One week later.
Noon, in front of the mottled city gate of the Border City.
The tax officer bowed respectfully, "Good day, noble sir. Your team needs to pay a Silver Coin to enter the city."
Thatās really steep, even bringing a bit of animal skin incurs a tax.
Luo De, accustomed to collecting taxes, was already growing weary of paying them.
But in the city, Luo De could not lose his noble demeanor, so he waved his hand for Lawrence to give the tax officer a Silver Coin.
The main thing is that he couldnāt afford to offend Marquis Cold Blade.
"Welcome to the city."
The tax officer, having collected the tax, smiled and gestured to the guards to let them pass.
Bowing respectfully to see Luo Deās team off, the tax officer then began to harshly reprimand the team entering behind.
"What a snob!"
Lawrence couldnāt help but curse.
In the past, when he brought caravans into the city, the tax officer treated him with the latter attitude.
Luo De smiled but did not comment, thinking that with this guyās greedy nature, he wonāt be much better than the tax officer in the future.
"Alright, letās get to work quickly."
Luo De instructed Lawrence, "Go find your old friends and quickly purchase a batch of scrap cloth, as much as possible.
Then you can find us at the slave market or at the pigeon craftsmanās place."
"Yes, Lord."
Lawrence nodded slightly, then left with two Guards.
After a week of rushing through the wasteland, Luo De did not rush to rest and went directly to the slave market with Gang Le and others.
The place called a market was actually a large yard enclosed by three-meter-high walls, with rows of cages inside.
However, the faces and clothes of the slaves inside were very clean, far more spirited than those Man Xiu and Simon brought to Frost Leaf Town.
Obviously, the slaves in this market were packaged.
Luo Deās Guards waited outside, with only Gang Le following him into the main gate of the slave market.
Just as he was observing the environment in the yard, an elegant middle-aged woman approached.
"Welcome to Rose Manor, young and handsome sir."
The woman bowed slightly with a coquettish smile on her face, "I am the owner here, Ruth Rose. You may call me Ruth or Lady Rose."
Seeing that he was greeted by a charming woman, Luo De was not surprised at all.
Because before coming, Lawrence had introduced Luo De to this Rose Manor and Lady Rose.
This woman appeared charming and lovely, but in reality was cunning and vicious, with significant influence in the Border City.
Because she was the first mistress of Marquis Cold Blade.
The Broken Rock Empire practices monogamy, but one can have numerous mistresses.
Besides mistresses, there are personal maids and female slaves, as many as one desires if one has Gold Coins and power.
This is also the primary source of illegitimate children.
"I am the Baron of Black Pine Ridge, Luo De Tulip."
Luo De replied simply, asking, "I need a woodworker and a pigeon craftsman. Do you have any here?"
"There are no pigeon craftsmen, but there are woodworkers."
Lady Rose sidestepped and led the way, "If youāre interested, please follow me."
She led Luo De through the yard and straight into a wooden house on the south side.
Inside the wooden house were individual cells, much larger than the cages outside, roughly about fifteen square meters.
These cells looked quite similar to the dormitories in Luo Deās previous life, with simple tables and beds.
The difference was that these cells were single-occupancy.
"This woodworker is from a small country in the Western Alliance and is only twenty-nine years old this year."
Lady Rose said with a smile, "Priced at eight Gold Coins."
"Eight Gold Coins?"
Luo De couldnāt help but laugh, "Are you randomly quoting a price just because you see I need one?"
The threshold for being a woodworker is not high, and the value of a slave typically ranges between 250-400 Silver Coins.
Eight Gold Coins is truly exaggerated.
"Please donāt misunderstand, dear Lord Luo De. He can build ships!"
"Whatās the use of shipbuilding? Is there a shipyard in the Northern Wasteland?"
There is a sea to the northeast, but thatās beyond the endless Blade Mountain Range.
Building ships, I could recite ancient poetry, but does it have any use in this world?
Luo De couldnāt help but sneer, thinking this Lady Rose must see him as a foolish and wealthy noble scion.
"Anything else? Next one!"
Lady Rose didnāt expect Luo De to speak so directly, without even negotiating the price, feeling slightly awkward.
However, with her experience, she quickly adjusted.
"If you want him, I can give you a discount."
"Letās look at the next one first."
Luo De urged, "No more woodworkers?"
"Of course, there are."
Lady Rose quickly led Luo De through the corridor to the fourth cell,
"This man is from a small village in the south, he has extensive experience in making things, and heās cheap, only four gold coins."
Luo De ignored Lady Rose and carefully scrutinized the man inside the room.
This woodworker was neat and presentable, but Luo De noticed quite a few wrinkles on his face, and asked, "How old is he?"
"You are truly perceptive,"
Lady Rose was somewhat surprised in her heart, but kept a smile on her face, "His age is a bit on the older side, he is forty-one."
"At such an age, he may not be in good health, nearly dying, and you actually quote four gold coins?"
Luo De frowned, not giving Lady Rose a chance to speak, and straightforwardly said, "Two gold coins."
"You are really exaggerating, how could such a skilled woodworker be worth only two gold coins?"
Lady Roseās smile remained unchanged, "Three gold coins and fifty silver coins."
"I donāt want to waste time, hereās the deal, two gold coins and ten silver coins, thatās the highest price Iām willing to pay."
Luo De added impatiently, "I want to build new wooden houses and fences, I donāt necessarily need a woodworker with such extensive experience.
If the price is too high, Iād rather have the woodworkers in my territory train more apprentices."
Lady Rose hesitated for a moment, sighed, "Alright, two gold coins and eighty silver coins."
"The previous price, not a single copper coin more."
Luo De said, "If this isnāt okay, letās look at the next one."
"Thereās no more."
"Then Iāll wait, or Iāll check out other towns."
Luo De didnāt leave any room for negotiation for both Lady Rose and himself, preparing to leave once he finished speaking.
"Alright, alright, Lord Luo De, you are truly firm."
Lady Rose said helplessly, "Letās go with your price, but you have to buy some other slaves too, or Iāll be at a loss."
What every merchant loves to claim is that they are selling at a loss.
Luo De didnāt believe it at all.
"Other slaves, I donāt think I need anything."
"A blacksmith?"
Lady Rose suggested, as no one disliked blacksmiths.
But Luo De shook his head, when the hydraulic forging hammer is developed, the threshold for blacksmiths in Frost Leaf Town will greatly lower.
Mainly because blacksmiths are too expensive.
"Then a stone mason? A brewer?"
Lady Rose persuaded, "Let me take you around here a bit more, you might find something you need?"
"Alright then."
Luo De nodded slightly in agreement.
Lawrence wasnāt finished handling things so quickly, Luo De might as well take a stroll while waiting for him.
Anyway, itās just looking, Luo De wasnāt buying anything.
"Iāll first take you to visit the Artisan District, then weāll go to the female slave area, this way please."
Lady Rose swayed her full figure in front as she introduced every slave in the cells to Luo De like listing her familyās treasures.
Rose Manor was even larger than Luo Deās Winter Manor, and after passing through four long houses, they hadnāt finished the tour yet.
Many guards were present, Luo De counted twenty-four on their walk through.
And Rose Manorās slaves were quite good quality, Luo De wanted them all, but his limited finances kept him from spending a penny.
"Up ahead is the female slave area, if any catch your eye, let me know." Lady Rose prompted.
"Thereās no need to go there..."
As soon as Luo De finished speaking, he suddenly felt a slight throb in his chest.
Hmm?
Luo De casually placed his hand on his chest to carefully feel.
It wasnāt his heart, it was the Extraordinary Gem inside his clothing lining.
āDetection Gem.
Could it be, a witch?
It was originally how Linda found Avril.
But back then, Linda could detect Avril in the manor from in town, if it was a witch, why didnāt the Detection Gem react when they first entered?
Luo De was filled with doubts, he actively stepped into the wooden house.
Lady Rose couldnāt help but smirk, following behind.
"If youāre interested, I can introduce them to you."
"Hmm."
Luo De remained silent, beginning to slow his pace and carefully observe each figure in the cell, pretending to show interest.
But in reality, he was carefully feeling the throb of the Detection Gem.