Knight Lord: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 347 The Once-Popular Armor
After the first day of the Glorious Arena ended, Su Li's nerves, which had been tense for a long time, could finally relax a little.

People are all like this; before a grand festival, they are always on edge, giving their all, for fear of making a mistake.

With the event underway and everything going smoothly, I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Moreover, the second day mainly consisted of matches in the losers' bracket, so he didn't need to play and was in a particularly relaxed mood.

After getting up in the morning, he first had a pleasant training session with Seranville, and then got up refreshed to check the intelligence.

This summer, the divinity of Tal has been relatively mild, with few storms and crises. The main focus has been on revealing information related to farming and plant growth.

It's worth mentioning that summer might be the growing season, as the intelligence report hinted at two points related to animal husbandry, both of which could lead to opportunities and information.

One of the points concerns the breeding of livestock. Today is a day when divine grace is particularly strong after the summer solstice. Feeding pregnant mares enough extraordinary pasture before mating and breeding will greatly increase the chances of producing more Bloodmane Horses.

This is currently a very important and precious breed of horse in the territory. Within the empire, only nobles and marshals are qualified to ride this precious armored horse.

In terms of value, a fine Bloodmane horse can sell for at least 300+ gold crowns, which is much more expensive than an elite knight.

If the year and market conditions are favorable, such as during a major expedition, a large number of nobles gather from all directions, and in order to compete, such a precious warhorse can sell for more than 500 gold crowns!

After all, what nobles care about most is face and style. In such a grand imperial event, a large number of nobles gather in a military camp. Everyone is a baron and they all brought their troops. How can they distinguish between them? Let alone not being able to distinguish between them, maybe in other places, but in an empire founded on knighthood, these proud knights, who are as proud as roosters, usually decorate their helmets and armor with chicken feathers and feathers, dressing up in a flamboyant manner. When they meet, how can they not compete with each other?
How do you determine who is superior? It's all about whose armor is more magnificent and whose mount is more powerful.
At this point, the demand for armor and warhorses will increase significantly.

So today's intelligence, in addition to highlighting the horses of this ranch, also revealed information about the Griffin Forest, where three egg thieves stole four and a half Griffin eggs.

This must have been a half-griffin nest that they found, and they took all the half-griffin eggs inside.

With the aid of intelligence, it's perfectly reasonable for Su Li to intercept them all. Many territories have similar regulations, strictly prohibiting vibranium and high-grade warhorses from leaving their borders.

The Black Forest Territory was no exception; half-griffins were absolutely forbidden from being taken off the border.

Even if it were to be sold, it would be a transaction between territories or an official patent.

Su Li planned to take two of these half-griffin eggs and sell them to other knights and nobles, which would not only bring in a large sum of money but also enhance the reputation of the territory.

So after breakfast, Su Li asked Hilde, "My steward, what is the schedule for today? If not, I would like to inspect the ranches and the Black Forest Armory in the territory."

Hilde already understood Su Li's thoughts very well, and upon hearing this, she smiled and asked, "Does Your Lordship intend to sell a batch of armor and helmets to the knights?"

Su Li reached out and pulled the dashing knight onto her lap, then kissed her handsome face hard, saying, "Of course! Such a good opportunity would be wasted if we didn't seize it and sell a batch of armor and mounts. They just made a fortune gambling, and if I don't take advantage of it, they won't be able to keep the money; it'll definitely be wasted on eating, drinking, and having fun. So it's better for me to take it back, develop our territory, and do something more useful."

Hilde replied with a smile, "I had two plans for today. The first was for you to learn about the other knights' information and strength to prepare for the competition the day after tomorrow. The second was that summer planting in the territory is about to begin, and Minister of Agriculture Fandall hopes that you can inspect the farming operations in the territory."

"However, neither of these matters is urgent. If Your Lordship has other plans, we can make adjustments at any time."

Su Li waved her hand decisively: "Then let's change the itinerary. With today's rest time, I still hope to focus on more pressing matters. You can keep an eye on the other knights' intelligence. I believe that as my advisor, you can definitely provide me with the best advice."

"As for the farming in the territory, let Fandall handle it. This is already the fifth farming season, and our Minister of Agriculture and the agricultural department are already very familiar with the process. I shouldn't need to supervise them one by one."

"We just adjusted the direction of the ley line compass to [Forging Resonance] this summer, so we still need to pay more attention to this aspect."

Hilde nodded slightly and said, "Then everything will be done according to your wishes, Lord. I will help the Minister of Agriculture to implement all of this. This summer planting season will be quite challenging. We need to plant more extraordinary grains, and at the same time, we will face the pressure of the Radiant Arena. Many commoners and citizens are crowded in the city to watch the games and have not yet returned to their villages."

"In addition, the Minister of Agriculture will also be involved in negotiations with various forces to try to secure the status of our border granaries. There are many things that need to be done."

"Okay. Thank you all for your hard work." Su Li patted her shapely legs and then stood up.

Now that his territory has expanded, it's clear that Su Li alone cannot take care of everything. This is why he needs to win over a ruling class; he has too many political affairs that require someone to handle for him.

Just like negotiations and trade agreements with various powers, Su Li couldn't possibly personally intervene and negotiate with the trade representatives of other powers, could he? The status wouldn't be equal, and he wasn't prepared. He couldn't simply present a blank trade agreement, have the other party sign and stamp it, and then write down what he wanted later. That would be too haphazard; aside from the so-called beacon of the empire, a normal person simply couldn't do that.

However, Su Li felt that there was another matter he needed to pay attention to: the number of serfs in his territory.

Generally, the size of a territory's knights, freemen, citizens, and slaves should be maintained in an appropriate ratio. Within the empire, freemen, serfs, and ordinary citizens together constitute the economy of a territory.

Too many or too few serfs will affect the development of the territory, and at present, Su Li undoubtedly has too few serfs. The rise of two cities, a White Castle, and a large number of manors and strongholds has resulted in too many free people in the territory.

They've had too much freedom; they've even neglected farming to watch the games. The planting from the past few days will definitely have to be done by the serfs first.

However, there's no other way; you can't have your cake and eat it too. If Su Li wants the profits from the competition and the festive atmosphere, she can't forcibly expel the free people from the city and force them to work in the fields.

Su Li could only adjust her mindset. What country or nation doesn't have a seven or eight-day holiday? She could just treat it as a way for them to relax.

Humans are not like cattle or horses; if they only work for a long time without leisure or entertainment, they will really become numb and corrupt.

Even after a long period of bland diet, a big meal can make you feel happy.

Therefore, people really do need to regulate their emotions. Isn't the purpose of farming and production to make ourselves happier and more joyful?

The more reliable solution for the Hessian Territory at present is to increase the number of slaves in the territory, so that the number of slaves accounts for about 3% of the total population.

To purchase slaves in large quantities again, wealth would be indispensable.

After sorting out his thoughts and feeling that there were no problems, Su Li decisively put on the gilded plate armor, donned the Black Forest Guard Knight badge and the family emblem, and crossed the carnival square under the protection of high-ranking attendants.

As expected, his appearance quickly drew cheers and a crowd of onlookers.

The Blacksin Guard Knights are the pride and symbol of the Blacksin territory. Any knight chosen as a Blacksin Guard Knight is extremely honored and will be greeted with cheers from the crowd wherever they go.

When Su Li passed by here wearing this armor, he left behind a very classic self-praise: "Back then, I was young and wore golden armor, riding a horse and leaning against a slanting bridge, with red sleeves beckoning all around!"

As the marshal of the Black Forest Guard, he led a squad of Black Forest Guard knights through the Carnival Square, causing a sensation that drew countless onlookers.

His ostentatious display was undoubtedly aimed at promoting his armor.

The knights, like proud roosters, loved this magnificent armor. Although the foreign knights had only been in the territory for a short time, they had almost all learned about the most fashionable armor styles in Black Forest Territory in a very short time.

In just a few days, this magnificent Baroque plate armor in the style of the Black Forest Guard Knights became the most popular and sought-after trendy plate armor.

The knights certainly couldn't afford the exorbitant price of a perfect set of vibranium rune armor.

However, many people are willing to pay for a set of high-quality armor with a similar style and design.

Even if you grit your teeth and buy a set of top-tier armor, it's not out of your reach; at most, you'll incur some debt and loans. This isn't some kind of hedonistic luxury; it's real, tangible equipment that can truly save your life! Investing in this isn't impulsive spending.

On the contrary, there is a reason why it is expensive. Knights are willing to pay for this upgrade because these armors really have huge advantages.

Of course, as a core project of the territory, it naturally commands a premium. The difference is that other exquisite-grade armor might cost 200 gold crowns, while this exquisite-grade armor costs a whopping 250 gold crowns. But it is still much cheaper than buying it from places like Maleburg.

Walking down the street, Tiberius was somewhat resentful and asked, "My lord, why won't you allow me to join the Black Forest Guard Knights? Last night I went out drinking and when I was bragging, a bunch of people booed me."

Given Tiberius's personality, if he doesn't have something, he will definitely use methods such as "challenging," "threatening," and "picking fights" to forcibly acquire it, using his "self-sufficient" custom to get himself a set of equipment, as long as the equipment is cool enough.

Su Li usually turns a blind eye to this custom of his.

As long as he is loyal enough, Su Li doesn't mind his arrogant and domineering personality, which is a tradition among the proud and fierce generals from the north.

However, this custom absolutely forbids any interference with the Black Forest Guard Knights, not only because the Black Forest Guard Knights are the symbol and prestige of the Black Forest Territory, but more importantly because Su Li is truly the marshal of the Black Forest Guard Knights.

If he doesn't protect his men, why would he gain the support of the Black Forest Guard knights?
If other knightly orders were bullied, they would naturally seek help from their own commanders, not go directly to Su Li. For example, if a conflict broke out between high-ranking squires and provincial legions, and the knights below them fought, regardless of who won or lost, they would first report to their respective commanders.

But Su Li is the commander of the Black Forest Guard Knights, so it's only natural that the knights would seek him out.

Su Li certainly did not disappoint the Black Forest Guard Knights, upholding their special status as the Imperial Guard.

Even knights with bad conduct are not allowed into this army.

Su Li smiled and looked at Tiberius, asking, "Don't you know why you can't get into the Black Forest Guard? With your behavior, even if I gave you special permission to go in, you'd be kicked out in less than three days for violating military discipline."

The Black Forest Guard Knights are undoubtedly the noble flowers of the territory. To join the Black Forest Guard, every knight must have a noble status, at least a piece of land granted to him by Su Li, and must also possess skillful martial arts, a tenacious will, and unwavering loyalty to his lord.

The Hessian Royal Guard Knights differ from other ordinary imperial knight orders in that they are divided into cavalry and infantry. Knights of the Hessian Royal Guard will join the battle in the name of their lord, piercing the enemy of their territory with bloody lances, and winning one glorious victory after another for the lord they serve, thus living up to the name of the Royal Guard.
Unlike their knightly counterparts, the Blacksen Foot Guards were more like silent rocks, stationed at the Forbidden City, quietly protecting their lord's safety. Figuratively speaking, the Blacksen Foot Guards were the lord's sharpest spear, while the Blacksen Foot Guards were his thickest shield.

From any perspective, Tiberius doesn't quite fit the image of a Hessian Royal Guard.

Tiberius touched his bald head, unable to refute, and angrily cursed, "It's all the fault of these blind fools who can't see my true strength. They're too frivolous, only knowing how to look at the armor, not knowing that my strong body beneath the armor is the most important source of my strength."

Su Li raised an eyebrow and asked with interest, "Then tell me about your situation yesterday. Did you go to the tavern for drinks?"

Tiberius immediately nodded excitedly and said, "My lord, it's such a pity you didn't go last night. You really should put on your mask, step down from your high position, and experience the passion of the common people. The Rossini Eagle Tavern was packed with at least 5000 people yesterday!"

Rossini's Eagle, Su Li still remembers, was a strip club, a favorite haunt of the territory's mercenaries.

The tavern's clientele included mercenaries, explorers, and wandering knights. Its striptease performances were renowned, even Su Li had heard of them.

The actress is said to be a half-elf with dark elf blood. The winner of the tavern's monthly arm-wrestling tournament and the champion of each cycle's Lion's Ring Arena can have her for a whole day!

Before Su Li could ask any further questions, Tiberius excitedly began to reveal: "After the Lion Ring Arena ended yesterday, thousands of knights swarmed the victors to the tavern and almost violently pushed the regular mercenaries into corners and against the walls. These guys could only bar their teeth like a pack of restless jackals."

"Large amounts of gold and silver coins were scattered all over the counter, and the knights stuffed silver coins directly into the front of the strippers' blouses. Unlimited drinks were provided, and the air was filled with the strong aroma of ale mixed with the sticky smell of women's sweat."

"Those women are absolutely insane. Whenever one knight knocks out another in a drinking contest, they'll just take off their bras and throw them at him, which gets everyone's blood pumping."

"You have no idea what I did yesterday. I drank 17 weaklings under the table in one go! It was truly a man's world. There were at least five, six, seven or eight women on top of me, posing seductively."

"Everyone was cheering and drinking, and thousands of barrels of beer were consumed in just one night!"

Are you all heavy drinkers? There were several thousand people who went, and you consumed several thousand barrels of beer. That's about one barrel of beer per person, isn't it?
It's a miracle that Tiberius can still stand up today.

Su Li asked, "That was truly a magnificent feat, but how did it involve the Black Forest Guard Knights?"

Tiberius was somewhat annoyed and said, "A bunch of blind fools! I said I was the strongest below the Chosen Ones, and they all questioned me, asking why I didn't have a set of the iconic Black Forest Guard armor? Is strength only demonstrated through armor?"

Given Tiberius's competitive nature, he would definitely be among the first to sign up for a grand event like the Glorious Games.

Therefore, he is one of the top favorites to win the championship group, and he certainly can't stand being questioned by others.
But the fact that they were able to overshadow this favorite to win the championship shows just how magnificent and highly praised the armor of the Black Forest Guard Knights truly is.

The Hessian Royal Guard Knights adorned their armor and shields with red and gold, and inlaid the Imperial Cross between the shield and the battle banner, which also bore the emblem of the Bauhinia family.

Thanks to the abundance of dwarven master blacksmiths in the territory, the Blackwood Guard's heavy plate armor is all custom-made by dwarven craftsmen, and their lances are crafted by the best artisans in the territory. The Blackwood Guard knights are also equipped with greatswords, two-handed greatswords, and halberds to fight against the empire's diverse enemies and to better protect their lord's safety.

As the iconic royal guard of the territory, they are also the most valued by Su Li, and their size is rapidly expanding. According to Su Li's plan, this will be the largest secular knightly order in the territory. In addition to the Black Forest Royal Guard headquarters in Black Forest City, there will also be Black Forest Royal Guard fortresses of various sizes in other areas of the territory, so as to ensure that they can quickly join the battle in the event of a crisis.

They need to appear in public frequently enough to garner more admiration and praise.

So Su Li smiled and said to Tiberius, "Since the territory is so lively and festive, don't complain. We'll go to the Black Forest Armory later, and I'll see if I can find you a set of equally magnificent armor. It's also my way of supporting your championship win."

Such a perfect set of vibranium rune armor is extremely valuable, possibly worth thousands of gold crowns. How could Tiberius not be excited that Su Li had given it to him so generously?
His dissatisfaction with yesterday's tavern instantly vanished, and he said with a beaming smile, "By the goddess above, praise be to your virtue, my lord. I swear that I and my battle axe will forever be loyal to you, my lord. Wherever your sword points, that is where I will fight with my life."

Su Li nodded. "No need to rush, your time to shine will come soon."

As the two spoke, under the protection of the Hessian Royal Guard knights, the group arrived in front of the Hessian Armory.

Here stands a massive stone monument crafted by the dwarves, inscribed with the local maxim: "The flame patterns on those blades are not mere decorations—every sword is blessed by a battle priest when it leaves the factory."

This armory is one of Oliver's most important investment outcomes and is also part of the Holy Industrial Alliance.

More than 300 dwarves and more than 200 human artisans are stationed here, working together to create a large number of equipment for the territory.

Since the high-ranking attendants had already notified Su Lihui that he would be coming to inspect the place, dozens of armory personnel were already waiting at the gate to greet him.

Su Li looked around but didn't find his forging minister, so he asked, "Where is Peros Dragon Hammer?"

A dwarf quickly stepped forward and replied, "Dean Boros is forging armor. He apologizes, as he simply cannot find the time to greet you."

Tiberius immediately grabbed the man's collar and lifted the heavy, iron-like dwarf up, demanding, "What do you mean you can't find the time? I think he's just arrogant and lazy! The lord just helped this bastard reach Champion level, what could he possibly be busy with? Does he think he can advance to God-chosen level? What else could he possibly be too busy with?"

Having just broken through to the Champion level, it's impossible for Boros Dragon Hammer to immediately advance to the Chosen level.

Fearing Su Li might misunderstand, the other party immediately explained, "My lord, it's just that what Dean Peros is doing is too important. He dares not give up easily, lest he waste the territory's wealth, after all, he is forging a God-chosen-grade armor!"

Su Li immediately remembered this important matter!
He'd been so busy with the Radiant Arena celebrations these past few days that he'd almost forgotten the opportunity for the Chosen Armor to be born had arrived.

If a set of God-chosen armor could be created during this Glorious Arena, it would undoubtedly further enhance the frenzied atmosphere of the celebration in the territory!
(End of this chapter)