Chapter 191: A Familiar Face in a Foreign Land

They were the first to arrive, so they checked into the inn closest to the public carriage’s final stop, as agreed, to wait for the others.

Next were Ram and Ling, who stayed at a different inn. It wasn’t until the second day after their arrival that Bernar and his group, who had been searched and questioned multiple times along the way, finally delivered the merchant caravan to its destination and came to meet them. To avoid drawing attention, they stayed in a small, secluded inn on the outskirts of town.

The incident in Yagata City had already caused quite a stir in the imperial capital, affecting even the city here. After all, both Sentalus and Yagata were not far from Padamia, and among the empire’s nine grand dukes, these two had the greatest influence.

By the time Bernar and his group arrived, the atmosphere was already tense. Wu Qingsong could not have imagined that the situation would escalate to this extent.

“We’d better finish what we need to do quickly and then take the water route back as soon as possible,” Ram suggested.

A merchant’s instinct was to seek profit while avoiding risks. As the situation heated up, it was only a matter of time before their group’s characteristics were uncovered. In her view, it was most sensible to return to the remote mountains before every detail of the incident was brought to light.

Wu Qingsong agreed. Some people might have a talent for navigating and exploiting such chaotic and dangerous environments, ultimately reaping all the benefits. But no matter how he looked at it, he didn’t see himself as one of those people.

“I’ve already asked about the necessary procedures,” he told Ram. “Tomorrow, I’ll go to the Marquis of Riniconia’s residence and ask for their help in handling the next steps.”

Receiving a title wasn’t as simple as performing a ceremony. Many aspects of the process were beyond their control and depended on the Marquis Riniconia’s arrangements and even his mood. If they were lucky, it might be completed in a few days, but if not, it could drag on for months. Fortunately, Ram had already prepared a substantial amount of jewelry, which should smooth things over.

Wu Qingsong dyed his hair back to black and, accompanied by Beck, went to the Marquis Riniconia’s residence in the imperial capital. 

As expected, the steward there initially treated them with indifference, even jealousy. However, after Wu Qingsong presented a gift, the steward’s attitude changed significantly.

“Brother, these are tumultuous times. I can’t guarantee the Marquis’s schedule, but I assure you your request will be on his desk tomorrow. As for when he can attend to it, that’s beyond my control.”

“Please, sir, we appreciate your effort,” Wu Qingsong said, subtly suggesting that another generous gift would follow if things went smoothly.

This was quite normal. For small lords whose territories were over a thousand miles away, being away for a long time was never a good idea. It wasn’t uncommon to return and find your territory taken over or in complete disarray. Moreover, the cost of living in the imperial capital was exorbitant. Being delayed for a few months or even half a year could incur expenses far exceeding the bribe money. The stewards were well aware of these intricacies.

“Brother, I will certainly try to help you, but you know…”

“Of course,” Wu Qingsong said. “Sir, you are close to the Marquis, and I will rely on you to speak well of me in the future. I won’t forget these connections.”

Truth be told, becoming a lord was quite burdensome. Although it meant elevated status, potential expansion of territory, and exemption from taxes, it also meant dealing with more complex matters.

Previously, he only had to deal with the two good-for-nothings in Esola City. But after being granted a title, he would have to contend with the steward in Riniconia City. To maintain a good standing, he would also need to curry favor with the stewards accompanying the Marquis in the imperial capital and occasionally send gifts to the Marquis himself. The critical point was that as a vassal, he had an obligation to serve his liege. Without greasing the right palms, the liege might frequently assign him to lead a few hundred men to some battlefield, which would be unsustainable no matter how large his estate was.

After leaving the Marquis Riniconia’s residence, Wu Qingsong paid a visit to the Marquis Osaga’s residence. 

Naturally, the Marquis was not there. He wasn’t even in the imperial capital but had remained in his territory. 

However, the steward here was much more accommodating than those at the residence of Wu Qingsong’s official liege. It seemed the Marquis had specifically instructed him on the matter. Though the required payments were still collected without exception, the steward at least explained some of the intricacies and common practices involved in such matters.

In situations like his, the stewards under the Marquis Riniconia would never report his arrival in one go. They would make him run back and forth four or five times, or even seven or eight times, draining all the money he carried. Some of the more unscrupulous ones wouldn’t stop until these prospective nobles were completely out of funds, forcing them to take out exorbitant high-interest loans.

Fortunately, Wu Qingsong’s case was somewhat special. The next time he visited, he could subtly hint that he wasn’t a pushover and had other avenues to get his message to Padamia. He just didn’t want to cause a scene and preferred to negotiate a reasonable price to expedite the process.

“Esola used to be a good place, but now it’s hard to say,” the steward said. “Given the current situation, fifty thousand renals should be enough to make them accept it.”

The exorbitant rates left Wu Qingsong stunned. He had always considered himself well-off, but in these places, money suddenly felt like it had no value.

Still, without guidance, he would have had to spend the money anyway and waste a lot of time. He thanked the steward under the Marquis Osaga again and gave him an additional gift.

“These people are practically vultures,” Beck grumbled as they left the Marquis Osaga’s residence. “Everything costs a fortune.”

“They’ll get what’s coming to them eventually,” Wu Qingsong replied.

The two circled the streets several times before heading back to their lodgings.

Wu Qingsong had a strange feeling, as if someone were watching them. He turned around suddenly a few times and even deliberately walked back with Beck for a short distance, but he never saw anyone following them.

‘Am I being paranoid?’

Wu Qingsong shook his head. But when he returned to the inn and entered Ram’s room to discuss their next steps, a sudden feeling made him realize something.

“It’s been a long time,” he said cautiously, using his soul fragments to search the surroundings, finally detecting the presence that had been following him. 

“How have you been?”