Chapter Fifteen: The Wind's Journey

  December 10th, after settling the matters in hand, Liú Yún brought Iverson and Walker to set off for Fēngyǔ City to recruit new team members.

  Fengyu City is the capital of Fengyu Province, and there are still some impressions in the memory of Liuyun.

  This city, north of the Elf Forest, west of the Beastman Kingdom, and south of the Imperial Capital, is one of the commercial centers of the empire and a famous city on the continent. As Flowing Cloud entered Fengyu City, he once again deeply felt the prosperity and bustle of this city. On the main streets, adventurers of all shapes and sizes could be seen everywhere, with mercenary-protected merchant caravans passing by from time to time, and beastmen and dwarves also visible everywhere. The city's shops were lined up, and the taverns and inns were crowded with people.

  However, surprisingly, on the streets of this city, there are hardly any beggars and vagrants to be seen. Are the people in this city really so affluent?

  "It's getting late, I think we should find a place to stay first and then ask around slowly." Iverson said to Liuyun.

  "It's also good this way." Liu Yun said.

  Three people casually found an inn to stay in, and Liú Yún had ài Fó Sēn go out to gather information.

  But little did they know, Iverson was back just a few minutes later.

  "How can you come back so soon?" Yunyun asked in puzzlement.

  "Heh heh, just before I left the hotel, I asked the boss about it, and unexpectedly, he actually knew where those beggars and vagrants went." Iverson replied with a smile, seemingly also quite surprised.

  "They all work in Miss Huā Jiè's workshop. The people of Fēng Yǔ City consider her to be the embodiment of kindness." Iverson replied quickly.

  "She's actually hired child labor!"

  He thought resentfully, but then reconsidered, "Well, in such an era, being able to give these beggars and vagrants a meal is already a great act of kindness."

  "She's taken all the people away, where am I supposed to go to recruit?" Liú Yún muttered to herself. The largest city closest to the ranch was Fēng Yǔ City, could it be that she had to go from this city to other cities?

  "Yun is scarce, why don't you go find Miss Hua Xie Lei to discuss it and get some people from her?" Walker reacted quickly and suggested.

  "It seems that I have to go and see Miss Huajianlei. The situation in the vineyard also needs to be let her know." Liuyun said.

  After inquiring about Huā Jiè Lèi's address from the inn owner, the three of them set out. Along the way, Liú Yún was thinking about how to approach Huā Jiè Lèi. The matter of the wine had already made him feel somewhat guilty towards this young lady, owing her a favor. Now, he was going to ask for help again, and Liú Yún was indeed very troubled.

  "Please announce, Viscount Flowcloud has arrived to pay his respects to Miss Huā Jiè Lì." Walker said as he walked up to the entrance of a grand mansion and spoke to the doorman.

  "Please wait a moment, I will report to Viscount." The servant bowed and responded, then turned around and walked into the courtyard.

  "Wealthy enough to rival a nation, yet living in such simplicity. Hehe, when will Miss Hua's words of 'squandering thousands of gold' come true? It seems the men of the empire should be despairing." Walker said with a smile as he sized up the residence before him.

  "Oh? What's this all about?" Flowing Clouds heard this and felt a sense of curiosity.

  "Miss Huajing was young and beautiful, rich and had everything in the world, so she had many suitors. She was tired of them and once said when rejecting a suitor: 'If you want to pluck the flower, wait until I've spent all my wealth and my beauty fades with age.' After that, no one dared to come knocking on her door again." Iverson explained aloud.

  "This is a unique and personalized girl." Liuyun heard and smiled.

  "It seems that she also regarded herself as a frivolous person who coveted her wealth. The idea of marrying a good wife and striving less for thirty years is universally common in any era." Liuyun thought, and then remembered the night at the ranch, Huajie's angry tears.

  When the servant of the notice appeared at the door, the figure of Hua Die also appeared.

  "Viscount has arrived, I'm afraid we didn't welcome you from afar. Please forgive us." Huā Jiè Lèi bowed to Liú Yún.

  "Miss, you're being too serious, I'm intruding, please forgive me." Liú Yún bowed and thought to herself: "The nobles of this world, speaking like this all day, aren't you guys tired?"

  "Viscount, please come in, everyone." Huā Jiè Lèi stepped aside and made way for Liú Yún Sān.

  As they sat down in the living room, Liuyun briefly introduced the construction of the vineyard to Hua Xiangru.

  Huā jiàng lèi was listening seriously, but her eyes occasionally fell on Liú yún's body.

  She was surprised and excited about the arrival of Liú Yún. In her eyes, this unique nobleman, who bore a bad reputation, could remain calm and composed, with the demeanor and temperament of a noble, but without the pretentiousness and thinking of a noble. Moreover, after that night at the ranch, she had a brand new understanding of Liú Yún: he was someone even more lonely and intelligent than her.

  After listening patiently to Liuyun's words, Huajing asked softly, "Sir, is this the only reason you came?"

  "This..." Liuyun suddenly stuttered, he felt that sometimes women being too clever was absolutely not a good thing, like now.

  "Maybe it's too stuffy in the living room, why don't we go out for a walk and enjoy the night view of Fengyu City while chatting?"

  It must be said that Hua Dieyan is a wonderful and lovely person. When she saw Liu Yun's appearance, she immediately spoke up to help him out of the embarrassing situation.

  "This idea is not bad." Liu Yun said immediately.

  Out of the door, Iverson and Walker followed far behind, asking Lelouch to teach them martial arts. Having the opportunity to be taught by a high-level swordsman, they would not let it go.

  Clouds and flower petals tears together, slowly walking on the main street.

  Walking in the night wind, surrounded by the fragrance of beautiful women, looking at the streets with flashing lights, making him wonder if he was in a dream. Suddenly turning back, deeply gazing, she was in the dim light, but she was no longer "her". This feeling of having had something that is now forever lost made him look dazed and confused, a strong impulse made him want to shout loudly: "Moon, I really miss you!"

  The flower's tears felt the loss of consciousness in that instant when the cloud flowed away, and also sensed the deep affection in that gaze.

  But she knew that it wasn't about her, but rather he was thinking of someone else. So the clever her chose to be silent, and just quietly accompanied him on his walk.

  "Come on, come on, gentlemen, take a closer look!" A loud shout made Liú Yún suddenly wake up and turn her head to the direction of the sound.

  "These are new arrivals today, beautiful girls of the Elf tribe, genuine imports, absolutely unopened!"

  In the distance, on the stage, a large man stood on the stage, pointing to the girl beside him and shouting loudly, triggering a burst of whistling and laughter from below the stage. Beside the girl were two beastmen.

  The big Han smiled complacently, wiping his hand on the girl's chest. "Look at this breast, so tender! Look at this skin, so smooth! Look at this face, so pretty! For just 200 gold coins, she'll be serving you in bed tonight, gentlemen with money, don't miss this great opportunity!"

  The girl's hands and feet were all bound by iron chains, powerless to resist, could only whisper and cry, helpless eyes, futilely sweeping over the crowd, only increasing the beastly desire of the onlookers.

  The slaves of this world, except for the prisoners of war, are mostly aliens. The beautiful elves are the favorites of the nobles, so many mercenaries and adventurers enter the elf forest to capture lone elves.

  Although he had long known this, when Flowing Cloud saw this scene with his own eyes, he still couldn't let go of it in his heart.

  "I'll give three hundred gold coins!" someone in the crowd shouted loudly.

  "Four hundred gold coins!"

  "Six hundred gold coins!"

  ……

  "Eighteen hundred gold coins!"

  The price of the beautiful elf girl was quickly raised to one thousand eight hundred gold coins. Among the crowd below, there were not a few who were nobles' servants. For such things, the nobles would not deign to show their faces, but they would send people over. In short, while being a prostitute, the signboard also had to be erected firmly.

  Heart-wrenching gaze fell on the fairy tribe girl, Liuyun whispered: "They should have had the right to live freely under the sun!"

  Hua Xianger glanced at Liuyun strangely, then turned around and beckoned to Leiluo. When Leiluo approached, she whispered in his ear: "Uncle, no matter the price, buy that girl."

  Liu Yun had no mood to watch anymore and walked away.

  "Miss, I came to see you today, and there's indeed something else. " Liú Yún thought for a moment, feeling that he might as well be direct, since he already owed her a favor anyway.

  "You speak." Huajing replied softly.

  "I heard that all the vagrants in Windy City are working in your workshop?"

  "Hmm. I saw these poor kids, and the workshop was short-handed anyway, so I took them in. Are you concerned about this bunch of kids?" Huajing asked, puzzled.

  "Heh heh, because I wanted to recruit a batch of 15-year-old vagrants into my guard, but when I came to Fengyu City, not one was found. Later, after inquiring, I learned that it was the young lady who took them in." Flowing Cloud smiled.

  "Do you want these children to join the army?" Huajing was clearly shocked.

  "They're so young, what can they do? If they encounter war, will they be able to survive?"

  "Naturally, I have my own considerations, Miss. Please don't worry. This time I came to see you, one is to inform the progress of the vineyard, and another thing is that I want to discuss with Miss, let me recruit a batch of team members from this group of orphans."

  Hua Die's eyes welled up with tears after hearing Liu Yun's words, and she suddenly became somewhat angry. "Damn those nobles, they won't even spare children."

  "Please forgive my blunt words, I detest war because it brings too much harm to ordinary people. If I were born into a prominent family, perhaps I wouldn't know this, but as someone who has been in business since childhood and traveled all over the continent, wherever I go, the common people are suffering from war. The wandering children of the world, how many aren't homeless because they lost their loved ones in war? Therefore, I disagree with your request." Having said that, Hua's eyes were red as she stared straight at Liu Yun.

  "Miss, your act of taking in these orphans is truly admirable and touching. But can you save all the vagrants in Fengyu City? Can you save all the vagrants in the Huoyun Empire? Can you save all the orphans on the Blue Moon Continent?" asked Liu Feng with a soft sigh.

  "I couldn't save them, but I can save these children in Fengyu City. I taught them a trade, and when they grow up, they'll live a warm and comfortable life. My ability is only this far, what's wrong with that? And you, you want to let these kids become your tools for war!" Huajing said tearfully.

  "Why are there wars? Because our country is too weak. These children, when they grow up and war comes again, may have to go to the battlefield once more, leaving behind another batch of orphans. Is this fate fair to them? I don't want these orphans to be cannon fodder for me, nor do I have great ambitions. I know that most of these orphans are descendants of soldiers, and I care about their lives more than anyone else!"

  Liú yún didn't want to stimulate this kind girl, so he restrained his emotions as much as possible. "What I need to do is teach them how to survive in war and cultivate them into a new generation of the empire. Huā jiàng lèi xiǎo jiě, please believe me, I will lead them onto a new path. If one day you find that I couldn't make it happen, I allow you to take these children back."

  "Liuyun's words made Hua Die trapped in deep thought. 'Can I trust you, and hand these children over to you? What kind of future can you bring them? What is really on your mind?'"

  She gazed quietly at the flowing clouds, and it was a long time before she spoke softly:

  "As you wish. Why should I choose to believe you again?"

  Looking at the girl who looked like a lost lamb, both pitiful and lovely, Liu Yun couldn't help but smile.

  "When the time is right, I'll invite you to take a look at these kids' situation. Don't look at me like that, I'm not the same person as the one on stage earlier, and I won't sell them out."

  Listening to him speak was amusing, and Hua Xiangyu smiled with tears in her eyes. The charm of that one smile was like a spring breeze sweeping across the green water, bright and moving.

  "Alas, even if I were to sell, I'd want to sell a beauty like you!" Looking at the lovely smile in front of him, Liuyun couldn't help but tease.

  Her face flushed like a distant lantern.

  "Tomorrow, I'll take you to see that child. The night is already deep, if there's nothing else, Huā Jiè Lèi bid farewell." Huā Jiè Lèi said softly with her head down.

  "Miss, please go ahead, see you tomorrow." After the matter of the vagabond was settled, Liuyun's mood was quite good, but just now he had said something that shouldn't be said, making him feel a bit embarrassed, and he hastily replied.

  On the second day, the three of them went to various workshops under Lelou's leadership to select team members. However, Hua Qianlei did not appear again.

  For this selection, the three Liuyun were very serious. In Liuyun's words, the body must be good, so it can withstand hardship, the eyes must be lively, so they can escape, and the brain must be bright, so it is easy to learn things. He didn't want to face some sick people, fools, and rough men.

  "After a careful selection, we finally chose one hundred and seventy members, all of whom are boys. 'War is still a man's business after all. It would be unseemly to have delicate women on the battlefield.' Liú Yún said to Aifosen and Wòkè."

  Out of feelings for the soldiers, these one hundred and seventy people are all descendants of soldiers. As for those vagrants who are not descendants of soldiers, he can only say sorry. The other ten, he plans to personally select in Kaidenburg Town.

  When it was time to leave, Liú Yún didn't go to bid farewell to Huā Jiè, but instead left a letter with Léi Luó to pass on. After hiring twenty horse-drawn carriages and purchasing some necessary items for the academy in town, Liú Yún set off on the return journey to the ranch with the children.

  Hua Ying wiped away her tears and looked at the letter left by Liu Yun before leaving, then handed it to Lei Luo, after which they both remained silent for a long time, their eyes gazing blankly into the distance.

  "Uncle, please tell me, what kind of person is this second young master of the Cai family?"

  "Miss Huajing respectfully suggests: those who do good should have their eyes on the long-term. Sympathy, pity, and saving one person for a short time is difficult to save them for a lifetime. If Miss has the ability, it's not bad to take out some of it, specifically for good deeds, such as building an academy, which can cultivate countless young people, making them benefit for life. Throughout their lives, they will remember Miss's kindness vividly. Decades later, the Roman family's good name will surely resonate throughout the empire."

  Leilo looked at the letter in her hand and couldn't say a word. Over the years, Huajie had been working hard for the revival of the family, but the great achievements in business had not brought the Roman family the respect they deserved. In the eyes of the nobles, the Roman family was tainted with the smell of copper, although these nobles also loved money like their lives. But Liuyun's letter pointed out a clear path for her.

  "Ke'er, perhaps I was wrong at first. After reading this letter, I have to say that he has astonishing wisdom and thoughts beyond ordinary people." Lei Luo finally spoke up.

  "Every time I see him, there's always an unexpected gain. The only thing I don't know is what he'll bring me next time." Huajian said with a bitter smile.

  Lei Luo also smiled. The proud daughter of heaven, you finally met a man who can match you.