Chapter 247: The Manor Gifted, Lundu Poetry Festival

The sky in London is always overcast and a gray, rusty color.

A drizzle of rain fell on the stone bridge across the Thames. A farmer in a linen shirt pushed a cart with a wool blanket spread over sacks of cabbage and carrots.

"When we get to the market and sell them for a good price, I'll go back and make broad bean soup for you." The peasant woman in a linen dress and a hood wiped the rain off the farmer's face with a handkerchief and said gently.

The farmer smiled silently. He was always taciturn and never hawked his wares at the market. Everyone said he was introverted, but he married the beautiful daughter of the manor's stableman. The bread she baked in the public oven was sweeter than the cherry pie on the nobles' table.

He had never tasted cherry pie, and he thought it tasted similar to bread dipped in cheese. The groom told him that there was a group of gourmets in the world, and only the food they cooked was worthy of being placed on the altar of the gods.

The farmer also wanted to pray to the gods, hoping that the shoemaker would allow his child to become an apprentice. The shoemaker could even read, which was really amazing. As long as the crops were sold, the child would have enough money to get started.

The wheel of the cart sank into an inconspicuous stone hole on the bridge, and the farmer stumbled and fell into the mud.

"Leave the woman and the goods behind, old man, and you can go."

The farmer looked up blankly and saw a group of bandits blocking the stone bridge.

The bandit was shirtless and had a tattoo of a 'rotating arm' logo on his body. It was a symbol that appeared in the nightmares of countless people.

"Are you deaf?" The leading bandit was particularly tall, with a one-handed axe on his waist and a sturdy arm, and said in a fierce voice, "Then don't blame me—"

The bandit was unable to say the next words.

Because he saw his own body.

The bandit's eyes widened. The world was spinning around him, but his body was still standing. Blood gushed out from the scar on his neck, and his head was gone.

Bang.

The head fell to the ground, and the bones rolled under the horse's hooves. A steel sword was dripping with blood and was covered with frost.

The bandits' faces all changed.

He was an old knight wearing plate armor, with a bushy beard and tiger eyes, tall and strong.

The giant sword that an ordinary person needs two hands to wield is like a light wooden stick in his hand.

Even his mount was covered in armor! To the half-clad bandits, the knight in plate armor looked like a god descending from heaven!

Plop! The bandits all fell to their knees, howling loudly.

"Master Knight, we were wrong, please forgive us!"

Fokase's voice was low.

"If I forgive you, I will never forgive myself."

The rain got heavier, washing away the blood and the smell.

After comforting the farmer and his wife with a gentle voice, Phocas turned back amid their tearful thanks and bowed his head to report to Yeats:

"Master, please forgive me for my negligence and delaying your journey."

Ye Zhi shook his head and smiled: "Fokas, you are as fierce as a Gundam."

"What is Gundam?" Fucas asked puzzled.

"It's a kind of mecha, the plate armor knight in the Middle Ages, a mecha warrior." Ye Zhi said nonsense.

Chicken rack?

Phocas became increasingly confused.

Fortunately, he knew the young master's temper, and he would always come up with some new and strange words from time to time, so he didn't delve into it and changed the subject:

"We will be able to enter Lundu in another hour, Master. The royal city does not allow flying mounts to enter directly, so we still have to ride horses to get there."

Yeats nodded slightly, and heard Thomas Calvin, who was traveling with him, said indignantly: "There are followers of the Lord of Plunder in London! I really don't know what the Lionheart Knights are doing. They should completely eradicate the den of thieves!"

Phocas sighed: "Bandits are like weeds. When you cut one, there will be another..."

"The Lionheart Knights are the royal guards and will not be dispatched easily." Ye Zhi paused and said, "I have heard that the Adventurer's Guild will issue bounties for bandit suppression from time to time, and some demon hunters will occasionally take over bandit suppression work from villages and towns."

"What's the difference between a demon hunter and an adventurer?" Zuanya suddenly asked.

"Well... adventurers are mixed. Many farmers go out to adventure with pitchforks, but only a few can survive and become low-level or even high-level ones." Ye Zhi said, "Most demon hunters have a master, and they must be extraordinary people. They also have many more ways to obtain potions than adventurers."

"Why do you ask this?" Yeats asked again.

"I used to know a demon hunter who loved playing cards. Even the falling sky was not as important as playing cards. In the end, he was stabbed to death by the mob with pitchforks." Diamond sighed.

Yeats: "...the pitchfork is indeed quite effective against the witcher."

Zuanya said seriously: "This shows that playing cards is harmful to people!"

Ye Zhi: "...How come it is sublimated?"

"Come to think of it, you don't even have to rack your brains to collect potion ingredients, you can just cook a dish and be done with it." Diamond said with emotion, "Ah, I don't know where you got this talent from!"

Yeats smiled but said nothing.

The answer is, there is a cheat!

Last night, Ye Zhi made a dish called [Garlic Vermicelli with Blood Spider Legs]. The extremely sturdy legs of the Blood Spider were broken off and split open, revealing the red meat inside. After cooking, it becomes snow-white and smooth, and is very delicious when paired with garlic vermicelli.

Zuanya was really tough. He said he didn't want to eat and didn't want to eat, but he couldn't stop swallowing his saliva.

Duke Thomas was shocked as if his worldview had been refreshed.

Who could have imagined that the hideous and terrifying Death Thorn Blood Spider could become a delicacy in Ye Zhi's hands!

Ye Zhi should not be chosen by the God of Poetry, he should be chosen by the God of Cooking! After eating this meal, the power seed of the scarlet fighting spirit in Ye Zhi's body grew stronger again.

at present.

Ye Zhi could already condense a faint wisp of scarlet fighting spirit.

The power of [Blessed Blood Flame Blade] has been significantly enhanced.

After experiencing the attack by the Vampire Marquis, Ye Zhi was promoted to a four-ring Wild Hunt Knight, and the duel with the five-ring Knight also significantly increased his soul power.

At this rate, we may even reach the bottleneck of the Fifth Ring Road within a month.

Thomas already has five rings, which gives Yeats a sense of urgency. Although the two are temporary allies now, once the external threat is resolved, there is no room for two tigers in one mountain, and a fight is bound to break out between the two.

Therefore, Ye Zhi also wanted to take advantage of the competition in Lundu to continuously hone his soul power through duels, and then break through the bottleneck and achieve the hero level! The hero level can fly long distances, and it is more convenient to travel between the territory and the outside world.

"When I reach the fifth ring, I can better exert the effects of epics and artifacts, and the power of the Silver Oak Sword will be significantly enhanced..." Ye Zhi thought.

After that night, Duke Thomas returned to White Night City, while Calvin went to London with Yeats.

Calvin's goal is clear, which is to find out the true identity of the Blood Spider Lord, and preferably cooperate with his father to destroy the Scarlet Society's branch in the Golden Lion Kingdom in one fell swoop.

Lisa was infected with scarlet disease when she investigated the Scarlet Society, so this trip to London was extremely dangerous.

But Yeats also had reasons for doing so.

The Black Knight once said that [King Solomon's Seal Ring] is related to the devil and the power of domination.

Behind the Scarlet Society is none other than the Blood King, the devil of hell.

Yeats vaguely felt that the Scarlet Society's high-profile actions were inextricably linked to King Solomon's seal ring.

Moreover, no matter what the purpose of Lord Blood Spider was, he dared to send the blood clan to invade Morning Frost Ridge—

There is a way to die!

After an episode along the way, an hour later, Yeats and his party officially entered the metropolis of London.

Magic cannons are placed at the city gates and on the towering city walls. This product of the perfect combination of alchemy, magic and technology is extremely powerful.

The guard let them pass respectfully and watched the three men leave.

"Captain, there are many important people in the city. Yesterday it was Lannister, and today it is Brondi!"

"Because the competition is about to be held, the price of beer in the pub has increased."

Please...collect 6...9...books...!

"Oh, by the way, I heard that the competition also includes poetry recitation. The worship of the god of poetry is so beautiful!"

"Shut your mouths!"

The discussions fell into Ye Zhi's ears and his heart was moved.

Verse?

How could the God of Art not participate in the poetry festival? On the foggy streets, Victorian buildings stand in rows, with pointed marble clock towers and carved window lattices in post stations. The Thames runs through London, and the magnificent Lion Palace stands in the inner city.

The Lion Palace is the king's palace. Yezhi heard that it was carefully designed by an architect from Florence. There are lions in the back garden and a magic-forbidden stone statue in the courtyard. The extraordinary people who enter without a pass stone cannot even use their magic power.

As a baron, Yeats was not yet eligible to live in the royal palace in London. He had planned to go to the Mages Guild to eat and drink for free, but Calvin said that his father had already taken care of everything.

"My father has an unused manor in London called 'Silver Birch'. The manor is fully equipped with servants, facilities, and carriages, and he has already paid three years' management salary in advance."

Calvin took out a roll of parchment and said sincerely, "This is the deed of the manor. My father intends to give this manor to you as a thank you for saving my life."

Ye Zhi accepted it calmly.

Giving away a manor and a carriage as gifts may sound a bit cliché, but Yeats thought it could be done more often!

Under Calvin's guidance, Yeats came to Silver Birch Manor.

Although it is located in the center of London City, Silver Birch Manor seems to be far away from the hustle and bustle. There is a crescent-shaped natural lake on the vast green grassland. There are tall silver birch trees on the lakeside. There are water lilies, wild ducks and pavilions among the lush aquatic plants.

This manor will be where Yeats will live in London for a while to come.

Only families of the Lannister and Wick level have the right to purchase such a luxurious mansion.

Thomas was about to become the Grand Duke of the northern provinces, so he was able to buy it.

Ye Zhi thought to himself, "A person with five rings is one of the most important people in the kingdom. A person with six rings can become a king. The emperor of the Divine Court Empire is only six rings."

"And above the sixth ring, the realm of the Holy Land, one can already build a huge empire..."

Ye Zhi was fascinated and then shook his head.

"Don't aim too high. Set a small goal first and become a hero. Only then will you be qualified to compete with Thomas!"

Calvin gave careful instructions to the housekeeper, and after he had taken care of everything, he said goodbye to Yeats, "The opening ceremony of the competition will be in two days. My father has other instructions for me. Please allow me to say goodbye to you for now, Baron Yeats."

After just a few days of contact, Yeats left a deep impression on Calvin and repeatedly refreshed Calvin's cognition.

Although they might come to blows in the future, Calvin truly admired Yeats and his attitude became more humble.

Yeats nodded slightly, and after enjoying a sumptuous dinner with Phocas, he ordered the butler to collect information related to the stanza.

The butler was very efficient and quickly reported to Yeats: "There are many events in the competition, including riding duels, archery duels, and poetry competitions are also part of the competition."

It is difficult for modern people to understand why poetry is also considered a martial arts competition?

This can be traced back to the ancient city-states beside the Aegean Sea. The ancient Iliads believed that male citizens should be both civil and military, just like the god of light who was good at both archery and poetry.

After the ancient Iliad was annexed by the ancient empire, the empire inherited the tradition of the Iliad and often added a poetry event to the athletic competitions.

Yeats thought: "This is called the Han Dynasty inheriting the Qin system, and Rome inheriting the Greek system!"

The housekeeper said that according to the sacrifice to the god of poetry, the god of art and poetry had sent down an oracle and would perform a miracle in this poetry festival.

The poet who wins the stanza crown will receive blessings from the god of art and poetry.

Bless you!

Sometimes it is a physical object, sometimes it is a divine spell or combat skill, but it is always more precious and powerful than spells of the same level.

Only on holy days or special ceremonies would there be a very small chance of receiving a blessing. This time the oracle clearly pointed out that a blessing would be bestowed, which would undoubtedly make the bards scramble for it.

Yeats was eager to try and asked, "Which bards will be participating in this festival?"

"This poetry festival is judged by the poetry priests from the imperial capital of Tofanna, and it gathers the most famous bards in the Golden Lion..."

The butler read out several names that Yeats was very familiar with, such as Richard, the dean of the Bards' College, and Perron, the elven poet who always won second place.

Ye Zhi understood and nodded, "I understand. You can go down first."

"Yes, sir."

On the second floor, standing by the carved windowsill, Yeats looked out at the sparkling lake and murmured, "I have to join this now."

As long as you win the laurel crown in the poetry festival, you will not only receive blessings, but your bard's way will also be greatly improved! "After hugging the thighs for a while, I hugged them back to the legs of the goddess of youth."

Ye Zhi muttered, "I hope this blessing can be related to cooking. I remember the goddess of youth has a holy object called [Poetry Honey Wine], which is quite suitable..."

The news that Baron Morningfrost Ridge had arrived in Lundu and was preparing to participate in the poetry festival quickly spread.

Some are happy, some are sad.

Elsa, the little fangirl of the Wick family, couldn't wait to ask Yeats for more copies of his signed poems.

June, the short-haired beauty from the Lannister family, was not interested in the poetry stanza but decided to go and watch it that day.

The elven poet Perun had already made full preparations for the stanza, but when he heard the news, his hands holding the book trembled slightly.

"The God of Poetry's chosen one, to come and participate in the poetry festival that the God of Poetry personally pays attention to?"

Peren looked strange, and complained to his new snake-people girlfriend:

"In this way, will the champion feel like he was chosen by someone else?"

…

(End of this chapter)