Lord: My Shop Connects to Modern Times

The next day, before dawn, Lynn called Leon over early.

The lamplight on the table cast a dim yellow glow, illuminating the map spread out on the table and a few sheets of scrap paper.

Leon stopped in front of Lynn: "My lord, what are your orders?"

"We need to go to Earl Lehman's place." Lynn didn't beat around the bush, pointing to the location marked with a castle on the east side of the map:

"Go over there and exchange some things. The commotion in the north is getting bigger and bigger, and we can't wait any longer."

Leon glanced at the map, then looked at Lynn: "Understood. I'll have someone prepare whatever we need and then we'll set off."

"No, I'll go myself." Lynn shook her head.

Leon frowned upon hearing this: "That's not appropriate. It's too dangerous outside right now. I'm afraid..."

"I have to go the first time," Lynn interrupted. "What I need to prepare is special, and its value needs to be explained in person. Also, I need to show Lehman our sincerity."

He paused for a moment: "This time we're not going to ask for help, we're going to do business. We don't need to be humble, but we can't neglect our manners."

He couldn't drag Lehman into this mess. The other party wasn't stupid either. Even if he had done them a favor in the past, they wouldn't get involved in this muddy water.

Leon pondered for a moment: "The road won't be peaceful. Since the people behind Viscount Gavin have their eyes on us, there must be spies at the intersection to the east."

"So we have to take a detour, and we have to be quick." Lynn pushed a piece of paper with a simplified route drawn on it:

"We won't take the main road. We'll go through the low-lying area to the south. It'll be difficult, but it'll be more discreet. Pick five people, they need to be tight-lipped and quick on their feet. Only prepare one carriage to carry the samples, keep everything as simple as possible."

"Understood. I'll take my men and prepare to depart before dawn." Leon put away the route map.

"And one more thing," Lynn added, "remember to cover up the family crest on the carriage for now, and only show the Cole family flag once we're inside Earl Lehman's territory."

A knowing glint flashed in Leon's eyes: "Yes."

As the first hint of dawn appeared on the horizon, the small gate on the east side of the town quietly opened.

A two-wheeled carriage covered with a tarpaulin drove out, pulled by two fine cavalry horses that had been captured from Gavin last time, with very steady gait.

Lynn and Leon changed into dark hunting attire for ease of movement, with worn cloaks over them. The five attendants they brought were the most alert hunters under Bray's command, with short knives at their waists and bows and quivers wrapped in cloth and placed inside the carriage.

Instead of taking the main road to the east, the carriage, guided by Leon, turned south into a low-lying area covered with shrubs and gravel.

There were hardly any good roads here, and the carriage bounced violently, but the advantage was that the view was wide open, making it difficult to hide from anyone trying to follow.

Lynn sat inside the car, peering out through the gaps in the tarpaulin.

The wilderness was quiet in the early morning, with only the sound of wheels rolling over gravel and horses' hooves.

He mentally reviewed what he needed to bring: a small bag of cement, two stone slabs cemented together, several sealed packets of instant noodles, several small earthenware jars containing chili powder, mixed spices, and concentrated meat sauce, respectively, and a small box of chocolates wrapped in oil paper.

There weren't many items, but each one had a specific purpose.

After traveling for about half a morning, the carriage climbed a gentle slope.

Leon suddenly raised his hand, signaling the carriage to stop. He jumped off the carriage shaft, crouched down, moved forward a few steps, and squinted at the northwest direction.

At the edge of a withered grove of trees in the distance, a fleeting glimpse of light seemed to reflect off something.

"There are people here." Leon stepped back to the car, his voice low. "Two, hiding by the edge of the woods. They should be armed."

Lynn's heart skipped a beat. He wasn't sure if it was Karl's informant: "Can we go around it?"

Leon surveyed the terrain and shook his head: "Going around it will take at least half a day longer. Charging straight through is even worse; it will expose our route."

Lynn quickly thought: "Prepare for the worst. Once we make a move, we must finish it quickly."

"Understood," Leon replied.

"If they just watch from afar and don't come any closer, we'll speed up. Once we're inside Earl Lehman's directly administered villages, they won't dare follow," Lynn instructed.

"Yes, sir."

The carriage started again, and its speed was noticeably faster.

Lynn could sense that the pace of the entourage behind the carriage had quickened, and their hands seemed to be on their weapons.

The reflection from the edge of the dead trees appeared twice more, but it remained at a distance and showed no sign of approaching.

Around noon, the landscape gradually changed. The barren gravel land transformed into earthen slopes interspersed with meadows, and in the distance, sparse farmland and scattered wisps of smoke from farmhouses appeared.

Boundary markers began to appear by the roadside, each engraved with an iron hammer—the coat of arms of the Earl of Lehman.

Leon revealed the emblem on the carriage again, and the atmosphere was noticeably different after they set off again.

Farmers and small caravans encountered on the road would stop and bow or nod slightly in greeting when they saw the family banner on the wagon.

When they passed a small intersection with a watchtower, the stationed soldiers checked the flag and the documents Leon presented, and then respectfully let them pass, even pointing out a shorter side road.

Before evening, the group arrived at Stormlands, where Earl Lehman's castle was already in sight.

Built of massive, dark gray stones, it was even more imposing and imposing than I remembered. The drawbridge was lowered, the city gates opened wide, and people and vehicles entered and exited in an orderly fashion.

The carriage followed the flow of people toward the city gate. This time, before the guards could question him, Leon revealed his identity: "Viscount Lynn Cole of Greyrock Town, visiting Earl Lehman."

The guard was clearly taken aback. He carefully examined the flag and the document Leon handed him, and his attitude immediately became respectful: "Please wait a moment, I will inform him immediately."

Before long, a middle-aged man dressed in a respectable butler's uniform, with his hair neatly combed, hurriedly walked out of the city gate.

He approached the carriage, placed his right hand on his chest, and gave a standard salute: "Lord Cole, welcome to Frostleaf Castle. The Earl has been waiting for you for some time. He instructed me to take you to the drawing room to rest. Your entourage and carriage can be accommodated in the outer stables; we will take good care of them."

"Duke Lehman knew I was coming?" Lynn asked, somewhat surprised.

The butler simply smiled and didn't say anything, but gestured for him to follow him.

Seeing this, Lynn didn't ask any more questions. They followed the other person through the tall doorway and into the inner courtyard of the castle.

Upon arriving at the lounge, the butler bowed slightly and said, "Please rest here for a moment. The Earl will be there shortly." He then withdrew.

About 15 minutes later, footsteps came from outside the door, more steady and powerful than those of the butler before.

The living room door was pushed open, and Earl Lehman walked in.

He was still wearing dark casual clothes, his back straight, his face with its usual seriousness, but his eyes relaxed slightly when he saw Lynn, and a smile appeared on his lips.

"Your Excellency Lynn," Earl Lehman's voice sounded deeper than when he last spoke to him at his bedside, "we have indeed met again. Please have a seat."

"Your Excellency Earl Lehman, I apologize for the intrusion," Lynn replied politely, taking a seat in the high-backed chair opposite Earl Lehman.

Lynn paused, then asked, "It seems Lord Lehman knew I was coming?"

"I had some idea, but I wasn't sure it would be today," Earl Lehman replied with a smile.

"Oh? That makes me a little curious. How did Your Excellency know I was coming?"

Count Lehman did not answer directly; instead, he leaned forward slightly.

"I heard you might be in trouble?"