CHAPTER 238: CHAPTER 235: FORMAL MEETING_1

In less than a month, the Creed Intelligence Exchange had opened, the Eternal Grain Bank had been established, Grain Tickets were issued, and Count Theodore had borrowed three hundred million Grain Tickets from Yan Xing. Lady Karol felt as though she had merely blinked, and Yan Xing had played a series of moves, leaving her no chance to react.

By the time she came to her senses, Nuta City had transformed into something completely different.

Now, there had been no progress on the Assassin’s Guild leak incident, and the Rose Court had lost half its available manpower.

The Elf Envoys were already on their way and would soon arrive in Nuta City. Negotiating with the elves to determine how to end this war was now urgent.

The conflict between Jufeng Mercenary Group and Farsight Mercenary Corps was becoming more violent. Many mercenaries who seemed to have no vested interest in the conflict joined the battle, and both the Temple and "Shortgun" were continuously revealing their hands.

These past few days, Lady Karol often worked late into the night at the Rose Court, but no matter how late she finished, she made sure to rest at Yan Xing’s embassy.

She very much liked the bedroom she had chosen for herself. The light was bright without being harsh, the bed was large and soft, and the bathroom always had hot water.

What excited Lady Karol even more was that the bathtub in the bathroom was actually made of Ice Jade Porcelain. So big!

Lady Karol felt the most comfortable part of her day was lying in the bathtub, soaking in the warm water and drinking strong tea, washing away all her fatigue.

Yan Xing is someone who truly knows how to enjoy life, Lady Karol concluded after spending some time getting to know him.

Behind him is a very powerful group of Alchemists. Their Alchemy Technology is very different from common alchemic practices, applying the electrical properties of the air element to an unimaginable extent. Within this system, Thunderous Swamp is perhaps even beyond Cloud Tower. Yan Xing’s establishment of the Eternal Domain on the edge of Thunderous Swamp, and his firm interference in the struggles of Nuta City, all indicate that this group of Alchemists is no longer content to remain hidden within Thunderous Swamp. They want to emerge. Yan Xing is their agent, using Nuta City as a stepping stone to take action. And they’ve chosen the right person. In just a few months, Yan Xing has completed the process of entering Nuta City and taking control of its financial scene.

Lady Karol had seen the Grain Tickets issued by the Eternal Grain Bank; they were exquisitely crafted, and even the paper used was of a type she had never heard of. The Alchemists of the Rose Court had said that it would be nearly impossible to counterfeit the Grain Tickets of the Eternal Grain Bank.

Therefore, Lady Karol didn’t dare to wait for Yan Xing to seek her out proactively; if she waited any longer, who knew what he might suddenly do next.

Lady Karol arranged to meet Yan Xing for dinner.

In Nuta City, Yan Xing was an ambassador from a foreign land, while Lady Karol was the Silvermane Principality’s special envoy observing the battlefield in the Wildwind Highlands. A formal meeting between two important figures from different powers naturally required thorough preparation.

Lady Karol ended her day’s work early and returned to the embassy from the Rose Court. She took a bath first, then changed into court attire that featured the distinctive style of the Silvermane Principality. She applied makeup suitable for the evening, using cosmetics bought from the Eternal Commerce Guild.

Deep within that group of Alchemists in Thunderous Swamp, there must be a female Alchemist who absolutely adores beauty, Lady Karol mused. Compared to this set of cosmetics, all the makeup in the homes of high-society ladies could be thrown straight into the trash.

After applying her makeup, Lady Karol carefully examined herself in the vanity mirror.

Karol, you are the number one beauty of the Silvermane Principality. Even Duke Silvermane has fallen for your charms; is there any man in this world you cannot conquer?

The beauty in the mirror, enhanced by these advanced cosmetics, became even more flawlessly beautiful, causing Lady Karol herself to fall into a brief moment of self-admiration.

While Karol prepared for this formal meeting, Yan Xing also attached great importance to it. After all, Karol represented Duke Silvermane, theoretically the most powerful official among the human forces of the Wildwind Highlands.

The strategy Yan Xing had set for the Eternal Domain did not involve military expansion. After all, I only have one territory, and my starting point is far behind others; it’s not something that can be caught up in a short time. To catch up requires capital and resources, both of which the Silvermane Principality can provide. Moreover, holding Grain Tickets, a mighty weapon this world has never even heard of, why bother using military force and wasting energy? A peaceful and stable environment is more conducive to the exploitation of capital. I must nurture a good relationship with Lady Karol, preparing for the Eternal Grain Bank’s Grain Tickets to enter the Silvermane Principality’s mainland in the future.

For this reason, Yan Xing had specially returned to his own world and ordered a table of high-end cuisine, which he brought back packed in insulated food containers. The tableware consisted of high-quality imperial kiln replica porcelain, with exquisite landscape paintings adorning the plates, soup bowls, teapots, and wine pots.

Inside the spacious dining room, the original long dining table had been removed. In its place was a smaller round table made of golden Phoebe wood, with a revolving platter in the center, making it convenient for diners to serve themselves. Next to the dining table was a heated food cart, with two maids responsible for serving, sequentially presenting each of the 36 dishes. As for the wine, he would serve the kind of vintage typically found at state banquets.

Background music was set up to create the atmosphere. The lighting should be slightly warmer, adding a welcoming warmth. HAHAHAHA...

When dinner time arrived, Lady Karol, who had dressed meticulously, walked into the dining room. Yan Xing greeted her, lavishly complimented her beauty, and then invited her to take a seat.

Yan Xing had requested that the dinner’s arrangement and selection of dishes be elegant and exquisite, reflecting the profound cultural heritage of a major civilization, to let Lady Karol appreciate the kind of power she was dealing with.

However, in his personal behavior, Yan Xing still maintained his usual style in Nuta City. He couldn’t adopt that affected noble demeanor. Being straightforward suits my way of doing certain things and saying certain words. In Nuta City now, probably no one would dare to call me, their master, rude.

After Lady Karol sat down, Yan Xing laughed heartily and said, "I had long heard that Lady Karol was once the number one beauty in the Silvermane Principality. The first time I saw you at the Temple, I was already stunned by your beauty. Every time I see you, I find you a delight to the eyes and never tiresome. Your beauty today has astounded me anew. If only you weren’t taken, I would wish to whisk you away to Thunderous Swamp and never let you out again."

Yan Xing’s words could be considered quite crude, even bordering on disrespectful to Lady Karol. But Lady Karol’s expression did not show any displeasure; instead, she laughed, clearly enjoying the compliments. "Knight Yan Xing, you really know how to make a woman happy, but you’re still a little off. The term ’Lady’ makes me feel like an old matron. I’m actually only a few years older than you; you can just call me Karol."

"Karol..." Yan Xing was quite satisfied with how this formal meeting had started; at least the other party was willing to establish a good rapport with him. Yan Xing signaled the maids to serve the dishes, then personally poured Karol wine and said, "You’ve stayed here for so many days, and I’ve been so busy with work that I haven’t been able to entertain you properly. These wines and dishes have been specially prepared in Thunderous Swamp and flown in. I hope you enjoy them, Karol."