Brunas, outside a reception room of the expanded city hall, a man dressed in traditional Dorne attire spoke with trepidation in his lowered voice, asking the young military officer beside him, "Are you sure you can meet him... and tell him about our procurement plan?"
The young officer nodded slightly, seriously responding, "I'm sure!"
"Can you really guarantee that the weapons and ammunition procurement plan will go smoothly?" the man asked again nervously. He kept asking questions, as if this was the only way to somewhat calm his anxious heart.
"I'm sure!" the young man laughed and continued to answer with certainty.
While he responded, he caressed the dandelion-engraved ring on one of his fingers with his other hand.
The nobleman from Dorne was still somewhat worried and asked with suspicion and uncertainty, "Aren't you their traitor?"
"To be precise, I chose the career I love and did not betray the Great Tang Group," the young man replied with a smile, defending himself, "I think the Dorne Kingdom is great, so I'm willing to work for this nation."
After a few more seconds had passed, and the nobleman from Dorne, in charge of procuring the new batch of arms, grew restless again, repeatedly asking, "That mysterious owner of the Great Tang Group... he really won't give us a hard time?"
With a bit of resignation, the young officer dress in the Dorne military uniform continued to reassure him, "Don't worry! My relationship with him is extraordinary, and this trade will surely go very smoothly. We've prepared enough... chips for the exchange!"
Time passed, and with no sign of them being called in for the meeting, the nobleman from Dorne responsible for the arms procurement began to grow tense again.
He looked left and right, then once again started muttering complaints to the young man beside him in a low voice, "You actually told me not to prepare Gold Coins but to prepare high-quality steel and copper ingots... to serve as the purchase payment... I think you're crazy."
"I don't think I'm crazy," the young man retorted simply this time, then went back to looking down at his ring.
He really liked the ring, for its owners were among the elite trained in the Great Tang military academy's night school.
Seeing the young man staring and smiling foolishly at his own ring, the nobleman from Dorne could only mock himself with resignation, "I must be crazy too, to believe your words... I'm so stupid, really... to not have brought so much Gold Coins..."
Just as he was about to lose patience, a servant approached and stood before them, bowing slightly and speaking, "Mr. Roger would like to see you."
"Me?" The nobleman from Dorne pointed to his own nose, confirming incredulously.
Noticing the ring on the young officer's finger, the servant gave the officer a smile, looked at the nobleman from Dorne Kingdom, nodded, and asked, "Yes, Mr. Roger would like to see you! Are you ready to come with me?"
"Yes, of course, I'm ready!" the nobleman from Dorne hastily replied, somewhat nervously adjusting his clothes, swallowing hard, and following the servant towards the door.
Roger poured a glass for him and one for himself, then walked over and handed the glass to the other party, "You need not be so nervous, Mr. Raymond. We are businessmen, as long as you pay, we provide the goods, fair and square..."
Raymond quickly offered flattery, also hoping his compliments would get Roger to overlook the young man Haman, "It's rare to come across someone as fair as you these days, Mr. Roger."
"We really have no intention of pursuing Haman.", Roger explained again, somewhat helplessly, and then changed the subject, "So, according to the contract you've submitted, you're prepared to pay with steel and copper ore, correct?"
Seeing that the topic had returned to business, Raymond immediately nodded in affirmation, "Yes, Mr. Roger."
"We will follow the agreed-upon ratios... if everything goes as planned, this batch of arms can be shipped out tomorrow, and we can leave the dock by afternoon.", Roger nodded, giving a definitive shipping time.
The Great Tang Group had recently accumulated quite a lot of stock, partly due to purchase orders from the Leite Kingdom and partly because the Suthers Kingdom also placed a large order for needle guns.
There were even some orders from abroad; it was not clear whether they were placed by Shireck or truly from royal families of the surrounding kingdoms.
Thus, the production line had been operating at full capacity, and naturally, there were goods in stock. The volume of Dorne Kingdom's order may seem large, but for the production capacity of the Great Tang Group, it was hardly astonishing.
"I really appreciate it, Mr. Roger... This is a small gift, a token of my respect.", the Dorne noble Raymond immediately pulled out a gem he had prepared from his bosom, pushing the exquisite ruby into Roger's hand.
Roger did not refuse, his smile broadening, "You are far too kind. I hope Haman enjoys his time with you."
"If, I mean if, next time I have Haman come to purchase arms, would the transaction go just as smoothly?", Raymond carefully probed.
Roger was stunned for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter, "Hahaha! Why would you think otherwise? Haman is our good friend, an old acquaintance. Perhaps we can even give him a discount, hahaha."
"You are the most amiable and friendly nobleman I have met in many years.", upon hearing Roger's response, Raymond quickly bowed slightly, showing his respect to Roger.
Roger waived his hand, feigning humility, "No, no, no, I am not a noble yet, only the housekeeper of the true master of the Great Tang Group."
"For someone like you, becoming a nobleman is just a matter of time.", Raymond promptly complimented again and then continued, "May the gods bless you and the Great Tang Group! May our cooperative relationship last forever, and our friendship continue for a thousand years."
"And wishing you good health as well, Mr. Raymond!", Roger raised his glass in a toast from afar.
"Someone... see Mr. Raymond out... Arrange for our men to show Mr. Raymond a good time in Brunas...", with the meeting concluded, Roger was not inclined to waste more time on a nobleman from the Dorne Kingdom, so he called a servant and gave the instructions.
After all, there were all too many amusements in Brunas; surely Mr. Raymond would find his visit worthwhile.