Chapter 749: The Main Building, Lounge, and Lunch of the 'Burning Furnace' Merchant Guild

Jier and Mr. Scott stepped down from the enclosed carriage.

He was empty-handed, and even the large money pouch at his waist was much flatter. Mr. Scott, however, was happily cradling the few trinkets he had just bought, his voice no longer disguised as he spoke, showing off his knowledge and experience to Jier with a smile.

"Hmph, haha. That black market merchant didn't know his goods; he treated paintings by famous artists as ordinary landscape paintings and mixed them in with inferior works."

He shook his head, used the leather tube containing the paintings to push back the hood on his head, and then used his little finger to hook down the item covering his face.

Jier took off his gloves, tossed them onto a small table to the side, then unfastened the black cloak that concealed his identity, and with a flick, threw it far away, where it landed accurately on a hook on the wall.

"Could it be that the person did it on purpose? You were on the first floor, while the stall merchant was on the second?"

To annoy this smug fellow, Jier said this deliberately.

But Mr. Scott was quite confident. He first placed his items on the ground, leaning them against his feet, then unfastened his black cloak and gloves, and said triumphantly: "Impossible. You don't understand; those black market merchants who go into the mountains and forests to collect looted goods from bandit dens are all guys who have nothing but their lives and their guts."

"Hmph, who with even a little bit of ability would risk their life to trade with those bandits? Tsk, they are all guys who barely know how to read. If the Underground Black Market didn't forbid people who can't read a single word from setting up stalls, it would be even worse."

He patted the leather tube containing the paintings: "Famous painters with some achievements use different base materials for their paintings than the cloth bases of ordinary landscape paintings. This is a secret, keep it quiet! Haha."

Carrying his items, Mr. Scott pushed open the door and walked out of the sealed room, which didn't even have a single window.

When Jier followed him out the door, he looked back at the tongue-tied coachman who had driven them. He discovered that although the fellow had heard the conversation between the two just now, he remained indifferent, merely climbing down from the driver's seat slowly, carrying a wooden bucket, intending to go to the well in the back courtyard of the Merchant Guild to fetch some water to wash the carriage horses.

The horses' four legs and hooves were stained with some dirt, clearly having passed through some areas with poor road conditions while circling the town earlier.

Jier understood.

Mr. Scott had told Jier to follow him while they were still in the carriage, saying that the manpower Jier wanted last night had already been prepared.

He himself didn't care about the specifics of what they were doing, but he had to ensure that the subsequent matters would not involve Dorn Town, or the Burning Furnace Merchant Guild, or even a smaller circle; it could not affect him personally.

And in exchange for doing this, Jier the Knight would owe him a favor.

If this matter could be solved by spending money, that would of course be best, but the things Jier wanted those people to do were truly secretive; it was hard to say that one could find the necessary people just by spending money, or get those people to do things for him.

This was not easy for Jier, who was an outsider to the town, to accomplish, but if it were the Senior Steward of the Burning Furnace Merchant Guild, one of the local ruling powers, then things would not be so difficult.

In fact, it would be very simple.

Especially since Mr. Scott himself was not such a rigid person, or rather, not a person with such principles.

Jier didn't ask about the other party's Faith, but felt he didn't look much like a devout believer of the God of Wealth.

The two soon walked out of the deserted back courtyard of the Merchant Guild, proceeded along the edge of a three-story Merchant Guild building via a wooden corridor, and then encountered ordinary Shop Assistants of the Merchant Guild on the way. Mr. Scott casually handed the newly bought items to a subordinate who knew him, letting the person hold them for him, and then led Jier to the main building of the Burning Furnace Merchant Guild along the street. They entered through the back door of the main building, ascended the spacious staircase made of waxed oak, and went straight to the third floor.

Jier saw that on the first floor of this main building, many Merchant Guild Shop Assistants were talking with merchants who had come to handle business or discuss trades. They were either sitting at the wooden tables of the Shop Assistants talking intimately, or speaking and discussing more formally at the many conversation tables and chairs in the hall.

Some merchants placed their goods directly on the small wooden tables that should have been for tea, proudly introducing a batch of goods in their hands to the Merchant Guild Shop Assistant opposite them. They completely failed to see the annoyance in the eyes of the Shop Assistant.

Some merchants sat with Shop Assistants at the latter's office wooden desks, with their arms around each other's shoulders, discussing where in town to go for fun that night, and even laughing together.

Some merchants were overbearing, loudly questioning a Shop Assistant who stood aggrieved and took the scolding, the trade contract in their hands being slapped loudly, almost thrown into the Shop Assistant's face. That Shop Assistant still had to suppress their emotions, lowering their head to take the scolding.

But when they reached the second floor of the main building, the style here changed again.

Glowing plants were neatly trimmed and placed in cylindrical glass containers, emitting light without affecting the room. Elegant flowers with a faint fragrance were carefully placed under the wooden windows along the street, their scent carried by the wind blowing in from the street outside, invisibly filling the entire second floor of the main building.

Those working here were all Stewards of the Merchant Guild; everyone had their own independent room, except that the rooms here did not have walls that blocked the view, but were separated by display shelves filled with various minerals and furnace materials.

At the place where the stairs reached the second floor, there were also two fully armed thugs sitting on small chairs by the stairs. Upon seeing Mr. Scott, they immediately stood up and saluted.

"Greetings, Steward."

Mr. Scott didn't even pay them any mind, and led Jier and the Shop Assistant helping him carry things toward the third floor.

The third floor of the main building was even simpler; there was no spacious hall, only a Corridor connecting one room after another. The floor was covered with carpets made of stitched animal fur. From the way Jier stepped on them, it was clear that these fur carpets were cleaned frequently, soft and clean.

The Shop Assistant helping to carry the items didn't dare to come up; he handed the items to the thug guards at the third-floor stairwell and went back downstairs. However, before leaving, he specifically reported his name to Mr. Scott.

Although he was only casually pointed out to help carry a few things, this young Shop Assistant also wanted his name to leave some impression on the upper management of the Merchant Guild.

"Send the things to my place, and have the kitchen make something to eat; Knight Jier and I haven't eaten a thing at noon."

Mr. Scott instructed one of his subordinates who had hurried over, then led Jier toward a corner of the third floor.

The Corridor here used 'Gems' installed in glass containers to provide lighting, and what hung on the walls of the Corridor were not landscape paintings or portraits, but paintings of various metal-smelting Furnaces.

The paintings were very detailed; clearly, either the painter had superb skills, or they were works specifically commissioned by the Burning Furnace Merchant Guild from someone they hired.

If it were the latter, then these paintings might be the only ones of their kind.

"What are these?"

Jier asked curiously, pointing to a furnace that looked strange in shape.

Because the painting was detailed, the appearance and various details of this thing were very clear. It was just that the shape was strange, and there were various odd mechanisms on it; it didn't look like an ordinary furnace. To be honest, although Kendall County had developed handicraft industries, because there were no mines, the metal materials used in various workshops were all Metal Ingots bought from merchants in the south and east.

Not Mineral Ore. Although Mineral Ore was cheaper, for the traveling merchants, there was no one transporting ore; for the sake of profit, they all transported finished Metal Ingots. This resulted in Kendall City having developed forging-related technology and Craftsmen, but metal smelting was completely non-existent.

"Oh, that is a furnace for smelting special minerals. Our entire Merchant Guild only has this one. I heard the President specifically found Mages to custom-make it. Heh, to tell you the truth, this is a long-term profitable business. It is not just a simple furnace; with this furnace, and the workers who specifically use this furnace, the entire smelting of this kind of mineral in the Southern Province and even wider regions is undertaken by our Merchant Guild. Even those Mages who live in towers have to come to us to handle this kind of thing."

He added another sentence: "It's not that the Mages can't do it; there is nothing they can't do. It's just that it's too much trouble to do it themselves. Handing it over to our Merchant Guild to handle, it can be completed quickly and well for just a small fee. What is brought in is raw ore, and what is received is refined material packed in oil-soaked stone boxes."

After finishing, he pushed open a wooden door beside him and walked in.

Inside was not the office room for Mr. Scott's exclusive use that Jier had imagined. This place looked like a spacious area for relaxation and rest.

Because it was against the corner of the third floor, it had windows on two sides. And the windows here were opened particularly large, so not only was the air good, but the lighting and view were also very sufficient.

Interestingly, the four windows of this lounge were not traditional wooden windows, but track-style metal-plate windows like roller shutters.

Rectangular thin metal sheets were connected and installed in the metal tracks along the windows. When it was necessary to open the windows, one only needed to push the closed metal sheets upward, and they could be opened. The Metal Armor Plates pushed to the top were then stored on the ceiling in an inverted L-shape.

Considering the sturdiness of the wooden windows and the metal-track windows, Jier even felt that this lounge was the most solid and safe place in the entire main building of the Merchant Guild.

"Ha, you noticed, Knight Jier."

Mr. Scott found his own exclusive recliner and lay his whole body on it, lying here in a very relaxed manner.

"This thing of yours is quite good."

Jier pointed to the several sturdy windows in the room, and he himself found a bench that looked comfortable and sat on it carefully.

"Eh, forget it, anyway the Vice President isn't here, I'm the biggest here, so you can sit if you want."

Mr. Scott muttered a sentence, then triumphantly pointed to the four metal-track windows: "These are just things the Craftsmen in the Merchant Guild made themselves when they were idle. Although they look good in terms of protective power, the sales are not good."

He shrugged: "Many big shots would rather use blessed windows or traditional windows made of sturdy wood than spend a little money to switch to this kind of product with high protective power and safety. It's a pity, many theft incidents occur mostly because of the windows!"

Jier laughed, and he was no longer as cautious as he had been in the Underground Black Market: "I'm sure the Thieves Guild wouldn't like this thing being promoted."

"Ha, that's true. Though it's not because of the thieves themselves." Even on his own turf, Mr. Scott dared not call the Thieves Guild by its organizational name.

"It's purely due to some stubborn traditional habits. Many of the buyers we've selected say they aren't good-looking enough, lacking in artistry. I imagine that one day, when their precious art pieces vanish into thin air, those stubborn old fellows will finally think of our product."

Jier unbuckled the Long Sword at his waist and leaned it against the armrest of the lounge chair: "In that case, you should cooperate with the Thieves Guild and pull off a few big jobs; only then would this thing be able to spread."

These words startled Mr. Scott: "I wouldn't dare say such a thing."

He looked nervously to the left and right, discovering that in this lounge on the third floor, there were only himself and Jier, while the servants were waiting outside the door where no sound could pass through. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief.

"That sort of thing is not what a Merchant Guild like ours should be doing. Since we are a Merchant Guild of this scale, there is no need to resort to such base methods. Besides, the targets of our transactions are all powerful and influential nobles; we're busy enough trying to curry favor with them, so how could we dare to offend them?"

Jier shrugged, then said: "So, you had me come over—are we eating here, or are we handling that matter?"

Mr. Scott rubbed his stomach, seemingly hungry after wandering the Underground Black Market for most of the morning: "Let's do both. You might as well eat here, and you might as well meet those people here. As for what business you want them to handle, there is a room for confidential talks two doors down; you can give them your instructions there. Of course, that is all between you and those people. It has nothing to do with me; I'm just pulling strings and building bridges to introduce you to one another."

"Finally, Knight Jier, whatever you intend to do, it is best not to do it in Duoen Town. And even if it is in Duoen Town, I hope it does not affect the Burning Furnace Merchant Guild. Even if the Merchant Guild gets involved later, please keep your distance from me. Is that understood?"

Jier waved his hand: "Rest assured, it's not as serious as you say; it's my business, and it only concerns me. Those people are just helping me out a little; after all, not everyone possesses every skill when it comes to certain technical matters."

"That would be for the best."

After confirming it repeatedly, Mr. Scott pulled a cord hanging on the wall behind his lounge chair.

The next moment, there was a knocking sound at the heavy wooden door of the lounge. Without waiting for Jier or the other to respond, Mr. Scott's subordinate outside walked in: "Steward, what are your orders?"

"Urge the kitchen to bring up something good to eat. Mine as usual, and for Knight Jier, hmm, bring him two, no, three servings of pan-seared meat—lamb, beef, and chicken, one of each. Knight Jier, do you have any special requirements regarding the flavor?"

"Do you have any spicy sauce? A spicier sauce would give me a better appetite."

Although Jier wasn't hungry—after all, he had eaten Monster Meat Jerky early in the morning, and he still had some in his pocket—he still wanted to eat something good to soothe his mouth and stomach.

"Ha, bring me a bit of spicy sauce as well; of course, just a little bit will do."

Mr. Scott gestured, really only wanting a little bit.

"Anything to drink, Knight Jier?"

"Ping Guo Jiu will do, and of course, bring a large mug of ale; that goes best with meat steaks."

"Then that's settled. I remember there is half a bottle of good wine in my room; bring that for me while you're at it. Finally, for the matter I had you handle this morning, have them come up one by one now."

"Yes, Steward, Knight."

The subordinate bowed and withdrew, and the heavy wooden door of the lounge closed behind him.

It would naturally take a while for the Merchant Guild kitchen to prepare the food, so the first to arrive were the people Jier had requested.

The heavy wooden door was knocked upon. This time, the subordinate outside did not push the door open before receiving permission. Only after Mr. Scott pulled the cord behind him was the door opened.

"Steward, Knight. The people have arrived; this is the personnel record."

The subordinate bowed first, then handed the small stack of papers in his hand to Mr. Scott. Mr. Scott didn't even look at them, turning and handing them directly to Jier.

After Jier took them, he nodded to the subordinate: "Let them in."

Seeing that these were the people Knight Jier was looking for, the subordinate called out to the door: "Mr. Kake, please come in."

The middle-aged man called Kake walked in cautiously and timidly.

The heavy wooden door was only half-open, and the man was so careful not to touch it that he sucked in his stomach and turned sideways to squeeze through.

Once inside, without even looking, he bowed his upper body deeply and shouted extra loudly: "My lord, please give your orders!"

His own voice startled him, and he immediately knelt on the ground, not daring to lift his head, and said nothing more.

Pulling his fingers out of his ears, Mr. Scott frowned and said: "Why are you so nervous? You, you go down first; I'll call you when you're needed again."

Jier smiled and said in a light tone: "Don't be nervous, and there's no need to kneel; I don't like that. Speak properly."

Only then did the middle-aged man dare to lift his head and glance at Jier and Mr. Scott. He recognized Mr. Scott; although he was not a Craftsman for the Burning Furnace Merchant Guild, like many people in town, he at least recognized the Senior Stewards of the several joint Merchant Guilds who often handled town affairs.

After all, they often showed their faces at various church ceremonies and rituals, and they frequently sat in the main seats of the viewing area.

"This is Knight Qiao-Jier, a Knight of Kendall County. He is the one who has business for you to handle; I am just helping out, so you two can talk."

After Mr. Scott finished speaking, he pulled a thin book from under his lounge chair, flipped it to the page marked with a gold bookmark, and continued reading.

"Don't be nervous. I've brought you here because I hope to borrow your skills to do some things; this will be helpful to me. I don't know, this... uh..."

"Kake, my name is Potter Kake, a Woodcarving Craftsman."

This Craftsman Kake probably hadn't had much business lately, so his clothes, even though he had chosen his best set before coming, were still very shabby. Logically speaking, a Craftsman should be able to support his family; while he might not become wealthy, he should be able to maintain a normal life.

If it were anywhere else.

But the church that the people of Duoen Town believed in most was the Church of the God of Wealth. However, because of obvious reasons, this church and the deity behind it basically only used precious metals to create various religious items.

Therefore, if it weren't for some business related to other religions that fewer people believed in, this Craftsman Kake would have long since left Duoen Town in poverty.