After lunch, a delegation from the Rulson Kingdom quietly arrived at the Xinfei Merchant Guild's main base.
After being welcomed and settled in, the delegation's leader, Duke Boris, chair of the Rulson Kingdom's Parliament, and its two deputy leaders were invited to visit Xu Yi's private manor.
"President Xu, this is my first visit to the Stantin Duchy. What I saw along the way truly proved that seeing is believing. It was far more impressive than I had imagined." As soon as he sat down, Duke Boris offered this compliment with a smile.
Looking at Duke Boris's beaming smile and exceedingly courteous manner, Xu Yi found it rather amusing.
During his earlier inspection visit to the Rulson Kingdom, he had met this highly respected duke, who held an illustrious position in the kingdom, twice. Neither time had Duke Boris shown him much friendliness.
Now, however, he had not only taken the initiative to lead this delegation to the Stantin Duchy, but even treated Xu Yi with something approaching ingratiation. The contrast was striking.
Naturally, such a dramatic change had everything to do with the purpose of his visit.
Although the Rulson Kingdom had repelled successive invasions by the Candel Empire and earned newfound respect from the other countries across the Sains Continent, that did not mean it could match the empire.
Though caution had kept the Candel Empire from organizing a third invasion, it now took the Rulson Kingdom seriously. It stationed substantial forces along their border and maintained a tight defense, completely sealing every route from the Rulson Kingdom into the empire.
At the same time, the Candel Empire officially designated the Rulson Kingdom an enemy state and called on the continent's other countries to join in blockading it.
Under the Candel Empire's threats, almost every country neighboring the