The guard's dining room was covered with dust and cobwebs, with only two candles glowing red, illuminating the dark shadows.
But at this moment, many people are sitting here to have a meal, making it noisy and lively.
"That old man, Vitano," D.D leaned against the wall, put his legs on the bench, and took a big bite of a piece of bread. "Since I came here, I have never heard him say a word. Could it be that he crawled from the soil?
Zombies coming out?”
Zombies.
Everyone eating at the same dining table looks at me, and I look at you, and subconsciously looks at the other dining table behind me.
D.D realized something. He smiled awkwardly and turned around to wave to the real "zombie" Glover:
“I’m sorry.”
Glover was drinking soup. Hearing this, he threw down the spoon and his eyes turned cold:
“Why are you sorry?”
Doyle was stunned by the zombie's fierce eyes.
"I……"
D.D realized something was wrong, laughed at himself, and lowered his head:
“Hug, sorry.”
"But that old man, the caretaker, maybe he is indeed a zombie." At the other end of the long table, Wyatt suddenly spoke, attracting everyone's attention.
The dining room was quiet.
Glover frowned.
"Be careful," Toledo, Marius's herald, reminded seriously, "Marios respects the old gentleman very much."
Huaiya shook his head, lowered his head and took a sip of the strange-tasting "drink" that the logistics wing got from someone unknown, with a painful expression on his face:
“No, I mean, he’s not simple.”
D.D came up and said, "What do you mean, Zhen Huai Ya?"
"Xinghu Castle has been without an owner for many years and has almost become an animal nest," Huaiya said solemnly, "and animals are very sensitive to their territory. We can even scare a group of crows out of the corner with a sigh of relief, but..."
He raised his head and looked at everyone:
“The old caretaker lives here without disturbing a single mouse.”
Everyone at the meal was suddenly in awe.
In a dark corner, Hugo Fubi, the special flag officer who was out of tune with everyone else, picked up a notebook with an expressionless face and jotted down:
Wya Castle.
Be keen on observation.
Loss of sophistication.
“He has lived here for too long and the animals are no longer afraid of him?” D.D first flicked away a spider that fell on the bread, then tore off the dusty crust on the bread and took a bite.
Waia shook his head: "This is just the best guess."
Logistics officer Piloga turned back from the window:
“What about the worst?”
Opposite Glover, Rolf looked at his soup bowl unhappily. There was a spider that flew from nowhere and was struggling hard in it.
D.D sighed:
“Zombie.”
Speaking of this, D.D thought of something again and waved to Glover sheepishly:
“Well, I’m sorry!”
Glover snorted angrily and swallowed the food in his mouth.
"Morgan, Cuesta, it's your turn." Two tired figures walked into the dining room, alternating shifts with the two people in the room.
Doyle’s eyes lit up:
“Hey, Bastia, Nehi! How about it, is there anything good in the Jackal Tower?”
“You mean in addition to cobwebs, ashes, cat droppings, bird droppings, ghosts, rotten wood and rusted iron.D.D?”
Young pioneer officer Nexi picked up the kettle, poured himself a drink, and said sarcastically:
“Let me think about it, oh, yeah, there’s a rotten rag, it smells like shit, damn, what does that smell like?”
“Yerba mate,” said Piroga, who was drinking tea comfortably by the window. “Don’t ask too much. If you ask, it will be a friendly sponsorship from the Logistics Wing.”
"There is a monastery in the southeast corner, and there are many cemeteries in it." Bastia saw this, poured out his drink decisively, and pulled off a piece of cobweb above his head. "It is surprisingly clean. Apparently someone cleans it regularly.
That old man."
“Maybe he lives in the cemetery, you know zombies!”
D.D laughed and waved back as usual:
"hug"
“If you say sorry again, I will throw you out of the window.” Glover stared at him.
As if to cooperate with him, Rolf next to him poured out the spider soup in his hand, snorted coldly, and blew a slight wind.
The room is quiet.
Doyle had no choice but to look back.
In the corner, there are a few more lines on Fubi’s record book:
Karen Glover.
Atmosphere destroyer.
But it has the final say and authority.
"Don't worry," Paul Bozdorf, who joined in halfway and had been silent, suddenly said, "Lord Marius trusts that old man for a reason."
Huaiya’s eyes moved:
"You know him?"
Paul shook his head:
“No, but I know that last name.”
.
Paul looked calm and said calmly:
“This is the maiden name of the current queen and the family of a wealthy merchant in the kingdom.”
“We still have a queen?” Willow in the north was confused for a while.
Paul ignored everyone’s reaction and continued:
"The Cato family started by reselling trophies and making war fortune. They act in a low-key manner, but have close ties with the Renaissance Palace. They are the best among the royal family's chartered merchants, and have opened up many financial resources for the bright stars of the past. Although they have a low title, they are
The position is key and the energy is not small.”
Paul raised his head:
“That’s why His Majesty Kessel, who was the youngest son of the late king, married a daughter of the Cato family.”
The official in charge of the flag, Fu Bi, showed no emotion and kept writing:
Paul Bozdorf.
Gloomy and restrained, with a key point in the language and a rich background.
“Oh, this explains why the old man is here,” D.D suddenly realized, “because his task is to guard the royal family’s property.”
Huaiya narrowed his eyes:
“But those animals...why do I feel like there’s more than that?”
“Instead of worrying about this, let’s think about what we do next.”
Nexi scooped up a spoonful of wheat porridge with almost no substance, gritted his teeth and said:
“I said, how long do you have to eat these things? Lao Pi, you are a logistics officer, what do you say?”
Nate Niecy.
You are young and full of energy, but you don’t know how to restrain yourself.
Fubi continued to write.
“Believe me, His Highness and the Chief have already begun to deal with this matter.”
Piloga sighed and raised his cup:
“Look around, mate is also tea.”
Niexi gave him a middle finger gesture that was exclusive to the Star Lake Guards.
Middle finger, as a provocative gesture.
Fubi Flag Officer frowned and recorded:
The Duke of Thales especially likes to use the rare and unique northern customs to cultivate the culture of the guard and enhance the cohesion and sense of belonging of his men.
"you know."
Bastia suddenly spoke:
“I went home a few days ago, and everyone was pointing and pointing, but hesitated to speak. Even my five-year-old nephew was avoiding me, as if I had suddenly turned into a leper.”
As soon as this was said, everyone fell silent.
"Why," Bastia sighed, "why does His Highness have to go against His Majesty? You followed him into the palace..."
Fubi Flag Officer in the corner curled his lips:
Add Bastia.
As always, conservative, timid, and worried.
咚.
Herald Toledo put down the bowl coldly.
“Prefect Marius has already convened a meeting to discuss this issue.”
Toledo replied calmly, but there was a chill in his tone:
“We have our own vows.”
Everyone looked at each other, and the atmosphere in the dining room became a little awkward.
Wya, Glover, D.D. and others were especially silent.
"Of course I know this, but to be honest," Niexi said gloomily, "my father wants to find a relationship to transfer me to the Fuxing Palace."
"My uncle has a different view," Pezzarosi from the Punishment Wing drank the yerba mate in the cup in one gulp, his face distorted by the smell. "He believes that the king only has one son, and no matter how much he doesn't like him, sooner or later...
…”
“Be careful what you say!” Toledo said sharply.
“Come on, Toledo!”
Niexi spread her hands and complained: "We have been exiled to the wilderness where no one cares about us. We even have to save food and eat. Why are we so cautious? Why, Flag Wings can still hide in the spider webs to spy on us? What do you mean?
What about, Uncle Hugo? You've been taking notes for months!"
“Get out.” Hugo Fubi did not even raise his head, but kept writing:
Nexi likes to ask for trouble.
“Then why don’t you leave?”
D.D suddenly spoke, his tone was not as relaxed as usual:
“Why don’t you go back to the place you are used to?”
Nesi and Pezzarosi, including Bastia, you look at me and I look at you, and you are at a loss.
Glover stirred the spoon, without raising his head, and took over the conversation with a soft hum:
“Yeah, go back and lick Brother Da Diao?”
This nickname made everyone stunned for a moment, and then caused a burst of laughter.
“I know why.”
Doyle looked at the half-left piece of bread in his hand in fascination, and flicked a moth away from it again:
“Because no one in the Fuxing Palace is willing to tie up his own hands and get into trouble at a royal banquet just to save a careless guard.”
He sighed:
"nobody."
The dining room fell silent again.
Fubi threw away the dead moths in his notebook, silently observed the surrounding atmosphere, and wrote a few more words:
Danny Doyle.
Speaking seemingly carelessly, speaking as one pleases.
However, humor, pain, emotion, and gratitude can always fit the atmosphere and hit other people's emotions.
“Then, thank you for introducing yourself, Guard Officer Doyle.” Nexi snorted softly.
“I know that His Highness is still young and treats people sincerely,” the guard officer Konmuto sitting in the corner sighed softly, “but we have to remind him that sincerity cannot buy everything.”
“Yes, His Highness came back from the north and is used to the Yankees’ ways,” Piroga shook his head. “He has not suffered from the stars yet. I hope he can get through this safely.”
Gianluca Conmuto.
Leo Piloga.
Be passive in dealing with things, be wise and protect oneself, but
Fubi frowned, his pen stopped at the transitional word and did not write any further.
He felt something was wrong.
“It’s because you worry too much.”
In the end, it was Wyatt who spoke.
“I think what we saw is different from what His Highness saw.”
"And His Highness told me," the prince's attendant said firmly, "if you see the sun, you will not be able to go back to the cave."
Nexi hummed softly:
“Thank you, Mr. Attendant, it’s something I don’t understand again.”
Kehuaiya shook his head.
"You only really got to know him at that banquet," Huaiya said in a daze, "but I have been following His Highness since six...more than seven years ago, and no one is earlier than me."
A deep guttural voice came from behind him:
"snort."
"Sorry," Wyatt rolled his eyes and waved to the masked man behind him, "Rolfe was a little bit earlier than me..."
Rolf then turned his head.
"I followed him, I saw him breaking into the Northlanders' army, I saw him walking back to the trap of the Palace of Heroes, I saw him break the plot of the Kinslayer King, I even saw him working hand in hand with Charmaine Lombard,
Dances with Wolves.”
Everyone in the room became quiet unconsciously after listening to Huaiya's words.
"Yes, Duke Thales usually seems to be tolerant and easy-going, even a little weak and bullyable," the attendant's eyes flickered, "but only at critical moments, such as royal banquets, you will understand what kind of person he is."
D.D shrugged.
No one spoke.
Only Fubi’s notebook keeps turning the pages:
Wya Castle.
The person who is the oldest, the closest, and the one who knows the Duke of Thales best.
“Anyway, I don’t really want to go back, but the castle gate hasn’t been repaired yet. If anyone wants to leave, please feel free to do so.”
Glover said coldly:
“It will be the same after repairing it.”
These words made everyone tremble.
“Yeah,” Doyle lay down on the pile of debris behind him and stared blankly at the spider webs in the corners of the ceiling, “It’s as if we have money to repair the door.”
Hand out this book and get a cash red envelope!
Everyone burst into laughter.
Fubi narrowed his eyes:
Danny Doyle.
The mediator and controller of the team atmosphere.
Everyone in the dining room gradually finished their dinner and left in twos and threes complaining.
Hugo Fubi raised his sinister eyes and turned to the next page.
There is no need to care about etiquette and superiority.
Don’t like human interaction.
No need to bribe to win over.
It doesn’t matter about inheriting the glory.
Don’t brainwash with collective slogans.
Hardly any of the means by which aristocratic rule could win over people's hearts.
When Fubi wrote this, his pen suddenly changed:
but.
The loyalty of his subordinates not only remains undiminished, but also becomes stronger and stronger, and rumors are hard to shake.
Surprisingly.
Fubi looked sharply and wrote the last sentence:
Where are the hidden dangers?
The next second, his fingers slipped on the spine of the book, and all the words on it disappeared, as if they had seeped into the paper.
Leaves only a blank space.
It took Marius three full days to clear out part of the dilapidated Xinghu Castle, and it was finally inhabitable.
Unexpectedly, Xinghu Castle occupies a large area and is fully functional. It has several different partitions such as the main hall, Jackal Tower, Xun Film Studio, Pain Room, Ascension Hall, Zhiyao Area, Dining Room, etc., which are used separately.
Come to entertain guests, live, read, meditate, relax, host banquets, as well as the lakeside monastery that has long been abandoned but still remains, the Starry Courtyard (commonly known as the lumberyard) used for garrisoning and training, etc., all rooms
The total number is probably no less than three to four hundred, not to mention the secret passages and secret rooms that may be hidden.
Thales still hasn't remembered clearly how many ways there are to get from the main hall to the study and bedroom. Mallos can only order the logistics wing and the guard wing to seal the passages that lead to unknown or dilapidated passages, and then face different versions.
I worked overtime on the old castle map, corrected the markings, kept recording, and unblocked the newly sorted rooms and areas.
But the good news is that the palace manager, Baron Quentin, is very talkative. He called the surrounding villages and towns in advance and asked them to supplement the food and clothing for the nominal lord, the Duke of Star Lake, so that Thales would not starve to death.
In the castle, the logistics wing, with the help of the palace manager, continued to recruit servants, cooks and gardeners in the farm, on the condition that part of the rent and taxes were exempted.
"Your fiefdom is about the size of half a barony. Of course it is not a baron in the North or Cliffland. They have all uninhabited wasteland under their command, and the area is almost as big as a count in the South Coast Territory..."
This morning, Thales was walking on the field ridges, and he was accompanied by Baron Quentin who came from the royal capital, and the latter was talking endlessly about the fields in front of him.
"Six farms, except one of which belongs to the Sunset Monastery and has to serve the gods, the other five will report to you. There are self-owned farms, leased fields, and public fields with a long history. But now they are all complicated and intertwined.
…”
Baron Quentin was followed by five respectful butlers, each holding a thick stack of ledgers and records in their hands. More attendants, guards, and servants followed behind, trembling with fear.
"Each field and farm has different production methods. Farmers alone are far from enough. We have hired many workers to produce grapes, wool and other original crops according to the season and time of day. Of course, in another month, the fields will
The wheat is about to be harvested, and it will be very busy at that time, with many more people..."
Thales frowned upon hearing this.
The place they were in was a farm belonging to Xinghu Fort. Along the way, they could see farmers carrying farm tools and oxen and horses heading to the fields, or peasant women holding fur baskets and rushing to work in the workshops. Maybe they didn't know Tai.
However, when they saw Baron Quentin and several housekeepers, their expressions changed slightly, and they all stepped back, whispering while bowing their heads.
“There are also three villages or small towns with a long history. Even wars cannot erase them. They regularly pay taxes to the royal family. However, they are not very prosperous recently. People prefer to go to Yongxing City or other large towns to find jobs and make a living..."
The palace manager was talking with great interest as he walked, and he knew the situation of the Xinghu Fort fiefdom very well:
"In addition, your fiefdom is close to the Wang family's hunting forest. If the villagers want to go there to catch some game, chop some firewood, etc., as long as they pay enough people and don't do it too blatantly, we will turn a blind eye.
, it can be regarded as an output. After all, it will not be easy for everyone after the Year of Blood..."
"Also remember that every farm and town has its own craftsmen, and their craft products, such as fabrics, furniture, honey, candles, soaps, including certain rare items, are the most easily missed...
…”
Tales’ brows became more and more serious.
“These rosters record an overview of your farm, including the name of each farmer, land and farm tools, various hired workers and craftsmen, as well as the annual reference output and taxes payable. From now on, it will be up to you..."
"Wow, Lord Baron," Thales, who was getting agitated, had to interrupt him, "I need to, uh, remember all these things?"
Baron Quentin only glanced at him and immediately understood the Duke's mood at the moment. He sighed softly.
"Every decent family will have a steward they trust, who will handle the owner's accounts and collect rent, hire people, supervise the work, and take care of the owner's food, clothing, housing and transportation. In fact, the bigger the family, the more it needs a good steward. Damn it, Cordero
, don’t let me see your people being lazy again!”
It only took a second for the palace steward to seamlessly switch from being sincere to an angry one. He scolded the steward of the local farm. The latter was covered in cold sweat. He turned around and yelled at a few people who were chatting under the shade of the trees and pointing fingers at Thales and his entourage.
Hire workers.
Chief Quentin turned back angrily:
"Believe me, in these farms, from farmers to workers, from stewards to supervisors, they are lazy, cunning, rough, and impetuous at work, but they are greedy, philistine, and arrogant. They are used to being lazy, bullying superiors, and trying to do less work.
Get more money..."
“You must have the shrewdness of a fox and the strength and majesty of a lion to control these white-eyed wolves.”
“It seems that you are the truly indispensable person in this land.” Thales said with emotion, sincerely.
Baron Quentin coughed, but he was afraid of speaking modestly, but there was a hint of joy on his face that could not be concealed.
“Oh, Your Highness, I don’t dare to say that. I only have the trust of the late king.”
“So, steward?” Thales looked at the steward with hope.
Quentin came to his senses:
"Oh, yes, and we, you can say, are one of the stewards of the Bright Star Royal Family. For this, I need to know all the land and farms of the royal family, every inch and every cent of the output, the population and labor..."
Thales immediately got off the slope:
“In this case, I think that when I first arrive, I shouldn’t overwhelm the guest with these things...”
Baron Quentin responded very quickly:
“I understand very well, after all, you are very busy...”
"Then everything will continue as usual, and I will set aside your taxes separately, and let the stewards of each farm and the mayors of villages and towns regularly deliver to Xinghu Castle, including monthly food, firewood, fabrics... Of course, food and clothing
The variety and sophistication of the expenses are incomparable to those in Yongxing City..."
Thales waved his hand generously, indicating that Duke Xinghu should share the joys and sorrows with his people.
Looking at the prince's nonchalant look, Quentin couldn't help but sigh:
"In the future, there may be a mistress to take care of this for you, but unfortunately, you are the heir to the throne, and the future mistress is destined to be the queen. She will be busy enough with the Fuxing Palace and the noble families in the capital and the whole country.
, probably don’t have time to take care of these details... You still have to find the right candidate..."
That being said, in fact, there isn't much for Thales to worry about, because Baron Quentin had already arranged everything before he came, including the public and private taxes on the territories near Star Lake Castle, gold field tax, head tax, and hunting tax, including transactions.
Taxes, travel taxes, etc. were all collected and collected by the tax collectors of the Department of Finance and Taxation in the past. This year, they will all be transferred to Xinghu Fort.
It's just that the fiefdom is limited, so there's no need to think about getting rich overnight.
“I don’t have such extravagant hopes, I just want to make ends meet.”
Thales closed the thinnest account book with a headache:
“Just don’t make any big trouble.”
Facing such an unmotivated royal heir, Director Quentin couldn’t help but sigh:
“I think it won’t happen as long as you don’t order the restoration of the right of first night.”
“Thank you, Mr. Steward.”
Thales looked at the palace steward who had served his grandfather:
“I know that it was your intention to help and speed up the handover that allowed me to take over this land so smoothly.”
Baron Quentin paused.
He closed the account book and handed it to the other stewards, telling them to stay away.
“Do you really think that I am the indispensable person for these lands and can decide their ownership?”
Baron Quentin looked at Thales with complicated eyes:
“I think he still cares about you.”
Tales' smile froze.
"Maybe."
Thales put his hand into his pocket and touched the "Gortaksa".
It feels cold to the touch and the sharp thorns prick the hand.