Sunlight stread through the small window in the master bedroom facing the inner courtyard, casting a warm patch of light on the exceptionally soft bedding.
Luke's biological clock was always accurate. Even though he had slept quite late last night, he still woke up naturally when the sun was high in the sky.
He moved his arm and imdiately felt a soft warmth in his embrace.
Annie was curled up in his arms like a little kitten, sleeping soundly. Her golden long hair was slightly ssy across the pillow, her fair cheeks still carried the blush from last night, her long eyelashes cast faint shadows on her eyelids, and the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, as if she was having a pleasant dream.
Luke's movent woke her.
She first let out a drowsy hum, then as if rembering sothing, her eyes snapped open. eting Luke's gaze so close, her sapphire-blue eyes instantly flooded with shyness. Her entire face turned bright red all the way to her ears.
She instinctively tried to shrink back into the quilt, but Luke's arm gently yet firmly wrapped around her.
"Morning."
Luke's voice was hoarse from just waking up, with a smile in his eyes.
"…G-Good morning, Master."
Annie's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz. She buried her head lower, only revealing a flushed ear tip.
Seeing her in this shy and adorable state, Luke felt another surge of heat. His desire stirred.
But rembering that the girl had just experienced her first ti and that he had indeed been sowhat… unrestrained last night, he suppressed the impulse. He simply planted a gentle kiss on her smooth forehead and said softly, "Rest a little longer. I'll get up first."
Annie shook her head and struggled to get up too. "No… Master, I will help you wash and dress."
Luke couldn't refuse her, or rather, he quite enjoyed this morning intimacy, so he let her.
Though the girl's own movents were sowhat clumsy. Her fingertips trembled slightly as she helped him dress, and her cheeks remained flushed, which actually added a unique charm.
He felt a bit dazed, as if he had fallen into love!
Downstairs, in Luke's private washroom, warm water had already been prepared.
He and Annie stood side by side in front of the large mirror brought from Blue Star and began brushing their teeth.
They used modern toothpaste and toothbrushes. Luke had also provided a set for everyone in the estate who ca into close contact with him, strictly requiring morning and evening brushing.
Anyone who didn't brush their teeth was not allowed near him!
Luke could not stand bad breath!
In addition, shampoo, soap, and body wash had long beco daily necessities in "Luke's Estate."
He even treated them as another high-end product, releasing small quantities to the outside world and exchanging them for large amounts of gold dragons.
In this era where hygiene was worrying, the comfort and "cleanliness" symbolism brought by cleaning products were no less attractive than perfu.
Fortunately, Westeros did not have the bad custom of "encouraging not bathing"… Upper-class nobles generally loved cleanliness, and it trickled down.
In the dining hall, breakfast was already set out, emitting an enticing aroma.
Stead soup dumplings, vegetable buns, youtiao (fried dough sticks), siu mai, tea eggs, and a large pot of steaming hot soy milk.
The soy milk was made from instant powder, while the rest were freshly prepared.
This was thanks to Emma, Annie, and Arthur's daughter Michelle. Over the past month, these three girls had studied the "heavenly book" Chinese cookbook diligently. With plenty of ingredients for practice, their skills were now quite decent.
Since Annie was "absent" today, breakfast was prepared by Emma and Michelle together.
When Luke walked into the dining hall holding the still slightly weak-legged Annie, Emma and Michelle, who were setting the table, both looked up at the sa ti.
The two girls' gazes landed squarely on Annie, then quickly glanced at Luke.
Emma's eyes were complicated, with a bit of unwillingness, grievance, and a trace of sothing unclear… envy?
Michelle's erald-green beautiful eyes were full of curiosity and teasing.
Being stared at by two pairs of eyes like this, especially her sister Emma's almost fiery gaze, made Annie feel so embarrassed she wanted to find a hole to crawl into. She instinctively hid behind Luke.
Luke also felt a bit awkward. He cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject: "Um… Emma, Michelle, breakfast looks good. By the way, has Lord Tyrion woken up? Please invite him to have breakfast. Don't neglect our honored guest."
Before long, Tyrion Lannister walked into the dining hall with his signature sowhat clumsy but steady short-legged gait.
He looked in good spirits, though his eyes still carried a bit of lingering drunken redness and excitent.
"Good morning, Mr. Jacknien!"
Tyrion's voice was loud, carrying the excitent of soone who had discovered a new continent.
"I must say, the good things in your house are truly endless! Last night's 'wine tasting session' was definitely one of the most… unforgettable experiences of my life!"
He pulled out a chair for himself and hopped onto it (the chair was a bit high for him), his gaze burning as he stared at Luke.
"Those wines, every single one is a divine product! I am willing to spend a large sum of gold dragons to collect the full set! Please be sure to give one bottle of each! In the future, when I encounter sothing worth celebrating, or… need to drown my sorrows in wine, or et an exceptional beauty, I can hold a private tasting session!"
He beca more and more excited: "Imagine if you held a large, public wine tasting event and invited all the nobles and rich rchants of King's Landing! I bet that overnight, you would beco famous across the Seven Kingdoms! Everyone would worship you as the incarnation of the God of Wine!"
While speaking, he was already eagerly examining the breakfast on the table.
The small and delicate soup dumplings, golden crispy youtiao, appetizing tea eggs, steaming soy milk… all new things he had never seen before.
"What fresh things are these again?"
Tyrion curiously picked up a soup dumpling and took a bite like Luke did.
"Hiss— hot!"
He quickly pulled back his hand and sucked in a breath, but the delicious soup had already conquered his taste buds instantly.
Ignoring the heat, he carefully blew on it, took another bite, and his eyes narrowed in pleasure: "Mmm… delicious! There's actually soup inside! How is this done?"
Next ca youtiao dipped in soy milk — crispy outside, soft inside, with a beany aroma.
The unique spiced aroma and texture of the tea eggs made him eat three in one go.
The mildly sweet and smooth soy milk also earned his endless praise.
"It feels wonderful!"
He sighed contentedly, as if the soul scorched by "Dragon Fla" last night was now soothed and comforted by this warm and hearty breakfast.
The two chatted while eating, and the topic quickly returned to wine.
Luke had soone call Bronn, who was still catching up on sleep.
Bronn walked into the dining hall with ssy hair and a yawn. Without being polite, he grabbed several tea eggs and soup dumplings and stuffed them into his mouth. His eating style was much rougher than Tyrion's, but the satisfaction on his face was equally genuine.
Looking at the two, Luke asked: "Based on your experience, if I sell these wines in a tavern, which one do you think would be more popular?"
Bronn didn't even think. With food in his mouth, he mumbled: "All of them! Why ask? Different people like different things!"
"These wines are like won — each has its own charm. So are fierce like wild horses, so sweet like honey, so fragrant like a garden… You need all kinds to satisfy different tastes!"
"If you only sell one type? That's no different from a brothel keeping only one girl!"
Tyrion elegantly wiped the corner of his mouth (using a napkin instead of a handkerchief) and nodded in agreent: "Bronn's words are crude but true. Moreover, Luke, you only tested with the two of us. The sample size is too small."
" and Bronn — one is a dwarf half-emptied by wine and won, the other is a rcenary whose head is only filled with swords and money. We cannot represent the entire market."
"So people are obsessed with the passionate fire of Dornish beauties, so are intoxicated by the mysterious charm of Myr ladies, and so prefer the tough wildness of Northern girls… Wine is the sa. If you must choose one as the flagship…"
His green eyes turned, revealing a mischievous smile: "I recomnd 'Dragon Fla,' the highest proof one. It can 'purify' everyone's soul… or knock them out directly, ending everything, and all the gold dragons will be yours."
Luke was amused by his words and agreed with their views in his heart.
Market choice is the best touchstone.
Since he was taking the high-end limited route anyway, he didn't need to stock too much in the early stage. He could push out all types of wine and let custors vote with their gold dragons.
Tyrion, full and satisfied, leaned back in his chair and looked at Luke with a more serious expression: "Luke, you have brought out too many novel things — salt, sugar, perfu, tea, wine, glass, porcelain… every single one is a money-making weapon."
"I dare bet that soon the gold you own may surpass the vaults of Casterly Rock."
He paused, his tone carrying a hint of reminder and concern: "But wealth itself is sotis a curse."
"Without enough power to protect it, it is just rotting at that attracts vultures. Everyone — nobles, rchants, even the royal family — will be unable to resist wanting to take a bite from you."
"You currently have no title and lack political shelter and legitimacy. I think you should seriously consider how to obtain a title. With your abilities and… these 'magical' goods, it shouldn't be difficult."
He leaned forward, lowering his voice with sincerity: "If you are willing to develop in the Westerlands, I believe my father Lord Tywin would be very happy to grant you a suitable title and a prosperous fief. Casterly Rock never skimps on rewarding those with talent who can bring wealth."
Luke's heart stirred slightly.
The olive branch Tyrion extended carried significant weight.
Protection from the Westerlands, recognition from Lord Tywin, and a fief of his own… This was undoubtedly a shortcut to quickly establishing himself in Westeros, gaining legitimate status and military power.
But he hesitated almost not at all. Keeping a polite smile, he politely declined: "Lord Tyrion, thank you for your kind intentions and high regard. The wealth of the Westerlands and Lord Tywin's fa are known to all in the Seven Kingdoms. It's just… I still have so of my own plans and considerations. The timing may not be right yet."
"Moreover, my 'supply source' and certain… 'cultivation practices' require to often stay away from noise and engage in long periods of ditation and preparation. I'm afraid I cannot remain fixed in one fief for long."
His words were half-true, half-false. They expressed refusal while once again throwing out mysterious smoke bombs like "ditation" and "cultivation," implying he was not an ordinary rchant and might have more complex heritage or restrictions behind him.
Tyrion's eyes flashed with understanding and a trace of regret, but he did not press.
He shrugged and returned to his usual cynical deanor: "Well, everyone has their own ambitions. However, the doors of the Westerlands are always open to you. After all, who would refuse a friend who can bring 'Dragon Fla' and miraculous tea leaves?"
At parting, Luke had Annie and Emma prepare a generous gift: A delicate small wooden box containing one bottle each of the eleven wines tasted last night; two blank notebooks; a blackwood-stemd fountain pen and a bottle of blue-black ink; several ballpoint pens; and a small pack of tea leaves and a small pack of coffee beans (with simple brewing instructions).
Tyrion's eyes lit up again when he saw these gifts, especially the writing set and the unfamiliar coffee beans. He looked as happy as a child receiving a beloved toy.
He was a man who loved reading and had noticed the expensive new "paper" appearing on the market long ago!
"Luke! I, Tyrion Lannister, have made this friend!"
He patted Luke's arm.
"Rest assured, when your tavern opens, I will be the first to co support it! Bringing the most friends to drink up your most expensive wines!"
He paused. A faint, almost undetectable loneliness belonging to an isolated person flashed in his green eye, and his tone beca slightly softer:
"Also… if I ever get bored in the future, or… just want to find soone to talk to, can I still co find you? You know, a person can't always stay in brothels. Sotis… one also needs different kinds of entertainnt, or rather, sober conversations."
Luke looked at him and could sense the loneliness and longing for true understanding deep in this seemingly debauched dwarf's heart.
He smiled sincerely and nodded: "Of course, Tyrion. We are friends. You are always welco. However…"
He blinked and once again threw out the prepared excuse: "It's best to send word in advance. Because I often need to spend entire days in 'deep ditation,' regulating the power of my 'Heavenly Dragon' bloodline, or engaging in certain… spiritual connections with the 'gods.' At those tis, I may not be able to receive guests, for fear of neglecting friends."
"ditation? Spiritual connection?"
Tyrion chewed on these words. His gaze toward Luke beca even deeper, with more of a "as expected" aning.
He nodded solemnly: "I understand. I won't disturb your 'cultivation.' Then, farewell, my friend, Luke Jacknien."
After seeing Tyrion and his attendants off, Luke stood at the estate gate, watching the carriage disappear at the end of the street. His thoughts churned.
"Heavenly Dragon," "magic," "ditation," "cultivation"…
These mists he had intentionally or unintentionally spread were gradually taking effect, draping him with a mysterious and not-easy-to-provoke outer layer.
This layer might provide an alternative kind of protection better than simply attaching himself to a noble.
"Luke's Estate" was being monitored openly and secretly by many people. They all wanted to know where Luke's goods actually ca from.
But people discovered that this estate was almost a "only in, never out" place. Could those miraculous items really be "magical creations"?
He turned and walked back into the estate.
Bronn was still in the dining hall dealing with the remaining breakfast. Annie and Emma were whispering about sothing. When they saw him enter, they imdiately stopped.
Emma glared at her sister, then quickly glanced at Luke. Her face slightly red, she ran away.
Annie walked to his side with shyness and timidity.
Luke looked at the estate that was gradually taking on the appearance of a "ho," looked at the people surrounding him, and felt a solid sense of control and anticipation for the future in his heart.
User Comments
0 comments from readers