Imperial Crown

In Raven's opinion, the documents sent by merchants are very much in the style of the City of Mon'en.

The documents are made up of three pieces of parchment, with one page of honorifics in the front, two lines of text in the middle, and the last page of flattery.

What handsome, smart, courageous, powerful, skillful, young and promising, etc., and the way and emphasis of each family's praise are not repeated.

To be honest, it is still a bit interesting to read.

Raven finally understood why so many emperors like to read congratulatory letters, and some even read them all night.

But three or five copies are okay, now hundreds of merchants, big and small, in the entire Lower City of Mon'en have sent letters, and they are all on parchment. The piles are almost taller than people. If Raven really reads them one by one, he will vomit blood.

However, one of the advantages of being a noble is that you can mobilize a lot of people at any time, so this burden falls on Mansene's shoulders.

Now, the former vice president of the Silver Hand Brotherhood and the current vice commander of the "Hand of Protection Legion" is buried in a pile of papers.

She is wearing an imperial uniform today, all light red, woolen, and a sail hat. She looks cool and neat, with her eyes focused on the paper. With every move, a black tattoo on her wrist is exposed.

Sensing Raven's gaze, Manseni put down her pen helplessly and turned back: "Baron, what do you want?"

"I'm just a little curious, what is the tattoo on your arm?" Raven asked.

Manseni forced herself to suppress the desire to roll her eyes and lowered her head again.

Raven's words immediately knocked away a lot of the halo belonging to the baron, reminding her of Raven who used to be a "little bee".

Maybe she was too happy.

But Manseni had to admit that Raven should be happy and had every right to be happy.

For example, the gift list she was proofreading and transcribing now, just looking at it once, made her feel a little dizzy.

Those who were qualified to join the Chamber of Commerce were not small merchants. There were more than 400 gift lists, and at least one of them sent hundreds of gold coins. People in different industries also sent different gifts, such as enchanted equipment, alchemy potions, magic cores, magic crystals, jewelry, etc.

In addition to the "sincerity" sent by the Silver Hand Brotherhood and the Bloody Harpoon, and the legacy after the demise of the Broken Tooth War Gang, Raven received more than 80,000 gold coins on this trip, and the value of the other props was only more than gold coins, not less.

These were at least 200,000 gold coins!

Damn, when the Silver Hand Brotherhood collected protection fees before, why didn't these merchants have such a good time! ?

The benefits are more than that.

From where Manseni is sitting now, looking out the window, it is the street where the Chamber of Commerce headquarters is located, called "Chamber of Commerce Street".

This is the most prosperous area in the entire Lower City. Every inch of land is worth a lot of money. It is not only the commercial center of the Lower City, but even celebrities from the Upper City will come here to spend money.

It is no exaggeration to say that the value of this street is even higher than that of many baronies.

But now, it can be renamed "Raven Street" or "Griffith Avenue".

Because there are a total of 19 plots of land along the street, 18 of which, together with the buildings on them, are all under Raven's name. The only remaining piece is the location of the Chamber of Commerce Building - this originally belonged to Raven.

Thinking of this, and looking at Raven's performance, Mansene felt that it was very reasonable, and even began to admire his calmness.

In a different position, if Mansene got these things herself, she would definitely be crazy with joy!

Now she is also a little crazy.

On the one hand... she is somewhat envious and jealous. You know, just a year ago, Raven was just an inconspicuous gangster on the streets of Mon'en City, but now he has become a baron. Not only does he actually control far more land than a viscount, but he also has a lot of income.

On the other hand, there was the way Raven looked at her, as if his eyes were going to get into her sleeves.

If it had been a year ago, she would have dug out Raven's eyes and thrown them into the gutter, but now Raven had become her immediate superior, an existence that could not be disobeyed at all!

This was simply too annoying, especially when she thought of Raven's nickname "Little Bee".

She pulled her sleeves to cover the tattoo, lowered her head and continued to check the numbers.

It wasn't until it got dark that she finally finished the check. She looked up and said, "Baron, I...?"

She stopped talking halfway because she found that she was the only one left in the office.

When did Raven leave?

Mansene looked at the thick stack of documents she had sorted out, and she was a little speechless.

Raven, I'm working for you. I haven't eaten all day. It's okay if you don't look at it, but you left quietly without telling me?

Putting the sorted gift list on the table, Mansene walked towards the door, but bumped into Raven.

Mansene explained: "The gift list has been completed."

"Quite fast." Raven smiled and stuffed a box into Mannis's hand: "Here."

Mansene took it subconsciously: "What is...?"

Raven said: "A full set of formal wear, there will be a dance soon, I need a female companion, please help me."

"Ah?" Mansene's face turned pale: "But, that, I..."

Lord of Light, she has never worn women's clothes since she was a child!

Manceni still wanted to argue: "Baron Raven, I don't look good in women's clothes."

"Don't shirk it, the situation is urgent." Raven raised his voice slightly: "You don't dare to say 'Quick Hand Manson' when I say it, right?"

Almost without thinking, Manseni blurted out: "Then why don't you dare?"

"Then hurry up, I'll give you thirty minutes, no, one hour!" With that, Raven closed the door with a bang.

Manseni was suddenly discouraged, sitting on a chair and beating her head.

Why did you agree on impulse? !

Looking down at the dress in her hand, Manseni's face became extremely complicated and she bit her lip.

She knew Raven had no good intentions in calling her over.

This is her revenge for wanting Raven!

But the matter has been agreed upon and must be done.

Forget it, women's clothing is just women's clothing. I am a fast-handed "Manson" and a man who stands upright, can I still be stumped by this?

Manseni stood up, walked to the door and locked it, then turned back and picked up the skirt.

Stroking the soft fabric in her hands, Manseni made up her mind: "Wear it!"

And Raven really looks down on herself so much, does she really think of me as a woman? It doesn’t take half an hour to put on these things!

However, it turns out that when faced with unfamiliar things, it is best not to make judgments easily.

Manseni encountered many unforeseen problems.

For example, how to buckle the straps of underwear, and in what order to wear multiple layers of skirts.

What drove her craziest was the girdle. After the third failed attempt at wearing it, she had the urge to rush to the inventor and greet his family.

When she finally finished dressing, sweat began to flow from her forehead, and her eyes were filled with disgust!

This outfit really hinders movement!

"Okay, do you need me to find some women to help you?" Raven's voice came from outside the door.

"No!" Manseni said decisively, then took a deep breath, tightened her skirt, and walked out of the room.

Raven's eyes suddenly lit up and he stared at Manseni in a daze.

Manseni was extremely uncomfortable being looked at and tugged on her collar in embarrassment: "... Just say it's ugly!"

"No, good!" Raven smiled.

To be honest, Lamanthani's role as dance partner today was purely a temporary move.

This dance was a welcome dance organized by members of the Chamber of Commerce. The occasion was formal, and Raven needed to bring his female companion there.

After all, Lux is a priest and is not suitable to attend such an occasion; if she randomly finds a singer or dancer, Raven's own image will be damaged.

He was born in Men'en City, and his nickname of "Little Bee" was well-known to everyone. It was almost impossible to cut him off. Now if he finds that kind of woman, he will throw dirty water on his reputation.

So Manseni became the best choice. Her origins were "mysterious" and her appearance was decent. As for her dancing skills - Raven had no intention of actually dancing with her.

But Manceni, now in women's clothing, really surprised Raven.

The long gloves covered the tattoo, which made Raven a little regretful, but Manseni has been practicing martial arts all year round, and has a well-proportioned and slender figure. The black silk dress fully reflects this, especially the curve between the waist and legs, despite the size Not big, but very tall and perfect.

She had no makeup on her face, and took off her iconic earrings. Apart from the coiled wig on her head, she only wore the elf-style headdress that Raven had prepared for her. Her eyes were quite cold, and with her short hair, her overall temperament was not ordinary at all. Women's weakness is not deliberately cold, it feels like... to Raven...

Rogue!

Propping up his elbows, Raven smiled and said, "Please, Miss Manseni."

Seeing this posture, Manseni wanted to grab Raven's shoulder and throw her over the shoulder, but she still held back and stepped forward to hug Raven's arm.

As for going further, she couldn't do it anyway. She straightened her back and kept a firm distance from Raven.

The dance was held at a nearby opera house called "Elven Song", which is now regarded as Raven's own property.

As the protagonist of the ball, Raven was the last one to arrive and immediately attracted everyone's attention as soon as he entered the hall.

The attendees' eyes first fell on Raven, then were attracted to Manseni, and finally fell back on Raven.

Nowadays, heavy makeup and heavy make-up are popular in Meng En City. Manseni’s makeup and unique wild temperament suppressed the brilliance of all the women present.

But even so, she couldn't overpower Raven's aura.

If she is a female leopard, then Raven is a male lion.

The guest of honor arrives, melodious music sounds, and the dance officially begins.

However, neither Raven nor Manseni had any intention of dancing, and many businessmen were not focused on the dance steps. They all looked for opportunities to start talking to Raven.

Although the contents are relatively obscure, the core is the same: I hope Baron Raven will take care of me.

For this reason, they reminded Raven openly and secretly that they had also given gifts, and they were heavy gifts!

As for Manseni, she found a corner and sat down by herself.

At first, she was a little worried about whether someone would come up to talk to her, or whether someone would pursue her identity.

But no, in fact, except for a few cowardly guys who dared to look at her secretly, most men turned a blind eye to her. Instead, it was the women who cast curious or jealous glances.

This reassured her - luckily, no one recognized her.

Her worries were unnecessary.

Raven could bring a female companion with him, which was enough to give these businessmen face. How could they dare to do anything else?

Mansene's attention fell on Raven again.

Most of the businessmen around Raven had been seen by Mansene. They were all well-known big businessmen in the downtown area, and they had more or less conflicts of interest with the gangs.

For example, the old man with a goatee was named Huen. His "Huen Chamber of Commerce" mainly sold jewelry and was once an important "partner" of the Silver Hand Brotherhood.

In the past, when communicating, even when facing Mansene's father, his attitude was calm, but Mansene could capture his disdain and contempt in his gestures.

But now facing Raven, his attitude was flattering. He followed Raven wherever he went, and he would nod hurriedly when Raven said something. Even when someone told a joke, he would first look at Raven's reaction before deciding whether to laugh or not.

They seemed to be discussing something, and Raven nodded as if he couldn't refuse.

The music stopped, and Raven stood on the center of the stage: "It was originally just a dance party, but since everyone is so enthusiastic, I will say a few words."

"First of all, I will not change the personnel issues that everyone is worried about, but some subsequent adjustments are inevitable, especially the port part."

The port is the place with the largest cargo throughput in the entire Lower City District, and it is also the source of economic vitality in the Lower City District.

A basic example: Mon'en City has a population of nearly 500,000, and 90% of the food they eat comes from water.

Any president of the Chamber of Commerce, as long as he has a brain, will not let go of the control of the port.

"Secondly, it is a problem of specific operations. I also grew up in Mon'en City. I know more about the twists and turns than you. Now that the Silver Hand Brotherhood and the Bloody Harpoon have been reorganized, you have to stop many of the shady businesses before."

"We are all businessmen, and harmony makes money. I don't want to use the methods used to deal with thugs to deal with you."

This sentence was said plainly, but the hall, which was originally slightly noisy, fell silent.

The red color of the Mon River has not yet faded, and the chimney of the crematorium in the southwest of Mon City has never stopped, not to mention the body hanging at the gate of Honduras.

All that is happening, combined with these words, made the merchants represented by Hu En clearly realize that Raven would never be joking.

At this point, Raven smiled: "Of course, I am not unreasonable. I will set rules for you, and of course I will not let you pay in vain."

"I have applied to Earl Tyrone and Archbishop Thomas. Since the Death Hand Cult has caused great damage to the Lower City, the Lower City Chamber of Commerce will not have to pay any regular taxes or tithes in the next three years!"

There was a warm applause at the scene, and the eyes looking at Raven were full of heat!

What merchants value most is profit. The tax rate in Mon City is high. For every ten gold coins earned, three gold coins must be paid, and one gold coin of tithes must be paid.

Now a tax exemption has directly increased their profits by more than 80%!

Although it is only three years of tax exemption, since Raven can fight for three years, the next three years is not impossible!

After the speech, Raven walked off the stage, and a businessman named Perry moved his fat body to the front: "Baron, your speech is really wonderful. With you in charge, our business will definitely get better and better!"

Raven remembered him. This guy not only gave two thousand gold coins, but also attached an enchanted cloak: "As long as Mr. Perry is a decent businessman."

"Of course, of course!" Perry nodded repeatedly: "Baron, an outstanding young man like you is the second place in our Mon'en City. My youngest son admires you very much and hopes to learn from you. You see..."

With him taking the lead, merchants including Hu En rushed up and began to make similar requests, even at the cost of belittling each other for this.

Sending their own children to follow the nobles as clerks and servants is an unwritten custom on the Middles continent. On the one hand, it can strengthen the connection between merchants and lords, and on the other hand, it can also make the lords more assured of the merchants under their rule.

Monen City is ruled by the Slater family, but the channels to contact the Slater family are all controlled by the wealthy businessmen in the upper city. Now that Raven is a genuine noble and the president of the Chamber of Commerce in the lower city, they must be more enthusiastic.

There is another factor.

If there were some rumors before, now these businessmen are completely sure that Raven can talk to Earl Tyrone and Archbishop Thomas, and it is useful!

This shows that Raven is at the same level as the Earl, and there will not be much difference.

Moreover, Raven is only in his early twenties, and his future is limitless. Maybe one day he will be on equal footing with Earl Tyrone.

Raven did not agree to this immediately, but he did not reject it all, but maintained an ambiguous attitude.

After all, the depth of the water in Monen City, Raven knows better than anyone else, who to accept and who not to accept, requires a clear plan.

All the business has been done, Raven did not stay at the ball for too long, and left with Mansene.

Back in the office at the Chamber of Commerce headquarters, Manseni sat back in her chair and breathed a sigh of relief: "...Huh, it's finally over."

"Not used to it?" Raven asked.

"It's impossible to get used to it!" Manseni kicked off her high heels: "These shoes are too hard to wear, who designed them?"

Raven couldn't help but smile: "Don't worry, there is only one time and countless times to wear women's clothes, you will get used to it in the future."

Manse Ni was about to refute, but she was afraid of stimulating Raven's "rebellious psychology", so she could only turn her head away and said nothing.

Raven didn't dwell on this point, took the documents that Manse Ni had sorted out and turned away.

Staring at the closed door, Manse Ni stepped on the ground barefoot, threw away her gloves, unbuttoned the buttons behind her, let her skirt fall to the ground, let the air blow on her sweaty skin, and stretched her waist.

Just then, the door opened: "I still have..."

Raven was stunned before he finished half of the sentence. He quickly swept his eyes over Manse Ni's body: "It turned out to be a snake!"

Then he slammed the door shut before Manse Ni got angry.

"Raven——!"

Manse Ni's voice echoed in the night sky.

…