After the carriage passed, Rege poked Lord Duncanâs arm with his sword hilt and asked, âWhat is the Earl of Flowervale doing now?â
For some reason, he didnât dare look back at the other personâs expression.
Lord Duncan, however, was watching with great relish and laughed loudly, saying, âRege, youâre really something! Those two heavily made-up menservants look ghastly. But itâs a pity, the Earl of Flowervale blocked your attack with an umbrella. His response was very quick, nothing happened at all.â
Hearing these words, Rege quickly turned around.
In the twilight, the man stood in the drizzle with the umbrella, his overly pale face radiating an inextinguishable luminance in the dim light. At this moment, he was staring back at them intently, his slender eyebrows twisted together, silently voicing the unhappiness in his heart.
Because of this prank, his already melancholic temperament seemed a few shades more somber.
Heâd finally made the other party look squarely at him, but Rege didnât feel happy at all. Catching sight of this gloomy face made him feel chagrined.
âBack to Grande.â In an instant, he lost all interest.
He rubbed his tightly furrowed brow, then looked at the pale and desolate face again. For a while he felt a bit at a loss.
The carriage turned around in the wide forest clearing and headed back in the direction of Grande.
Jian Qiao, whoâd expected the carriage to return a long time ago, was still waiting by the side of the road, ready to block a second assault of mud with the umbrella.
But this time, Rege ordered the coachman to slow down and eventually stopped beside him.
âI want to know how you recognized me?â Rege poked his head out of the carriage window and said, âIn Grande, there are two people who can casually wear silk shirts more expensive than gold, Rege Grande and Hall Grande. How did you know the person before you wasnât Hall?â
Hall Grande was his eldest brother.
Jian Qiao didnât want to speak to this childish man at all, but he carried all of Desolette on his shoulders, and that was a responsibility he could never shirk. He had to ingratiate himself with these great nobles in order to fight for the interests of his people.
So he bowed his head slightly and said in a soft voice, âIn distant Grande there dwells a son of the sun. His eyes are blue as cloudless skies, and his hair is bright as pure gold. When you gaze at him from afar, sunshine pours into your eyes.â
He lowered his head a little more and sighed. âThe moment I opened the door and saw you I remembered that verse, a renowned poem written for you by a bard. So the person standing before me, who else could it be except you? â
Rege: ââŠâ
At that moment, the inexplicable accumulation of bewilderment, irritation, anger, and remorse in his heart all completely vanished. He often heard words of praise that were more extravagant than this, but never once had they made his heart leap like a bird.
How could there be a person like the Earl of Flowervale in the world? Heâd clearly spoken such words of flattery, but there was no hint of a flattererâs guile. He was too sincere, too moving, and in a few words all the unhappiness was soothed.
Rege had to press his lips hard to prevent himself from laughing on the spot.
âCongratulations,â he said with pretended arrogance. âYou pleased me, so thatâs all for today.â
Jian Qiao gripped the umbrella handle tightly and responded in a gentle tone, âThank you for your generosity.â
Obviously, he was the one whoâd been inconvenienced and humiliated, but because he had no power, he had to bow his head before the person who humbled him. This was the law of survival in Tortus.
Rege snorted, then ordered the coachman to move on.
The sound of horse hooves drifted farther and farther away, and Jian Qiao, who had been bowing his head in respect, straightened up and looked coldly at the carriage as it was gradually swallowed by the fog. He knew this was just the beginning. There were even more dangers waiting ahead.
â
Half an hour later, Jian Qiaoâs carriage shuttled through the wide, clean streets of Grande. On both sides of the street were row upon row of luxurious castles, exquisite residences, towering churchesâŠ. Soldiers on patrol marched through the street with torches, beating out a crisp rhythm with their uniform strides.
When seeing such lights and hearing such sounds in the dark night, no one would fail to be at ease.
If Desolette was a romantic maiden, Grande was a dignified sage. It had maintained its prosperity for hundreds of years, and its majestic atmosphere was completely incomparable to other cities.
Jian Qiao focused on observing the road, then heaved a slight sigh of relief. âWhen we get out, we wonât need to change to high-heeled shoes.â
It was no joke to say that the person whoâd invented high heels did so to avoid stepping in shit.
Every city Jian Qiao had passed through lacked a sewage treatment system, and people had no toilets in their homes, so they could only defecate in the street. Even Charles IIIâs palace had no toilets. The nobles living there could leave their âmemorialsâ anywhere.
Fireplace, flower bed, kitchen, you could find golden shit all around.
The magnificent palace in the legend stunk like a farm in reality, full of excrement and urine, although it wasnât livestock that were kept inside but a troop of aristocrats who bragged about their elegance.
Thinking of this, Jian Qiao couldnât help but cover his nose.
The two servants who were wedged in a corner of the carriage pointed to their mud-stained clothes and could neither laugh nor cry. âMy lord, I canât tell which is dirtier, us or the street.â
Just then, the carriage stopped suddenly. The coachman turned his head and said in an undertone, âMy lord, the road ahead is blocked again!â
Jian Qiao opened the curtains to look out. Several carriages were randomly parked in the middle of the road, blocking the entire street. Numerous gorgeously dressed maids and footmen jumped out of the carriages, busily carrying box after box of luggage.
They filed into the castle beside the road. Every single light in the castle was lit, and even more servants ran out, lining up on both sides to welcome the honored guests whoâd arrived late at night.
Jian Qiao looked up at the castle, shocked by its grandeur, its majesty and vastness. It was like a giant beast crouched in the night, diminishing the surrounding buildings into insignificance. The heavy iron gate ten meters wide could only be operated by four strong male servants.
On either side of the door were two lions carved in marble. They must have come from the hands of the most gifted sculptor, and the majesty and murderous aura they possessed exceeded that of real lions. They shook their heavy manes, opened their huge mouths full of fangs, and let out a deafening roar towards the sky.
The sculptures were obviously static, but they were full of the wildness of living things.
Jian Qiao stared at the two lifelike beasts, vaguely recognizing who this castle belonged to.
The lion was the emblem of the Grande family.
At the same time, the coachman reported, âThis is the ducal palace.â
Jian Qiao nodded without surprise. The ducal residence completely fulfilled his conception of this era, this continent, and the supreme power of high aristocrats.
âThat man is Hall Grand.â The coachman continued his commentary. He was a local, so he knew the city very well.
Jian Qiao looked intently, and saw a man of great stature jumping out of the most luxurious carriage. A torch held by a servant illuminated his face. Although this face was handsome, it was far inferior to Regeâs innate nobility and arrogance.
His hair was mousy and his eyes were dark brown, which reduced his brilliance a bit.
He turned around and helped a young woman in her early twenties down from the carriage.
The young woman carefully walked step by step, with one hand always holding her immense belly.
âThatâs Helen Grande, the youngest daughter of the Grande family. Itâs said that sheâs pregnant with the kingâs heir,â the coachman said in a low voice.
Helen Grande had gotten involved with her brother-in-law, this was a well-known secret in noble circles. Queen Moen didnât care at all, because sheâd been pregnant three times, miscarried three times, and had never given birth to a prince for her husband.
Charles IIIâs health was getting worse. He urgently needed an heir.
All the nobles tacitly acquiesced in the kingâs dalliance and looked forward to the arrival of the little prince.
Under such circumstances, Helen Grandeâs belly was very precious. Once sheâd been an unlucky woman with a dead husband, rejected by her father, ignored by her brothers and sisters, but now she was the darling of Charles III. She was likely to replace the queen in the future and become the most noble woman in Tortus.
The Duke of Grande was afraid something might happen to her living outside alone, so heâd ordered his eldest son to bring her back.
âHelen and Hall have the same mother and father. Their mother was once the mistress of the Duke of Grande. Although sheâs now married to the Duke, she canât conceal the fact that Helen and Hall were born out of wedlock. Lord Rege and Queen Moenâs mother came from a very noble background, but her fate was miserable. She was angered to death by the Duke of Grande a long time ago. Did you know, Helen and Hallâs mother were just a prostitute before the Duke of Grande took her in!â
The coachman jerked his chin at Hall and Helen, his tone disdainful. âThe blood of prostitutes flows in both their bodies.â
In this era, family pedigree was extraordinarily valued. Without a pure lineage one couldnât be regarded as a real noble. Therefore even the coachman could regard Hall and Helen Grande with contempt.
The two servants had never heard such a shocking family secret. They couldnât help feeling staggered.
Jian Qiao, however, was far from surprised.
This kind of scandal was no different from the internal family struggles of ancient China. It was all âdoting on the concubine and destroying the wifeâ, illegitimate children trying to supplant legitimate children, an endless cycle of strife.
These so-called harem fights were a matter of the East Wind overwhelming the West Wind today, and the West Wind overwhelming the East Wind tomorrow. Judging from the current situation, Rege and his elder sister seemed to be losing.
Jian Qiao touched the corner of his eye with his fingertip. His mood was a little less gloomy at last.
At that moment, Helen Grande suddenly raised her voice and asked, âIsnât your master the Earl of Flowervale?â
Sheâd seen the anemone emblem on the carriages and recognized the origin of the convoy.
The coachman quickly replied, âYes, weâre from Desolette City.â
Unable to conceal himself any longer, Jian Qiao got down from the carriage and greeted the siblings. It stood to reason that he was an earl, and Helen was just a widow. Their rank and status differed greatly. It should be Helen who curtsied to him.
But Helen stood still, lifted her arm, and motioned for Jian Qiao to come over and kiss the back of her hand.
Her jaw was raised very high, and her face was almost engraved with the word âcharityâ.
Hall Grande stood with his hands behind him, his expression even more conceited.
Jian Qiao slowly walked over, pressed down the displeasure in his heart, and pretended to kiss the back of Helenâs hand. Although the rough skin was covered with perfumed powder, he detected the faint smell of sweat.
People here thought water was unclean and would bring disease, so they didnât bathe all year round.
For a moment, he almost couldnât suppress the churning in his stomach.
Helen retracted her hand and commanded, âI want the Angelâs Tear. Send it over tomorrow, I want to use it to decorate my crown.â
The Angelâs Tear was a 50-carat light blue diamond. It was also Desoletteâs masterpiece. Skilled craftsmen had carved it into a pear cut, and the entire gem was clear as crystal. Like a teardrop shed by an angel, it was beautifully pure, divine, and stunning. Its worth was enough to buy half of Grande, but the woman demanded this treasure in an offhand, casual tone.
In her eyes, Jian Qiaoâs status was about the same as a dog, and it was a great honor for her to look down at this dog.
Whenever she wanted something, Jian Qiao would be expected to kneel down, hold it aloft with his hands, creep forward on his knees, hand it over for free, and finally show a grateful expression.
She was a typical aristocrat who didnât treat people as human beings.
Thinking of this, Jian Qiaoâs face was completely grim.
At the same moment Hall Grande also spoke. âTomorrow youâll bring the most expensive jewelry, silk cloth, formal robes, and long dresses from your shop for my sister to choose. As you know, she needs to look her best for the kingâs banquet. And while youâre at it, you can bring your account books here for me to have a look.â
Jian Qiao immediately realized that Hall regarded Grande as his territory, and the profits of the shops opened on his territory would naturally belong to him.
He asked for the books just to see how much money he could grab. Although he was dressed like a nobleman, he did business like a bandit. If Jian Qiao really gave him the account book, he would take away all the wealth of Desolette and wouldnât leave a copper penny for Jian Qiao.
As for whether Jian Qiao himself or his people would starve to death because of thisâsorry, it didnât matter to him at all, it was completely out of his consideration.
Compared to this brother and sister, Rege was a lovable little angel.
Jian Qiao regretted it. He shouldnât have been so happy about Regeâs bad situation just now.
At present, he sincerely hoped Rege and Queen Moen would be the winners of this harem fight. At least that brother and sister had a bottom line, unlike these two children of a prostituteâthe very blood in their veins stank of greed.
TL Notes:
Can I just say that palace sounds pretty gross.
ćŒșçć ćŠč â bandit brother and sister, bandit siblings
ćź æ â harem fight, lit. âhouse fightâ. Harem in-fighting popular in CN dramas, novels, etc.
Transliterated names, titles, and placesânew in this chapter: