The presence of the legion had changed Fengqi City entirely.
The city gates, once barely defended by the Knight Order members, now had several teams patrolling within the city, and numerous sentry posts along the towering walls kept watch over the surroundings.
Although Chen Yu knew that Hei Lu’s tens of thousands of troops were still not enough, the city now at least had the appearance of a proper city.
After entering the city, Chen Yu headed straight for the City Lord’s Mansion. Hei Lu had specifically dispatched one of his generals to find him, and Chen Yu believed it must be for something important to report. However, the general was utterly clueless, repeatedly stating that he was merely following orders and did not know the specifics.
He also couldn’t get any response from Hei Lu through his wristband.
Confused but not daring to delay, Chen Yu entered the City Lord’s Mansion to find Hei Lu reclining leisurely, sipping fruit wine, with sliced fruits prepared by Chen Yu placed beside him.
Two maids fanned him gently with leaves.
"Such indulgence!"
Seeing this, Chen Yu’s face darkened. Resource City was tens of miles away from Chen Yu’s Fengqi City, and he had rushed over without daring to delay.
He hadn't expected Hei Lu to be so relaxed and resting.
The maids on either side instinctively bowed as Chen Yu approached. Chen Yu slowly raised his hand, signaling them to withdraw, and stood directly behind Hei Lu by the rattan chair.
"Tsk, why did you stop?"
Hei Lu, with two slices of cucumber on his eyes for an eye treatment, frowned.
"Lord Donkey, you truly know how to enjoy yourself."
Chen Yu whispered with a smile. Hei Lu, leaning back in his rattan chair, twitched his ears. Perhaps sensing Chen Yu’s voice, he suddenly sat up straight, and his face froze the moment he turned to see Chen Yu.
"Boss, you… you're back."
Hei Lu, with a fawning smile, couldn't help but glare fiercely at the general he had dispatched.
"How dare you not inform me!"
"Don't take your anger out on your subordinates. I told them not to make a sound," Chen Yu said, narrowing his eyes as he walked towards the rattan chair. Hei Lu didn't dare to delay for a second, stepping aside and standing at attention.
"Fruit wine, sliced fruits…"
Chen Yu glanced at the drinks and fruits on the table. He picked up a piece of apple speared with a toothpick from the fruit plate, took a few crunchy bites, and then looked at Hei Lu beside him.
"Leaning back in the rattan chair feels comfortable, doesn't it? Shall I find someone to give you a leg massage too?"
"Boss, I've been fighting out there for so long. Returning to rest shouldn't be wrong, right?" Hei Lu said with a dry laugh, massaging Chen Yu’s shoulders. "Don't scare me. I know you're considerate. At worst, I won't enjoy myself here next time; I'll go back to my own place."
"You're quite reasonable."
Chen Yu gave him a sidelong glance. Seeing Hei Lu’s fawning smile, he didn't press the matter further.
Chen Yu knew that fighting was indeed arduous.
In his free time, he didn't mind Hei Lu enjoying himself to relieve fatigue. This was a treatment he deserved, and it was entirely understandable.
Although he understood, he couldn't openly indulge it like this.
"Enjoying yourself in my City Lord’s Mansion, sending your subordinates to find me outside the city, and making me come to see you personally. You certainly have a lot of nerve," Chen Yu snorted. "Tell me, what’s so urgent that you had to find me outside the city? You’d better have something that makes me feel it was worth it, otherwise… no more fruit platters."
Hearing that the fruit platters would be cancelled, Hei Lu immediately became anxious.
He didn’t fear punishment!
Even if Chen Yu wanted to discipline him, or fine him money, he wouldn't care. Even if he was demoted, he would accept it, but he truly couldn't handle the cancellation of the fruit platters.
Hei Lu raised his hand slightly, and his subordinate general retreated from the courtyard.
"Boss, I do have something to report to you," Hei Lu whispered, bowing his head. "I've already dealt with the camps around our Fengqi City. I've kept two percent of the total revenue for my subordinates to share, and the other resources have been handed over to Vice City Lord Clay."
"What was the profit?"
"Those camps were pitifully poor. Excluding resources, the monetary income was probably less than 20 million. If you count other resources, it's about 50 million at most," Hei Lu said with a serious expression. "This is the result after dismantling all their camps and digging three feet deep."
"Why so little?" Chen Yu frowned.
He naturally didn't suspect Hei Lu of embezzling, as there was definitely trust between them. He was simply puzzled. Even the camps around the free towns located in the frontier regions could yield tens of millions in revenue. Fengqi City, a major city, had dozens of times more camps than those free towns.
Fifty million was just too pathetic.
"Their money has all been handed over," Hei Lu whispered, lowering his voice. "I investigated, and these camps were not small in scale. They should have had ample funds, but they had to hand over their profits every year. If you're interested, you can have City Lord Clay send people to investigate the camp lords who entered our city. You should be able to get the results."
"Handed over to whom?"
"Fengcheng."
"Fengcheng?"
Chen Yu almost instantly took out the documents Lya had given him from his ring. After looking through them from top to bottom, his gaze stopped.
The Duke David faction.
"Boss, I've already figured out most of the situation in Fengcheng. Should I take that city down now?" Hei Lu, squatting in front of Chen Yu, looked up with a hint of probing in his eyes. "The revenue that the camps around Fengqi City provide to Fengcheng alone is likely calculated in the hundreds of millions. I estimate that city controls the lifeline of the camps around Fengqi City. Funds will also flow from other regions. If I directly lead people to take down that city, we won't have to worry about funds for the development of our cities."
Hundreds of millions in funds, excluding resources.
The thought of plundering such a city was exhilarating.
"It's not that simple."
Chen Yu, on the rattan chair, shook his head slightly, gazing at the list in his hand lost in thought.
Fengcheng belonged to the Duke David faction, which meant that the funds flowing to Fengcheng were merely an intermediary point. The ultimate destination was Duke David himself.
A Duke!
The former City Lord of Fengqi City, Old King, was also a Duke. The strength to possess a ducal title was absolutely not to be underestimated. Chen Yu was already being watched by Old Seven, and if he were to provoke another Duke, he might not be able to handle it.
The most critical problem was that he didn't have enough soldiers.
If he had sufficient food and soldiers, with the cities and territories under his command, he could openly declare independence.
Hei Lu also understood that Chen Yu surely had his plans and didn't say anything further. He then raised his hand and patted his forehead.
"Almost forgot, Boss. When I came back, I rescued someone. That kid seems to be a scholar who wants to join you. When I heard that, I brought him back. Do you want to meet him?"