Anlong asked: "Why not tonight? Isn't the sooner the better?"
"Is it the boring family life that has made you lose your ability to think, or has your brain started to become dull after spending time with dwarves?" Veronica sneered at him, "The day after tomorrow, the border merchants will set off from Merton On the day we go to Maicheng for trading, we will go to Meton tomorrow night and go with the caravan, otherwise the Noga border guards will immediately arrest us as spies. Although we are indeed spies, don't tell the enemy openly. .”
As her childhood sweetheart, Anlong knew that she always spoke this way, so he didn't care. He just said: "The situation in Nuojia in the past two years is indeed disturbing. The current king is getting more and more ill. He has succeeded to the throne." The candidate has not yet been decided. The ministers and nobles are divided into several factions and they are fighting fiercely. Although their internal fighting is good for us, it would be too bad if the winner is Prince Mario. This guy is very ambitious. He always wants to unify the entire continent one day. If he becomes the King of Noga, we will never have peace."
This matter is not a secret, so Veronica complained unceremoniously: "Who doesn't know this kind of thing? Do you need to say it? The people we sent to Nomonka, the capital of Noga, have already begun to operate secretly. If Mario really wins by then..." A fierce look flashed in her eyes, and she glanced at An Long, with a sarcastic smile on her lips: "As the son of the founder of the National Security Agency, don't you know what we are responsible for? What kind of character?"
An Long frowned slightly: "Okay, Veronica, you know I don't like to mention him." He quickly returned to the topic: "What happened to the people sent to Maicheng? Why did the news stop? ? Could it be that he was discovered? Didn’t anyone from the intelligence station send a message back? "
Veronica replied: "No, that's why I went to find out what was going on. But I can probably guess that the playboy from Gama went on a tryst with some girl behind his back. He has forgotten everything. This is not the first time for him. I am afraid that the people at the intelligence station are still in the dark. I really hope that someone will knock off his little brother one day to see if he still dares to go around provoking women. .”
Anlong smiled bitterly: "Veronica, you are a lady, how can you say such a thing?" Before Veronica opened her mouth to spit poison at him, he changed the topic first: "Then do you think we should What are you pretending to be? I'm not trying to throw cold water on you, Winnie, you don't look like a businessman at all. Others will be suspicious at first glance. How about you try to disguise yourself as a man..."
=====================I am the dividing line that shifts the perspective========================
Ming Na was frightened just now. After the door was closed, she walked back to the living room tremblingly and sobbed quietly.
It was not a joke, it was a real knife. It was touching her skin. It seemed to be cold and painful, and maybe it was bleeding. That woman is really hateful. She didn't do anything. Why do you treat her like this? !
Marshall, the butler, soon discovered that she was crying. He hurriedly came over and hugged her and asked, "Miss Mingna, what's wrong with you? Who bullied you?"
Ming Na was about to tell her about that hateful woman when she suddenly remembered her father's instructions. She flattened her mouth and said nothing, but just hugged Marshall and cried. Marshall saw the dirty clothes on her body and thought that she was scolded by her mother because of this, so he comforted her and said: "It's okay, it's okay. Madam is just angry for a moment, and she will dissipate soon. Xiao Mingna, don't cry anymore, you are not Say, only children cry in front of others?"
"I'm not a child!" Minna retorted with sobs, "Besides, there's no one else here."
Marshall paused and a kind smile appeared on his face: "Xiao Mingna is right, there are no outsiders here, only family members. Even if she cries, it's not a big deal." He comforted the little girl softly and looked up at the portrait on the wall. The beautiful and melancholy woman in the picture has a hint of tenderness in her eyes.
By the time Ming Na finally put away her tears and showed her smile again, the guests in the garden had already left. Marshall immediately went to clear away all the tea sets, tables and chairs, while Mingna cautiously approached the living room to see if her mother was still angry.
Dora was scolding poor Bree with a cold face: "I don't care what you wear on May Day. I made shoes for you specially so that you would not be rude when entertaining guests. You actually said that it was because you were reluctant to wear them. New shoes, just show up in front of distinguished guests wearing your worn-out straw sandals?! My face has been completely embarrassed by you!"
Bree cried and begged her: "Madam, please, don't drive me away. I won't dare to leave again. Next time I will put on new shoes and serve the guests tea." Although she is only a temporary maid, she is already a local maid. What a shame. If her stepmother knew that she had lost her job, she would definitely beat her to death.
Dora became even more angry when she heard this: "How many guests do you think our family will have who are worthy of this kind of hospitality in a country like this? Except for my father, there is only one a year! You have made such a mistake, It’s too late! Half of this month’s salary will be deducted! If the next time happens, you will leave immediately!”
Bree cried and laughed at the same time: "Thank you, madam, thank you madam, you are so kind. I will definitely do my best and never make any mistakes again..." Dora waved her hand in disgust to let her go down, and saw the door. The daughter who disappeared in a flash felt angry again.
"Mingna Kado! Come here quickly!" she shouted sharply.
Mingna bit her lip and moved over, carefully peeking at her mother, and immediately lowered her head, making a pitiful look like "I know I was wrong, mom, don't scold me."
Dora stared at her for a long time, but in the end she didn't say anything. She just pointed at the paper box on the table: "This is a gift from your Uncle Goodwin. Please keep it well and don't damage it."
Ming Na looked over and saw a doll over a foot tall lying in the box. She was wearing a gorgeous dress made of satin and ribbons, and a small pearl necklace hanging around her neck. She knew that this kind of doll called "Barbie" was sold in her grandfather's business. She had seen one wearing a fine cloth skirt at the knight captain's daughter, and it was obviously incomparable to this high-end product. But she was not interested in this kind of thing: "I don't like dolls, I don't want them."
Dora was so angry that she sternly said: "Ming Na! What happened to you today?! Why are you always disobedient? I put you in clean and decent clothes early in the morning and told you to stay in the house and wait for the guests. Come on, but you went to the woods to climb trees and made yourself dirty. Uncle Goodwin gave you a gift, but you just ran away without paying attention?! Don't you know that this is very rude? Of?!”
Mingna said unconvinced: "But I hate him! Every time he comes here, he pretends to be a good person, but every time he makes me scolded by my mother. My mother only wants me to be obedient and a good child. They always say that I am not doing well here and that I am not doing enough there, and they always compare me with Beryl and Mandala. What do they have to do with me? Why should I compare with them?!" As he said, She couldn't help but have red eyes.
When Dora said this, she couldn't help but reflect. It seems that she only asks her daughter to do her best every time and not to be compared with her husband's two nieces. She always finds fault with her, but never praises her daughter. She really ignores the child's feelings.
However, she is also thinking about her husband and children. Their family is different from others. Anlong's brother didn't have to do anything to inherit the title and property of the Xiao family and the Card family. But Anlong himself tried his best, but he was just a little knight, and he had to endure hardships in this kind of countryside. The future is already worse than others. If even his wife and children are laughed at, then Anlong will be weighed down by others for the rest of his life.
She looked at her daughter's aggrieved look, coughed twice, and said: "Okay, mom admits that she was negligent. But! It's wrong for you to be rude in front of the guests today! Next time you see Uncle Goodwin, remember to Apologize to him and thank him for the gift.”
Mingna twisted for a long time, then nodded reluctantly in the face of her mother's stern gaze. She hugged her mother's neck and said coquettishly: "Mom, I don't like Uncle Goodwin. Next time I apologize, I won't chat with him, okay? He smiles all day long. It's so fake. It just looks so fake." It makes people feel scared.”
Dora glared at her daughter angrily: "You must have listened to your father, right? Don't listen to him, that's called aristocratic behavior. Besides, dad is not at home, and mom is the only one to entertain guests. It's too inconvenient. You By being here, at least I can spend time with my mother."
Ming Na pursed her lips: "Who said dad wasn't at home? He was obviously here, and just now he was talking to Aunt Veronica in the study with the door closed, and that vicious woman even used a knife to scare me and drive me away. "As soon as she finished speaking, she remembered her father's instructions and hurriedly covered her mouth: "Oops! I said it! Dad said not to tell anyone, what should I do?!"
Dora's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. She squeezed out a sentence through her teeth: "It doesn't matter, you are right to do this. You should tell your mother about this kind of thing!"
Winnie, who was standing by, added fuel to the fire: "Why is that fierce woman here again? She has been pestering my uncle since before. My uncle married a young lady, and she still comes here several times a year. What's your plan?"
"Of course it's a shady idea!" Dora replied coldly, stood up and walked out the door. She bumped into the butler Marshall at the door. She didn't bother to answer his question and went straight to the study.
Marshall asked what happened, and Minna whispered: "I told my mother that my father was talking to Aunt Veronica in the study with the door closed, and she got angry. I forgot that I originally promised my father not to tell others. Grandpa Marshall, will mom and dad quarrel again?"
Marshall sighed: "Miss Veronica just left, but the young master and his wife will probably inevitably quarrel."
Winnie's eyes widened: "Oh, my God, Mr. Butler, did you know that woman is here?"
"I know everyone who comes to this house." Marshall turned to Minna, "Little miss, I think you did something wrong this time. Since you have already agreed, you shouldn't say it."
Ming Na grimaced and felt very regretful. Marshall patted her head gently, and then followed Dora with Winnie, ready to save the situation at any time.
When Dora came to the study angrily, Anlong had just turned back from the gate. As soon as he saw his wife, he asked: "I just saw a decent carriage. The family emblem on it looks strangely familiar. Is it Goodwin's?" The boy is here again?"
Dora said with a half-smile: "I was just drinking a cup of tea in the garden and chatting about things in Ito City. But I heard that your Miss Veronica is here again. I didn't know you were all in the study. What did you do?"
An Long was startled and put on a smile: "We didn't do anything, we just talked."
"If you were just talking, why did you close the door? And told your daughter not to tell anyone? I thought you were at work."
Anlong saw the unconcealed jealousy on his wife's face and carefully chose his words: "Originally, Veronica was passing by Qedon and wanted to ask me to do something small for her. It's not convenient for the Cavaliers to talk to me. I brought her back. She didn't want too many people to know, so I didn't tell you." As he spoke, he searched the surroundings with his eyes, and found his daughter who was poking her head at the top of the stairs, and glared lightly.
Dora found out, but misunderstood what he meant. She suppressed her anger and said, "So, what does she want you to do for her? As a wife, can I know?"
An Long paused and decided to avoid the important and take the easy: "Of course. In fact, she is going to Mayton to visit a friend and wants me to give her a ride. You also know that a young lady rides a horse alone to ride such a long distance, and this area is so... The remoteness is really worrying.”
Dora was not worried at all: "Is there no one else except you?! And you said her swordsmanship is as good as yours? How can a few thieves be her opponents?! Even if she encounters any robbers, she will The words that come out of your mouth can poison people to death."
Anlong frowned: "Dora, what you said is too much. Veronica's father is an old friend of our family for decades, and he is the teacher who taught me swordsmanship. Veronica is like my Just like my sister. Even if you have any objections to her, you shouldn’t say such things!"
Dora raised her head: "Okay, I won't say, but you are not allowed to accompany her! If you really go with her, I will take the child back to Matt Harbor immediately!"
"Dora!" Anlong was really angry this time. He wanted to do serious things, but he couldn't tell his family, but how could his wife misunderstand him like this
At this moment, there was a gentle knocking on the window of the study room. The two turned around and saw Veronica standing outside the window, looking at them with a half-smile: "I'm sorry, I didn't want to disturb you. Negotiation between the two of you, but I seem to have let my gloves slip here.”
Anlong soon found her gloves on the desk and hurriedly returned it to Veronica. Just as he was about to say something, he heard his wife Dora stamp her foot, turned around and rushed out of the door. He faced Veronica. Ronika had a mocking smile on her face and suddenly felt a headache.
The dispute between Dora and Anlong developed into a cold war, and there was no sign of improvement throughout the day. Everyone in the family was cautious. Ming Na regretted it, she shouldn't have been so careless and told the story. Now when her father sees her, he teaches her the rule of "doing what you promise others should do" with reproachful eyes. Whenever she wants to say something nice for her father in front of her mother, her mother Dora makes a statement Said that if she spoke again, she would leave her and go back to Matt alone.
Frustrated, Minna hid in the woods and climbed up to her secret base...the big tree where she could hide. She really didn't mean it. Why do her parents blame her? It was indeed wrong for her to fail to obey her father's words, but why was her mother so angry? Didn't she say she did the right thing
Will mom really leave? Will he really leave her behind? Children without mothers will be very pitiful. Bree and her brother and sister have no mother, so they are beaten and scolded by their stepmother every day. If she loses her mother, will she also be beaten every day
When she thought of this, she couldn't help but feel scared. Through the thick branches, she stared closely at her home not far away. Will someone come to her? As long as her parents call for her, it means they will still want her.
But she waited until dark, but no one came. Why? Normally she would just go into the woods for half an hour and Winnie would show up. Does her mother really don't want her anymore? What about dad? Where is Grandpa Marshall
Minna sobbed quietly. At this time, a man's voice came from the side: "Little girl, why are you crying?"
She was startled, and quickly looked back, only to see a young man appearing in front of her, with black hair fluttering in the wind, and a pair of black eyes with a friendly smile, looking at her.