Cousin (Repair)
Elena refused to give in, and Antoine also wanted to maintain his prestige. The feud between the two viscounts soon affected the border relations between the two territories. The atmosphere on the border became tense, and the inspections at the checkpoints became much stricter.
The checkpoint inspections have little impact on the lives and travel of ordinary farmers, because they almost only move around the village and do not travel.
It also had little impact on the nobles' travel, because the nobles had privileges wherever they went, and the inspection was just a formality.
The only ones affected were the caravans.
Since the opening of the Bellflower Pharmacy, the number of caravans heading to Fussen Town has increased day by day. These caravans come from all directions, and some come from Viscount Antoine's territory. Except for a few caravans from Antoine's territory, most of these caravans are passing through here.
Now that the border checkpoint is blocked, the caravan’s journey has been delayed. They have to queue up one by one to pass through the checkpoint, and have their boxes unpacked and inspected one by one. The waiting time is too long.
The speed of information transmission between caravans was very fast. The caravans at the back that still had time to turn around immediately changed their routes and went in other directions. Then, as the caravans changed their routes, the news that the border checkpoints at the junction of Fussen Town and Duoqing Town were very strict spread to all directions, and the news of the feud between the two lords also spread to all directions.
The caravans were all heading for the town of Fussen and the Bellflower Pharmacy. After the news spread, fewer and fewer caravans passed through Viscount Antoine's territory.
The taxes collected by the Duoqing Town checkpoint were decreasing at a visible rate day by day, and even saw a cliff-like decrease on the fourth day. This was because the caravans that had passed through the checkpoint in the first three days had already arrived at the checkpoint and could only wait in line to pass through, while the caravans behind had turned around in time, and no caravans came to queue up to pass through.
No caravans, no taxes.
Taxes from checkpoints are one of the important sources of territory finances.
Viscount Antoine could no longer sit still. After some thought, he simply ran to Port Bouc to cry to his superior lord, Earl of Barnett.
Buck Harbour, Earl's Court.
Earl of Barnett listened helplessly to Viscount Antoine's crying for a long time, and finally expressed his attitude amid Viscount Antoine's tears and snot.
"I will invite Viscountess Field to Port Bouk so that you two can have a face-to-face talk and resolve any previous misunderstandings." Earl Barnett patted Viscount Antoine's hand. "You are her elder, so don't argue with a little girl like her."
Viscount Antoine: ...This isn't the result he wanted. Why couldn't the Count ask Elena to back down, instead of asking him to? The Count is truly biased.
The town of Fussen.
Elena, who received the letter from Earl Barnett:...MMP, you are such an adult, but you still ask the "head of the family" to come forward when something happens. You are so useless.
Although she was reluctant, Elena still told the official from the Earl's Mansion who delivered the letter that she would arrive on time.
Since Earl of Barnett has come forward to mediate, let's give Earl of Barnett some face.
Finally, on the appointed day, Elena and Antoine met face to face.
Under the mediation of Count Barnett, Antoine paid an apology and Elena accepted the money to release the person. Elena and Antoine went through the process very perfunctorily and announced to the outside world that the "misunderstanding" had been resolved.
After the matter was resolved, Antoine, who was greatly humiliated, said goodbye in a hurry and left, while Elena was kept by Count Barnett.
In the Earl's office.
"You're too impatient. It's just a small matter. Why make such a big deal out of it? You're only tarnishing your reputation." Earl Barnett pointed his finger at Elena, shook his head and chuckled. "You should have come to me. I would have taken care of it for you."
Elena lowered her head in embarrassment. She really didn't want to come to Earl Barnett to seek justice.
"It's just a small matter. I'm sorry to bother you." Elena said softly.
Earl Barnet sighed softly: "You, don't be so reserved. I really treat you as my niece."
Just this one sentence showed her full concern. Elena raised her head, smiled like a flower, and responded with a crisp "hmm".
Then she took out a list from her bag and said, "My Lord, Master Cyril's birthday is coming soon. This is my birthday gift to Master Cyril. Please accept it on his behalf."
Earl Barnett took it and looked at it. It was a delivery order for one hundred bottles of medium-grade recovery agent and one hundred bottles of medium-grade magic agent.
"He won't be able to use so many medicines. Take them back quickly." Earl Barnett said as he was about to hand the list back.
Elena raised her hand to block it: "These are the most commonly used potions. Master Cyril will need them when he's away learning martial arts, so it's only right to have more on hand."
"These are really too many, two hundred bottles, which is worth a lot of money." Earl Barnett shook his head.
"No matter how many there are, they are only mid-quality products. Besides, I made these, not bought them. Calculated by cost, they are really nothing." Elena pushed the gift list back firmly.
Earl Barnett looked at Elena steadily for a long time before he finally smiled and accepted the list: "Okay, then I'll thank you for him."
After the meeting in Book Harbor, the two lords reconciled, and the towns of Fussen and Duoqing resumed normal exchanges. The border checkpoints were no longer strictly inspected, but the number of caravans passing through Antoine's territory was still less, and it was no longer as lively as before.
But what does this have to do with Elena?
Elena would just smile and say, "You deserve it."
A carriage with the family crest galloped into the border of the Field family's territory.
A soldier guarding the gate was about to step forward for questioning when another older soldier quickly stopped him and turned around to report loudly to the officer sitting behind him.
"Sir, this is the carriage of the Walsh family."
Upon hearing the announcement, the commander hurried over, and sure enough, the emblem on the carriage was that of the Walsh family.
The Walshi family is the ancestral family of the previous lord's wife and the maternal family of the current lord's daughter.
The officer respectfully stamped the pass handed to him by the coachman and said to the owner of the carriage in a flattering manner, "Sir, I will immediately send a letter to the Viscount's Mansion to inform you of your arrival."
"No need." A young male voice came from the car, "I want to give my cousin a surprise, please don't meddle in other people's business."
"Yes, yes, yes." The officer responded repeatedly.
The carriage continued to move forward, guarded by several knights riding tall horses, looking majestic.
After entering the boundary of the Field family's territory, the road condition improved sharply, as if it had been upgraded from a country dirt road to a flat and wide highway. Not only did the carriage no longer shake, but even the horses' hooves became much lighter.
The car window opened and the man inside looked out.
"Brother, my cousin is really rich now. She even built such a luxurious road." A young girl in the car said with a smile.
The man withdrew his gaze and turned to look at her: "Yes, I have money."
"The roads are so well built, could the castle have been completely renovated?" the young girl said, her expression a bit longing and envious. "Brother, is selling spices and sauces really that profitable?"
The man nodded. "It's very profitable, more profitable than you can imagine. Everyone loves delicious food, whether they are nobles or mages, whether they are from our empire or neighboring countries. Julie, can you imagine how big this market is?"
Julie shook her head: "I can't imagine it, is it bigger than the market for magic potions?" With her limited knowledge, she could only think of this as a reference.
The man smiled. "Not really. Magic potions are essential. Without them in a pinch, you'll die. From nobles and mages to knights and warriors, everyone needs them. Spices and sauces are just condiments. Having less of them is just a loss of respectability. Apart from nobles who need to look presentable and those who enjoy gourmet food, most people don't buy them."
Julie said "oh".
The man added, "However, the profits are huge. I'm surprised that Elena can pull off this business."
The carriage continued to move forward. The highway was in excellent condition. It was wide and straight. It took only half a day to reach the town of Fussen, saving more than two hours compared to before.
The man knocked on the carriage and said, "Don't go to the Viscount's Mansion yet. Take a walk around the town."
The groom's voice came: "Yes, Master."
"Why do we have to take a walk first?" Julie asked her brother puzzled.
The man said, "Once you have money, you must decorate your territory. As a lord, respectability is the most important thing. Let's take a walk around and see the new look of Fussen Town, so you can have a better idea of what it looks like."
The carriage moved slowly along the main road.
The man and Julie observe the town of Fussen through the car window.
There are more people, more cars, and more stalls on the street.
The ground is very clean and there is no garbage. Hey, there are two big baskets over there, which contain vegetable leaves and rotten fruits. It seems to be a place for throwing garbage.
As the carriage turned a corner, there was a sudden commotion ahead. More than a dozen carriages were lined up in a row, and the sound of people was deafening.
The coachman shouted to drive away the carriages that were blocking the road. It was obvious that these carriages were cargo carriages for business purposes. How could they compete with his carriage with the family emblem?
Unexpectedly, no one paid any attention to him and no carriage moved away.
The coachman was furious and shouted, "Do you know who's sitting in my carriage? They're the young master and young lady of the Walch family, the cousins of Viscount Field's daughter. You bold businessmen, get out of my way!"
Pretending to be a relative of Viscountess Field, the merchants on the roadside looked at each other and murmured to each other. Finally, a few of them led the horses and moved the carriage away.
However, even though a few carriages moved away, most of the carriages remained motionless, and the Walshi family's carriage still could not pass.
The coachman was so angry that he jumped off the carriage and was ready to whip these ignorant guys.
But when he got closer and saw the business logos on the carriages clearly, the coachman tightened his whip and went back.
These trading companies are all big trading companies, and there are great nobles behind them. It is not something that a small groom like him can do.
The coachman returned to the carriage and whispered to the owner of the carriage about the situation ahead.
"What's going on up ahead? Why are so many carriages gathered here?" the man asked.
The coachman took a few glances as he passed by and understood why: "There's a magic potion shop up ahead, and these carriages are waiting to be loaded."
"Magic Potion Shop?" The man thought he had misheard. "Isn't the Magic Potion Shop in Fussen Town the Lucky Flower Potion Shop? There are Lucky Flower Potion Shops all over the place. Why do we have to come all the way to Fussen Town to buy it?"
The groom said, "It's not the symbol of the lucky flower, it's another kind of flower." The groom was also illiterate and could not read the words, but he had good eyesight and could see the sign hanging in front of the store, which had another kind of flower painted on it.
"Another kind of flower?" the man asked curiously.
The man and his sister got off the carriage and walked forward.
Passing through the crowded crowd and around the piled-up goods, the two men arrived at the center of the crowd.
"Lily of the Valley Pharmacy?" The man looked up at the store sign, his handsome eyebrows slightly wrinkled.
The man and his sister walked into the store and were greeted by a smart shop assistant.
"Hello, sir. What potion do you need? We have recovery potions and magic potions." The shop assistant greeted the customer with a smile.
The man looked around the shop. Although the shop was not small and the samples displayed were not many, it was very crowded with many customers. And from their conversations, he could tell that the quantities they purchased were in the hundreds.
Business is good.
My sister asked the waiter, "When did you open your shop?"
The shop assistant smiled and said, "It's only been open for a few months."
My sister nodded and asked, "Where is your headquarters? Is it also a national chain?"
The shop assistant shook his head: "No, our shop is owned by Miss Viscount Field, and we only have one store."
"Elena?" her sister exclaimed, her eyes wide in disbelief. "She even opened a pharmacy? Doesn't she sell spices and sauces?"
The shop assistant frowned secretly, dissatisfied with the customer's disrespectful attitude in mentioning the Viscountess, but he still replied politely, "The Viscountess does sell spices and sauces, and she also opened a restaurant in Port Booker."
My sister had heard that Elena opened a restaurant in Book Harbor, but she didn't know that Elena also opened a magic potion shop.
Magic Potion Shop!
This is not a store that an ordinary person can open, nor is it a store that a small viscount can open.
She actually dared to open it!
She can actually drive!
The younger sister hugged her brother's arm and said, "Brother, let's go to the Viscount's Mansion right away."
The man nodded, his expression somewhat serious.
The carriage rushed towards the castle. After a simple verification, the city gate was opened and the carriage rushed into the castle and the Viscount's Mansion.
In the study, Elena was checking the account book. When she heard the old housekeeper's report, she looked up: "Who? Who are you talking about?"
"Master Brooke and Miss Julie of the Walsh family are here." Seeing that the young lady seemed a little confused, the old butler emphasized, "They are your cousins, the eldest son and daughter of your uncle, Viscount Walsh."
Oh, so that's the relationship. Elena nodded in sudden realization: "So it's them, I've forgotten their names."
She really didn't remember it. She was too busy. How could she remember two relatives she had never met?
The old housekeeper looked helpless: "Miss, although you don't like socializing, you should at least remember your relatives." Especially since they are not distant relatives, this is too negligent.
Elena took a bookmark and clipped it into the account book, then put the account book into the drawer: "Okay, okay, I'll remember their names, and I'll recognize their faces later. Don't worry, I won't be rude."
Then she stood up and said, "Come on, I'll meet them."
Elena and the old butler came to the hall and met two people waiting in the hall.
One is a man in his early twenties, with a tall figure, but an average appearance, just like an ordinary person. I give him a score of five.
The other one is a teenage girl. She looks better, but she is a little fat. If she were thinner, her facial features would be more three-dimensional and better-looking. Well, I'd give her a score of 7.
Elena subconsciously looked at and graded them.
"Elena." The young girl walked quickly towards her and hugged her with open arms. "Long time no see. Did you miss me?"
Elena immediately felt the pressure on her chest, real pressure. This cousin was too magnificent and had the real stuff.
Elena pushed away awkwardly: “Long time no see, Sister Julie.”
Julie let go of her hand and said happily, "Elena, I only found out after coming to Fussen Town that you not only sell spices and sauces, but also magic potions. How are you so amazing? I really admire you so much."
Elena smiled: "It's okay, it's okay, I'm just lucky."
"Good luck? How does this relate to good luck?" Julie asked curiously.
Elena casually explained, "I just like watching people cook and trying to figure out how to make it even more delicious. Who knew the spices and sauces I came up with would be so popular?"
Julie took a deep breath and said, "This kind of good luck is really enviable."
"Then what's the matter with your magic potion shop? Is it also good luck?" A male voice suddenly interrupted.
Elena turned around and saw her cousin, Brooke.
"Yes, it's also good luck." Elena nodded.
Brooke frowned, his face curious: "What do you mean?"
Elena explained patiently, "Cousin, you know, I just graduated from elementary school this year. Although I have a little talent in medicine, I can't make so many potions at my level."
Brook nodded. This was exactly what confused him the most.
With Elena's ability, she couldn't open a pharmacy at all.
Unless, she found a wizard who was willing to work with her for a long time.
"But I met Leonard. By the way, Leonard is the Meteor Knight of the Four Fields." Elena gave an answer that was completely beyond Brook's expectations.
Brooke was shocked.
After a while, Brook asked tentatively: "Golden Knight, Four Meteors, Leonard?"
Elena nodded affirmatively: "Yes, it's him. He is willing to help me and provide me with stable magical support, so I can make so many potions. Therefore, I begged him to invest and do business with me. He agreed, and so we opened this magic potion shop together."
The Golden Knights have invested?
Elena can actually get in touch with the Golden Knight?
The Golden Knight was actually willing to help her?
Brook was so surprised that he was speechless and didn't know what to say for a moment.
Julie held her face in her hands and exclaimed three times: "Oh my God, Elena, how can you be so lucky! How come all the good things happen to you! I envy you so much!"
Brooke finally came to her senses amid her sister's chattering exclamations.
It seems he came to the right place this time!
Brooke's eyes suddenly lit up.
After patiently waiting for her sister and Elena's small talk to end, Brooke finally got the chance to speak.
"Elena, can I do business with you?" Brooke looked at Elena with eyes full of expectation.
Doing business together?
The first thought that flashed through Elena's mind was, could he be trying to make money by taking a ride with her?
To be honest, Elena didn't want to be taken for a ride, because she didn't want to share the profits with others. If she could just pay money to become a shareholder, she would also want such an easy thing.
But is doing business such a simple thing?
What does it mean to invest? Investing isn't just about money; it's also about connections and skills. For example, Leonard invested his name and his ability to influence others.
If she was only contributing money, why didn't she ask Earl Barnet to invest?
After all, Earl of Barnett is her superior lord and someone she needs to please. By pleasing him, she can gain more say in the power circle of Rosyth County.
So why did she leave the spot for him?
Is it because he is her cousin?
Elena was dissatisfied in her heart, but she spoke carefully: "Cousin, what are your specific ideas? What kind of business partnership do you want?"
Brooke opened her mouth and said, "Cousin, please leave the sales business in Vilna County to me. We are family, reliable and trustworthy. I will help you sell spices, sauces, and potions in Vilna County. I will be fully responsible for it. You don't have to let outsiders make money by transferring them. Don't worry, I will never let you lose money. You produce, I sell, and we split the profits 50-50. It's the fairest thing."
The County of Werner is right next to the County of Rosyth and is a neighboring county. Both are at the same level of earldom, and the territory of the Walsh family is located in it.
So, Brook asked for the sales territory of an earldom as soon as he opened his mouth.
Elena: ...You really are here to hitchhike.
Elena refused in her heart, but her expression turned a little cold. "Cousin, I've already signed contracts with several major trading companies for the sale of spices and sauces. They will be responsible for the unified sales, and I can't add any more sellers. As for potions, my ability can only supply the shipment volume of one store for now, so I have no intention of expanding externally, nor do I plan to sign any sales contracts. Anyone or any trading company that wants to buy potions can come to Fussen Town to make an appointment and place an order."
Is this a rejection of his kindness?
Brooke frowned immediately, with an expression of obvious displeasure on his face: "Elena, we are a family. My father and your mother are siblings, and you also have the blood of the Walsh family flowing in your veins."
Elena sneered, she didn't buy it, what blood relationship, what family, sorry, she had never felt any benefit from these things since she was a child, in two worlds.
"Sorry, no." Elena rejected him coldly and mercilessly. Since he was giving her a cold face, she would not give him a good face either.
Brook was stunned. He didn't expect Elena to be so disrespectful.
"Okay, so you're that kind of person. You look down on others just because you have money." Brookten stood up and glared at Elena condescendingly, "Elena, you would rather trust outsiders and let them make money than trust your own relatives?"
Julie also held her heart and looked at Elena in disbelief: “Elena, how could you do this?”
"Elena, are you doing this to your mother? Do you still remember your mother's last name? Are you doing this to my father? Do you still remember how much my father loves you?" Brooke accused bitterly.
Elena ignored him expressionlessly, didn't look at him, and didn't respond to him.
Of course she deserved it. She had read the original owner's memories a long time ago. The original owner had very few memories of her mother, which showed that the relationship between them was very weak. The original owner had even fewer memories of her uncle. The limited memories she had were all about major events, such as her father's inheritance ceremony, her grandfather's funeral, her uncle's inheritance ceremony, and her current inheritance ceremony. In the original owner's memory, her uncle treated her as if she were a background board. The only person her uncle cared about was the original owner's brother, Joyce, the future successor to the viscount.
So, there is no affection between them and they don’t interact with each other on a regular basis, so she doesn’t care what they think.
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