[{"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-135":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},2338598,4572,"Chapter 135: Half the Share of the Crystal Mine!","warlord-starting-with-daily-intelligence-chapter-135",135,"\u003Cp>“Lord Gervas, this… what is this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Viscountess Catherine, this is a telescope—it can draw distant objects closer for observation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s night now, so the clarity isn’t perfect, but in daylight, you could observe objects and people a hundred meters away as if they were right before your eyes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gervas guided Catherine to look at the soldiers on guard beside the bonfire dozens of meters away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, the effect was even better—the soldiers dozens of meters away seemed within arm’s reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A telescope?! This is incredible! Lord Gervas, is this magic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not quite real magic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gervas gave an evasive answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he planned to cooperate with Catherine, before the contract was signed, he couldn’t reveal too many secrets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gervas, you just said you could make the Violet Family immune to Farrio’s suppression—is this how? What should I do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catherine’s mindset had returned to normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Gervas had brought it out, it must be connected to this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Witnessing the telescope’s marvel had boosted Catherine’s confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Viscountess Catherine, if other nobles saw this telescope, what do you think they’d do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Especially during war, or while sailing at sea!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’d flock to it—no need even for battlefields or sailors; just the telescope’s miraculous ability to draw objects closer would make nobles clamor for it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Novelty, uniqueness, rarity—these were what nobles loved most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially anything that showcased their distinction, nobles would spare no expense to buy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just to demonstrate their depth and superiority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. This single-lens telescope will surely sweep through noble circles—and if I tell you that one of its materials comes from the Violet Family’s white crystal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think, Viscountess Catherine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catherine’s body trembled slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If nobles flocked to the single-lens telescope, their family’s crystal mine would never lack buyers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, the single-lens telescope was unique to Gervas—if some nobles later wanted to buy it, he could speak a few words on her behalf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Say Farrio Viscount was harassing the Violet Family, causing the crystal supply to be cut off…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catherine’s pale, lovely face flushed with excitement, her luminous eyes fixed intently on Gervas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Gervas, your plan is excellent, but I know this telescope belongs to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, Lord Gervas, tell me—what does the Violet Family need to pay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catherine had received heir training; she understood well that among nobles, everything was about profit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gervas’s throat moved slightly—why did it feel like, if he asked for her, she’d agree?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Gervas wasn’t some lecher obsessed with women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed sufficient gain: “Viscountess Catherine, I demand half the share of your Violet Family’s crystal mine!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gervas stated his demand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catherine’s expression changed instantly, her eyes filled with disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after a moment, she gritted her teeth: “Lord Gervas, I can agree to you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Catherine’s view, it was better to let Gervas benefit than let Farrio seize the family’s assets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Gervas’s opportunistic move had damaged his image in her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gervas, seeing this, was speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I haven’t even finished speaking—why are you rushing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t distracted by female charm; he prioritized profit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he preferred gaining profit through mutually beneficial cooperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like Farrio’s plundering—such a man would never rise far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Viscountess Catherine, I haven’t finished. I won’t take half your Violet Family’s crystal mine for free—I’ll treat it as your family’s equity investment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From now on, I’ll give you fifty percent of the single-lens telescope’s profits—and the telescope’s official ownership can be registered under the Violet Family’s assets!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catherine had previously revealed that the Violet Family’s crystal mine earned five hundred gold coins annually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant ten years would total five thousand gold coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Gervas took half the profits, he’d earn two thousand five hundred gold coins over ten years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the mine could be exploited for twenty years, it would reach five thousand gold coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So while the single-lens telescope might be valuable, exchanging it for the Violet Family’s mine left Gervas far from losing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this binding arrangement would prevent future issues with crystal raw materials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were certainly other high-quality crystal mines in the kingdom—but they were extremely rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re giving me half the single-lens telescope’s share too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now Catherine realized she’d misunderstood Gervas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her pale face instantly flushed with shame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Gervas naturally pressed further: “Viscountess Catherine, if you can’t decide yet, wait until tomorrow morning and test the telescope again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then you won’t feel my proposal is too unfair—after all, it truly could sweep through noble circles!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Also, this single-lens telescope contains a small vial of corrosive liquid—if anyone tries to disassemble it, the entire device will instantly corrode, preventing other families from copying it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, this anti-copying device was only temporary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After mass production, Gervas would add anti-tampering inscriptions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d heard some nobles, to protect vital secrets, hired alchemists to craft inscription-locked treasure chests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If opened incorrectly or forcibly dismantled, the chest would explode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though this might raise costs, Gervas could pass them on to the nobles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though this method wouldn’t last forever, at least it would let him profit for several years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gervas, I don’t need to think—let’s sign the contract now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Catherine was deeply moved—how could she hesitate now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Gervas hadn’t offered her half the telescope’s share, to protect the Violet Family from suppression, she would have agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with Gervas offering the telescope in exchange, it was already an excellent outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the telescope’s potential profits couldn’t be measured, even if it earned only one or two thousand gold coins, Catherine would gladly accept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gervas had already prepared the magic contract—he’d anticipated this meeting about the crystal mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both sides quickly signed the contract exchanging half the Violet Family’s crystal mine for the single-lens telescope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From now on, the manufacturing and sale of the single-lens telescope would be entrusted to the Violet Family!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gervas, if I don’t expose Count Farrio’s ties with the Scorpion Bandits, you won’t be able to approach him directly to resolve your grudge!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After signing the contract, Catherine—who should have been happy—now worried about Gervas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This contract made her feel increasingly indebted to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gervas shook his head. “Catherine, even if you exposed Count Farrio, do you think a simple ‘I didn’t know’ and fifty gold coins could soothe his hatred toward me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nobles with such powerful backgrounds are never merciful—especially toward someone like me, a weak border noble!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having lived two lives, Gervas understood human nature all too well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make Farrio show restraint, you must possess power or status that gives him pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, begging only excites them, giving them the thrill of torturing a crawling insect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this conclusion also stemmed from the intelligence he received this morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Farrio would become the overseer for these minor nobles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, a single careless order could make his life miserable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would he generously spare me?\u003C\u002Fp>",1127,"2026-06-20T22:44:01.160Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 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