In a private room of the tavern.
Leah, leaning against his chair, leisurely savored the fine wine delivered by the tavern. Outside his private room, several escorts stood like gatekeepers, their arms crossed, with a clear "keep out" written on their faces.
"Ptooey."
Leah, holding his wine cup, suddenly spat viciously onto the ground.
"What kind of rotten wine is this? Is it even fit for people to drink?"
"Young Master, this is already the best wine in our lower city." The tavern owner, with eyebrows furrowed into an inverted 'V', scratched his head, and fine beads of sweat uncontrollably surfaced on his plump face. "Our lower city isn't like the upper city, where resources are abundant. If you don't like it, I can send someone up to the city to buy some that will satisfy you, what do you say..."
Leah remained silent, slowly raising his head to glance at the tavern owner.
Go up to the city?
He was currently working for Chen Yu, and without Lord Chen Yu's permission, no one dared to set foot in the upper city.
If he angered that lord,
his small life would come to an end right there.
This old fellow wanted his life.
With just that glance.
The owner trembled as if afflicted with malaria, his legs shaking uncontrollably.
Perhaps unable to bear it,
The Great Elder of the Elton family stepped forward, gently tapping his bracelet and producing two jars of good wine.
"Young Master Leah, this is a fine vintage that our clansmen obtained from the Seventh Kingdom. If you don't find it beneath you, please try it and see if it satisfies your palate." The Great Elder's face was filled with an obsequious smile, and he pointed to the exquisite wine bottles on the table with one hand.
"The Seventh Kingdom?"
Leah, who had been lounging with his legs crossed, raised his eyebrows, turned, and reached out to take the wine jars.
"Is it the Seventh Kingdom, renowned for its winemaking?"
"Precisely."
The Great Elder nodded in agreement, and with a gesture from his clasped hands, he signaled the tavern owner to leave. Seeing this gesture, the owner felt as if he had been reborn. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and hurriedly ran out of the room with a flustered expression.
This scene was naturally observed by Leah, but he paid it no mind.
His mind was entirely occupied by the fine wine in his hands.
In the Human Empire, each nation had its corresponding specialties. The Seventh Kingdom was famously known for winemaking. If one dared to claim second place in winemaking technology in the Seventh Kingdom, then no one in the Human Empire would dare claim first.
If it were ordinary wine, Leah would certainly not have paid it any attention.
As long as the funds were in place, one could buy it.
However, the wine jar in his hand, if he wasn't mistaken, appeared to be the Azure Porcelain Wine, which only royal family members of the Seventh Kingdom and core members of the Imperial family could taste. Obtaining this jar of wine was by no means something that could be bought with money alone.
Leah, already a devoted wine enthusiast, couldn't help but be moved upon seeing such a fine vintage.
He pulled out the stopper of the wine jar,
and a refreshing wine aroma wafted out.
Even the Great Elder and Fourth Elder of the Elton family, standing in the private room, couldn't help but swallow.
This wine was truly good wine.
Even the two of them were reluctant to drink it.
If they hadn't known Leah's passion for wine and intended to curry favor, they would never have brought out this wine. However, for the prosperity and survival of their family, they had to make this decision with a heavy heart.
"Good wine, good wine!"
Smelling the aroma, Leah's mouth watered, and he tilted his head back, pouring the wine in.
The entire jar of wine,
Leah downed it in a few gulps.
As uninhibited as he usually was, he couldn't bear to waste a single drop at this moment.
"Exhilarating, truly exhilarating."
Leah tilted his head back and cried out with satisfaction. He glanced at the remaining jar on the table, licked his lips, and his hand reached out only to be forcefully withdrawn.
He couldn't touch it!
This jar of wine had to be saved for Chen Yu.
Just as the Elton family had brought out their treasured vintage for survival, so did Leah. His life was in Chen Yu's hands, and saving a jar to curry favor was a reluctant move.
Forcing down his desire,
Leah gently waved his hand, and the exquisite wine on the table was stored in his ring.
"The Elton family is indeed extraordinary, to be able to obtain such fine wine. I am impressed." Leah chuckled and cupped his hands in a salute. "You are indeed kind-hearted. Seeing the tavern owner's discomfort, you offered such wine to ease the situation. The Elton family is truly benevolent."
"Young Master Leah."
The Great Elder, clenching his fist under his sleeve, replied with a fawning smile.
"You are of noble status, why bother with a mere merchant from the lower city? What he said was the truth. The resources in the lower city are indeed inferior to those in the upper city, and he did his best. Even if you were to kill him, what would it achieve?"
"Hahahaha..."
At that, Leah burst into laughter.
"Well said, Great Elder of the Elton family! Your demeanor and state of mind are truly admirable, junior. Since you say not to bother with a small merchant, fine, I will give you face and not bother with him. Should I then settle the score with your Elton family?"
Thud.
In an instant, the Great Elder and Fourth Elder, who had come to negotiate, felt their hearts lurch.
As expected, this was aimed at them.
Fortunately, they had already prepared for the worst before coming. Hearing Leah's threat now was within their expectations.
"Young Master Leah, in what way has our Elton family offended you?" the Great Elder asked, his gaze lowered and his attitude sincere. "Please tell us, and our family will do its best to rectify it. If a clansman has offended you, we can also have that clansman come here to apologize to you in person."
"Hmph hmph..."
Leah sneered, licking his lips.
"Apologies, you say that so lightly."
"Young Master Leah, this land deed represents one-third of the Elton family's territory within the Kingdom of Tatu." The Fourth Elder, with temples turning gray, produced a golden piece of paper imprinted with various mysterious characters. "No matter what we have done wrong, we implore you to show mercy."
Such a grand gesture startled Leah.
One-third of the entire Elton family.
This wealth,
was immeasurable.
Frankly, he truly wanted to keep this land deed in his possession. The problem was that this land deed belonged to Chen Yu.
"Or, perhaps I can hold onto it for the Lord?"
A thought suddenly flickered in Leah's mind.
He certainly wouldn't dare to embezzle it. When everything settled, he could present the land deed to Chen Yu, claiming he had obtained extra compensation for him. Such a massive sum should surely satisfy that Lord.
If so, with a good mood, he might even be freed.
"Hmph, the Elton family has made a grand gesture." Leah took the land deed with a raised hand. "One-third, given to me like this. Your Elton family must be severely weakened. Are you truly willing to give it to me?"
"As long as you are willing to show mercy."
"Hahahaha, with this sincerity, I might indeed let you off the hook. Unfortunately..." Leah shook his head and chuckled derisively. "I'm too lazy to waste more words with you. Your Elton family has offended not me, but someone far more formidable. I can only say your family is blind, lacking any sense of proportion."
Such words were blatant humiliation.
The ancestral hall was a sacred place for a clan,
Leah's implication was that he didn't take the Elton family seriously at all, and the Elton family could only grovel before him, unable to raise their heads even if their ancestral hall was destroyed.
The Great Elder suppressed this humiliation, his fist clenched under his sleeve.
"Since our clan has not offended you, then why did you invite us here..."
"You haven't offended me, which shows you have some discernment. Unfortunately, you have offended someone far more unsuitable to offend. I can only say your family is blind, ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth."