After retiring from the Navy, I became a doting husband.

This knife is second only to a fine, fast knife in quality, and is only one step away from being a true treasure.

The practicality of a top-quality quick knife is almost the same as that of a good quick knife, and it can even be used as a substitute.

The regular wavy patterns on the blade, the crisp echo after a snap, and its sharpness undoubtedly prove that this knife is of excellent quality.

Moreover, judging from the mirror-like surface of the blade, it appears to be crafted from jade, making it even more valuable.

Only highly skilled swordsmiths can fully master the techniques of forging top-quality, fast swords.

Such swordsmiths are rare, because they are only one step away from becoming master swordsmiths who can forge excellent, sharp blades.

Once you take that step, you can become a master craftsman who forges famous swords, which is no small feat.

So Jessica's gaze towards Martin changed, and even Kim's gaze changed accordingly.

Anyone could see the potential of this knife maker.

"I'm sorry, I was rude just now."

"Kim, prepare a contract for this Mr. Martin."

Jessica's eyes lit up, and a smile spread across her face.

Kim turned around excitedly to get the contract, muttering, "Martin, you're really lucky today. This contract isn't something an ordinary knifesmith can sign. Once you sign it, it'll be hard for you not to become rich."

Martin: "Oh?"

“Excellent, Mr. Martin. Our Treasure Weapons Shop will prepare a special craftsman-exclusive contract for you.”

"Please become a contracted swordsmith at our Treasure Weapons Shop."

Jessica further explained, "Since your forging skills have reached the point where you can forge top-quality sharp knives, you are destined to become a master craftsman. I personally have high hopes for you, so I am offering you this exclusive contract."

"You know the strength of our Treasure Weapon Shop in the East China Sea. If you can sign the contract, you will receive many special benefits."

"Once you sign a contract to become our exclusive swordsmith, you will receive exclusive sponsorship from our Treasure Weapon Shop. You will also be able to participate in the selection of renowned swordsmiths and be interviewed by the Famous Sword Weekly. Our Treasure Weapon Shop will also provide you with corresponding conveniences, and you can even obtain some forging materials that cannot be obtained elsewhere, such as Yugang..."

What do I need to give in return?

Having witnessed countless sales tactics in his past life, Martin remained unmoved and went straight to the point.

"As long as you hand over two top-quality sharp knives each month after deducting costs, and in addition, complete the monthly assessment tasks assigned by our weapon shop, you can receive all the benefits stipulated in the contract..."

Martin looked at the other person expressionlessly: "Oh, so how much can this knife sell for?"

"Uh... if you become our contracted knifemaker, we'll buy each knife for 50, and of course you'll enjoy the privileges we just offered."

Martin decisively shook his head:

"Only 500,000 per gun? That's not good. The terms seem nice, but they're just a bunch of binding clauses. I'm not satisfied with the terms you've offered."

"You're not signing contracts with swordsmiths, you're practically signing indentured servitude contracts. I don't see much benefit in it."

Jessica shook her head slightly: "You should think it over carefully. The terms we're offering are very generous to many bladesmiths."

"If Orange Town is attacked by pirates, we will have special ships to transport you and your family to a safe place. The pirates will not attack our ships, and we will provide quite comprehensive protection."

She suddenly looked up, her tone full of warning: "If you are unwilling, you will face competition from our Treasure Weapon Shop. Individual swordsmiths can never compete with our weapon shop."

“Our Treasure Weapon Shop has the most weapon craftsmen in the East China Sea. If we engage in a price war, you will be the one who gets hurt in the end.”

"Moreover, we have a stake in all the competitions for master craftsmen. Without our sponsorship, you would not be able to become a master craftsman in the selection of knife makers."

That's such an obvious threat.

Ha ha!

Martin wanted to laugh. Businessmen always make money by being friendly, but this guy was threatening him?

It is evident that Zhenbao Weapon Shop is a wealthy and powerful company, a monopolistic enterprise.

That's domineering, powerful, and incredibly bold!

"Sorry, not interested."

Martin had no intention of tying himself to any shops, nor did he need a shop to protect himself and his family.

Moreover, becoming a master craftsman would cause many inconveniences.

The master craftsman is too popular. Once he becomes famous, too many people will come to him asking for his knives, and there will even be reporters interviewing him. For someone who wants to live a low-key life with Robin, this is a classic case of "people are afraid of becoming famous, just as pigs are afraid of getting fat."

Since the other party is so arrogant, he might as well quit.

Wouldn't it be better to be a quiet, handsome man?

"Martin, think it through. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Kim reminded him with great distress.

"Really, there's no need. It's getting late, I'd better go back and have dinner first."

Under Jessica's surprised gaze, Martin only gave her a quick glance at his backside before walking away with his hands in his pockets.

As night fell, lights shone in every home, and the enchanting aroma of food wafted from the windows of each household.

Martin returned to Hundred Flowers Street, put down his weapon bag at the workshop, and then went home. As soon as he opened the door, he was greeted by a mouthwatering aroma of food.

Robin's voice came through:

"Honey, are you home yet?"

"I've cooked a lot of dishes, please sit down and wait."

Martin sat down at the table, somewhat surprised: "Why are there so many dishes today?"

"Don't move yet, guests will be here for dinner soon."

"Someone's there? Who is it?"

Martin was puzzled.

Nico Robin had never invited guests before, and this time she was invited without being informed, which was somewhat unexpected.

dong dong dong...

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Martin got up and went to the entrance hall to look through the peephole, only to find a beautiful young woman with a graceful figure standing outside the door.

It's Mrs. Joel!

Upon seeing that it was his pretty widow neighbor, he finally unlatched the three bolts and opened the door: "Welcome, welcome, it's Mrs. Joel."

Looking at her, Martin noticed that Mrs. Joel was impeccably dressed, wearing a red off-the-shoulder sweater that perfectly accentuated her collarbones and shoulders. She wore a short skirt and black stockings, which showed off her charming figure, and her makeup was light yet alluring.

She appeared to have been carefully dressed up.

"Ahem, Mr. Martin, please excuse my visit."

Mrs. Joel blushed slightly, raised the bottle of red wine in her hand, and said, "I brought you a gift especially for you."

"Don't overthink it, I'm not looking for you, I'm looking for Rona... Rona, your big sister is here!"

Mrs. Joel, with her prominent breasts, forcefully stepped aside and pushed Martin aside.

Martin couldn't help but take two steps back. The beautiful widow showed no restraint and even squeezed into the doorway, not caring about rubbing against him.

So, why did Robin invite this pretty widow to dinner?

Watching Mrs. Joel walk gracefully to the table, her back view extremely beautiful, Martin couldn't help but give her a thumbs up.

Joel was a tall, dark-haired beauty with a great face and figure; she would be very popular if she dressed up.

You know what, Mrs. Joel today has a unique charm that blends maturity and innocence.

It is pleasing to the eye.

If I had to use a word to describe it, it would be "elegant"!

Chapter 30 The Storyteller Martin

"Mrs. Joel, please have a seat..."

Robin came out of the kitchen carrying a plate, and then sat down with Mrs. Joel, chatting and laughing.

Martin exchanged a few pleasantries with Mrs. Joel before starting his meal.

He had been forging knives all day and was really hungry, but unfortunately there were guests present, so he could only control his eating speed.

Martin wasn't idle either; he listened intently to the two women's conversation.

Mrs. Joel seemed to have some knowledge of history, as she chatted with Robin about ancient history. The two also talked about coffee and tea, flowers, and which brand of clothes was better.

Women's chat patterns are truly unpredictable; they have no theme or focus, just rambling on and on.

However, Mrs. Joel's historical knowledge is truly extensive, as she was able to discuss ancient history with a seasoned historian like Binrow.

Although Robin was only eighteen years old and Mrs. Joel was in her early twenties, there were very few people who could talk to Robin about world history. Apart from himself, no one else could chat with Robin about history.

No wonder he could chat with Robin.

Robin usually only interacts with children while reading and teaching, and never makes friends. It's really unexpected that he could make a friend with whom he can chat and joke.

After dinner, Martin left. The two women chatted while washing the dishes. After they finished, they sat on the sofa and drank red wine, their cheeks flushed. They didn't know how long they would chat, and they even whispered in each other's ears, glancing at the somewhat bored Martin.

"Hey, does Mr. Martin know about history? Or is it the history of another world?"

"Of course, you can listen to it as a story. It's very interesting, and you'll definitely be captivated by it."

As they chatted, the conversation turned to Martin, who was drinking alone.

“Darling, I want to hear the story of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and Yang Guifei. Mrs. Joel wants to hear it too.”

Robin made the request in a coquettish manner.

Under the watchful eyes of the two beauties, Martin couldn't refuse, so he simply spoke eloquently, treating it as a performance.

"Ahem... A rider in the dust, a concubine's smile, none knew it was lychees that arrived." This timeless line opens two windows into history, allowing posterity to glimpse the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty and the secrets of the Tang court a thousand years ago. This poem actually describes the historical anecdote of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang transporting lychees to Yang Guifei. Yang Guifei loved fresh lychees, but at that time, the capital was in the north, while lychees grew in the south and were a very delicate fruit…

"...To keep the lychees fresh, they were transported to Chang'an without stopping. So much so that the lychee was later named 'Feizi Xiao' (meaning 'Imperial Concubine's Smile'), which shows Emperor Xuanzong's affection for Yang Guifei..."

"After Emperor Xuanzong of Tang ascended the throne, the world was at peace, the country was prosperous and beautiful, and foreign countries came to pay tribute... until this day when he saw Yang Yuhuan."

Martin, speaking in a style reminiscent of Guo Degang, perfectly balances storytelling and entertainment.

The two women immediately became engrossed in the story, and Robin even took out a small notebook and pen to start taking notes, unwilling to miss any detail.