"Master, does it still hurt?"
Seeing Xu Yi touch his lips, Linda immediately asked in a concerned voice.
Xu Yi shook his head with a bitter smile, "It doesn't hurt, but like this, it won't be better by the time we get home.
If Stiel sees this, what should I say … … "
Linda covered her mouth as she secretly laughed.
"Who told master to be careless, being forcefully kissed by Princess Caroline.
If the madame saw this, she would immediately know what happened. "
Xu Yi angrily glared at her, "If Stiel asks, I'll say that you bit me!"
"The madame wouldn't believe you, she knows that I'm not that bold."
Seeing Linda secretly laughing, Xu Yi gave a helpless sigh. He thought that this matter wouldn't be clear.
The best method was to honestly explain to Stiel when they got back, perhaps he could even obtain Stiel's forgiveness.
Seeing the Magic Car enter Anvilmar City's gates, Xu Yi shook his head and didn't think about this anymore.
After getting out, Xu Yi brought Linda to Samo Count's yard.
Manager Ram had received Samo Count's notice two days ago and knew that Xu Yi was coming today, so he had prepared ahead of time. When he saw Xu Yi and Linda appear, he immediately came forward to welcome them.
"Chairman Xu, Viscount Leslie and Baron Hannas are already waiting for you in the living room."
Xu Yi was surprised, "Viscount Leslie?
When did he come back? "
Before manager Ram could reply, there was a laugh that came from the yard.
"It hasn't even been half a month since I came back, I never thought that I would see you today."
Xu Yi turned with a look of pleasant surprise before coming forward with a wide smile.
"Lord Viscount, long time no see!"
Viscount Leslie laughed, "Xu Yi, you are now a viscount, you can't call me that like before."
Xu Yi hurriedly shook his head. "The way I address the viscount has nothing to do with the rules of the Royal Parliament. It's purely out of respect from the bottom of my heart."
Viscount Leslie turned to Baron Hannas on the side and said, "Look, after not seeing each other for two years, Xu Yi has become even better at talking compared to before. No wonder New Flyer has developed so well."
Baron Hannas shrugged. "I think he's right. Otherwise, according to the rules of the Royal Parliament, wouldn't I have to address him as Lord Viscount every time I see him?"
Xu Yi and Viscount Leslie looked at each other before breaking out in laughter.
"Alright, let's not bother about those stupid rules of the Parliament of Nobles. We're all old friends, so we can call each other whatever we want.
Xu Yi, you and Hannas are the same, just call me Leslie.
No matter what, you're a very famous person in the kingdom and not a small merchant with no status like before. You can't call me that like before. "Viscount Leslie said.
Xu Yi hesitated a bit before nodding, "Alright, Viscount ….. Un, Leslie, after you come back this time, what are you planning to do next?"
"This is what I wanted to discuss with you. I discussed it with your company's manager Flaime in Anvilmar City before and he told me that he couldn't make the final decision, so I decided to wait for you to come back."
"You need to discuss it with me?" Xu Yi was a bit confused. He looked at Baron Hannas with a questioning look in his eyes.
Baron Hannas shook his head. Viscount Leslie laughed as he pulled Xu Yi and walked out of the courtyard.
"Let's go, I've already booked a banquet at the Chanel Restaurant. We're not going home until we're drunk tonight!"
Xu Yi could only helplessly signal to Manager Ram and have him take care of Linda. He was sandwiched between Viscount Leslie and Baron Hannas as they left the courtyard.
###
"If it's the northern army, it really is hard."
Viscount Leslie gave a deep sigh. His eyes were filled with memories and emotions.
"You never would have thought that in the snowy environment of the northern border, where people could freeze to death at any time, the northern army soldiers didn't even have a single coat to wrap themselves in."
"Then wouldn't many people freeze to death?" Baron Hannas on the side couldn't help asking.
"Not many people freeze to death." Viscount Leslie shook his head.
"But it's true that several dozen people freeze to death in the northern army each year."
Baron Hannas and Xu Yi looked at each other with a trace of unwillingness in their eyes.
They were already halfway through the banquet and half drunk. When Viscount Leslie heard the two of them ask about his situation in the northern army, he immediately opened his mouth and began to talk.
"Why are the northern army soldiers' bodies so strong?
Actually it's because when it's winter, in order to prevent them from freezing to death, they can only keep training to warm their bodies.
But because they don't have enough supplies, they don't have enough food to eat. If they train too much, their bodies won't be able to keep up.
But if they don't train, they will freeze to death.
So every winter, the northern army has to decide how to train based on how much food they have. They even have to change the training plan every few days, otherwise people will die. "
Xu Yi couldn't help knitting his brows, "I've heard Major MacConley say that the northern army spends at least two hundred thousand gold coins each year. Although it isn't enough to improve the equipment, it can't be that they don't even have enough food to eat, right?"
Viscount Leslie looked at Xu Yi and gave a cold laugh, "Two hundred thousand gold coins?
Do you know how many gold coins are spent on the northern army soldiers in the end? "
Xu Yi was silent.
Although he didn't have much contact, just based on Major MacConley's words, he could tell that the corruption in the Lampari Kingdom's army was very serious. The kingdom's treasury gave the northern army two hundred thousand gold coins, but in the end the northern army didn't even have fifty thousand gold coins.
In this situation, the northern army could persist for all these years, not letting the Sack Kingdom take a step further. It could be seen just how tenacious the northern army's battle strength and will were.
"Then what about during this time?
His highness Eric is leading the northern army, he won't lack supplies, right? "Baron Hannas asked.
"His highness wants to win this war and establish his prestige, so I think he won't mistreat the northern army soldiers."
"Is that so?"
Viscount Leslie thought of when he left the northern army, his highness Eric had treated him to a table of dishes that even he felt were too luxurious. He gave another cold laugh, but he didn't make any comments.
Viscount Leslie didn't say anything and the table fell into silence.
Xu Yi looked at Viscount Leslie and Baron Hannas who were thinking at the same time. He gave a cough and asked Viscount Leslie, "Let's not talk about these disappointing things. Sub ….. Leslie, you said that you had something to discuss with me and it was related to your future plans?
Just what is it? "
Viscount Leslie put down his wine cup and said with a serious look, "I mentioned this matter to your company's manager Flaime before, but he might not have told you, so I'll say it again.
Xu Yi, I want to cooperate with your New Flyer to open a magic machine factory, what do you think? "
Xu Yi was stunned, "You want to cooperate with our company?
In your name or in the name of your Stagg Family? "
Viscount Leslie said with a smile, "I'm not the head right now, so of course I can only represent myself."
Xu Yi knit his brows, "If you do this, your family won't have any objections?"
"This is my own matter, they aren't qualified to comment on me." Viscount Leslie waved his hand.
Viscount Leslie waved his hand, "Xu Yi, just tell me if it's alright or not?"
"Of course.
Actually Leslie, you already had shares in our company before. If you didn't take the initiative to withdraw, you would be a major shareholder of our company and wouldn't need to discuss cooperation with me. "Xu Yi honestly said.
"There's no need to mention the past.
Moreover, to be honest, I'm glad that I made such a wise decision back then.
Otherwise because I had shares in New Flyer, I don't know how those annoying fellows in the family would force me. "
Xu Yi and Hannas looked at each other, seeing the worry in each other's eyes.
Based on Viscount Leslie's words, his situation in the Stagg Family after he came back wasn't that good.
In this situation, he actually came to discuss opening a magic machine factory with Xu Yi, wasn't this clearly going against the will of the family?
"Leslie, have you thought about the consequences of doing this?" Xu Yi asked in a deep voice.
Viscount Leslie revealed a faint smile, "Relax, I'm more clear on these matters than you."
Xu Yi nodded and took a deep breath before saying, "Alright, since you've already made your decision, as a friend, I will do my best to help you.
Speak, what kind of magic machine factory do you want to open?
How do you want to cooperate with our company? "
Viscount Leslie shook his head, "It doesn't matter what kind of factory it is or how we cooperate, it's fine as long as we cooperate with your New Flyer."
Hearing this response, Xu Yi and Baron Hannas took a cold breath at the same time.
If the two of them were only guessing before, they were already certain now.
Viscount Leslie, this was clearly going against the will of the Stagg Family and going against the family!
But although he was the eldest son of the Stagg Family's head and was considered the most likely candidate to become the next head, going against the family like this wouldn't have a good ending.
The Stagg Family was recognized as the most powerful family in the Lampari Kingdom other than the royal family. The power they had was not something a single person could compare to.
How could Viscount Leslie go against the family?
Xu Yi was silent for a while before slowly asking, "Leslie, from the standpoint of me, the New Flyer, and even her highness Seveni, I hope that you can do this.
But from the standpoint of a friend, I really hope that you won't do this since there are no benefits for you. "
"That's right, this will only cause you to suffer a loss, so how about you forget it?" Baron Hannas also advised.
Coming from a large noble family, Baron Hannas knew better than Xu Yi the price and courage needed to go against the family.
Viscount Leslie shook his head, "In this world, there are some things that you want to do regardless of the cost." After pausing, he continued, "Especially after I've been in the northern army for two years."
Seeing Viscount Leslie's determined expression, Xu Yi knew that persuasion was useless. After thinking about it, he reached his hand out to Viscount Leslie.
"Alright then, Leslie, welcome to the ranks of the magic industry."