"What!?" Luo Qian ground his teeth. Gesberti shook his head. "I really don't know what your Lineage..." He broke off, then changed tack. "Everyone in the Divine Realm knows. They even held a farewell ceremony when this historic Crystal Stones Mine was about to close. They may have kept it from you alone."
At this point, Luo Qian knew anger would do no good. The God King had planned it long ago, perhaps from the moment Luo Qian showed him the new equipment. This was the Western Divine Realm, after all, and the God King made the rules. Luo Qian had been outmaneuvered by someone who knew those rules while he himself did not. That might not be entirely bad. At least it had jolted him awake and taught him something about these so-called "Westerners."
"Come on. Let's see how much this oldest of Crystal Stones Mines produces in a year." Luo Qian wanted to know exactly how much he had lost. Gesberti tried to comfort him. "Luo, don't be too disappointed. The mine may be exhausted, but the land around Dunke Crystal Mine is rich, and three hundred miles is no small holding. Besides, we still have our business together." Luo Qian shook his head without speaking.
They reached Sedan Province and presented Luo Qian's certificate to the local authorities. The paperwork was so cumbersome that it took a full three days before he officially became master of his land.
The first thing Luo Qian did as lord was inspect the Crystal Stones Mine on his land. The mine manager led him through the underground workings, a maze as tangled as a spiderweb, and reported the facts. "There are thirty mineral veins in all. Twenty-seven have run out, leaving only three. The main vein is nearly exhausted too, so