although it is very rare, due to the difficulty of implementing the special card rules, the auction and sale prices of special cards in this series are generally lower than those of other series of the same period in the early stage of release.
Of course, since the Prophet Society has started to reprint past cards in recent years, the price of "Dove of Peace", which has never been reprinted, has gradually approached or even exceeded that of other series of card decks of the same era.
After seeing this card, the well-dressed old gentleman among the three gave up the fight after hesitating. So one of Xia De and another gentleman with glasses and good manners had to choose one to gamble with the traveling merchant.
The two examined the card together, and "she" gently reminded Shad that judging from the details and texture of the card, it was most likely real.
After the two of them checked, the merchant said:
"Please give me the amount you want to bet on cards. The base price is the five pounds we just agreed on. I will bet with the person who bids the highest."
"You really know how to do business."
Xia De said, taking out his notebook and writing down a number. The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment, shook his head and said to Xia De:
"I give up too. You can play cards with him. I won't let such a profiteer take advantage of me."
"You're right. I don't want unscrupulous merchants to take advantage of me."
Shade showed the number he had written in his notebook - 5 pounds. The peddler smiled and shook his head:
"I'm not taking advantage of you. I spent a lot of money to get this card. Sir, let's play a round to decide the winner. What are the basic rules? If it's a tie, I take the money and you take the card."
"sure."
Xia De took out his spare deck that had no special cards in it. Under the gaze of the old gentleman and the middle-aged man who had not left, he and the traveling merchant each drew two cards and showed the last one.
Xia De lifted up the first hidden card and took a look at it. After raising his eyebrows, he revealed the bottom card:
"I'm on hold."
The Moon is 10 and the Stars are 9, totaling 19 points.
Youshang used the second card to lift up the first card, and moved it in front of his eyes a little bit to reveal the cards. Then he smiled and held a card in each hand to show them to Xia De:
"Star 9, Sun 9. You shouldn't have opened the cards directly, otherwise I would have to hesitate whether to draw the next card."
"Playing cards is for fun. It's boring if you get too hung up on winning or losing."
Since the loss is not big, the stranger who has been getting richer recently said it easily while leaning on the counter. The old man and the middle-aged man all expressed their agreement.
Then the merchant flipped open his third card, threw it onto the table with an exaggerated motion, and uttered a voice of regret:
"Sun 13? Are you kidding me?"
"Then this card belongs to me."
Star 13 Dove of Peace Kansas Mountain Talks was not placed in the merchant's deck, but in a place where everyone could see it. Shade picked it up and inserted it into his deck, then handed the merchant the 5 pounds as a bet:
"You have to make money to eat, so just consider it a draw."
The merchant was a little annoyed, but now he was stunned. He wanted to refuse for the sake of dignity, but in the end he accepted the money and said to Xia De:
"I won't take your money for nothing. Take a look at the merchandise I have here and pick one at random."
Then he said to the bartender who was watching the fun:
"Please give me four glasses of ale, yes four, for the three gentlemen here."
Although he didn't like drinking, Xia De didn't refuse the other party's kindness. When the bartender brought the glasses one by one, he smiled and clinked glasses with the old man, the middle-aged man and the traveling merchant and praised the Rhodes brand.
Later, Xia De saw the merchant's goods.