Chapter 46: Bribery with Heavy Gifts

Early the next morning, Lin Qi, who was full of energy and his face glowing like lava, rushed into Enzo’s room and stuffed a large handful of snow into Enzo’s bed. The hungover Enzo let out a sharp cry of pain and scrambled awkwardly out of the covers.

After being disturbed by Lin Qi like that, Enzo immediately became wide awake. He quickly took a bath and changed into a fresh set of clothes. Dressed in new attire, Enzo enjoyed a rough and hearty breakfast. Contentedly burping and chewing a mixture of betel nut and tobacco, Enzo followed behind Lin Qi and his father. Surrounded by over a dozen guards, the group rode in carriages and on fine horses, heading grandly down Black Beech Mountain.

Most of the wealthy and powerful families of Dun Er Ke lived near the Black Beech Mountain hills, except for Mayor Baron Milo and his family, who resided in the official residence attached to the City Hall. As the highest authority in Dornick Port, Baron Milo was a complete outsider. His ancestral home was not Dun Er Ke, so even though he had served as mayor of Dun Er Ke for ten years, Baron Milo had not acquired any real estate in Dun Er Ke.

Sitting inside the spacious and luxurious carriage, Blackbeard puffed on a large cigar and spoke in a muffled voice as he explained Baron Milo’s character to Lin Qi.

Not buying property in Dun Er Ke was not because Baron Milo was as clean as water. On the contrary, he was an extremely greedy guy. But he deliberately created an image of being exceptionally clean, so he always lived in the mayor’s official residence provided free by the Empire.

However, according to the information Blackbeard had, Baron Milo had merged a large amount of land in his hometown, the small city of Heishi City, less than three hundred miles from Dun Er Ke. He bought seven fertile manors, and in just the past ten years, he had purchased nearly a hundred maids.

“This guy is old! A seventy-year-old geezer should retire and enjoy his old age!” Blackbeard waved his foot-long cigar, puffing smoke as he spoke loudly. “Honestly, if he doesn’t retire soon, then either he, or his son, or his daughter, or his wife—someone will have an accident because their horse goes crazy!”

“He must retire!” Blackbeard narrowed his eyes and snorted coldly. “He’s made enough profits over these years; he must retire. What can a seventy-year-old geezer possibly do for Dun Er Ke? On the contrary, if I become mayor, Dun Er Ke will undergo great development, the economy will rise quickly, and everyone will make money.”

Lin Qi immediately said, “Of course, the condition is that our family makes money first!”

Blackbeard nodded happily, looking at Lin Qi with great satisfaction as he laughed and said, “Well said. The condition is naturally that. If our family doesn’t make money, then no one in Dun Er Ke will make money!”

Taking a hard bite of his cigar, Blackbeard mumbled, “Right now, I’m just the guild leader for the mill and inn industries. But after I become mayor, I will become the head of the Dun Er Ke United Guild! At that time, hmph.”

The father and son discussed how they would get rich after becoming mayor and head of the united guild all the way. The carriage soon arrived outside the City Hall in the center of Dun Er Ke. Two guards in sky-blue uniforms stood listlessly in front of the City Hall. Seeing the carriage and the over ten guards following it, the two guards quickly crossed their spears to block the carriage.

Blackbeard angrily lifted the curtain, his heavily bearded face sticking out the window as he snorted coldly at the two guards.

The listless guards immediately broke into wide smiles. They bowed deeply to the carriage and obediently stepped aside. Who in Dun Er Ke didn’t know Old Man Blackbeard now? He was a strong candidate for the next mayor, and basically no one in Dun Er Ke could compete with Old Man Blackbeard for this position. His influence was too great!

Dun Er Ke was a port city, the Empire’s third-largest port, and the only ice-free winter port in the north of the Empire. It was the most important commodity distribution center in the northern part of the Empire and even the northern part of the Continent. And Old Man Blackbeard had extremely high prestige among the sailors and crew members. He was almost the uncrowned king recognized by those sailors and crew. With one order from him, he could determine the working state of all the laborers in the entire port. Who would dare to compete with such a person for mayor?

“The only problem now is whether that old vampire Milo will submit my name.”

Old Man Blackbeard frowned, blew out a thick puff of smoke, and sighed with some annoyance. “Our family doesn’t have anyone to speak for us in the Imperial Capital. That’s a bit of a headache. If we could get that old geezer Milo’s recommendation, then it would be almost certain.”

The carriage stopped in front of the mayor’s official residence. Two attendants in neat uniforms, wearing grayish-white wigs, behaving and speaking in an affected manner as if they were royal servants, strode forward unhurriedly and leisurely pulled open the carriage door.

Blackbeard puffed thick smoke and shook his large body as he stepped down from the carriage. Lin Qi patted Enzo’s shoulder, and the two of them stepped down one after the other. Butcher Knife, who was following behind, jumped off his fine horse and, with his men, opened the rear compartment of the carriage and took out many items.

The tightly wrapped spices and tea from The East didn’t need mentioning—each was valuable goods. The silk and brocade were even more so. A roll of high-quality jacquard brocade could sell for thousands of Gold Coins at high demand in the Imperial Capital. But what caught the eye the most was the set of 240 pieces of mi-se porcelain that Butcher Knife personally carried out. It included soup bowls, rice bowls, plates, spoons, and other utensils. The color was like the blue sky, dotted with fine transparent spots like raindrops.

A set of porcelain like this was highly sought after in the Imperial Capital, enough to exchange with wealthy big Nobles for a fine vineyard of over a hundred acres. Gold Coins couldn’t measure the value of such a set of porcelain. Using Gold Coins to measure the value of this kind of complete set of porcelain from The East, which could be described as artwork, was almost an insult.

The two attendants also knew their goods. The spices, tea, and silk had already made their pupils dilate, but this set of exposed mi-se porcelain made their breathing suddenly quicken. Their attitude became even more polite, treating Blackbeard and Lin Qi as respectfully as if they had met His Majesty the King.

A deliberately hearty laugh sounded from afar. An old man wearing a simple black robe, with no ornaments on his body at all, hunched over and strode out to meet them. The old man’s eyes quickly scanned over the gifts, and his dry, withered, yellowish face suddenly flushed with an enchanting redness.

“Respected Mr. Tegg, you are too kind! May the Deity bless you; you will surely get your wish!”

The gaunt old man, Baron Milo, laughed happily.

Blackbeard laughed even more heartily. He muttered under his breath, “If I don’t get my wish, your whole family will be fed to the sharks!”

After muttering, Blackbeard spread his arms and walked toward Baron Milo, laughing loudly.