novelSusiti Chapter 102 Winter Maritime Trade
Chapter 102 Winter Maritime Trade
Chapter 102 Winter Maritime Trade (Part Two)
Judging from the tattered armor on those scumbags and the broken iron hammers and rotten blades scattered around the fire, they were undoubtedly pirates, probably the kind of small-time pirates who weren't doing so well.
In fact, these fewer than twenty pirates belonged to three different pirate factions and were simply brought together by chance.
Seeing the well-dressed, rather wealthy-looking young man staring at them, the drunken pirates still wanted to show off their power.
They staggered to their feet, picked up the scrap metal, and prepared to come over.
The two sergeants behind Roger immediately drew their weapons. The drunkards were stunned for a moment, then got up from the ground. One of them pulled the drunkard in the middle and pointed to the soldiers and crew standing in the tower of the Sea Wolf ship on the dock.
The drunkard suddenly sobered up, his arrogance instantly vanished, and he looked around sullenly. Then, staring in Roger's direction, he spat out a thick wad of phlegm and reluctantly sat back down by the campfire.
For a fleeting moment, Roger genuinely hoped that a few drunkards would come up and cause trouble, so that he could have a few more small longships and a group of strong slave laborers under his command.
However, you have to sing the song that suits the mountain you're on. This isn't Milk House Manor, and as a guest, Roger must abide by the host's rules.
Roger instructed Olaf to help everyone unload the cargo, but the old man stopped him, saying, "Distinguished guest, did you bring refined salt this time?"
After receiving an affirmative answer, the old man said, "The steward has instructed us that your refined salt no longer needs to be stored on the island. You can sail the ship directly into the port to unload the cargo."
After saying this, the old man turned back to his thatched hut and soon handed Roger a harp-and-shield flag. "When you enter the port, hang this flag, and someone will be in charge of unloading your cargo."
"The steward has instructed that, unless absolutely necessary, your entourage should avoid disembarking at the port or entering the port area to prevent being recognized by outsiders."
After saying that, the old man followed Roger and the others onto the Seawolf, changed the wolf flag to the harp and shield flag, and sailed straight into Skylis Harbor.
Just as the old man had said, before the Seawolf, now with a new flag, even docked, a man who looked like a manager was waiting at the dock with seven or eight laborers.
The person in charge wasn't the one who handled the deal with Roger last time, so the two didn't know each other.
After setting up the gangplank, the old man disembarked first and whispered a few words to the manager. The manager glanced at the people on the Seawolf and nodded repeatedly.
The old man returned and stood on the dock pier, saying to Roger, "Honorable guest, you can send your accountant to settle the goods and register them with this steward. My master went to Dublin today to handle some business. I will go to the manor to inform the lady and the steward."
Roger waved to the old man to do as he pleased, then beckoned over the young stable boy and his weak assistant, who had been temporarily pulled out to be bookkeepers, and instructed them to handle the handover of goods with the steward and the reconciliation of the accounts.
The noble weakling was of higher birth and older than the young horseman, but unfortunately he lacked the young horseman's literacy and maturity, and was not as highly regarded by Roger. In addition, he was a gentle and weak person, so he was content to become the young horseman's assistant.
The dock supervisor was surprised that two teenagers could be in charge of the accounting work for the entire ship's cargo, but he saw about twenty strong men standing on the ship.
Those guys didn't seem like good people, and since they were hanging out with this group, the manager naturally wouldn't dare to bully the two teenagers.
The steward had his assistant bring a writing board and parchment, copied the parchment ledger from the young stableman's hands, and then began instructing the laborers to unload the cargo onto the ship, while he himself stood on the dock checking and counting everything.
Roger also had his men help unload the ship.
Not long after the cargo was unloaded, the old man who brought the news arrived at the dock with Jeffrey's butler and the same steward from last time.
Seeing that the steward at the dock was still checking the quality of the refined salt bucket by bucket, the butler walked over and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "From now on, we'll accept all of this young master's goods directly, without any more dawdling over the inventory."
"Remember, these oak barrels containing refined salt must be placed on the second floor of the warehouse. If they become damp and hardened, they will be used to preserve your body."
The butler gave a few cold warnings, then immediately put on a smiling face to greet Roger, who was standing on the ship's railing, and said in a low voice, "Sir Roger, your arrival was too sudden. We were completely unprepared and apologize for any shortcomings in our hospitality."
Roger led his younger brother Louis off the ship and introduced him, "Louis, this is your uncle's capable butler."
"Butler, this is my brother, Louis Campbell."
Louis, pale from days of rough seas, forced himself to greet the butler.
The butler rushed forward to support the weak Louis. "Young Master Louis, you've suffered on your journey. Madam would be overjoyed to know that you've come too."
The butler could tell that Louis was quite exhausted from the voyage, so he instructed the attendant who had come with him, "Quickly come and carry young master Louis back to the manor."
The attendant carried Louis on his back, and the butler gestured to Roger.
"My retinue?" Roger turned to the side and pointed to the twenty or so retinues on the ship.
"Sir, rest assured, after unloading, someone will take them back to the reef island to rest. I will immediately arrange for tents, drinks, and food to be prepared, and your entourage will be properly settled."
Roger nodded and instructed Marne and Blackie to take the prepared gifts and accompany him to his uncle's manor.
Then he turned and whispered something to Olaf, instructing him to lead the remaining men to complete the cargo handover and return to the reef to rest.
On his second visit to Skylis Grand Estate, his aunt, alone with a group of servants, waited at the estate gate. Upon seeing the frail young boy beside Roger, she immediately approached and examined him closely for a long time before asking Roger, "This is... this is little Louis?"
Roger nodded, and seeing that Louis, who was clinging to the servant's back, could no longer lift his head, he explained, "Aunt, we've been at sea for several days, and Louis is really too weak."
The aunt quickly instructed the servants to carry Louis to Master Owen's bedroom to rest.
After a few brief greetings, I learned that my younger cousins had all gone to live with my uncle at his villa in Dublin, where the festive atmosphere was even stronger.
However, my aunt has been staying at the manor to recuperate due to recent health issues.
It was past noon, but Auntie immediately instructed the servants to prepare a sumptuous and delicious meal for Roger, Marne, and Blackie.
Marne and Blackie, accompanied by the butler, dined in a side room, while Roger, accompanied by his aunt, enjoyed a feast all to himself in the bright and luxurious dining room.
Upon hearing that Baron John's arrow wound had recently recurred and his health was deteriorating, his aunt was overcome with grief, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Your father and brothers have abandoned me, and now John is chronically ill. Alas, what has become of the Campbell family?
Roger regretted telling his aunt about his uncle Baron John's condition and comforted her, saying, "Uncle is a strong man, this arrow wound certainly won't bring him down, and he'll be fully recovered after this winter."
Auntie stopped crying and nodded, saying, "Yes, he will definitely recover. Once we get through this winter, I'll have your uncle hire the best doctor in Ireland to treat John on the Isle of Arun."