Chapter 42 Tonight Promises to Be Eventful
When Henry entered the living room and saw Brandon's bloodied mouth, he couldn't help but feel a surge of laughter, thinking about Wyatt's report earlier.
"Please, have a seat, Mr. Brandon," Henry gestured, allowing Brandon to sit down, and ordered some more refreshments.
"Thank you, Lord Henry," Brandon replied with a bow, then slowly sat down, accidentally tugging at his mouth, causing a sharp pain that made his face twitch.
Brandon's eyes lingered on the exquisite pastries on the table, but he resisted the urge to reach for them. He couldn't afford to lose face in front of the Hyratos nobility.
"We are grateful for Hyratos's generosity in allowing us to purchase wheat," Henry said, sipping his tea with increasing refinement.
"It's a mutually beneficial arrangement, Lord Henry," Brandon replied seriously.
Now, Brandon dared not underestimate Henry. From the moment he entered the castle, every detail indicated the superior lifestyle of the other party, at least several times better than the Hyratos nobility.
As for the lives of commoners, Brandon didn't care at all. He thought, 'Weren't commoners just there to serve the nobility?'
The butler named Wyatt, for example, dressed better than him, and Lord Henry's clothes were even more noble, with styles Brandon had never seen before.
Henry asked, "So, Mr. Brandon, is there a reason you're here?"
Henry got straight to the point. He didn't have time to beat around the bush. There was a good show tonight, and he needed to oversee some preparations personally.
The main event was about to begin. Brandon tried to sit up straight, but in Henry's eyes, he was all posture.
"Lord Henry, my father, the Lord of Hyratos, hopes that you can open up the trade of Eldoria's furs," Brandon said.
Before Henry could respond, Brandon continued, "Of course, Hyratos will continue to provide wheat for you. We have enough wheat stockpiled to last for two years."
Hyratos was a city near the river, so it had a considerable number of fleets that often traded with other cities. Wheat was the staple food of this world and an essential commodity.
Henry believed that Hyratos had a two-year supply of wheat. However, the mention of the fur trade reminded him of something. Then, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Oh? Fur trade? That's not a problem. I can agree to that," Henry said.
Apart from being used for warmth and clothing, fur could also be made into leather armor, essential for warfare.
Eldora was one of the cities closest to the Azure Peak Range, which was known for its abundant wildlife.
Every year, the hunters in the territory hunted many wild animals, skinned them, and sold the furs after tanning, fetching a high price.
"Really?" Brandon was taken aback. He thought it would take some effort to get Henry's approval, but it seemed to come so easily.
"Mr. Brandon, while Eldoria may lack other resources, furs can bring in additional income for the people. It's a good thing," Henry said with a light laugh.
What he should have mentioned was that he had no interest in leather armor. He already had steel, and there was no need for less durable leather armor.
From this, he also saw that the situation in Hyratos could have been more optimistic. They actually came directly to purchase fur, while most nobles would secretly acquire military supplies.
Brandon frowned, wondering if there was a conspiracy behind this. Any noble or even merchant with some insight would understand the importance of fur.
In any city, the large-scale sale of fur was prohibited, and in some cities, the buying and selling of fur were completely controlled by the lord.
Of course, the fur being referred to here was the kind that can be made into leather armor, such as boar skin, rhino hide, and so on.
Brandon asked, "Lord Henry, do you have any requirements?" Brandon could only think of this: the other party must have some demands.
"Oh?" Henry was slightly surprised, and a smile appeared on his face. He said, "Of course, Eldoria needs more wheat and even some cattle, sheep, and horses; just give us some young ones."
Brandon said, "Is that all?" Brandon was even more confused. He needed help understanding these requests.
He could understand the request for foals, as they could be trained as warhorses in the future, but cattle and sheep were livestock raised for meat.
It takes several months for cattle to grow before they can be slaughtered, skinned, and made into armor. It would be more practical to purchase other types of fur, such as boar skin.
Sheepskin is indeed good for warmth, but the meat is too gamey; only the commoners like to eat it.
Henry replied, "Yes, that's all!"
Henry realized that everyone, including Brandon and even Wyatt, had such thoughts. They even said that beef wasn't that tasty.
So he was almost amused. Cows were actually raised like pigs for meat, and then they wanted the hides.
Henry considered the level of this era and understood why they would do this. The commoners didn't have many horses or cattle for farming; they relied on manual labor.
Even the era of iron tools had yet to be widely popularized. Many people used stone-made hoes to cultivate the land, which resulted in a terribly low yield of wheat. How could they not starve?
In Henry's territory, fur was present, but these three kinds of animals were not. Cattle, in particular, were extremely rare, with only a few in the inland areas.
He wanted to put a ring on the cattle, turn them into draft animals, and then make a plow, along with an iron-made hoe, and bring some improved breeds from Earth.
Next year, Henry's territory would be able to bid farewell to famine completely and no longer need to purchase wheat from Hyratos.
