Chapter 7: The Baronial Residence

The escorting guard, upon seeing the butler arrive, said to Li Jiawang, "Esteemed Baron, I have brought you to the Baron’s residence. I must return to report, so I take my leave now." After saying this, he paid no heed to Li Jiawang's reaction and turned to leave directly.

Li Jiawang saw the guard leave and said to the middle-aged man named Salins, who claimed to be the steward, "Please introduce me to the baron's residence now."

Not long after leaving the imperial capital, one can see from a distance this grand estate, which occupies a vast area in the suburbs. The walls of this estate were constructed from a large quantity of stone quarried by numerous slaves from the Qingstone Mountain to the west of the imperial capital. These stones were meticulously polished by craftsmen into hard, smooth blocks, and the value of these polished stones alone is considerable, indicating the extraordinary nature of this estate.

Li Jiawang's eyes darted around as he thought: since he currently had no one available, he might as well make use of him for now. When a suitable person appeared in the future, he could simply transfer him to another position. Thus, he said, "You may continue to serve as your steward; from now on, all matters in the residence will be entrusted to you. Do not let me down."

Moreover, he observed that Li Jiawang had become a noble at such a young age and had received the favor of His Majesty. In the future, he would undoubtedly have boundless prospects. At present, when Li Jiawang lacked manpower, joining him would surely lead to being valued and reused, and he would eventually enjoy wealth and honor.

You go and summon all the male and female servants from the residence to this square, and set up a temporary platform in the square. In one hour, I will address them here. You go and make the arrangements; I will stroll around this main courtyard and take a look at my bedroom and reception room. Once you have made the arrangements, come and inform me.

Upon hearing that Li Jiawang was willing to take him in and even offered him the position of steward in the household, Salins immediately expressed his joy, saying, "Thank you for your gracious favor, my lord. I will certainly live up to your expectations and ensure that the household affairs are managed well, so that you need not worry."

The clearly defined character "Wang" on its forehead reveals an infinite majesty and a terrifying luster. If someone who is unaware suddenly sees this statue, they would surely believe it to be a real flying celestial tiger and would cry out in astonishment

A middle-aged man resembling a butler approached Li Jiawang immediately and said, "Esteemed Baron, I am Salins, the steward of this estate, which is now the Baron's residence. How may I assist you?"

After speaking, he looked at Li Jiawang with great anticipation. He had been living in the estate for nearly fifty years and was deeply attached to this place. He truly did not want to leave; if he were to leave, he wouldn't even know where to go or what to do.

Accompanied by the guards, Li Jiawang left the imperial palace and arrived at the royal estate located in the suburbs of the capital, now known as the Baronial residence

After the Great Emperor Shengwu ascended to the throne, this manor was abandoned. Following his death, the succeeding emperor, noticing that the manor was located in the suburbs and covered a vast area, began to use it as a temporary residence during hunting trips. Later emperors, however, lost interest in hunting outdoors, and the manor fell into disuse.

Li Jiawang, seeing the butler's cheerful demeanor, nodded in satisfaction and said, "Take me to the main courtyard to see the place where I will be residing"

Later, the Great Emperor Shengwu utilized this estate to recruit various skilled individuals, ultimately eliminating the treacherous officials within the court one by one, forcing his father, the emperor, to abdicate, and ascending to the throne himself. He then implemented extensive reforms within the Shenglong Empire, eradicating the severely corrupt nobles in the regions, revitalizing the environment of the empire, and earning the title of the Master of Restoration among the people of the empire

After Kaichi ascended to the throne, he restored the custom of hunting, and thus this manor was once again renovated for use. However, Kaichi no longer loved hunting as he did in his youth, and consequently, the manor was left idle once more, which was just in time for Kaichi to bestow it upon Li Jiawang as a baronial residence

Upon hearing this, Salins was taken aback, but he quickly regained his composure and said, "My lord, I am a free man and do not need to return to report. If you are willing to take me in, I am willing to serve you and do my utmost to assist you."

This manor has its own legend and history; it was once the residence of the revitalizing sovereign of the Holy Dragon Empire for a period of time, and it has a history of over 1,000 years. It is said that during that time, the powerful officials of the Holy Dragon Empire were in control, and local nobles were corrupt as the wind. The then crown prince, known today as the Holy Martial Emperor, was falsely accused and exiled here for reflection.

Of course, if these two statues were sold, they could at least fetch Li Jiawang several hundred thousand purple gold coins. However, if Li Jiawang were to actually sell them, the next day he would either be demoted to a commoner by Ben Kaiji or receive a severe reprimand, after all, they are relics of the former Holy Martial Emperor

After a brief introduction by the steward, Li Jiawang pondered for a moment and said, "So, steward, do you intend to return to report, or will you stay here to continue as the steward"

At the entrance stood two rows of guards dressed in black armor, wielding the standard long swords designated for the palace's imperial guards. They stood there like statues, guarding the estate, and it was evident that they possessed a strong sense of discipline, being elite soldiers. Unfortunately, they were not my subordinates and would soon be leaving, Li Jiawang thought with a sense of regret.

At the entrance, there are two large sculptures of the ninth-level magical beast, the Flying Heavenly Tiger, carved by master sculptors from the imperial capital. This tiger spreads its enormous wings, extends its sharp front claws, and simultaneously opens its terrifying mouth, revealing a row of glistening, sharp teeth, as if it is about to soar into the sky to battle its enemies

Upon entering the gates of the manor, one could see numerous servants and maidservants busily cleaning the estate. The sign at the entrance had long been replaced with that of the Baron’s residence, indicating that this place had already received notice and was well-prepared to welcome Li Jiawang

A quarter of an hour later, Li Jiawang, under the guidance of the steward, arrived at a grand courtyard adorned in resplendent decoration. Upon seeing this courtyard, Li Jiawang nodded in satisfaction, thinking: It truly lives up to being the residence of a king; indeed, it is extraordinarily luxurious. I am fortunate to be here, though it is a pity that I cannot stay long, as I will soon have to leave the imperial capital to take up my post in the territory.