A group of carriages marched on the trade road. The guards looked majestic and the carriages were luxuriously decorated. Under the bright summer sun, the noble emblem on the carriage carriage in the middle of the queue shone brightly - it was the mark of the royal family of the Buluk Empire.
Pulling up the tassel curtain on the car window with one hand, Swais Hepburn began to look at the scenery outside the window.
On the vast plain, a rushing river meanders through. Both sides of the river are covered with dense mangroves. Closer, there are shrubs, wildflowers, reeds, and various animals... This kind of wild charm is not what it is.
It can be seen all over the country.
On the roadside, a group of naked children were chasing the carriage. Their skin was tanned by the sun. They were waving branches picked from unknown places in their hands and shouting excitedly.
"This is not Foxborough, don't drive them away." Duke Hepburn told his guard captain: "Give them some candy."
"Yes, sir." The guard leader nodded and replied: "The sun is strong outside, please be careful."
"What's there to be careful about? Sunshine is also a blessing from the devil." Duke Hepburn laughed in a rare way, taking off his coat, opening the car door and standing behind the coachman.
The guard leader smiled and did not stop the Duke's behavior, but was more careful about the warnings on the roadside.
After leaving Foxborough and the aristocratic circle that he had always hated, Hepburn's mood improved obviously. He put his hands up and began to feel the reality of summer. If possible, he also wanted to get his skin tanned.
Don't mind the sunshine, don't mind the etiquette, don't mind everything around you, I feel so relaxed.
"Look! That aunt is so beautiful!" Children on the roadside shouted: "She's so beautiful! She looks like a bride!"
Duke Hepburn sighed, lowered his head, remained silent, and then got into the carriage.
"Is Viscount Gironde's fiefdom coming soon?" After a long time, the Duke asked the maid beside him: "When will it arrive?"
"Reporting to the young master, we are now walking on the fiefdom of the Viscount Gironde." The well-behaved maid brought him red wine: "In a while, after crossing the river for the last time, we will be able to see the residence of the Vicomte Gironde.
Already."
"It won't be long then!" Hepburn picked up the coat and slowly put it on: "Have you written to tell my mother about our departure from the travel route in advance?"
"Without the master's instructions, I dare not write a letter privately."
"Don't make it so serious, just write a letter and tell my mother." Hepburn looked out the window and said softly: "Is this what my mother meant when she asked you to travel with me?"
"Sir..." The maid had a troubled expression on her face.
"I have a good memory. I remember that I have never seen you before, and your temperament is not like that of a maid." Hepburn smiled slightly: "Which family are you the daughter of? Why do you want to come to me as a maid?
Around you?"
"I...I..." Hepburn's smile was fatally seductive. The maid was completely lost in this smile and felt that her breathing was quickening. She pressed her chest with her hand and couldn't bear to leave Hepburn's face for a moment.
I couldn't speak for a long time.
Hepburn looked back at her: "Answer me, okay? You should know that I can't accept an unknown person being around me."
"If I... said it, you would drive me away..."
"But if you don't tell me, I will have more reason to drive you away." The Duke held his chin with his hand and analyzed the situation in front of him rationally to the girl beside him: "I don't know what you think, but for me
, I prefer to be honest with others. In other words, I don’t like it—or I hate it when others use lies to deceive me.”
"I didn't lie to you."
"Not telling the truth is cheating." Duke Hepburn's gentle eyes showed determination: "Which family are you the daughter of? Do you want me to ask you a third time?"
"I...I am..." the maid bit her lower lip: "My name is Ellie Fran, and I am the daughter of Count Fran."
"It turns out she is Count Fran's daughter... His Majesty the Emperor's goddaughter?" Hepburn choked on a sip of red wine in her throat. This was quite a surprise: "Miss, please forgive me for being rude."
Earl Fran is an important minister of the empire with a very prominent position. He also has a very good relationship with Hepburn's uncle and the emperor. However, because he is not in Foxborough, Duke Hepburn has not seen him in person. According to rumors, this earl
He seems to be a very courageous nobleman.
"You don't have to care so much about my thoughts. These are all my own wishes." Miss Ellie said eagerly: "You don't have to be burdened. I will go home as soon as the tour is over. If you don't like me, I will go home as soon as I arrive at the inn.
Just get off the car."
"I'm not that bad, am I? Abandoning a beautiful lady by the roadside? Give me some time to think about it." Hepburn shook her hand: "Who planned this incident? Your father? His Majesty the Emperor? Or my mother
?”
"It was... the three of them decided together." Miss Ellie lowered her brows and said in an extremely quiet voice: "You want me... you want me to accompany you on your travels and take care of your daily life... I'm sorry,
I once hid behind the palace columns and peeked at you, so when His Majesty the Emperor mentioned this matter, I had no objection..."
Hearing Miss Ally's answer, Hepburn couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart. He couldn't afford to offend any of these three, let alone the pitiful and beautiful young lady in front of him - honestly speaking, she was already better than the average aristocratic woman.
It was so much better. It was precisely because of Miss Aili's excellence that I doubted her identity.
Looking at Miss Ally who was about to cry, Hepburn felt that she was very unlucky. It was like this every time. She was obviously the most innocent, but in the end she still had to take responsibility for the actions of others.
"Now that things are like this, let's learn to face it! Let me think about it..." Hepburn cheered up and expressed his thoughts to Miss Ally: "A noble lady is a noble lady after all, and we must be worthy of the family.
Honor and faith, so you can no longer stay with me as a maid."
"Yes, Your Excellency." Miss Ellie's tears flowed down her fair face, and she choked back with sobs: "I apologize to Your Excellency for my recklessness."
Her face was burning and her heart was depressed. For her, being rejected by others, especially by the person she loved, was an unbearable humiliation.
"Don't worry, I have an invitation later!" Of course Hepburn knew that the other party felt uncomfortable, but he didn't mind making a nasty little joke: "You know, I am a has-been who was kicked out by the coalition forces.
Of course, soldiers have some bad habits - so, would you like to travel with me like this for a while? As ordinary friends, we can easily experience the beauty and customs of the alliance as ordinary friends without any purpose?"
"What... does this mean?" Miss Ally was still a little unaccustomed to Hepburn's sudden change.
"That is to say, you and I are ordinary friends. We will set out and travel together without any goal as a condition for friendship." Hepburn explained slowly: "You will get your own room, maid, and treatment like a noble.
…We are friends, it’s that simple.”
"Then, how do we introduce it to others?" Miss Ellie asked timidly.
"I should be a little older than you, right?" Hepburn said with a smile, "You can say you are my sister."
"Is this okay?"
"Of course, let's decide like this!" Hepburn was glad that she had solved another problem perfectly: "I am honored to travel with you. Of course, if you don't interfere with my decision, I will be very grateful."
"That is also my honor. Thank you for your generosity." Miss Ai Li said gratefully: "Can you please let me continue to arrange your daily life?"
Hepburn could not refuse Miss Ally's insistence, and could only reply helplessly: "If it is as a friend, I will accept it."
"Thank you." As he spoke, the carriage had already arrived at the river. Miss Ai Li looked outside a few times and said, "Will you get off the car with me and take a look?"
Hepburn nodded and walked out of the carriage with Miss Ally.
This is a ferry. The ferry is not big and can only pass one carriage at a time. The vehicles to be transported are lined up, and the guards are dedicating some people to cross the river first.
Hepburn accompanied Miss Ally for a walk by the river. After the relationship between friends was established, both of them relaxed. Miss Ally squatted down holding her skirt, rinsing her handkerchief in the cool river water, and asked Hepburn about it. Hepburn hugged her.
He held his hands, looked at her rosy face, and answered without a word.
"Do you know?" When Miss Ally asked Hepburn why he didn't plan to marry yet, His Excellency the Duke said seriously: "There is a kind of small fish in the river in Sunset Plains. They are only as big as bread crumbs and will stick to people's hands.
It goes up, enters the body through the skin, and sucks people’s blood.”
"Ah..." Miss Ellie stood up with a panicked look on her face, looking at her hands carefully, having already forgotten her question.
"I lied to you." Hepburn smiled and picked up the handkerchief and handed it to her: "I was indeed fooled! Your reaction is really cute."
Miss Ellie couldn't laugh or cry, and was about to use her own special skills to retaliate, but there was a quarrel on the roadside. The two looked at each other, walked to the roadside, and stood behind the guard.
A petite man in black rode a war horse and was confronting Hepburn's guards. The war horse was extremely splendid. The knight on the horse was neatly dressed, with a black scarf on his face and a long knife hanging on his waist.
She looks very irritable, and only her exposed eyebrows indicate that she is a woman.
If it were an ordinary civilian warrior, the guards should be able to dispatch it easily, but what is strange is that the noble emblem that should be worn on the chest is now hanging on this lady's waist, and the ribbon used to decorate it, whether it is tied
The style, color, and angles are all arranged according to special regulations. They are obviously not stolen or snatched...
"Miss, I've already told you." The guard who was adjourned often traveled with Duke Hepburn and saw the world. He pressed the handle of the knife with his hand and negotiated with the lady calmly: "Please wait a moment, we will be there soon."
"
"What nonsense are you talking about? Get out of my way!" The lady played with the riding crop in her hand, not paying attention to this strong guard at all: "You have hundreds of horses and a dozen cars. I have to wait until sunset.
went!"
Even with such bad language, her voice sounds very pleasant. To be fair, if her temper were not so bad, her voice would definitely be more pleasant.
"We come first, we should pass first." The guard suppressed his temper: "Everyone should understand this."
"Oh? Are you saying that I don't understand the rules? So what? Are you still going to teach me a lesson?" The young lady on the horse laughed with such a gangster air that the two people behind her were dumbfounded.
"I didn't mean it. If my words make the lady unhappy, I will apologize."
"Apologise? How dare you, such an ignorant idiot, accuse the nobles!" The lady on the horse snorted coldly: "Come here and let us decide the outcome in a samurai manner!"
"Miss, I want to remind you that I also belong to the nobility."
"Look at how small your emblem is. Even if you are a noble, you are still a small noble. It's not that good." The bad lady had already dismounted: "Look at my emblem. It's more than ten times bigger than yours. I'll hit you if I say so. You are
Not a man?"
"Miss, yours is an official emblem, and mine is a portable emblem. Noble emblems cannot be divided like this..." the guard explained in a dumbfounded way. Anyone who encounters such an unruly lady would have a headache!
"What? A fight is about to start?" Miss Ally looked at Hepburn in panic: "This lady is also a noble... Can I go and persuade her?"
"Are you sure you can persuade him?" Hepburn replied noncommittally.
"Travelling! You always have to experience something special." Miss Ellie replied with a blushing face: "Besides, I don't have to worry about you as long as you are here..."
"Okay, I will be behind you." Hepburn was confident that nothing big would happen in front of her: "This guard is a right-handed swordsman. You have to stand on the left side of the guard. Remember."
Miss Ellie nodded and plucked up the courage to walk up.
"Good day, young lady." Miss Ellie's crisp voice intervened in the quarrel: "Please stop arguing and listen to me, okay?"
"Ah... such a beautiful lady." The woman in black's eyes lit up, she took a step forward and shouted: "The beautiful figure appeared leisurely in front of my eyes, where did you come from? Why did you suddenly appear in Xiaosheng's dream?"
Although she knew that the other party was a young woman, such strange words still made Miss Ally blush on the spot. Behind him, Hepburn secretly laughed in her heart. This way of speaking became popular among aristocratic women in the capital not long ago, and was used by aristocratic women.
Specifically used to tease friends in the boudoir.
"Everyone... don't make any noise." Miss Ellie finished her sentence: "Can't we discuss it carefully?"
"Sure! Of course Xiaosheng will listen to what the young lady says...but." The woman in black took another step forward: "Can I know the young lady's name? Where do you live? Are there any relatives at home? For the purpose of a sweet marriage, we
Let’s start dating!”
"I, I, I..." Miss Ellie opened her mouth slightly, not knowing how to deal with it anymore. She obviously couldn't adapt to such travel events.
"Miss, you don't need to panic, I will treat you very gently, Xiaosheng." The woman in black had already crossed her hands and smiled evilly: "Since there is no one around, you might as well just obey me..."
Even if she was a woman, saying such words to a stranger was already too much. Hepburn could no longer remain silent. He walked up to Miss Ally and stood behind her. He looked at her quietly to give her a psychological deterrent.
"You..." the woman in black moved her eyes: "What's the relationship?"
Miss Ally looked back at Hepburn: "I, I am his sister."
"Hahahahahaha..." There was a hint of cunning in the eyes of the woman in black, and she suddenly looked up and laughed exaggeratedly: "Today is really good luck...hahahahaha!"
Both of them didn't understand. What kind of good luck is this?
"Not bad, really good. My fighting spirit is beginning to surge, and my enthusiasm is already burning." The woman in black shook her fist and announced loudly: "Two beauties, I want to eat them both!"
Hepburn lowered her head and sighed, leaving Miss Ally dumbfounded.
"But your sister likes to wear men's clothes, which is a troublesome thing. She is not ladylike at all." The woman in black then waved her hand generously: "Forget it, Xiaosheng has a very open mind. I will give your sister time to correct herself.
."
It seemed that she didn't notice that who was here was even more unladylike.
"It may disappoint you, but I can't let you eat it." Hepburn stood in front of Miss Ally and said lightly: "As for my sister! I will also reject your proposal."
"Why do you want to reject Xiaosheng? I am a glorious warrior!" A certain bad girl was still acting: "If two sisters can't do it, it's okay to marry just one!"
"Whether there is something wrong with your eyes or not, I am still a man, and if you want to marry my sister..." Hepburn brushed her long golden hair: "The reason is also very simple. As a male, you have
Physical defect."
"You rude person!" The woman in black jumped back fiercely, pulled out the long knife from her waist with a "swish" sound, and the tip of the knife drew a beautiful arc in the air. Her tone had become cold: "As a noble warrior,
In the name of your country, I challenge you. Those who dare not challenge are crawling dogs!"
"I don't fight with unknown people." Hepburn replied in an indifferent tone as before: "State your name and title. If you are in a good mood, I will give you some time."
"Ha..." The woman in black shook the long knife in her hand, and the blade held up a ball of dazzling brilliance: "If you beat me, you will naturally say your name!"
"Really? It's better to do this. If you lose, just shout 'You are rude, please forgive me' ten times." Hepburn glanced at Miss Ally beside him: "Don't worry."
"Okay - take out your weapons and duel like a man!"
"I haven't used a sword for a while, so I'm treating you as a special courtesy." Hepburn smiled, waved to the guard, and someone immediately gave him his sword: "I hope you can hold on under my sword for a while, don't let me
disappointment."
"Don't talk nonsense, I have to rush home to have dinner!" The woman in black took a breath slowly, her eyes became extremely clear: "Watch the knife!"
"The standard sword skills of the Demon Palace are not bad." Thinking this in his heart, Hepburn unsheathed his long sword.
With a sound of "Dang!", the swords struck each other and stood in the air.
"You have to be careful." Hepburn warned softly: "Unruly women are destined to be punished."
"Really? Do you think you have this right?" The woman in black didn't think she would lose: "Don't cry then."
"Whether you deserve to be punished or not is up to me to judge." Hepburn took a few steps back and said, "But I am more comfortable dealing with a unruly woman like you."
"Dang, Dang, Dang!" The two men's swords struck each other in the air, making a very clear collision sound.
Two figures leaped across the field, and the sharp metal sounds of swords clashing continued to be heard. Miss Ally was so worried that she didn't know what to do, and her head was sweating with anxiety, but the guards of Duke Hepburn who were watching were not too worried.
"Don't worry." A young guard leader standing next to her comforted Miss Ally: "The Duke will definitely be fine."
"But this is a martial arts fight!" Miss Ally doesn't want to be Duke Hepburn's sister all the time, so how can she not be worried?
"Although it is a fight, the difference in strength is very different." The young guard leader said: "With the Duke's ability, he can end this competition at any time."
After hearing these words, Miss Aili patted her chest and felt a little more at ease. She turned to look at the guard leader beside her, but was shocked by the scars on his face, and she let out a low "Ah" in her mouth - before
Although I've seen it a few times, I haven't noticed this frightening wound.
"Sorry, I scared you." The guard leader's concerned gaze never left the scene, but he just moved a few steps away.
"No, I was rude..." Miss Ellie tried her best to cover up her fault: "Can I know your name?"
"You can call me Heaven, one of the three guard leaders." The guard leader still looked calm and composed: "I am willing to serve you at any time."
"Your face is very pale. Are you sick?" Miss Allie asked in a low voice, "If possible, I have brought some commonly used medicines in the carriage."
"Don't worry, I'm fine." Heaven replied: "I was born with this complexion."
Now that she had expressed her goodwill, Miss Alli said nothing more. It was the fight in the field that attracted her the most - the man who was elegant and graceful in the shadow of the sword, that attracted her the most.
"Sun Yan - Aurora Break!" The woman in black shouted loudly, her body rose into the air, the blade of the blade pulled out a dazzling brilliance, and struck it head-on. The fierce momentum made Miss Ally scream.
"It can't be broken." Hepburn thrust out the sword, opened the blade, then raised his left hand slightly, and the two passed by each other.
"It's a good material, but it's a pity to use it as a mask." Hepburn turned around, raised her hand, and gently shook the mask of the woman in black.
"Scoundrel - give it back to me!" The woman in black blushed, opened her eyes angrily, and shouted angrily.
"I won't return it." Hepburn said coldly: "This is a trophy."
"You..." Raising the knife in her hand, the woman in black rushed to grab it.
"You have already lost. If the fight continues, I will take another thing away." Hepburn said in a lazy tone: "According to the agreement, what should you do? Please fulfill your promise as a noble."
"You scoundrel!" The woman in black stamped her feet, picked up the horse and walked away: "We'll see!"
The Duke shrugged and walked back to Miss Ellie. (To be continued)