Finally, an adult couldn't help but speak up! Mainly because they were watching the child eat so deliciously, their saliva secretion had reached a climax.

  "Hello respected noble sir! My name is John! I wonder what brings you to this small village." Finally, someone who can say a complete sentence.

  "I'm not a noble, actually I'm a merchant. I came here to do business with you. You can exchange anything valuable or unusual for goods." Li You Ran finally revealed his identity and purpose.

  As expected, when he said that he was not a nobleman, the expressions of the people around him immediately relaxed a lot. Everyone finally had the intention to do business, and some clever ones had already run back home to fetch those valuable things they had hidden away.

  Everyone went to find their own things, hoping to exchange for some good stuff, especially that bread from earlier and the sausage-like thing the merchant brought out later, it must be delicious.

  Only the person who said his own name and the child stayed, the child was hoping to eat one, while the other was because Li You Ran's words had not been fulfilled yet.

  Li You Ran smiled and handed a loaf of bread to John, saying: "Your place looks very old-fashioned, is the lord here not good?"

  Li You Ran started inquiring about the lord's affairs, knowing what kind of person the lord was, Li You Ran could then feel at ease trading with him.

  John picked up the bread and immediately learned from Li You Ran's example, tearing open the packaging and then taking two bites of the bread before swallowing it down, actually only needing one bite, just to savor the flavor.

  After listening to Li You Ran's words, John swallowed the bread in his mouth and stared at the backpack tightly. Li You Ran smiled and took out something from inside, placing it on a stone, saying: "Answer my question, this is yours."

  John thought for a moment and wanted more, but that child named Oak immediately said: "Sir, if I can answer yes or no, give me one too?"

  "Of course, if your answer satisfies me, there may be more. Li You Ran smiled, with the child's cooperation, Li You Ran naturally didn't worry about John playing tricks."

  As expected, John immediately said: "Sir, I can answer, give me this opportunity, what does the kid know! If you need to do business with the lord, then you absolutely need a guide."

  It seems that John is indeed the more cunning and bold one in this village. Generally, people who know someone is asking about the lord's news either keep their mouths shut or go to the security team to inform on them. But John doesn't do that, he thinks he can gain great benefits from Li You Ran! Maybe it's a sumptuous dinner, or maybe even a few silver coins as a reward.

  "Alright, you said so, of course I will ask Oak for proof. If it doesn't match, I won't give you the reward." Li You Ran pointed at Oak and said.

  "Of course, I will give you the most correct answer."

  "So your lord is cruel? Why is it so poor here?" Li You Ran looked around, the dilapidated houses were all made of wooden boards nailed together, only the knight's house was built with stone, in terms of living comfort, the stone house was undoubtedly more comfortable.

  "No! I don't know what other lords are like, but our lord is Sir Allington, and he's a true knight. As for why it's so poor here, it's because we've just gone through a famine, all the grain in the domain was collected as taxes, even the donkey from Lord Allington's house was taken away."

  It seems I've come at a bad time! Even the lord is so poor, and I don't know if this thing can be sold, Li You Ran thought to herself.

  "So that's how it is! Then what about the lord's family?" Li You Ran asked.

  "That path of stones over there is the way to Lord's house, but you'd best not go today. The lord is in a foul mood now! The viscount's tax collector has come again for the grain tax, and this time nothing else will do." John said something valuable.

  "Alright, this is your reward. Go take a look and see if you have anything strange on you that we can trade for something else. Of course, I have to be interested first. Off you go." Li You Ran dismissed John.

  Then Li You Ran said to the oak tree, "Oak tree, now I'm giving you a task. When they come, tell them that I've gone to find the leader and let them wait for me here! It'll be soon, can you do it?"

  Oak nodded to indicate that he could complete the task. Li You Ran patted his head and said, "Great! Wait here! Take it! This is your reward."

  Li You Ran gave Oak a sausage and a bread, then taught him how to open the sausage, and then walked alone towards the fortress of that Airington knight.

  As expected, after walking for a while, they saw the stone building that was originally seen at Morton's house. It was a simple military fortress, and it seemed that this knight still had some military skills. At least this fortress was well-built! Although small, there were trenches, moats, and drawbridges, none of which were missing. Li You Ran even saw two people holding sharpened wooden stakes, guarding the gate? They should be guards, although they looked similar to farmers.

  Li You Ran approached and was stopped near the fortress. A man holding a bow and arrow stood on the wall, saying: "Halt! Stranger! This is the fortress of Knight Elington. Who are you and what brings you here? Speak up, or my arrows won't be polite to you."

  Not bad! At least there are still archers serving him, this is Li You Ran's evaluation.

  "Hello! Don't be nervous! I'm just a merchant! I'm a merchant from the distant East, here to do business with the lord and see what can be sold. Of course, we can also exchange goods." Li You Ran stood still, not intending to cross any boundaries, knowing that being shot by an arrow would be disastrous. Although he thought the bow shouldn't have such a range, it's always better to be cautious - who knows if this is another Morton? Thinking of Morton's arrow carrying enormous kinetic energy, Li You Ran still felt a chill down his spine! If that arrow were to hit him, he'd be done for.

  "Wait a minute! I'll go report to Sir Knight!" The archer chose to believe Li You Ran.

  The gate was opened soon after, and a blond man wearing chain mail walked out, followed by the archer from just now. He looked like this was Arlington Knight, with a rugged and stern face, a bit disheveled beard, and furrowed eyebrows, seemingly worried about something.

  But for Ellington, who had merchants coming to his place, he was still very happy. As for the merchant being able to get him out of trouble, he didn't have much hope, but it was a hope after all, wasn't it?

  "Hello! Merchant from the East! I am Lord Erlington, the lord of this place. Please forgive me for not having anything to entertain you with, everything has been sealed by the tax officials and no one can touch them. So please tell me your purpose here, merchant."

  Elington wasn't very polite, of course, he had to ask someone to relax his tone. In fact, according to his previous habits, he wouldn't have paid attention to a merchant like him. He was a noble knight who fought for the glory of the Dragon God and the main house, not a merchant chasing after profits. It's just that reality made him temporarily lower his proud head.

  "It's an honor to meet you, Sir Ellington. I'm a merchant, wherever there is business, I exist. You look troubled! Perhaps I can help." Li You Ran said straightforwardly.

  "Is that so! The only thing I'm worried about now is the damned autumn tax. If you can help me, come in! If not, there's nothing to entertain you here, so just leave!" Ellington remembered his own troubles and couldn't pretend anymore, he was going to shoo him away.

  "If it's about food, I think I can handle it! The question is what will the knight use to exchange for it? I suppose you don't have any money left, do you? I heard even your donkey was used as tax payment?"

  Li You Ran's words gave Elington Knight a glimmer of hope, but for the donkey being taxed, it was obviously a shame in the knight's eyes, so he said with a red face: "I am a knight! Even if I have no money! I still have treasures! It's just that this time's tax can't be offset with things! Otherwise, I wouldn't be so embarrassed."

  "Treasure! I think maybe we can talk about Sir Knight." Li You Ran's eyes lit up immediately when she heard the two words "treasure".

  "Of course, if you have food." Ellington shrugged.

  "As much as you want! However, I need to see something valuable first, otherwise I won't be able to convince my family." Li You Ran fabricated a non-existent family, just in case someone got any ideas, although he was confident that he could leave at any time! But this damn transmission was fixed-point, and no matter where you went back from, when you came out, it would always be the same place.

  "Alright! Come on in! My treasures are all inside." Ellington finally decided to let Li You Ran enter his own fortress.

  Under Ellington's lead, Li You Ran entered the fortress. It was really just a fortress, no luxurious decorations, nor magnificent buildings, just a military fortress. Ellington brought Li You Ran to a stone house and opened the door. What Li You Ran saw were not gold jewels or treasures, but some exquisite armor, shining brightly on the surface, looking well-maintained. They had an owner who cherished them! Was this Ellington's treasure?

  "Is this the treasure you were talking about?" Li You Ran turned around and said.

  "Yes! Absolutely treasures! I seized them when I was suppressing bandits, all of them are fine pieces! You can't buy them even if you look for them outside, except for the things made by dwarves, nothing can compare to these." Ellington's pride, Li You Ran couldn't understand.