That night, under Jinni’s dagger-like gaze and merciless scolding, Thales struggled to finish a dinner with many rules, which was also a boring and necessary etiquette lesson - after all, as a behavior
Standardized etiquette is also one of the criteria for dividing social classes - at least you can use knives and forks in a proper manner with trembling hands.
But Thales could feel the anger and dissatisfaction hidden under Jinni's beautiful eyes, and he vaguely knew that this was related to the history of the stars that Gilbert told about in the afternoon.
If the stars are there, the empire will last forever.
This weighty oath, even for someone like Thales, who is not familiar with the legend of the founding of Tormund I, can't help but make his heart beat faster and his blood boil when he hears it.
Gilbert and the guards in the hall—Tails later learned that they were all descendants of the remnant army of the final empire—were such representatives.
However, Thales was keenly aware of Jinni's disgust at this sentence and even the meaning behind it.
But he didn't dare ask.
He didn't know what the attitude of this female official who claimed to be his father's lover was towards him.
In the way Jinni looked at him, Thales saw the fleeting disgust in the other person's eyes, and also saw her reluctance to endure it, and her repeated hesitation when approaching him, but there was no sincere smile.
.
Therefore, the whole etiquette class was extremely boring.
Until Jinni, who had glaring eyes, unexpectedly broke the silence first:
"You don't like these rules and etiquette, do you?" Seeing Thales trying his best to bend his wrist to avoid exceeding the standard line of arm swing during meals, Jinni suddenly said coldly: "Your expression is simply worse than before.
The horse is still ugly after being bridle-ed."
Thales was startled by the sudden question. He was in a hurry and tried his best to answer appropriately: "Well, Ms. Jinni, I know these are necessary, and I am still trying my best to adapt..."
But his words were interrupted by Matajini.
"Of course you must learn these etiquette." She said coldly, but full of mocking disdain.
"But it's best not to become their prisoner... walking, sitting or lying in a so-called noble posture does not mean that you are really noble."
"Similarly, bearing those glorious and proud histories does not mean that you are really..."
Jinni didn't say any more, she subconsciously bit the second half of her sentence.
Thales was shocked.
It seems that this lady has different opinions on Gilbert's teachings?
"Ms. Jinnie," he tried carefully: "Gilbert's history class in the afternoon...you...you don't seem...not..."
"Humph, are you kidding? That is their great and long-standing kingdom... How dare I have any objections." Jinni sniffed and denied Thales' words, but the latter clearly read the mockery in the female officer's eyes.
and irony.
Thales looked at Jini steadily, at his father's lover.
"Ms. Jinnie," Thales said carefully and softly: "You were not my father's from the beginning - the court lady's, right?"
Jinni raised her eyebrows, and the beauty mark on her mouth trembled slightly.
"And you - you don't like these etiquette, these rules, you don't even like them," Thales hesitated for a moment, but looked at the knife and fork in his hand and asked, "Don't you like this country?"
The voice fell.
Jinni looked at Thales blankly.
This kid.
It's really sensitive.
Jinni turned her head and looked at the gold and silver nine-pointed star sign above the fireplace in the study, and said nothing for a long time.
Just when Thales stuck out his tongue, thinking that he had asked the wrong question, and was about to lower his head and continue fighting with his knife and fork as if nothing had happened, Jinni sighed and looked at the knife and fork in Thales' hand in a daze.
, and spoke softly:
"I was born in Bakwi City in Shude County. It is a small city near the sea in the eastern part of the kingdom. It is not a prosperous trading port, but it can be self-sufficient through fishing. It is considered a good place in the stars."
"The city lord is my father, who is well-known in the eastern counties. He has always strictly trained us to abide by the rules, comply with etiquette, and become ladies. I hope that one day our family can also become a famous family with long-lasting heritage."
Thales' eyes were solemn, and he quickly took advantage of Jinni's lack of attention to secretly move his stiffened wrist.
"But I am a disobedient and rebellious daughter. I have hated these rules and etiquette since I was a child."
"So much so that at the age of sixteen, adulthood is imminent, but I am a wild girl who can't even dance in the court ballroom, eats rudely and talks unrestrainedly." Jinni under the lamp smiled bitterly and looked at the moon outside the window, but her tone was different.
Full of nostalgia:
"Of course my father won't let me do whatever I want - in short, the memory was not very pleasant, and things were a bit tense. The family wanted to deprive me of my identity and inheritance rights, and send me to the temple to be sacrificed."
Thales stuck out his tongue out of sight. He knew that most priests in temples vowed not to marry and to serve the gods all their lives.
When things get to this point, it's probably not as simple as "somewhat stiff".
Jinni lowered her head slightly, her eyes darkened, but then she raised her head with a cheerful smile.
"But at this moment, a prince came to our castle as a guest."
What?
Upon hearing this, Thales, who was flexing his wrist, stopped.
prince?
It won't be the bloody plot I thought it would be, right?
Ji Ni continued:
"He heard my story and just laughed."
"His Royal Highness pardoned my guilt in public and promised me that I do not have to follow the rules and etiquette that ordinary noble girls must abide by. But the premise is that when I become an adult, I must find a way to make a living on my own outside of my status as a noble daughter."
This - it's really bloody, isn't it?
But Thales also had some doubts in his heart - didn't the prince's practices and concepts seem, how should I put it, too advanced?
But Jinni seemed to be talking to herself, the corners of her mouth raised slightly unconsciously, and she didn't pay any attention to Thales's reaction.
"So I walked out of the family castle and followed the prince to the royal capital."
"From reading the court newspaper for His Highness every day, to working as a hard-working clerk in the warehouse, to being a scribe with a copper coin per page, to being a secretary of the Security Department, and then to being admitted to the fifth-level security officer... My life has changed because of him.
Completely changed.”
Thales was startled for a moment. In his impression, Jinni was a standard palace noble, but he had never thought that she had such a colorful past.
"However, after many years, I finally became a court lady." Jinni shook her head mockingly.
"Look at me - a shameful noble who hates etiquette and rules - now here, teaching the heir of the kingdom, teaching him the etiquette I hated most back then."
After Jinni finished speaking, her eyes returned directly to the dining table, staring at Thales - he dropped his table knife again.
Thales chuckled awkwardly.
Asked a question that even I thought was ridiculous:
"That kind prince, is Kai—my father?"
Your father?
Jinni's eyes were a little blurry for a moment.
But Thales didn't get the answer he expected.
I saw the palace female official turning her head gently, with a complex and difficult-to-discern expression on her face.
"No, it's not him." Jinni said softly:
"I still remember the smile on His Highness's face when he pardoned me, a shackled, dirty, crying and fussy girl."
"That kind of warm, tolerant, sunny smile. It seems that he is feeling all the beauty in this world every moment, and no matter what kind of ugliness and filth, it will not move his face."
"Your father, Kessel, was just a dandy prince who was famous in the capital for being arrogant and unrestrained. His face was full of evil smiles that would make ladies panic - but there was no such reassuring smile."
Thales looked at Jinni in surprise.
King Kessel - arrogant, unbridled, dandy prince?
He saw Jinni's eyes flickering, as if containing infinite gratitude and sorrow, and then she slowly uttered each word:
"That day, the person who came to our castle was the eldest son of the late king."
"His Majesty Kessel's eldest brother, Midir Shining Star, the former Crown Prince."
————————————————
"So, we thought it was the Corleone family who fulfilled their contract and came to help, the so-called three masters," Duke Zahn frowned, put down a letter with a black fang emblem made of fire paint, and crossed his hands under the three-color iris flower.
:
"Just the loser in a clan fight."
"They used the name of the Corleone family, used our invitations, borrowed our voyage ships, relied on our customs clearance, and used our Kevin Deere family like fools to sail across the Sea of Terminal, escape from the Hill of Pain, and hide
Went to Yongxing City, lived in our manor for so long, and even took a lot of blood..."
"Is that so?"
In front of his desk, the knights of the extreme realm, Lord Cassian and Lord Seychelles, did not speak. They just looked at the middle-aged bald man kneeling on the ground between them with complicated expressions.
.
Cassian remembered that the bald middle-aged man came to the Tower of the End with him under the old Duke and played for Kevin Dill's Tricolor Iris at the same time.
Unfortunately, the middle-aged man's skills were insufficient and he was seriously injured in a battle. From then on, he could only handle civilian affairs. But even so, the old Duke still sympathized with his situation and trusted him to take care of the voyage affairs.
What was his name? Cassian tried hard to search his memory, but couldn't remember it.
"Yes... yes... they showed the Holy Blood emblem that is only available to direct descendants of Corleone, and the blond man threatened us with a bad attitude..." The kneeling middle-aged man's head was almost touching the ground.
He explained stammeringly.
"They still have your...your handwritten letter..."
"Okay," Duke Jenn sighed and rubbed his brows. The butler next to him, Ashford, immediately poured a glass of craft wine originating from the Principality of Sera.
Zhan En tried his best to show a helpless smile: "It's not your fault, go down, and remember to be careful next time."
The middle-aged bald man kept nodding his head in apology as if he had been granted amnesty. At Seychelles' urging, he tremblingly exited the study.
"He used to be a talent, but now he is useless." Zhan En said with a look of regret, holding up his wine glass: "Send him to the Eastern Continent again immediately. Let's deal with him on the high seas."
"Don't do anything within the national borders and territorial waters. I don't want to commit murder."
When Cassian heard these words, his heart moved.
"Your Majesty the Duke," he said unbearably: "If you keep him, he will definitely be more dedicated in the future..."
Cassian didn't notice the signal Seychelles gave him next to him.
"Forget it about ordinary matters, but I don't want to make mistakes in such key secret matters." Duke Zhan sighed, "He made a mistake, and he already has grudges and shadows in his heart, especially when he has doubts about his future.
The doubts will only gradually deepen over time."
"And he knew about our contact with Corleone, which was involved in that plan."
"You all know how important that plan is."
Cassian finally noticed Seychelles' code, lowered his head and stopped making any sound.
"Next time you sail, let's find someone new." Duke Zhan took a sip of wine with disappointment. "When father was still here, they were far less relaxed in doing things."
Ashford replied calmly: "Loyalty and prudence both require time to settle."
Zhan shook his head and sighed: "Unfortunately, what we lack most is time - that matter is within a month, and our manpower cannot be involved, so it is best not to have any accidents."
Seychelles nodded slightly: "Sir, please rest assured that the mercenaries hired at such a high price will have enough opportunities to assassinate His Majesty."
Lord Cassian shuddered slightly, wondering why his colleague was so bold and unreasonable.
Zhan En paused for a moment, and then turned his attention to Seychelles.
"Don't talk nonsense," the little Duke said coldly.
Seychelles bowed his head in apology, but sneered secretly:
It seems that the Duke has no dissatisfaction.
"It's time for you to set off. The Cullen family and the Nantry family will send people there. At this point, don't conflict with them."
Zhan's eyes were cold, and he cautiously said to Cassian and Seychelles: "When those mercenaries succeed, you will deal with the people who did it."
Cassian was shocked, and he looked up in disbelief: "Sir! Deal with those people? Didn't we hire them under other names? They, some of them are from me at the Tower of the End -"
Zhan suddenly looked at him!
Eyes like swords.
Cassian's throat trembled, and this supreme knight was unable to say the rest of his words.
"Then persuade your friend to go back," Zhan said calmly, but Ashford knew that this was a sign of his dissatisfaction: "Go with someone who is not your friend."
Seychelles tugged at the back of Cassian's clothes, blocking the latter's words back into his throat.
"As you wish, my lord." The shrewd Seychelles nodded, pulled the livid Cassian away, and followed the order.
Zhan slowly exhaled, calmed down, and looked at the portrait of the old Duke in the distance.
"Cassian is old."
He said calmly.
"After this incident, send him back to the Emerald City, or to his own territory."
Ashford looked calm and nodded slightly.
"As for the matter of those Corleone refugees, Ashford, you should handle it personally. Just start the investigation from the cavalry who suddenly broke into the Manor that night." Zhan spilled the red wine at the bottom of the glass, his eyes were cold: "Contact the Corleone family -
—Write directly to the Queen of Night herself—tell Caitlina what happened here, and see the opportunity to increase our leverage."
Ashford nodded: "As you wish."
"The test in Mindis Hall, I remember, was handed over to the Blood Bottle Gang. Or did you not find Nekra?" Zhan narrowed his eyes and looked at Ashford.
"No, sir," Ashford bowed slightly, "The Blood Bottle Gang is now leaderless and in chaos. There are rumors that he went abroad to find the Blood Magician."
Blood Magician?
Zhan closed his eyes tightly and blew out a breath from his nose.
The upbringing he had received forced him to do his best to swallow the words he wanted to say without any grace.
"There is no other way, then just send our men to control the Blood Bottle Gang." Duke Zhan opened his eyes, with no emotion in his pupils. He put down his wine glass and said:
"In these two months, I will control all the rumors and news in the territory of the Blood Bottle Gang, from civilians to soldiers, nobles to businessmen."
Ashford nodded slightly.
"It's time for the messenger sent to Exeter to return. Let's see if the Duke of Black Sand is willing to seize this opportunity." Zhan leaned back into the comfortable lounge chair and narrowed his eyes.
Just wait, father.
Tricolor iris, will soon be one step further.
If it goes well.
————————————
Tell me something.
Wu Jian has a bad habit. He likes to upload the chapters first, and then browse them carefully over and over again in the reader interface (this is more efficient, I can't see the code page at all), review and modify it, and sometimes even
It's a major overhaul.
So book friends who see an update, please check the time first. If the update is within 20 minutes, then Wu Jian is most likely still holding a notebook and making changes. It will take a while to make the overall change in the background. Don’t worry.
, wait, after half an hour, look again, then it will be the final version.
So at this time, just smile.
Don’t be impatient. If you read a draft of a chapter and are poisoned by typos and poor logic, wouldn’t it be Wu Jian’s fault?
Let’s promote another book club group: 397147168. There are only four people there at the moment, which feels so desolate.
ps: I have been hesitant on several major plot points recently, and I especially need feedback from book friends.