I was a lord farming, how did I become an emperor?

Chapter 210 News of the Red Griffin Family
……

……

“You’re absolutely right. I’m just an aristocratic lady who can’t understand suffering.”

The female companion smiled and said, "But I have silver coins to lend you."

"Miss Zoya Falcon, I'll return the silver coin to you as soon as I get back!"

Linda nudged her female companion, and the two of them laughed together.

"Okay, stop wasting time."

Zhuoya took Linda's arm. "Let's go quickly and take a look at the magic array you mentioned in your report."

Without lingering, the two quickly entered the manor's basement.

Torches were placed around the basement to illuminate the dark space, and Linda was on guard.

Zhuo Ya circled the magic circle, observing it back and forth.

She not only looked at the runes on the magic circle, but also checked the corpses inside the circle from time to time.

After a long while, Zhuoya stood up with a frown.

"This magic circle is extremely complex."

"It extracted the souls of these corpses and teleported them away."

"And their blood became the energy for the magic array's teleportation."

Zhuo Ya curled her lip and snorted coldly, "They really don't waste a single bit."

Linda was somewhat surprised.

"So you're saying this magic circle has nothing to do with those rotting corpses outside?"

"Those rotting corpses were infected by the necromantic plague; they don't need such a complicated magic array,"

Zhuo Ya shook her head.

"The corpses are weak and nothing to us; they are only effective against ordinary people."

"It's just a trick of traditional necromancers; a few bottles of potion can do it."

Zhuo Ya's expression was solemn: "But this magic array is very powerful; it's something completely different."

"Although they look similar, the difficulty is completely different."

Zhuo Ya stopped smiling.
"It seems someone wants to do something under the cover of this war."

……

……

In the courtyard of the blacksmith's shop.

Wood chips and ashes danced in the wind, and the air was filled with the smell of burning.

"Boom."

The hammer slipped from Bud's hand without his noticing, making a dull thud.

It also broke the silence in the courtyard.

The guard took a deep breath of the cold early spring air and stammered,
"My lord, what... what happened?"

The guard's voice trembled as he slowly stepped forward.

The ground was still warm, and the charcoal still glowed.

The next moment, the guards discovered something even more shocking.

"Sir, the nails have melted too!"

Everyone's attention was instantly drawn, and they swarmed forward in a flurry.

The guard pointed to the broken fence, where the deformed nails were slightly red.

The crowd stared blankly once again.

The guards looked at Rhodes with a mixture of reverence and fear.

As a guard at the manor, he had seen Rhodes cast spells.

But it was just a small ball of flame, like an arrow or a hidden weapon, that made a hole in the target.

But what is this now?
What is this doing?
Who can withstand this sword strike?
As a warrior, the guard couldn't help but think to himself.

How would I fight if I encountered an opponent like this?
The answer is no.

The only options are to stay away or risk your life.

"Thank goodness. Thank goodness the Baron is our lord."

The guard blurted out this sentence quite abruptly, which made the guards next to him nod repeatedly.

As soldiers, they all had the same thoughts on their minds.

Just as everyone was in shock, Bain led the yak people to kneel on the still-warm ground.

The other yak blacksmiths followed suit, kneeling down one after another.

"My lord, is it your divine power that is being restored?"

Bain's deep voice struck everyone like a thunderclap, and they instantly understood.

The lord's identity is indeed extraordinary!
Who knows, it might really be the resurrection of some holy lord or deity!
Hamo and Bad exchanged a glance, and then knelt down along with the yak man.

The foreman knelt down, and the other blacksmiths, no longer able to stand, followed suit. The guards also knelt down with the others.

Vivian followed suit, bowing her head and kneeling on one knee.

"Everyone, get up."

Rod frowned slightly, but offered no explanation.

There's no way to explain it.

Rhodes himself hadn't expected it to be so powerful.

Although this sword strike consumed most of Rhode's scorching energy.

The group slowly rose to their feet, but from their eyes, Rhodes knew they hadn't yet recovered from the shock.

"Alright, everyone get back to work."

Rod waved his hand casually, and no one dared to linger any longer, quickly returning to the blacksmith's shop.

Rod snapped out of his daze and carefully examined his masterpiece.

It doesn't matter that the fence was destroyed.

Send a few dozen people, and it can be repaired in two or three days.

Importantly, even if the person standing in front of Rhodes was wearing full armor, he couldn't stop his sword strike.

Vivian walked slowly forward and asked in a low voice:
"Does this attack possess the power of a legendary knight?"

"do not know."

Rhodes shook his head slightly. "I've never seen a legendary knight either. I guess it's pretty much based on the legends."

"In terms of spell level, there is a first-level spell called Breath of Fire, which is described as having similar power."

First-circle spells are spells that only high-ranking wizard apprentices can learn and master, and they are spells that truly and completely overwhelm ordinary people.

According to legend, a high-ranking wizard apprentice is about as strong as a legendary knight.

Vivian nodded. Her gaze involuntarily drifted towards Rhodes' Ashbringer.

Looking at her embroidery needle again, Vivian raised her head, pursed her lips, and showed an expectant smile.

Her meaning was self-evident.

She also wanted such a powerful weapon.

"You'd better not get your hopes up too high."

Rhodes explained earnestly, "Because the tempering of flames is very similar to that of Ashbringer, it has caused a qualitative change in Ashbringer."

"If it were a different attribute, it would probably just be a regular enchantment."

"It's ok."

Vivian's eyes were still full of anticipation.

"I would be satisfied even if it only had half the power."

Rhodes nodded.
"However, both the yak man and I are exhausted today and cannot use the flames for tempering anymore."

"Then tomorrow!"

Vivian couldn't help but hug Rod's arm.

Rod smiled, turned around and went back to the blacksmith's shop.

The weapons forged from sea-patterned magic steel were indeed excellent, bringing Rhodes more and more surprises.

We still need to forge more.

However, Rhodes was a bit tired today, so he decided to forge a few arrows made of sea-patterned magic steel for Ryan.

Before Rod could even swing his hammer a few times, Durant burst into the blacksmith's shop.

Seeing that Rod was unharmed, Durant breathed a sigh of relief.

"My Lord Baron, I'm so glad you're alright."

Durant, who was training new recruits, saw the flames from afar and led his men straight over.

"I'm fine. Didn't the guards at the door tell you?"

Rod smiled and put down the hammer.

"He only said a couple of sentences that I didn't quite understand before he just barged in."

Durant explained somewhat embarrassedly, "Cerf said that you used Ashbringer and unleashed an incredibly powerful 'Flame Slash'."

"Huh? They even have names for the combat techniques?"

Rod smiled helplessly. "What he said doesn't make any mistakes."

Then, Rhodes briefly explained the concepts of Flame Tempering and Enchanting.

Durant's eyes widened, and he asked cautiously, "Your Excellency, may I see your Ashbringer?"

Rod nodded:

"See for yourself."

"Thanks you!"

Durant walked forward with expectant eyes, forcefully pulled out Ashbringer, and examined it carefully.

The flowing light above is not as clear as before.

But if you look closely, you can see flashes of fire like lava.

"This is truly amazing..."

Durant couldn't help but sigh.

"It's a pity I wasn't there at the time and couldn't witness such a magnificent scene."

"Nothing to regret."

Rod smiled and said, "You'll have a chance to see it in the future."

"That's what you said!"

Durant nodded, his eyes filled with affection for Ashbringer.

For knights, no one dislikes a weapon imbued with extraordinary power.

Seeing his expression, Rhodes said calmly:
"It's alright, I'll forge you a magic steel longsword next." "I just don't know if battle qi will have such an effect."

"Thanks you!"

Durant bowed.

Then carefully put the Ashbringer back into its sheath and set it aside.

"Unfortunately, I am not qualified to become a wizard apprentice; I lack the talent."

Durant remarked.

"It's nothing, Durant. The Cavaliers can also forge a different path."

Rod stood up and patted Durant on the shoulder:

"Don't worry, I will do my best to help you."

"Don't worry about your new sword either, I'll have Franny infuse it with the power of the earth."

In the last test, Durant's attributes leaned towards Earth.

Although he is not a wizarding apprentice, he would be more suited to using a magic steel longsword forged from the power of the earth.

"Thank you for your generosity!"

Durant was delighted.

Durant then stopped smiling and reported:
"Your Excellency, Vika's lynx people have been released and settled."

“They have started training, but I think their weapons are too crude, and I hope they can be replaced.”

Rhodes nodded. "Sure, do you have a sample?"

"Have!"

Durant got up and walked out, and soon returned with a bone knife, which he presented to Rhodes with both hands.

"Vika said he hoped the blacksmiths could make two according to this design."

Rod took the bone knife and gave it a quick glance.

This is the bone knife that Vika always carries; it's single-edged and only half a meter long.

It's very rough; you can't tell what kind of bone it's made of.

"Hamo".

Rod beckoned Hamo over and shoved the bone knife into his hand.

"Let's forge two first to test. If there are no problems, we can continue forging."

"Ok."

Hammer and Durant responded in unison.

Then Durant pulled out another list, "And these projectiles, and the auxiliary grappling hooks, we need to make a batch of those too."

"Ah."

Rod replied absentmindedly.

Upon hearing Durant mention "projectiles," Rod suddenly remembered a weapon that would be perfect for the Lynx.

"Sigh... I have to draw design drafts again..."

Rod couldn't help but mutter something under his breath, which immediately caught the attention of Hammer and Durant.

The lord's mention of blueprints means there must be something new coming up.

"It's alright, you go ahead and get busy, Hamo."

"Yes, my lord."

Hamo turned around and went back to arrange the work.

"Durant, you should go and get busy too."

Rod said something casually.

But Durant didn't leave, lowering his voice.
"I have something to report to you."

Rod remained calm and led Durant into the back room of the blacksmith shop.

After closing the door, Durant took out the wax-sealed wooden tube and handed it to Rod.
"A message from the Night Whispers Society."

"Open it."

"Rod gave the order."

Durant scraped off the wax seal, opened the wooden tube, pulled out the small, curled-up piece of paper inside, and handed it to Rod.

Rod took it, squinted and carefully examined the small print, then handed it to Durant.

"They did a good job; I didn't expect them to have infiltrated the Red Griffin family."

A satisfied smile appeared on Rod's face. "Remember to send their families plenty of flour and meat; it's a reward they deserve."

"Yes, Your Excellency, I'll have Lawrence arrange it in a moment."

Durant rolled up the letter and quickly threw it into the stove.

"This says that Miss Avril's stepmother already knows she's alive and has even sent a team of people... Could this cause trouble?"

"Ah."

Rhodes nodded slightly, and said thoughtfully:

"Although she already has a baronial title, which is an imperial fief, according to some of the rules of the nobility, that woman can really cause some trouble in the name of the family."

"But we can remain completely ignorant; we're not imperial messengers."

Rhodes chuckled, his eyes suddenly turning cold.
"Let the Night Whisperers find out their purpose first."

"If they really have ill intentions, then let's eliminate them all."

"The Northern Wasteland is not peaceful to begin with, so it's normal for there to be two or three gangs of bandits."

As soon as Rod finished speaking, Durant understood without needing much prompting.

Durant nodded, then said with some concern, "Won't the Red Griffin family hold us accountable for this?"

"It's alright. We can just send them a few mixed-race heads later. That will save face in the aristocratic circles."

Rod patted Durant on the shoulder.

“They’ll bully us for any reason they want, so we might as well kill a few more.”

"Black Pine Ridge has never provoked anyone, but if anyone provokes me, I will fight back with all my might."

"Instead of it being like kids fighting, where you punch me and I punch you back."

"Understood, Your Excellency!"

Durant straightened his chest and said, "I'll arrange it right away!"

Rhodes nodded.

"correct."

Just as Durant was about to open the door to leave, Rod called him back.

"Please give your instructions," Durant said, snapping out of his daze.

"It's nothing, I just wanted to say that your wife Stella is over five months pregnant,"

Rod smiled knowingly and said with concern, "Don't work too late, spend more time with her when you have time."

"Ah."

Durant's face showed some emotion, and he responded forcefully, "Thank you for your concern."

"Go."

Rod waved casually, and Durant nodded in greeting before opening the door and leaving.

Rhodes also came out of the inner room and continued to forge the magic steel arrowhead.

"Huh? Can this arrow be enchanted?"

Rhodes looked at the still-developing arrowhead on the clip.

"If it can be enchanted, then what would be used for the arrow shaft?"

……

……

The process of forging and tempering in the flames not only consumes intense heat but also requires a great deal of physical strength.

Rhodes was exhausted and very hungry all day.

I ate lunch on time, but my stomach started growling before the sun even set.

Rhodes had no choice but to put aside his work and return to the manor early so that Martha could prepare dinner as soon as possible.

Martha's cooking skills improved, and with the abundance of supplies in Frostleaf Town, Rhodes' dinners became more and more lavish.

Roasted lamb leg with rosemary, stewed wild boar with wild vegetables, pan-fried salmon, cheese platter, and nuts and dried fruit.

It's just that there aren't many vegetables available in winter.

Rhode didn't want Avril to worry, so he didn't mention the Red Griffin family matter and put it out of his mind.

After dinner, Avril went to the side room to continue her work, while Rod called Sherry to the manor hall.

Sherry bowed respectfully, and Rod asked her to sit down and had Lydia give her a cup of fruit tea.

"The foundation for the city wall seems to be going smoothly?"

Rod asked casually.

Sherry nodded and replied, "Yes, sir, the western foundation is complete, and the eastern one-third is finished."

"The speed is not slow at all," Rod complimented.

"You have provided enough manpower; the two hundred new savages are working very diligently."

Sherry said happily, "And those machines that transport soil up and down were a great help."

"Yes, then we can start building the foundation on the west side. The stones and timber are all ready, and the bricks are piled up."

Later, Rod opened four more brick kilns and drying rooms, producing more than 20,000 bricks a day. There was nowhere to store them near the kilns.

"You're right, I've already started making arrangements."

Sherry hesitated for a moment before explaining, "But spring is coming soon, so I might need to finish digging the drainage ditch first."

"I called you here for this very thing, it seems you had already anticipated this."

Rod looked at Sherry with satisfaction, "Not only the drainage ditch, but also the soil on both sides of the tunnel needs to be reinforced with hemp rope netting to prevent collapse."

“If necessary, use tree stumps driven in from both sides to stop it.”

“I understand what you mean, I’ll make the arrangements tomorrow,” Xue Rui replied readily.

"Yes, I'll let you know a day in advance if it's going to rain."

Rod gave a brief instruction and waved his hand.
"Okay, let's go back and rest."

Sherry nodded slightly, then glanced at the cup again after getting up.

"Sir, may I finish my tea...?"

"Of course, drink it."

Xue Rui happily took the cup and drank it all in one gulp, then bowed and withdrew.

Luna then arrived with herbs, and Rod got up and went to the workshop to continue his work.

(End of this chapter)