Chapter 15: Fink Manor

After transferring from Magdeburg to Ostersleben, Zhang Hainuo hired a carriage outside the train station. Although it cost him quite a few marks, it saved him the trouble of asking for directions.

Two hours later, as the sky gradually darkened, the scenery along the road became blurry. After a bumpy ride, the carriage finally stopped outside two large iron gates.

Zhang Hainuo's luggage this time consisted of just a leather bag for changing clothes, which was quite lightweight. He got off the carriage with his bag and paid the fare. Before he could knock on the black iron gates, someone came to open them with a lantern in hand.

"Are you..." a female voice came from behind the gate. Two seconds later, the voice exclaimed excitedly, "The Baron is back! The Baron is back!"

Was he really worthy of being called "the Baron"? Zhang Hainuo found it somewhat amusing. He quickly identified the source of the voice—a middle-aged woman of average height and slightly overweight. She was dressed plainly, with a half-length apron tied around her waist, the typical image of a working maid from this era.

When Zhang Hainuo got off the carriage, there was only one window in the manor emitting light. After the maid called out a couple of times, the light inside brightened a bit, but it was still not enough for Zhang Hainuo to see the true appearance of the house in the manor. He didn't expect his home to be as magnificent and splendid as the von Thierpitz family's. It was likely just a modest house with a steward and two or three servants.

Following the maid and her glass-shaded lantern, Zhang Hainuo walked through the large iron gates and into the estate. Soon, he saw two more lanterns approaching him. One was carried by a man in his thirties, and the other by an elderly man with white hair.

"The Baron is back!" Both of them greeted Zhang Hainuo with joy and respect.

Unfortunately, Zhang Hainuo couldn't recall their names, so he simply said to them, "Hmm, on vacation, back for a couple of days!"

"That's wonderful! Baron, you haven't been back since the outbreak of the war. To be honest, we were a bit worried about you!" It was the elderly man who spoke, and it was clear that he was the steward of the estate.

Zhang Hainuo was surprised to learn that he hadn't been home for two years. Edvin hadn't mentioned it to him. It seemed that the other Hainuo didn't care much about this home. Perhaps, to him, this old manor didn't hold much significance as a family home.

Regardless, Zhang Hainuo politely replied, "Oh... sorry about that, I've been very busy and couldn't find time to come back!"

"Baron, you're being too kind. You must have more important matters in the navy! By the way, we received the two letters you sent back the year before last and last year. Everything has been taken care of according to your instructions!" The old steward led the way, while the maid and the other man followed behind Zhang Hainuo, forming a triangular escort formation, reminiscent of fleet operations.

Instructions? Zhang Hainuo had no idea what "he" had instructed before, but he didn't feel it was appropriate to ask at the moment, so he just responded with a simple "oh." The estate wasn't large, and they soon arrived at the front door of the main building. It consisted of two large doors, each about a meter wide and over two meters tall, with large door handles and iron fittings.

As for the gates, Zhang Hainuo thought they still exuded a noble atmosphere!

"Baron, welcome home!" The old steward handed the lantern to the maid and pushed open the seemingly heavy doors with both hands.

Perhaps due to the fatigue of the journey, Zhang Hainuo slept until broad daylight on this unfamiliar large bed. The bed, spacious enough for three or four people, was soft and comfortable, a far cry from the hard bunks on a naval ship! What felt unusual to Zhang Hainuo was the soft robe draped over him. Its style wasn't particularly strange; one could see it in movies depicting medieval European life. Zhang Hainuo just couldn't understand why the steward would choose such a garment for him in this day and age.

After getting up, Zhang Hainuo walked to the window and pulled back the heavy curtains, revealing a bright world outside!

Under the morning sun, fields in the distance took on a golden hue symbolizing abundance, while nearby, a stream flowed with bridges and mills atop it, surrounded by patches of woodland. Amidst the trees, a sandy road could be seen, not very wide, enough for two carriages to pass side by side. One end of the road stretched into the distance, while the other branched off, leading to the entrance of the estate.

Now, the estate didn't seem as small as Zhang Hainuo had initially thought. The lawn in front of the house was as large as two standard basketball courts. A gravel path divided the lawn in half, with flowers planted along the edge near the walls. Apart from a few chickens wandering around, there was a distinct aristocratic charm to the estate.

Zhang Hainuo opened the window to let the rustic air flow into the room. After bathing last night and feeling drowsy, combined with the dim candlelight, he now had the chance to carefully examine the room. Wooden ceiling and floor, candlelit chandeliers, walls built of large stones, a large fireplace, some oil paintings in wooden frames, a wardrobe as tall as a person—the furnishings of the room made it feel like he had traveled back to the Middle Ages.

Zhang Hainuo found his shirt and uniform hanging on a rack near the door, while the adjacent shelf held a basin, towel, and shaving kit, with water already filled in the basin. After freshening up and dressing, he left the room.

With the attic included, the building had three floors. Zhang Hainuo's room was on the second floor. Upon leaving the room and turning left, he found himself facing the staircase leading to the hall. When he had first entered the house yesterday, he had almost thought he had traveled back to the 12th century—every wall lamp and chandelier was candlelit, wooden floors, walls made of large stones, and the basic structure of the bedroom remained unchanged. The only indications of the owner's noble status were the shields, long swords, family banners, and ancient armor displayed on the walls and in the corners of the hall!

"Baron, you're up!"

The old steward, now dressed in a clean black suit with a black bow tie around his white shirt collar and even wearing white gloves, seemed excessively formal. Zhang Hainuo found it amusing. The wooden dining table was already set for breakfast with eggs, bread, pancakes, and milk, but only one place was set for Zhang Hainuo. After enjoying his breakfast alone, he chatted with the old steward.

"Has everyone been well these past two years?"

"Yes, Baron, thanks to your blessing, everyone is in good health! Last year, Lama's son joined the army, so she and Barend have had to take on additional work. Crop yields have been decent these past two years, but most of the grain has been requisitioned by the government at low prices. I've detailed all of this in the ledger for your review."

The old steward produced a thick ledger, prepared in advance. Zhang Hainuo flipped open the first page. Ah! The beautiful handwriting indicated the year was 1873, making the ledger much older than himself. The entries were straightforward, documenting monthly income and expenses. Unlike formal corporate ledgers, there were no attached vouchers, which further illustrated the mutual trust between the nobility and their stewards.