Glover led his horse and stood in front of a wide and exquisite double iron door. He looked at the exquisite garden in front of him and the dragon-kissed fountain in the center. He looked at the three-story house with tall columns in front of him, with a serious expression.
"Wha, what?" Beside him, d.d-guard officer Doyle, who was checking the teeth of his mount, asked in confusion.
All around, the royal guards assigned to protect the prince, followed by the royal ceremonial officer and the political officer of the city hall, entered this gorgeous manor in an orderly manner, and met with the flattered local servants and guards - most of them came from the outer suburbs of the central territory.
The private soldiers of Bright Star recruited - doing the troublesome handover and propaganda.
"Complex terrain layout, cumbersome sentry settings, unnecessary decorations, and bright star private soldiers recruited from other places," Pioneer Officer Glover's eyes swept from the gate wall to the distant backyard garden, with an increasingly vigilant tone.
strong:
"And a labyrinth garden larger than the North."
In a bustling and busy atmosphere, the Pioneer Officer looked around and handed the mount to a subordinate of the Pioneer Wing, frowning even more.
"Beibei..." Doyle beside him said subconsciously, and immediately understood something and smiled brightly.
"Relax, zombie, this is Mindis Hall, not Broken Dragon Fortress."
Regardless of the face of the vanguard wing guard, Doyle put the reins into the other person's hand very naturally, and watched the other person pull away the mount with an unhappy expression of "Where are your guard wing people?"
, then turned back with satisfaction:
"And we're not here to fight."
Glover snorted from his nose.
He looked at the avenue outside the iron gate, then at the house at the end of the garden, and said in a cold tone:
"The prince should have lived in Fuxing Palace."
Pioneer Officer's sentences are long and seem to have profound meaning.
But Doyle tutted and shook his head.
"No, no, no, although we didn't know each other before, I know that you don't have many guard posts in the Pioneer Wing..."
Glover pursed his lips.
"I don't know whether the Thomund Hall or the Silent Room where His Majesty and the Queen are..."
d.d raised three fingers with a smile on his face and broke them down one by one:
"But the Ballard Room is very narrow, the Elland Court is a bit too high and cold, and the Sumei Room is too dark and dark..."
"Compared to these famous large grottoes in Fuxing Palace, believe me," Doyle gracefully raised his hand to the exquisite garden in front of him:
"You'll like it better here."
Glover narrowed his eyes.
"At least, at least there is Mindis Hall, there is..."
Doyle paused for a moment, then ran his fingers through the iron gate, garden, fountain, avenue, main hall, and finally pointed at the sun above his head and smiled calmly:
"……bright?"
Glover folded his arms and looked away, snorting speciously.
Obviously not satisfied.
"Besides, do you know how high its artistic value is?"
Doyle's eyes lit up and his words changed.
Glover frowned.
“Do you know its place in architectural history?”
The guard turned around and opened his arms, as if to hug him:
"Let's not mention that this is the famous Xianjun Palace... but look at this garden, look at these reliefs, look at these floor tiles! Not to mention the many art collections it has in stock!"
"Think about it, if a banquet is held here, the ladies in the royal capital will definitely rush to be the first..."
Doyle turned around with a dance step, his face full of sweetness.
Glover remained motionless, but looked at Doyle with an expression full of contempt.
"What's wrong?"
d.d shrugged, looking puzzled:
"Is it wrong to love art and beauty?"
Glover looked away, took a deep breath, and exhaled stiffly through his nose.
Familiar carriages and shouts could be heard in the distance, as if a person was directing the transportation.
Doyle's expression changed as he was immersed in art and beauty.
"Oh no, those are Stowe and Fubi..."
He immediately rushed to Glover's side, his expression was serious and his body straightened, he stretched out his arm and pointed at the Mindis Hall:
"Quick, quick, pretend to be talking to me, discussing defensive posts or defense plans, looking very attentive and serious..."
Glover was confused:
"What?"
"Only in this way, we don't have to be assigned to help with logistics." Doyle's expression remained unchanged and his lips moved slightly.
Glover is still puzzled:
"But... why me?"
"Because he never calls the vanguard!" Doyle whispered through gritted teeth.
Surrounded by a group of officials and private soldiers of the Bright Star, Logistics Officer Shi Tuo and Flag Officer Fubi passed by with several subordinates and several carriages, leaving doubtful and puzzled eyes on Doyle.
But after seeing Glover with a serious face, they gave up their doubts and left.
Only then did Doyle breathe out a sigh of relief, and his whole body relaxed.
Glover looked at him with an even weirder look.
But Doyle had no sense of embarrassment at all. He naturally returned to the state of intoxicated admiration. Turning his eyes, he saw the quiet figure under the pillars of the house in the distance and beside the fir door. In the gap between the figures coming and going,
A young man standing quietly.
Doyle squinted his eyes and looked at the still, slightly lonely prince - the servants and guards around him seemed to have some kind of tacit understanding, perfectly avoiding the prince while busy at work, and the people closest to him were at least
Ten meters away.
But from time to time, they cast careful glances and glanced over the silent young man.
"I bet you that kid just got spanked."
Glover glanced at D.D very subtly.
As if he was afraid that the other party would not believe him, Doyle narrowed his eyes:
"Believe me, I know this feeling. He is acting very calm now, but it is all an act..."
Doyle stared deeply at the prince's back, his eyes melancholy and quite touching:
"But in the deepest part of his heart, he just wants to find a place with no one and cry happily..."
Glover looked at him, his brows frowning more and more.
"This is not something you should comment on," the pioneer officer coughed seriously:
"Guard Officer Doyle."
But Doyle snorted softly.
"Come on, that broken sword in the morning... you are also unhappy, aren't you?" Doyle cupped Glover's arm, ignoring the other's ugly face, and said with a sense of schadenfreude:
"I bet all my money on you that our respected Duke has finally met someone with a sword heavier than his."
Glover didn't answer. He just looked at the porch of Mindis Hall and frowned deeply.
There, Duke Thales stood quietly.
He just stared at the porch, silent and motionless.
It seems to be isolated from the surroundings.
"are u there?"
Thales spoke in a daze:
"Did you see it?"
In response, a calm and calm voice came from behind:
"Yes, I saw it."
But he was not the person Thales expected.
The young man closed his eyes and sighed slightly.
"The royal family's private soldiers and servants did a good job in maintenance, which saved a lot of trouble."
"You can move in after we complete the assessment and inspection," the watchman Mallos came forward, stood beside the Duke, and looked at the main hall of the manor with him, his words were thought-provoking:
"Congratulations, the new owner of Mindis Hall."
Mindis Hall.
New owner.
Thales didn't look back.
The young man just quietly looked at the familiar and unfamiliar house in front of him, from the pillars to the door, from the carpet to the interior.
However, this time, familiarity seems to be greater than unfamiliarity.
Mallos seemed to feel a little bit of the atmosphere. He also remained silent and stood quietly with the prince.
The servants and guards were still busy, coming and going in a hurry, but subconsciously they stayed further away.
A few seconds later.
"You don't know."
Mallos frowned slightly.
Thales was expressionless and slowly spoke:
"You didn't know beforehand that you would be stationed here, right?"
"Otherwise, you don't have to evaluate and inspect it when the problem comes."
Mallos was slightly startled.
But Duke Xinghu smiled.
"You are not even prepared to become the Star Lake Guards," Thales lowered his head and felt a little lonely:
"Because the title of Duke of Star Lake was temporarily decided and canonized in a hurry after you set off."
Because...a sword.
Marius paused for a few seconds, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, not knowing what to think.
Thales sighed:
"Similarly, you are not planning to come to... Mindis Hall."
Marius seemed to hear something in the Duke's seemingly disordered words, but he hesitated to speak.
But Thales took a deep breath, and when he looked back, he had already put on a smile.
"By the way, when setting up defenses, don't forget to prepare silver weapons, and maybe weapons that have been blessed."
Silver weapons...
The change of topic caught the watchman off guard:
"Why?"
Thales snorted, took a few steps back, and looked at the roof and balcony of Mindis Hall:
"Beware of uninvited guests."
In Mallos' doubtful eyes, the prince's tone contained a touch of nostalgia:
"Like...a vampire?"
Mallos was stunned again, confused.
But Thales didn't explain much.
He just sighed again, raised his head, and looked at the pillars blankly.
"It looks smaller," the boy said subconsciously:
"I remember that the pillars here used to be very high."
Mallos' eyes moved and he looked deeply at the prince.
With some confusion, Thales walked through the porch and vaguely saw three giant portraits on the wall under the chandelier, facing the door.
And the three people in the painting.
One of them turned his back to the setting sun, raised his gun and rode his horse, as brave as ever.
One stands in the deep forest, sword and shield in hand, as determined as ever.
One is sitting quietly in the room, holding a stick and turning the pages of a book, as kind as before.
Looking at the three people in the painting, Thales' eyes were a little wandering.
He subconsciously raised his right hand and pressed his chest.
There seems to be a dull pain in the skin somewhere there.
"We are also revisiting our old place," Mallos followed with a calm tone, "You didn't have such an expression when we saw the Fuxing Palace."
Fuxing Palace.
Thales sneered.
"The first time I entered the Fuxing Palace, I was seriously injured in an assassination attempt and fell into a coma, so I was carried on my back."
Mallos narrowed his eyes.
The prince's expression was slightly ironic:
"When I revisit my old place, what kind of expression do you expect me to have?"
But Mallos's answer exceeded his expectations.
"laugh."
Thales frowned:
"What?"
I saw Marius taking a step forward and standing with him in front of the cedar door, staring at the statues of the Three Kings on the wall of the hall:
"You need to laugh."
"This way they don't have to suspect that your father doesn't like you," Mallos narrowed his eyes slightly:
"Or the other way around."
Thales was stunned at first:
"them?"
Mallos remained indifferent. He nodded without looking at the Duke:
"The royal guards are elites of all kinds, and their sense of smell is very sensitive."
Thales turned around subconsciously.
Around him, the royal guards were still busy, either directing logistics, handing over to servants, or assigning tasks...
Can't see any difference.
Thales was silent for a while, then suddenly started chuckling.
"do you know."
"I have a friend who also advised me: laugh."
Mallos looked at the prince and saw the latter taking a deep breath, looking at the sky from a distance, and said with emotion:
"Because life is hard enough."
"You have to laugh to make it lighter."
The young man felt a little confused, as if he had seen the yellow sand again.
"So, does it?"
Mallos stared at Thales who was feeling incomprehensible and suddenly said:
"After you're done laughing?"
Thales came back to his senses and shook his head.
"I don't know," the young man's smile was a little awkward:
"I hope so."
The prince turned around and was about to enter the porch.
"This place, this manor," Mallos spoke again, causing Thales to slow down:
"Do you know why it's called that?"
This place?
Why is it called this name?
Thales took back his steps and glanced around.
The prince gestured to the portrait on the far right on the opposite wall:
"he?"
In the painting, a middle-aged man with graying hair smiled kindly at him.
But Mallos shook his head.
"No."
The watchman crossed his arms and looked at the hall with a little more respect:
"Although Mindis III did live here more than a hundred years ago, and most people think it was him... but, no, Mindis Hall, it is not named after the wise king."
Isn’t it Xianjun’s name?
This actually aroused the boy's interest.
"Very good," Thales turned back with interest:
"Please enlighten me, my... guard captain?"
Mallos didn't care about the slight strangeness in Thales' tone. He turned around and looked in the direction of Fuxing Palace with a deep look:
"In the year 333 of the end calendar, the twenty-second supreme king was crowned, and his name appeared for the first time in the genealogy of kings in the stars."
Thales raised his eyebrows: How many...? Twenty-two?
That is……
"The king was young but frail and sick. He had to move out of the palace, find a place to recuperate, and entrusted the affairs of the country to his uncle and the royal council."
Marius' words were very calm, just like his indifferent expression, but the story he told was not necessarily pleasing:
"In just one year, the young king unfortunately died of illness and did not even leave any heirs."
The watchman stepped on the floor tiles under his feet:
"After that, the suburban manor where he died was named after him to commemorate him."
Mallos looked at the prince calmly.
Entrust the state affairs to my uncle and leave the palace to recuperate...
My nephew died young, leaving a name to commemorate...
The story is very short, doesn't even have a plot, and is not very auspicious.
The charm behind it is even somewhat...indescribable.
But Thales still had a "that's it" look on his face.
"So, um, suburban manor," Thales pointed around and tried to answer the words:
"You call Evening Star a 'suburb'?"
Mallos frowned slightly, obviously not satisfied with the prince's attitude of focusing on the key points: "It used to be."
"I call this 'urban sprawl.'"
Thales raised his eyebrows:
"oh."
"However, three and a half centuries have passed. When we stand here and mention the original owner of Mindis Hall," the watchman snorted and looked at Thales with a meaningful look:
"Even the direct descendants of Bright Star no longer know about the 'Fog King'."
Thales was a little embarrassed:
"I, uh..."
But he soon noticed the title mentioned by Marius:
"King of Fog?"
Mallos nodded.
He stretched out his hand and knocked on the precious fir door with a deep tone:
"Whether he was alive or dead, Mindis I, who died young, was always called the 'King of the Mist'."
"While he was still in power, his rule was like a fog, seemingly tangible, but actually without substance."
"His story is like a fog, coming and going in a hurry and disappearing quietly."
Suddenly, Mallos' eyes became sharp:
"No one remembers."
"No one cares."
Thales shuddered subconsciously.
"So take care of yourself, especially when the whole Guard is here."
Mallos' eyes focused back on Thales, which shocked the latter who was still a little passive and lonely:
"No matter what you've been through..."
The watchman's tone became cold:
"You must know that among the many inconspicuous and forgotten owners of Mindis Hall, you are not the only one who is sick and miserable."
Sick and miserable.
Thales swallowed subconsciously and rubbed his face.
"But like the King of the Mist..."
The watchman snorted coldly:
"No one will remember."
Mallos looked in the direction of Fuxing Palace, his eyes blurred:
"No one will care."
silence.
I have to say that at that moment, Thales was still a little embarrassed when someone pointed out his worries and problems.
After a while, the young Duke of Star Lake forced himself to laugh dryly:
"thanks for your encouragement."
"Lord Marius."
Although it's not that inspiring.
But the watchman did not respond to his thanks, and just glanced at him lightly:
"I will let you know when the room upstairs is ready."
"Your Excellency the Duke."
After Mallos finished speaking, he strode into Mindis Hall.
Thales looked at his back, thoughtfully in embarrassment.
"That Uncle Wang."
The young man suddenly spoke.
Under the portrait of the Revival King, Marius's back was faintly stagnant.
"King Mist's... uncle who administers state affairs on his behalf."
Thales' eyes were burning:
"After Mindis I died of illness, did he succeed to the throne?"
The watchman's back remained still for a few seconds.
"certainly."
Mallos turned back with a profound expression:
"Sumei Canxing, who was in charge of state affairs, finally inherited the throne from his nephew who died young and had no issue."
"That is the 'Jackal' Su Mei III in history."
Thales exhaled, understanding in his heart.
But Mallos’s words were not finished yet:
"by……"
"...The body of the Duke of Star Lake."
Thales was horrified.
But before he could ask any further questions, the watchman left without looking back.
Disappear up the stairs.
Thales was left alone, wondering about the meaning of this story.
After a few seconds, the prince smiled in relief.
Interesting.
Whether it is the owner of Mindis Hall or the Duke of Star Lake, the stories of his predecessors are all so...
It's intriguing.
Thales glanced at the direction where Mallos disappeared for the last time, turned away from the porch, and walked towards the garden. While waiting, he put on a smile and looked at the busy people around him.
He suddenly discovered that among the servants and private soldiers going back and forth, there were two figures that were so different. One was relaxed and the other was standing slightly serious at the edge of the pool, discussing something in a serious manner.
Thales recognized the two people, so he slowly walked towards them.
"You didn't want to come originally, right?"
Beside the fountain, Doyle looked at the maids in the distance and narrowed his eyes:
"You know, the Glover family is the best among the 'seven servants' and the backbone of the royal party. They have been trusted by generations of people and hold a high position of power."
Beside him, Glover frowned fiercely.
"Your father is the predecessor of Minister Juke Man, and your brother is in the Department of Finance and Taxation with a bright future."
Doyle's attention was still on the maids, without looking at Glover, and he sighed while narrating:
"Your Majesty is also determined to forge ahead and is young and powerful."
"But here you are, trying to catch this bad luck."
Doyle turned his head and stared at Glover curiously.
"Why?"
But this time, he seemed to have hit a brick wall.
I saw Glover also turning his head and staring at the other party coldly.
It was like staring at a piece of rotten meat at a butcher stall.
The silence lasted for a long time.
After getting no response for a while, d.d could only smile awkwardly and turned around consciously.
"Okay, it doesn't matter if you don't want to say it."
"But I'm different."
Doyle gave a perfect smile to the maid who finally couldn't stand his eyes and peeked over:
"During the years when our family was prosperous, Doyle got too close to the old dignitaries, and the relationship was so intricate... that for three generations, no one could be reused by the Fuxing Palace."
Glover didn't speak, but he withdrew his eyes.
Doyle looked at the maid with a red face and turned her head under the wall, her eyes a little frozen:
"They are worried that if this continues, the family's status in the 'Seven Attendants' will sooner or later be lost - just like Tardin, Belletti, and..."
Doyle paused, nodded his head in the direction of Mindis Hall, and sighed:
"Marios."
Glover said nothing and seemed not to hear.
"So I was forced to come here."
Doyle raised an eyebrow:
"My father had a beautiful thought: from the king's bodyguard to the prince's bodyguard, and maybe finally back to the king's bodyguard, and finally..."
d.d’s face turned slightly gloomy:
"Of course, that's just... a beautiful thought."
Glover's eyes flashed slightly.
"After all, the days of living off the fiefdom are over now," Doyle exhaled softly, with a helpless expression and a deep tone:
"And we are neither the six wealthy families nor the thirteen famous families."
In front of the motionless Glover, Doyle said quietly: