The Cuckoo Takes the Magpie's Nest

With the fragrant skewers and two glasses of wine, Ling Yi looked around with emotion, looking at the dozens of people on the martial arts field, and sighed with emotion, "It's great. Looking at you, I know that the existence of this 'blue silver collar' is correct."

"Of course!" Long Yin bit into a whole skewer of mutton, his mouth glistening with oil, and laughed, "In the entire [Water Wood Duchy], let alone the territories of those marquises, even the capital city ' Wood Plant City ' isn't as good as our ' Blue Silver Territory'—!"

"That's right!" — Zhang Mufeng, Qingqiu Xin, Ling Shan...

While his friends and younger brothers echoed in unison, Li Zhishu sensed something different in Ling Yi's words.

Back then, he, along with Ling Yi and Jiang Yuan, experienced that farcical, dark battlefield on the border between the two great empires.

In terms of sensitivity, Li Zhishu is now second to none in the entire Mountain Sea Estate, just like Zhang Lei. Having paid a price, the man who once only knew how to bury himself in the kitchen has matured considerably.

"Ah Yi," Li Zhishu didn't laugh along with the others, but instead frowned slightly and asked in a low voice, "Do you... want to leave the [Water Wood Duchy]?"

After a pause, perhaps feeling he hadn't been clear enough, Li Zhishu added, "I mean, have you considered leaving the [Water Wood Duchy] completely?"

Because Li Zhishu deliberately lowered his voice, no one except Ling Yi and Zhang Lei, who was closest to him, could hear the specific content of what he said next to Ling Yi.

When Zhang Lei heard Li Zhishu's words, he was initially surprised, but after carefully recalling Ling Yi's remark, he couldn't help but show a look of shock on his face.

"Ah Yin, Ah Xin, Ah Feng... could you please get me some more kebabs, and some of all the fine wines Old Li brews..." Ling Yi said with a smile, glancing around at Long Yin and the others who were laughing and joking.

"Alright! Brother Yi— " *N

Soon, only Ling Yi, Zhang Lei, and Li Zhishu remained in the same spot.

"Bite--!"

The two wine glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound. Ling Yi put down his glass, took a small sip, and said calmly to Zhang Lei, "Calm down, Brother Lei."

After saying that, he raised his wine glass and extended it to Li Zhishu.

Li Zhishu raised his glass in response, and after another "ding!", he and Zhang Lei stared at Ling Yi.

"I have considered leaving the Water Wood Duchy, but not now."

Ling Yi took another sip of his drink and said calmly.

Having received a definite answer from Ling Yi, Zhang Lei regained his composure and, together with Li Zhishu, quietly watched Ling Yi, awaiting his plan.

"Brother Lei," Ling Yi didn't immediately reveal his plans, but instead asked Zhang Lei, "How are the [Blacksmith Association - Water Wood Duchy] and the [Mercenary Guild] developing within the Principality?"

Without much thought, Zhang Lei answered Ling Yi's question, "Currently, the [Blacksmith Association - Water Wood Duchy] has completely integrated all the blacksmiths within the principality, as well as the ironware and raw material markets. Based on this, it has begun to expand into the neighboring [Heaven Dou Empire]'s Biqi Province..."

"And the price?" Ling Yi asked again.

Understanding what Ling Yi Zhang Lei asking, Zhang Lei remained silent for a few seconds before replying, "Old Master Jin has stepped down from his position as president and become honorary president. The other vice presidents, Master Li Qiang and Master Fu Shan, remain as vice presidents, while Ah Xin's father, Mr. Qingqiu Li, and Ah Yin's father, Mr. Long Ang, have only retained their honorary president status and have withdrawn from the daily management of the [Blacksmith Association - Water Wood Duchy Branch]..."

"Because you've been absent for the past few years, your position as vice president has been retained. This was something that Old Master Jin worked hard to achieve before he retired. Mr. Qingqiu Li and Mr. Long Ang also contributed a lot. Master Li Qiang and Master Fu Shan did not object..."

"Currently, the position of president of the [Blacksmith Association - Water Wood Duchy] is held by Earl Mu Li, the younger brother of Grand Duke Mu Feng Earl."

"The number of vice presidents remains at five. In addition to Ah Yi, Master Li Qiang, and Master Fu Shan, the other two are named Bai Zhong and Sun Bing. Both of these new vice presidents are Soul Ancestor."

"Bai... Sun..." Upon hearing these two surnames, Ling Yi quickly recalled the corresponding information in his mind. "Are they from the White Hedgehog Bai Clan Hedgehog) and the Sun Clan (Fire Ape)?"

"That's right." Zhang Lei nodded and replied, "Currently, in the [Blacksmith Association - Water Wood Duchy], the president is a man of the Grand Duke. Although Master Li Qiang was previously a court-appointed Blacksmith, he is now very close to ' Marquis of Storm ' Lü Lü Sheng. Master Fu Shan has always had a friendly relationship with ' Marquis of Cedar ' Song Yao. As for Bai Zhong and Sun Bing, they are the young nobles of the [White Hedgehog - Bai Clan] and [Fire Ape - Sun Clan], respectively..."

"Wow—!" Ling Yi chuckled and shook his head upon hearing this, saying, "These people all have quite the backgrounds, and I'm just a nobody. Does this pressure suddenly fall on my head?"

Seeing Ling Yi's still nonchalant smile, Li Zhishu pursed his lips and whispered, "The Grand Duke and the marquises are behaving rather unseemly..."

Just then, Long Yin and the others, who had just run off to get new skewers and drinks, returned, put down their food and drinks, and went to get more food.

"It's nothing, it was expected~" Ling Yi smiled and glanced at Long Yin and the others who were very perceptive, then said to Li Zhishu, "Back when I pulled the old man and the others together to establish this [Blacksmith Association - Water Wood Duchy], I had already foreseen this day."

"Once this [Blacksmith Association - Water Wood Duchy Branch] is established, unless one of us has a Soul Saint level figure in charge, unless it develops only so-so, once it grows up, it will definitely be targeted by powerful figures in the principality."

"I had already thought of this when I brought Marquis Song Yao into the game and gave part of the association's profits to the Cold Wind Grand Camp."

"Ah Yi ~" Looking at Ling Yi's calm demeanor and Zhang Lei's equally composed Zhang Lei, Li Zhishu frowned and asked with some confusion, "Although you haven't been around for the past few years, this [Blacksmith Association - Water Wood Duchy Branch] is still your hard work. Its development is entirely due to your early control and the policies and goals you set for its future development. Aren't you angry at all that it's been taken over by those insects?"

"Old Li ~" Ling Yi casually picked up a pot of wine from the table next to him, filled his own Li Zhishu and Zhang Lei. He said slowly, "You should know that my abilities are actually limited."

"Don't be fooled by the fact that I set up the framework for the association and formulated so many development plans in the early stages. The association's development and growth are not solely due to my efforts."