Chapter 10

This world is just backward; the people here are not foolish.

The steward, along with the servant, carried all the ice over and used a wooden stick with a net to place the ice next to the polar bear.

When the third piece of ice was placed, the polar bear climbed out of the stream, hugged a piece of ice, and rolled on the ground, grunting continuously.

It was clear that it was as happy as a customer meeting a prostitute, or a person encountering an air conditioner in 40-degree heat, feeling comfortable from head to toe.

After placing over a dozen pieces of ice, the polar bear surrounded itself with the ice and lay down contentedly, grunting.

"It works, it really works!" the steward was overjoyed.

Although they hadn't fed it yet, the polar bear had already changed from its half-dead state of the past month.

"Quick, go and ask what to do next," the steward kicked the servant a few times and shouted at him.

Ren Bakian watched the servant in front of him in the room, his face full of frustration.

What to do? Feed it! The bear is finally comfortable, so why not feed it quickly? With this weather, the ice won't last long.

"Never mind, I'll go and see too," Ren Bakian waved his hand. "You two support me!"

By the time the guard and the servant helped Ren Bakian to the bear enclosure, he was sweating again, and his abdominal wound was damp.

If he hadn't guessed wrong, the wound was bleeding.

But these were minor issues; the polar bear was the major problem.

Ren Bakian ignored the steward who came forward and leaned against the fence to watch the bear below.

The polar bear was happily hugging pieces of ice on both sides, treating them like its treasures.

However, the ice had already shrunk by a third.

"Continue making ice using the same method. Put the ice from the large basin in the basin, let it melt in the sun, dry it, and use the remaining white powder to make more ice. Bring some fish and meat to throw to it," Ren Bakian instructed.

"Yes!" Seeing Ren Bakian use the powder to create ice they had never seen before and seeing the polar bear become more spirited, the few people here treated Ren Bakian's words as holy commands and hurried to follow his instructions.

...

In a grand hall, a woman wearing a long red robe embroidered with patterns and a golden crown was playing with a crystal-clear ice block in her hand, the cool sensation spreading from her fingertips to her heart.

Below, dozens of people in various armors and robes stood on both sides, whispering, their eyes fixed on a basin-shaped ice block in the center of the hall.

"Was this made by that person?" the woman asked with interest.

"Yes, I saw him turn water into this ice with my own eyes," the guard who had carried the ice block knelt down.

"He has some skills," the woman's lips curled, holding the ice block in her hand and looking down. "What do you think?"

"Let me see." A tall, muscular man in armor stepped forward, touched the ice block, then hugged it, looking intoxicated. "So cool!"

"Let me try."

"Me too."

"I have a higher rank, give it to me!"

A group of people immediately surrounded the ice block. The tall man fought his way through the crowd but was eventually thrown out, with footprints on his buttocks.

The woman on the throne paid no attention to the chaos below. After playing with the ice block for a while, it completely melted into water.

"Stop fighting," the woman said lazily after a long time, and the people who had been surrounding the ice block immediately dispersed.

Only one person was left rubbing half an ice block on his face, muttering, "So cool, really so cool."

After a while, he reluctantly put the remaining half of the ice block back in place and retreated.

"Your Majesty, this person is talented, very talented, but his background is questionable. Why don't I take him back and train him, and only send him to you after confirming he's fine?" the tall man shouted.

"Training people is my specialty. He'll be dead in two days if he's in your hands," another person quickly said.

"Stop arguing. This person is useful, so keep him in my palace," the woman's lips twitched, and she waved her hand like swatting flies, making everyone shut up.

Seeing her speak, everyone immediately quieted down.

The hall was filled with men and women, all exuding a fierce aura, but they were extremely respectful to the person above.

"Bring the envoy from Yun Country! I hear he has something to say to me," the woman said lazily.

"Bring the envoy from Yun Country to the hall!" someone at the door immediately shouted.

Soon, a middle-aged man with a fair complexion and a long beard was brought in, bowing and greeting, "Envoy Ge Qing from Chuyun Country, paying respects to Your Majesty, wishing Your Majesty..."

"Enough, just say what you have to say. You've submitted several petitions already. I want to know what you really want to say," the woman interrupted him impatiently.

Ge Qing's face remained calm, but he cursed in his heart, "Barbarian."

He then straightened his body and said, "Your Majesty, Ge Qing is here regarding the merchants of the Zhang and Hong families. Your country unjustly arrested our merchants, imprisoned them, and confiscated their properties in your country..."

Ge Qing spoke at length, the content being: You have no reason or evidence to imprison our virtuous merchants, confiscate their properties, and cause panic among our merchants. Yun Country will not allow our merchants to be treated this way, so we are here to protest. If the arrested merchants are not released within the specified time, the confiscated items returned, and an explanation given, Yun Country will seek justice for its citizens, even resorting to war.

The woman extended her hand, and a servant immediately used a handkerchief to dry it.

The woman then asked, "How long have you been here?"

"Envoy Ge Qing has been in your country for three months," Ge Qing replied.

"Hmm, take him out and behead him!" the woman said casually.

"Even in times of war, envoys are not killed. Besides, Ge Qing is just stating facts and explaining the consequences. Your Majesty, doing this will provoke Yun Country's anger," Ge Qing shouted quickly.

However, the woman paid no attention to him.

The many officials and generals around her also looked down, and a few even sneered at Ge Qing, showing their sharp white teeth.

"Your Majesty... this is a path to disaster... Your Majesty... Emperor of Danya Country..." Ge Qing shouted as he was dragged out.

The people in the hall heard his cries of pain fade into the distance and then abruptly stop.

"Tell Yun Country that the envoy died of a sudden illness and to send a replacement," the woman said.

"Yes!"

"This pretty boy dares to talk about war? Even if Yun Country had the nerve, their emperor wouldn't dare," someone laughed.

"The Yun Country merchants maliciously lower the prices for furs, sell fake goods, and mix sand into the rice. The Zhang and Hong families are the worst. This time, we'll give them a lesson. If they still think we are fools, we'll kill them all next time," someone suggested.

"If we kill them all, no merchants will come," someone immediately objected. "Our country has many mountains and few plains, more hunting and less farming. We need those merchants to bring many items."

"We can't rely on them for everything. It's best if we can produce things ourselves."

"Produce things ourselves? Who can do that? I say we should just attack and take what we need."

...

"Enough, stop arguing. Is there anything else? If not, you may all leave," the woman said, sitting up.

After everyone left, the woman said, "Xin Zhe, come with me to the animal enclosure."

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