Chapter 3 : Chapter 3
Chapter 3: The Arrival of the Knight
There was not much cargo. Aside from the three large barrels of ale, the rest was not particularly heavy.
Although Jiang Lin still had not found a way to cultivate in this world, he had not spent this past year idly.
There were many ways to temper the body. Even if he could not cultivate, and could not draw spiritual energy into his body, he could still rely on the body-training methods he had used in the past and exercise every day.
Only by doing so could he ensure that he still possessed a certain degree of fighting strength.
As for the three great barrels of golden wheat ale, carrying them was easy for him.
Mrs. Heath’s residence was enormous, about twice the size of the Golden Traveler Tavern. In fact, it was the largest and most luxurious house in all of Wheatfield Town, without question.
Jiang Lin lifted one large barrel of golden wheat ale and headed toward the back courtyard. The front and back courtyards were essentially connected, circling the manor in a ring.
Though it was called a back courtyard, it looked more like a private garden. It had obviously been carefully maintained, and even the ground was covered with an expensive lawn.
Clearly, Mrs. Heath was still clinging to the habits of her former way of life.
Quite a few maids and servants were busy setting up everything needed for the evening banquet.
When they saw Jiang Lin arrive, whether maid or servant, they all cast strange looks his way.
Though they were servants, they were still, in their own eyes, proper people. They naturally considered themselves several ranks above someone like Jiang Lin, whom they saw as some strange breed.
Still, none of them stared too openly. At most, they gave him a brief glance before returning to their work.
After carrying over all three barrels of golden wheat ale, Jiang Lin walked over to a maid.
“The goods have all been delivered. Three hundred copper coins.”
The maid froze for a moment. She had clearly not expected Jiang Lin to speak to her. A faint trace of unease and distaste flashed through her eyes, and she hurriedly pointed toward a man sitting by the rear door of the manor.
“Go ask Butler Yuri.”
Jiang Lin nodded and walked over to the steward.
The butler did not make things difficult for him. Although Jiang Lin was regarded as some kind of oddity in their eyes, the Golden Traveler Tavern still stood behind him, and Martie held at least some standing within the town.
“Three hundred copper coins in total. Count them yourself.” The butler took out a small pouch of copper coins from his pocket and tossed it to Jiang Lin.
Jiang Lin nodded and counted them carefully. After thanking him, he turned to leave.
Just then, the rear door of the inner residence opened. Two maids came out escorting a middle-aged woman dressed in luxurious clothes.
The butler immediately rose to his feet and hurried to the woman’s side, bowing as he said,
“Mrs. Heath, everything here is in order.”
“Have all the drinks from the Golden Traveler been delivered?” The middle-aged woman nodded faintly and surveyed the arrangements in the courtyard. Every gesture she made carried a trace of noble elegance.
“They have all been delivered,” the butler replied with a smile. “The servants have already been instructed to prepare everything. This evening’s banquet will certainly proceed perfectly.”
At the mention of the banquet, Mrs. Heath nodded, and a trace of excitement and anticipation appeared in her eyes. “You know, Yuri, whether our family can rise into the ranks of the nobility once more depends on my dear nephew.”
As she spoke, her gaze swept across the back courtyard and landed on Jiang Lin, who was still standing there.
Unlike the other coarse and vulgar servants, Mrs. Heath very clearly maintained noble manners and grace. She lifted a hand and gave Jiang Lin a faint gesture.
“Good morning, Mrs. Heath.” Jiang Lin inclined his head toward her, already used to greeting people in the manner of this world.
“Thank you for bringing these things over. Please forgive the rudeness of my servants. They have never seen someone like you before.”
Mrs. Heath gave a slight nod, maintaining that restrained politeness and distance peculiar to nobles.
“Yuri, give him a few more copper coins as well. Consider it payment for his trouble.”
Butler Yuri nodded, took out his money pouch again, counted out ten copper coins, and handed them to Jiang Lin.
“Lucky fellow. Her Ladyship is in a good mood today, so you should thank her.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Heath.” Jiang Lin accepted the coins and offered a quiet word of thanks. It seemed this lady truly was in high spirits today.
And all of it had to do with that distant nephew she had invited as a guest.
From the earlier conversation between the mayor and the others, and now from this as well, it was clear just how exalted the status of a knight was in this world.
A knight was probably much like the difference between cultivators and mortals in Zhongzhou.
Thinking this, Jiang Lin slowly walked out of Mrs. Heath’s residence. He also wanted to see what the knights of this world were like.
Just as the town doctor had said, Wheatfield Town had not seen a knight in more than twenty years.
Jiang Lin had only ever heard tales of knights, mercenaries, and mages inside the tavern.
Most of those stories were drunken exaggerations, embellished beyond reason. Very few people had ever actually seen such figures.
Driving the carriage, he left the gravel road and returned once more to the muddy path.
Before long, he was back at the Golden Traveler Tavern. Jiang Lin tied up the horse, fed it some dry hay, and then entered the tavern, only to find Martie sprawled over the wooden counter, apparently catching a second nap.
The sound of the door opening woke her. When she saw Jiang Lin return, she smiled and blinked at him.
“I’m guessing a certain someone got quite a nice reward.”
“Mrs. Heath is in very high spirits. It seems a knight is coming to town today.” Jiang Lin set the pouch of copper coins down on the counter.
“And that knight is Mrs. Heath’s distant nephew.”
Martie’s eyes lit up, though the light was clearly for the money pouch in front of her.
The coins clinked as she poured them out, and Martie counted them with serious concentration.
Jiang Lin was already used to that look on her face. Still, it seemed she was not all that interested in the knight’s arrival.
“Miss Martie, do you not admire knights?”
“Why are there ten extra copper coins?” Martie ignored his question. Her pale fingers pushed the extra ten coins back toward him.
“This is your reward. Why are you giving it to me?”
“I have no use for them.” Jiang Lin pushed them back again.
Martie smiled, and a strange glint flickered in her almond-shaped eyes.
“What, are you planning to stay in this tavern for the rest of your life?”
“Then keep them for me.” Jiang Lin paused for a moment, then smiled. “Staying here for a lifetime does not sound so bad.”
“You’ve improved.” Martie giggled, slipping the ten extra copper coins into the pouch before tucking it into her clothes. “You’re much better than when you first arrived. You’ve even learned how to joke.”
“At that time, you were so cold, like the whole world owed you money.”
“You still haven’t answered my question, Miss Martie.” Jiang Lin changed the subject.
“You mean knights?” Martie thought for a moment, as though she had only just remembered what Jiang Lin had asked earlier. Then she shrugged.
“Don’t think too well of them. In truth, most knights are nothing more than helpers for those noble lords.
“Other than oppressing commoners like us, they have little to do with anything good.
“Of course, there are exceptions. But who knows?”
Jiang Lin nodded and looked at Martie in front of him. She seemed to understand such things rather well.
“Have you seen a knight before, Miss Martie?”
“Have you, Mr. Jiang Lin?” Martie looked at him with a smile as well.
“No.” Jiang Lin shook his head.
“Then neither have I.” Martie’s smile brightened even more, and the freckles across her cheeks seemed almost to come alive.
Jiang Lin could not help but laugh. Everyone carried their own secrets, and Martie was no exception.
This young woman who had inherited her father’s tavern did not seem nearly as simple as she appeared on the surface.
Jiang Lin did not press further, nor did he wish to pry into another person’s secrets.
The daylight hours passed slowly, yet amidst Jiang Lin’s busyness, they also seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.
After exercising for a while, he began preparing everything needed for the tavern’s evening business.
There were only two people in the tavern, he and Martie, so Jiang Lin took on every sort of task.
What had happened at Mrs. Heath’s house quickly spread throughout the town. In truth, in a small and remote place like Wheatfield Town, any little stir of activity would attract attention from many people.
Not to mention that a real knight and a mercenary squad were coming to town.
That was undoubtedly explosive news.
As evening approached, the setting sun slanted westward, staining even the distant Dusk Forest with a faint red glow. Together with the shrouding mist, it only added another layer of mystery.
And so Wheatfield Town welcomed the arrival of the honorable knight and his party.
The two sides of the gravel road were almost packed with townsfolk. Excitement and anticipation filled their faces as they stared unblinkingly at the knight seated upright upon a handsome white horse.
Four others had come with him.
Three of them wore furs from some unknown beast and carried weapons on their backs.
They looked like warriors.
And in the middle, protected by those three, was a figure dressed in a black robe. But when the townspeople saw the wooden staff in that black-robed person’s hand, the reverence in their eyes surpassed even what they had shown the knight.
This was a mage...