Brooke added a bowl of soup to her sister Helen. There was some meat foam floating in the soup. This was a rare luxury for this family. They had not eaten meat for nearly a month.
Helen drank a bowl of soup in one go. She licked her lips and said, "I never thought I would be reduced to this. Before, even our servants wouldn't eat this kind of food."
"Shut up! Damn girl!" the old woman yelled from the side, "Do you know what you got for this meat? Look at the injuries on your brother's face, why do you have the right to complain?"
Brooke was beaten severely by the tribunes all afternoon and was not released until dusk.
"Mom, I'm not complaining," Helen pouted, "I just think we can eat a little more meat. My brother bought a whole five pounds of meat, and there's not even a pound of meat in these soups."
Mother yelled: "Do you want to eat all the meat in one meal?"
"So what? What are you keeping? Summer is already here, are you waiting for the meat to rot? Mom, mom? Are you listening to me? What's wrong with you? You, what are you looking at..."
Helen sat with her back to the door, and her mother sat opposite her. The old woman kept her eyes fixed on the door, looking at her strange expression, as if something serious had happened over there.
Brooke, who had been immersed in eating, also looked at the door. His body trembled slightly, and the plate and spoon fell to the ground.
Helen didn't dare to look back. She knew there was someone at the door, a very scary person. In this small room, the door was only a few feet away from her back. She felt that the person standing at the door could stab her with a knife at any time.
Afterthought.
"Hello, Brooke," Reggie and Modesa had been standing at the door for a while, "What a warm family and what a wonderful dinner. If you don't mind, could you please add two more chairs?
Bring us a bowl of soup too."
"Mom!" Helen cried.
"Don't be afraid, child, come to mother." The old woman hugged Helen.
Brooke was silent for a while, then picked up the spoon, finished the last mouthful of broth, and then walked to Reggie.
"Sir, I know you are a decent man, can we go out and talk?"
"Why go out?" Reggie sneered, "Why don't you just talk here!"
Brooke bit her lip and said, "You can do whatever you want to me, but please don't do it in front of my mother and sister. I beg you, sir."
Reggie nodded and said, "Okay, come out!"
Brooke followed Reggie to an alley. The alley was so deserted that not even a single person could be seen. Reggie glared at Brooke fiercely and shouted: "Where's my money!"
Brooke took out a silver coin and a handful of coppers from his arms and handed them to Reggie.
"I used one silver coin to pay the rent. I also used more than one silver coin to buy some food for my family. The rest is here."
Reggie took the silver coins and curled his lips and said, "Do you think it's just a matter of a few silver coins? I almost lost my life for this, shouldn't you make some compensation?"
"You really should make some compensation!" Brooke dug through all his pockets and only took out three or five copper coins. "I only have these. I know that you hate me very much, and I also know that I deserve it. No matter how you treat me, it doesn't matter."
Okay, I just hope you won’t embarrass my family.”
Reggie did not accept the copper coins. He stared at Brooke's clothes and smiled: "The material is very good."
Brooke took off his coat and handed it to Reggie: "If you don't mind."
Reggie took Brooke's coat, looked at it carefully, and said with admiration: "The Sloan family's vision is different. Although this dress is a little older, it is still worth at least five gold coins."
"Do you recognize me?" Brooke looked at Reggie in surprise.
"Yes," Reggie nodded, "Actually, you also recognize me, right?"
"The green-haired one from Shattered Snow City," Brooke smiled, "Actually, I thought it was you, because my brother often mentioned you."
Brooke did not mention Reggie's name. He knew that Reggie did not want to expose his identity, and he had a tacit understanding with Reggie. Like Nipoli, he had the unique wisdom of a first-class businessman.
Reggie returned the coat to Brooke: "I just wanted you to buy me a drink, but you gave me your clothes."
"When it comes to drinking, I know a great place, it just might not fit who you are."
"How is that possible," Reggie said with a smile, "The place that catches your fancy must be different."
Brooke took Reggie to a tavern. The tavern was not big and the business was very deserted. Dinner time was supposed to be a good time to pick up customers in the tavern, but there were only two guests in this tavern, Brooke and Reggie.
Reggie ordered a barrel of ale and two roast chickens. Brooke looked a little embarrassed: "I gave you all my money. You ordered so many things. I'm afraid the boss won't let me pay on credit."
"Look at your face," Reggie curled his lips and said, "Do you think I will let you pay? But I am really curious, how did you find this place?"
"Because this place provided me with a job," Brooke said with a smile. "It provides accommodation for only twenty copper coins every night. It also provides lunch, which only costs five copper coins to satisfy me."
"This is the hotel and restaurant you mentioned?"
"Yes," Brooke nodded. "Every time I introduce a customer, the boss here will give me 10% of the salary. I relied on this meager income to get through a month. Unfortunately, this job is almost gone.
Already."
"Why?"
Brooke sighed and said: "The boss no longer wants to run the business. He wants to leave Shazhou City and return to the countryside to farm."
Reggie looked back at the counter. The fat tavern owner was taking a nap behind the counter. From the time Reggie walked in until now, he hadn't heard him say a word to entertain the guests. It's strange that business can be good if he is as lazy as he is.
The two of them drank ale and ate roast chicken and talked until late at night. They talked about many things, but the most important thing was about the experiences of the Sloan family.
After completing his last business with Reggie, that is, after Old Hill killed the Sheriff and escaped from Blue Bay, Nipoli was arrested.
With many years of experience in dealing with officials, Brooke thought that everything could be settled with gold coins. But he never dreamed that this incident would alarm Charlemagne.
The furious Charlemagne wanted to put the Sloan family to death. Brooke spent all his family property and finally found a few scapegoats, barely saved the lives of the family, and fled with them to the White Tower Kingdom.
"I secretly saved a sum of money, thinking I could rely on this money to make a comeback in the White Tower Kingdom," Brooke said with a wry smile. "Who knew that the God of Doom would not let me go, and I encountered pirates on the way. All of them...
All my savings were robbed. The night I arrived in Shazhou City, my family and I slept on the street all night. The next day, I sold my boots and barely found such a place to live."
These words made Reggie feel very guilty: "I'm sorry, it's because of me that you..."
"Don't say that," Brooke shook his head. "When I did business with you, Nipoli made a lot of gold coins, but he had to bear as much risk as he gained. This is a rule that all businessmen understand.
None of this has anything to do with you."
Reggie pursed his lips. He felt that he was too embarrassed to meet Nipoli again, but he couldn't help asking about his situation: "How is Nipoli doing?"
"I'm afraid it's not good."
"Is he also in Shazhou City?"
Brooke shook his head and said: "He is still in Blue Bay."
"What are you doing in Blue Bay?" Reggie asked in surprise, "Isn't he afraid that Charlemagne will kill him?"
"He is waiting for execution," Brooke bit his lip tightly, holding back the tears. "A man in the Sloan family must die, either him or me, otherwise the lord of Blue Bay will not be able to explain to Charlemagne.
In a month, when the envoy from the royal capital arrives at Blue Bay, Nipoli will be executed in public."
Reggie stared at Brooke in shock. Just after the New Year, Nipoli personally went to Shattering Snow City to deliver the first batch of new residents to Reggie.
In just a few months, this familiar mermaid turned into a death row prisoner.
Reggie was still in shock when Brooke suddenly asked a question: "Do you have children?"
Reggie shook his head and said, "Not yet."
"If you had two sons, which one would you love more?"
"I think...I will love my daughter more."
"I'm talking about my son," Brooke smiled, "I guess you will love your eldest son more."
"Maybe."
"Most fathers love their eldest son more. My father is such a person." Brooke took a sip of ale, wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, and said, "Actually, Nipoli did better than me in many things.
They all did better than me, but my father loved me more. I always had the best. When he was dying, he passed on the title of head of the family to me. He gave me everything, everything.
Everything... The person left behind should have been me, me, me, I got too much..."
Brooke covered his face with his sleeves, he didn't want to cry in front of Reggie.
"Don't say that," Reggie poured Brooke a glass of wine. "Those who survive are the brave ones."
"Yes, I must live," Brooke wiped away her tears and took another sip of wine, "for him and for the Sloan family, I must live."
The two fell into silence, and the atmosphere became extremely heavy. After drinking the last glass of ale, Reggie stood up and said, "I want to find you a job."
"You don't have to worry about me, I will think of other ways. I am the head of the Sloan family, of course I can..." Watching Reggie walk to the counter, Nipoli turned around and said, "What do you want to do?"
Reggie woke up the sleeping boss and asked: "I heard you want to sell this pub?"
The boss tilted his head and looked at Reggie, then smiled and said, "Who did you listen to?"
"I just ask you whether you want to sell or not?"
"So what if you want to sell it?" The boss looked at Reggie with disdain, "What does this have to do with you?"
"Make a price," Reggie patted the money bag on his waist, "As long as the price is right, we can negotiate the deal tonight."
"Really?" The boss looked at Reggie carefully and saw that his clothes were of high quality. He smiled and said, "Young man, this pub has a very good reputation. There are no people on the nearby streets.
Don’t know his name.”
"So?" Reggie looked at the boss coldly, "How much do you plan to sell it for?"
"And this is not just a tavern, there are twenty rooms behind it. This is also the most famous inn in the nearby streets."
You really know how to brag, and you are the most famous, the most famous place, how come you don’t even have any customers?
Reggie didn't want to hear any more nonsense: "I just want to know one thing, how much do you plan to sell it for?"
"Don't be afraid to say it," the boss said with a smile, "the tavern and inn together will cost at least sixty gold coins."
"Okay!" Reggie slapped the table and was about to say seal the deal, but was stopped by Brooke.
"What exactly do you want to do?"
Reggie said: "Didn't you hear? I want to buy this pub."
"You are from Broken Snow City...why did you buy a shabby tavern?"
"Damn Brooke!" the boss shouted angrily, "What do you mean by rags? Don't forget you haven't received today's wages yet!"
It seems that Reggie can be regarded as a guest brought by Brooke, and he can still get 10% of the profit.
Reggie smiled and said, "I said, I want to find a job for you, and I want you to help me run this tavern."
Brooke shook his head and said: "I think you misunderstood, I don't need your pity."
"This has nothing to do with pity," Reggie said, "I am the owner of the tavern, and you are the operator of the tavern. We will share half of the compensation and profit. We are a pure employment relationship."
"But I..."
"Nothing but, this matter is settled."
"It's just me..."
"Okay, don't worry, let me finish this business deal first."
"But he..."
"Stop refusing," Reggie hugged Brooke, "Don't say another word, let me do something for you, just a little."
"I'm grateful for your kindness," Brooke said, somewhat uncomfortable with Reggie's hug, "but what I want to say is... sixty is too outrageous!"
"Well……"
Brooke pushed Reggie away, turned to the tavern owner and said, "I'll give you twenty gold coins, no more."
"What does this have to do with you! You damn pauper!" The boss pointed at Reggie and said, "I am discussing business with this green-haired gentleman."
Reggie pointed at Brooke and said, "He can speak for me. He is the real businessman."
Brooke leaned forward and said to the boss: "Listen to me, twenty gold coins are really not a loss for you. I know the situation of this tavern better than anyone else. If you don't get rid of it as soon as possible, I'm afraid you won't be able to make the next one."
Monthly taxes.”
The boss yelled: "Stop dreaming, you need at least fifty gold coins, otherwise I won't sell it to anyone."
"Twenty-one, just twenty-one, I won't give you an extra cent!"