Carriages drove into the White Rose Garden, and groups of servants were decorating the courtyard, leading the noble adults to the hall. They placed long tables in the Rose Garden and spread white cloth on them.
Place silver plates, candlesticks and other tableware.
People were already coming and going in Her Majesty's Garden, and people they knew or didn't know were greeting each other. A small royal banquet had begun to take shape. At least the scene was lively and the atmosphere was harmonious, without any tension at all.
The inner and outer cities of Rushta have always been two worlds, and the gentlemen living here have long been accustomed to this.
Count Conrad jumped out of the carriage with brisk steps and greeted a certain gentleman, or gave a cold expression to a nobleman who came up to him with a flattering smile. He could not hide it in the upper circles of the empire.
Everyone naturally knows what the secret is, who is from a prominent family, and who came to power through nepotism.
His family has a rich heritage. If his ancestors have commendable deeds, then the inheritance and cultural heritage will be even stronger. Therefore, he looks down upon such an upstart, just like the military aristocrats look down on jesters.
What's more, the strong aura of money in these people is often unpleasant. The lives of nobles are naturally supported by money, but in their eyes, money is often not worth mentioning. This is almost the same as the citizens in towns looking down on farmers in the countryside.
It's a truth.
Conrad walked through the outer courtyard of the Garden of White Roses with ease. Many gentlemen had gathered in the courtyard. This was a social circle of the upper class. It was natural for nobles to gather together and talk loudly. But there were many topics among these circles.
Change is like the unpredictable thoughts of gentlemen, so many small circles often form under a large circle, and different people can always find the same common language.
As a traditional aristocrat, he was naturally at ease in social interactions, and he quickly found acquaintances:
"Good evening. Henry, I thought you wouldn't come to such a banquet because of your temperament."
"I have to give your Majesty some face." The noble whose name was called smiled and raised his glass to him. He was a rather flamboyant young man, and the smile on his face showed the calmness and calmness that are common among people with status.
calm.
The banquet was hosted by Her Majesty the Queen. In fact, the upper-class nobles of the imperial capital had been notified a week ago that the banquet was to welcome a certain mountain prince. But in private, it was actually a meeting ceremony.
Of course, the more grand engagement ceremony will not be held until two weeks later. The banquet is for the public, and the private work will be completed from now on.
This is also the way nobles always behave.
Henriette took a sip of wine and continued to smile: "But to be honest, I came here for the countess. I heard that she is extremely beautiful."
"Her Royal Highness, Mr. Henriette." The royal butler on the side corrected with a straight face.
"You are right," Henriette apologized: "All beautiful ladies are princesses."
Everyone else chuckled. Everyone knew what was going on with this princess, but there were some things that were not pretty to say. As nobles, the gentlemen present all knew how to stick to the point.
Even the royal housekeeper didn't care about this.
"But our Prince Augsg doesn't mind this. I heard that it only took him a week to reach Bankel from Wallach. Two of his six-horse carriages were broken down on the road, and the horses were replaced.
It took three rounds."
"No way. Mountain people always raise horses."
This witticism made everyone present smile again, just like other places in Warnd. Barbarians who were later civilized by other civilizations are always looked down upon. Even among farmers in the countryside, there are many vulgar stories about mountain people.
A joke, not to mention between these noble gentlemen.
The prince of the mountain people showed off his carriage. Before he arrived in the imperial capital, this matter had already become a topic of conversation and a joke among the upper class society.
Although most of the gentlemen present may not own a six-horse carriage, this does not prevent them from teasing the latter. And I can guarantee that there is no jealousy or envy in any way.
"So this prince is called Ogeos?" Conrad asked after listening for a while.
"That's his nickname."
There was another burst of deep laughter. The name Ogeos was obviously not the name of the Cruz people, nor the Christian name of the Temple of Fire, but the name of the mountain people. Of course, His Royal Highness the Prince has the Christian name of Cruz, but regardless of
Why does he keep this title on his lips? People still 'like' the native name of Ogeos more.
Conrad laughed too.
The topics among the nobles are always changeable. When people couldn't find any fun in His Highness, someone started talking about the previous battle that took place in the imperial capital.
The movement in Cold Dew Villa was too big, and it was impossible to hide it even if you wanted to, especially when Brando later bulldozed half of the mountain, and the beam of silver light that split the sky from Ciel probably caused most of the residents of Rushta to——
As long as you haven't fallen asleep, you should be aware of it.
However, except for a few people, the nobles had no idea what Her Majesty the Queen was preparing. Someone talked about the riots taking place in the outer city and connected the two things.
"The situation outside is not good."
"It's a mess."
During the heated discussion, it was inevitable that some people would disagree, so a middle-aged noble said with some disdain: "You call this situation a bad situation? Ha, being young is really good."
"what happened?"
"Is not it?"
The middle-aged nobleman shook his head: "It's just a small storm. It can't be compared with the riots twenty-three years ago and the year of change."
The younger generation of nobles had no idea what happened decades ago, while the older nobles present had a look of reminiscence on their faces.
There were even nobles involved behind the great riots in the Year of Change. Even the city guards had internal strife. The rebels once came to the inner city. Compared with the situation now, it was just a beginning. What could ordinary people achieve?
How can it be compared with the rebellion of the nobles?
And it was not resolved peacefully in the end. As long as the temple and those top powerhouses did not defect, there would be nothing to fear.
After listening to the description of the middle-aged nobleman, the young man's face softened a lot, and it seemed that it was no longer a troublesome thing now.
And the worries of these noble gentlemen always come and go quickly, especially when they find that they are not closely related to their immediate interests. Conrad soon noticed that Henry opposite him became a little impatient.
But at this moment, the crowd suddenly became appropriately commotion. Count Conrad subconsciously raised his head. The crowd near the hall parted, and a luxury carriage appeared outside the gate.
A carriage drawn by six horses.
Ogeos was sitting in the carriage. He also frowned impatiently. Contrary to the rumors outside, he was not rushing to the imperial capital on his own, but was driven away by his father, a hero of the mountain people.
Come.
Just as Her Majesty the Queen needs the support of the mountain people, this hero of the mountain people also needs the support of the empire. In the throne dispute between the previous generation of mountain people kings, although the latter won as a hero, as a concubine
The heir to the throne, his foundation is not as solid as imagined.
Fortunately, the mountain people are not an empire. They are not as serious about their origins as imagined. As long as they are recognized by the empire and the temple, they can still rule the vast mountains of Wallachia smoothly.
Sometimes things are so weird. The mountain people regard the Empire as a feud and enemy, but secretly believe in the illusory praise given by their most powerful enemy.
It seems that it is a great honor to be recognized by the enemy.
However, all of this has nothing to do with Ogeos. Probably the only thing that makes him feel a little more comfortable is that he is the only son of the king of the mountain people. Both father and son are prosperous. Unfortunately, the mountain people's competitors for the throne are not always the only ones who are on the throne.
Only qualified people can participate. It is different from a civilized empire. The eldest son heirs from various surrounding tribes also have such qualifications.
"You go and tame this mare for me. She will be good to you and me."
This was the only thing the man said to him before he left.
The dark-skinned prince felt quite unconcerned about this. Although it was true that he liked beautiful women, it did not mean that he wanted to go to the imperial capital all the way for a woman. It was as if the gentlemen in the imperial capital were not used to him.
He was not cold to these gentlemen who claimed to be civilized.
A woman is like a mare. According to the tradition of the mountain people, the mare in the horse herd is regarded as the most precious property. Only the healthiest mare can give birth to the best next generation.
But no matter how good the mare is, it is not worth embarrassing him.
He had already made up his mind. He wanted to give the countess a good look. Although this could not be done blatantly in the empire, Her Majesty the Queen had no control over Wallach. He would let the other party know how the men of the Norka family were disciplined.
of his own wife.
At this time, the servant opened the door of the carriage, and Ogeos straightened his appearance before stepping out of the carriage.
He originally thought that he was prepared to attract many disdainful or hostile looks from outside the carriage, but when he stepped out of the carriage, he discovered that no one was paying attention to him at all.
He raised his head.
Only then did they realize that His Majesty, the supreme emperor of the empire, had appeared outside the hall. Everyone bowed their heads and saluted, and the whole courtyard fell silent for a moment.
When people looked up again, they noticed the girl next to the Silver Queen.
This was the first time that the newly crowned countess appeared in front of the upper-class aristocratic circles of the empire.
Those simple and bright eyes attracted everyone's attention in an instant, followed by the long flame-like hair. A burst of sighs could not help but come from the crowd. The most rare thing in Rushta is beauty.
She is an aristocratic girl, but the decadent style that was popular in the empire has been swept away by the clean and neat beauty in front of her.
It was as if a hint of fresh mountain wind had been mixed into the turbid and glitzy urban air, which was so refreshing that most of the men present couldn't help but feel their hearts skip a beat, and even the ladies' eyes lit up.
Such a clean girl.
It's a pity that he is a mountain man.
"Beauty has its privileges." Henriette in the crowd didn't care at all. She raised her wine glass to greet Akane from afar, her eyes full of appreciation.
"What?" Someone asked deliberately: "Henry, are you planning to compete with our Prince?"
"Why not?" Henry smiled and said nothing. What he meant in his words was that he looked down on the mountain man prince at all - he was a mountain man, but how could he be a noble?
This is also the thought in the minds of most people present.
Under the public gaze, Akane frowned slightly, facing all the gentlemen and ladies present, her eyes were filled with nervousness and uneasiness, but also burning with an unyielding flame.
A day ago, she might have been like a puppet manipulated by others, but now she already knows that the lord is here.
Just such a piece of news, even without a word of explanation, was enough to make the unknown fire in her heart burn brightly.
Constance, the Silver Queen, stood next to Akane. She was slightly shorter than the former, but her innate aura of superiority and her calmness in controlling everything naturally distinguished the two.
In the entire empire, probably no one dares to look face to face with this girl who looks to be only fourteen or fifteen years old.
Of course, except for some guys who don't know where they come from and who don't know whether to live or die - such as a certain Count Tonigel.
She glanced at everyone present lightly, as if she no longer cared about the previous defeat. She turned back and said to the girl next to her: "What? It seems that you are not satisfied with my arrangement for you?"
Qian didn't reply, she knew why she was here.
"You are a mountain man, so it is best to be embraced by the mountains. He is the son of a mountain man's hero. Isn't he still worthy of you?"
The Silver Queen smiled: "You still want your lord to save you? I hope he has the courage. Do you know where this place is?"
"Lord, he will not be fooled. You can't take advantage of this."
Facts have proved that what kind of lord there is, there will be what kind of ministers. The conversation between the two women made the servant on the side frightened - when did anyone in the empire dare to talk to His Majesty the Emperor like this?
But the Silver Queen didn't seem to care, and asked: "Really? He doesn't even care about the woman he loves?"
"I am the one who silently loves the lord, but I am just an unknown person beside the lord. There are many girls who are better than me around the lord."
"So he doesn't like you anymore?"
Akane didn't answer, but her bright eyes acquiesced to this.
"That's not okay. You are the countess of the empire, or even the princess. No one can look down on you -" the Silver Queen changed the topic: "But just hand over the Azure Spear to an inconspicuous person next to you. You
Your lord is truly a wealthy man."
Qian was stunned for a moment, and then her heart started to tremble slightly. She had never thought about this. It was such a simple truth. She was so inconspicuous. But why did the lord always hand over such important things to her without any care?
?
She suddenly became a little scared.
She was afraid that Brando would really come here to save her. This so-called banquet was just a carefully arranged trap. She hoped it would be later, even one day later, not now.
She had hoped to see that face that was so familiar in her dream, but now she became even more afraid, so scared that the color drained from her face.
The Silver Queen was leisurely watching the change of expression on the face of the mountain girl, and she said: "You must be hoping that your lord will not come to the banquet I am hosting tonight."
Akane looked at the latter with hatred.
The queen smiled slightly: "But I think he will definitely come."
Just when Qian was wondering where Her Majesty the Queen's confidence came from, the latter continued to say lightly: "If he doesn't come, I will send you to the mountain prince's bed tonight, you know
, This is the custom of the mountain people, and you don’t have to joke about it.”
"But you should feel honored. This is a genuine prince. The crown of the lord of Wallach is recognized by the empire and the temple. Maybe you can become the queen of the mountain people in the future."
Akane's teeth chattered, and she looked at Her Majesty the Queen as if she were looking at a demon. She closed her eyes, and her heart was filled with despair.
Faced with such a desperate situation, she had no choice.
"The countess looks very sad. Could it be that she is ill?"
Standing at the bottom of the steps, Conrad suddenly had such an idea in his mind.
...(To be continued, please search Piaotian Literature, the novels will be better and updated faster!
