[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence":3,"chapter-warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-129":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Warlord: Starting with Daily Intelligence",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2338592,4572,"Chapter 129: What a Good Man Indeed!","warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-129",129,"\u003Cp>“Lords and ladies, welcome to Castle Beckert! The theme of today’s banquet needs no further explanation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Moreover, all of you present who attended this banquet sent your subordinates to survey the mine shafts just days ago—you know the reserves of my iron ore!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let us begin the auction immediately!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be honest, if not for a once-in-a-millennium business opportunity in Eagle City, I would never risk my family’s greatest wealth for capital!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Lord Beckert paused, his eyes slightly reddening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good heavens! Gervas, you son of a gun!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With acting like that, no wonder you planned to swindle the nobles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You could win an Oscar with this performance!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wonder what tricks Lord Beckert used to fool these nobles’ ore surveyors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless, from the nobles’ reactions, they truly believed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Beckert, since you have a better business opportunity, you must prioritize greater gains—so don’t be disheartened!” A noble immediately spoke to comfort him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Beckert nodded, controlling his emotions. “Lords, let the auction begin—land including the ore-bearing hillside is up for sale.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The starting bid is three hundred gold coins—the highest bidder wins!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Lord Beckert stepped down and took his seat. A professional auctioneer hired from Iron Wolf City took the stage to preside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The noble guards were temporarily permitted to enter the banquet hall, as they carried their lords’ auction funds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I bid three hundred ten gold coins!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Very well, Lord Cantner bids three hundred ten gold coins...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I bid three hundred twenty gold coins!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Baron Dickinson bids three hundred twenty gold...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I bid three hundred thirty...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the auction began, bids rose continuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just a few minutes, the price had climbed from three hundred to four hundred eighty gold coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Beckert’s heart was singing with joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bid! Bid! The higher, the better—and remember, you chose this yourselves; don’t blame me later!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Beckert’s expected bid range was seven hundred gold coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mine produced ore worth a hundred gold coins annually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to his falsified reserve estimates, it could be mined for at least twelve to thirteen more years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, purchasing it for seven hundred gold coins would yield a profit of five to six hundred—well within most nobles’ comfort zones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, as bidding continued, the price rose steadily, finally surpassing six hundred twenty gold coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the number of bidding nobles began to dwindle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, many barons had competed; now only a few viscounts with substantial family wealth remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them, Lord Cantner and Lord Melick were locked in the fiercest bidding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I bid six hundred fifty gold coins, Lord Cantner—will you still contest me? Your lands lie near Iron Wolf City, two days from the border—you can’t possibly oversee the mine regularly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Melick, you’re no better off—your territory is a full day’s ride from my lands. This mine is mine by right—I bid six hundred sixty gold coins!” Cantner refused to yield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing the new bid, Lord Melick frowned deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six hundred fifty gold coins had already exceeded his expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had anticipated six hundred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Cantner bids six hundred fifty gold coins—is there any other noble who wishes to bid?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If no further bids are made, the mine shall be awarded to Lord Cantner!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Six hundred fifty gold coins once!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Six hundred fifty gold coins twice!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Lord Cantner finally exhaled in relief—his forehead was slick with fine sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Melick’s expected limit was six hundred gold coins—he was no different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So far, the bidding had already surpassed his limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, the extra sixty gold coins—he gritted his teeth and could still bear it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whoa! My lord, these nobles are too generous—that’s over six hundred gold coins! I’ve never even seen six hundred gold coins in my life!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Migen and the other knights murmured in awe behind Gervas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was six hundred sixty gold coins—one coin could feed a peasant family well for years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, nobles spent gold coins by the tens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Migen, it’s an iron ore deposit—these nobles pay six or seven hundred gold coins for it, but they’ll earn back double the value!” Gervas smiled in explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Double the return? Whoa—that’s a fortune! Too bad six hundred gold coins is too steep—only viscounts like these can afford it!” Migen sighed with envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Six hundred fifty gold coins thr—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Above, the auctioneer had just raised his voice for the third time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I bid seven hundred gold coins!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the gaze of Migen and the others, Gervas suddenly raised his hand and shouted, cutting off the auctioneer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Migen and the others froze—his lord was bidding? “L-Lord... I was just speaking offhand...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Migen wondered if his words had prompted Gervas’s sudden decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did I bring you all this way just to eat free food?” Gervas snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd reacted instantly—everyone turned, murmuring in shock, and saw a young noble they didn’t recognize.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting their stares, Gervas smiled calmly and nodded to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, whispers spread through the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who is he? Do you know him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No one’s seen him before!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The auctioneer glanced at Lord Beckert, who also frowned—he didn’t recognize Gervas either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he’d met nearly every noble invited today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, he is the Lord of Stormhold—named Gervas...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, the steward had been standing nearby. Seeing Gervas actually bid, he hurried to Lord Beckert’s side and whispered his identity—and the incident at the city gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Beckert blinked. “Stormhold?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could the lord of that poverty-stricken land really bid seven hundred gold coins?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, since he’d spoken, the auction must proceed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Beckert rose, smiling warmly at Gervas. “Ah, Lord Gervas of Stormhold—your presence is a great honor to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forgive my steward’s oversight—he failed to extend you an invitation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Beckert, no need for formalities—I came uninvited, so I’m the one who intruded. By the way, is it improper for me to bid?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not at all—the auction is open and fair to all!” Lord Beckert beamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, he sneered: “Unbelievable—I’ve stumbled upon such a fool. You just handed me forty extra gold coins for free. What a good man indeed!”\u003C\u002Fp>",1008,"2026-06-20T22:44:01.160Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","398d6923fd8090957d892986603783e4766a72f98c3f6ec9ccbb0929f22c16c7","warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-130","warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-128",521,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwarlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-cover.jpg"]