Earl Stark and Earl Summer are about the same age. They are both over fifty this year. However, compared with Earl Summer, who is always full of energy, Earl Stark, even though he is only two or three years older, looks more... He is much older, and his face looks more serious and even stern.
After getting off the carriage, Earl Stark showed a rather friendly smile to Earl Summer. When he met other people, he almost always kept a straight face without any loosening of his expression.
Moreover, his attitude was completely different when facing the aristocratic representatives of Bangta City and when facing the representatives of the business community.
Although his expression was equally stern, at least it could be seen that he behaved quite normally when facing the noble representatives.
But when he met with business representatives, his serious expression revealed a hint of disdain and condescension that was not very obvious but easily noticeable.
The only exception was when meeting Xu Yi.
After meeting Xu Yi under the guidance of Earl Summer, Earl Stark's stern face finally relaxed a little, and the expression on his face became a little weird.
After looking at Xu Yi carefully for a while, Earl Stark suddenly shook his head and snorted softly: "His Majesty the King finally made you a nobleman, but you continue to degrade yourself and become a businessman. You really let down the King. His Majesty’s appreciation for you has also brought shame on us nobles!”
The faces of the surrounding business representatives suddenly became extremely ugly.
Although the status of merchants in the Lampali Kingdom is indeed far inferior to that of nobles, and even inferior to ordinary farmers, even many nobles feel disdain for merchants. But no nobleman would speak so bluntly in front of businessmen when he has nothing to do.
The status of businessmen is very low. But successful businessmen always have a lot of money at their disposal.
Money is just as useful on Earth as it is on the Sainz continent. With enough money, even if their status is not high, businessmen's lives are much better than most common people, and even many nobles who are not good at management.
Moreover, although many big nobles are inconvenient to do business on their own due to their status, most of them will find some agents to do business, or simply cooperate with businessmen.
In the final analysis, no matter how high your status is, you cannot eat it as a meal.
If you want to live a high-quality and luxurious life, if you don't rely on doing business to make some money. Ordinary nobles are not much better than ordinary civilians.
As a result, the relationship between the nobles and merchants in the Lampali Kingdom has always been strange.
The nobles looked down on merchants, but they wanted to live the same luxurious life as the merchants.
Businessmen envied the status of nobles, but they looked down on those nobles who were always full of superiority but could not do anything practical.
However, both parties have what the other needs, and cooperation is a choice that is beneficial to both parties.
As a result, in the end, the nobles and merchants were working closely together while still looking down on each other.
This relationship undoubtedly seems extremely awkward, even pathological, but this is the real situation in the Kingdom of Lampali and even in most countries on the continent of Sainz.
Take these big businessmen in the Lampali Kingdom as an example.
Not to mention the Falcao Chamber of Commerce, which is clearly run by the great nobles of the Joseph family, even the Armani Chamber of Commerce, the Amri Chamber of Commerce, and the Sarank Chamber of Commerce, which seem to have little to do with the nobles, actually have many behind them. There are more or less the shadows of nobles.
The presidents of these chambers of commerce had interacted with nobles extremely frequently before. But this was the first time that a nobleman had expressed his disdain for the merchants so nakedly in front of them.
If it were ordinary small nobles, established businessmen like President Lanco, President Cruz and President Cent would not care much. You can even reprimand him rudely.
But it happened that the person who said this now was an earl, and he was an earl from the Stark family, and he was even an earl who was about to take over as the lord of Bonta City.
No matter how dissatisfied they were, they could only lower their heads slightly, try not to look at Earl Stark, and did not dare to express even a little bit of their true inner thoughts.
Only Xu Yi raised his head slightly, stared at Earl Stark, and said with a smile: "Lord Earl Stark, I don't think that being a businessman means lowering your status, and I don't feel that I have lost the face of the nobles. To me, noble status is just a reward from His Majesty the King, but the status I really care about is the status of this businessman. "
Earl Stark raised his eyebrows: "What? Are you willing to degenerate?"
Xu Yi lowered his face slightly and said seriously: "My lord, I don't understand what you mean. If you mean that my willingness to become a businessman is a sign of self-destruction, then please forgive me for disagreeing with your point of view."
Everyone around was shocked.
No one expected that Xu Yi would directly contradict Count Stark in front of so many people.
Earl Stark arrived in Bonta City for the first time today and is about to take over the position of city lord. As usual, he will definitely do something to establish his authority.
Everyone knows that at this time, they must try to be honest in front of Count Stark and try not to hit the muzzle of Count Stark's gun, otherwise the consequences will be serious.
Therefore, although they were very dissatisfied with Earl Stark's unkind words just now, no one of the business representatives present dared to express any opinions.
Now Xu Yi actually directly objected to his words, simply putting himself at his gunpoint.
President Cruise's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but look up at Xu Yi, wanting to wink at him to ask him to take back what he said, but he found that Count Stark's cold eyes had glanced over at him, and he quickly lowered his head again, with an air of dignity. They didn't dare to come out.
The moment he lowered his head, he knew he was going to suffer.
Judging from the meaning in Earl Stark's cold eyes, he clearly came specifically for Xu Yi.
Thinking back to the Stark family's attitude towards Xu Yi and the Xinfei Chamber of Commerce, President Cruise's heart became even colder.
Xu Yi may be in trouble this time...
really. Earl Stark was silent for a moment. He seemed a little surprised that Xu Yi dared to contradict him face to face. Then he asked in a deep voice: "What? Why don't you agree? Did I say something wrong?"
President Cruz couldn't help but look up at Xu Yi again, praying desperately in his heart, hoping that Xu Yi could immediately admit his mistake and avoid this time first.
As long as we avoid today, even if Earl Stark wants to cause trouble for Xu Yi again, he will at least have time to deal with it.
However, President Cruz also knew that his prayers were simply extravagant hopes.
Based on his understanding of Xu Yi's character, he can know that this guy will either not express his opinion or once he expresses his opinion. Then it will never change easily.
This personality is called tenacity at best and stubborn at worst.
Sure enough, after hearing Earl Stark's question, Xu Yi nodded simply and said: "Yes. Lord Earl, I think your statement is very problematic. Although according to the laws of the kingdom, the rights enjoyed by nobles There are more people than ordinary people, and there are more people than businessmen, so they have a higher status. But I have always believed that no matter who they are, no matter what their status is, they must bear corresponding obligations. If you have more rights, you must bear more responsibilities. Otherwise, what’s the difference between you and a moth?”
"Ah-"
As soon as Xu Yi finished speaking, there was a gasping sound all around.
Everyone looked at Xu Yi in shock, unable to believe what they just heard from his mouth.
Perhaps he is right and this is his true point of view.
But he actually dared to say such words in front of an earl, and he said such words after Earl Stark had just expressed such a view. This simply made it clear that the horses and horses wanted to confront the earl!
Is he looking for death
Earl Stark narrowed his eyes slightly, with a look of surprise on his face. He obviously did not expect that Xu Yi would not flinch and admit his mistake at all, and even spoke more intensely.
"President Xu, are you saying that our nobles are all moths? Don't forget, you are also a noble!" Earl Stark said coldly.
Looking at the doubtful and shocked looks cast by the surrounding Bangta City noble representatives, Xu Yi smiled slightly, shook his head and said: "No, I didn't mean that. I just want to say that whether you are a noble or a businessman, Well, ordinary farmers, no matter who they are, if they can’t shoulder their responsibilities and obligations, then they are a moth. Lord Earl, do you think I’m right?”
Earl Stark wanted to reprimand Xu Yi for talking nonsense, but Xu Yi's words could not be refuted in a big sense. He could only reluctantly nodded and said: "That's true. But Xu Yi will Chief, I’m afraid that’s not what you meant just now? You said that as nobles enjoy more rights, they have to bear more obligations. Aren’t you accusing many nobles of failing to do so?”
Xu Yi pondered for a moment and said: "Your Excellency, I think you misunderstood my meaning. I just want to say that if nobles want to maintain a higher status, they must make more efforts. If they are not willing to work hard, they will just want to maintain it out of thin air. It’s obviously a very unreasonable thing to have a higher status and enjoy more rights, isn’t it?”
Earl Stark snorted heavily and said: "What's unreasonable? If you can't have a higher status and enjoy more rights, then what's the point of becoming a noble? For example, President Xu, if His Majesty the King now deprives Would you be willing to give up your noble status?"
Xu Yi smiled slightly: "His Majesty the King is so wise, how could he deprive me of my noble status for no reason?"
"Just the fact that you retain the status of a noble and a merchant at the same time is enough to deprive you of your status as a noble." Earl Stark snorted coldly: "President Xu, let me tell you clearly. The Kingdom's Noble Council is reviewing your status. The dual identity will be reviewed. Once the noble council agrees that it is not allowed for you to hold two identities at the same time, then you will inevitably be forced to choose to retain only one identity. At that time, do you still want to maintain your noble identity? "
Everyone around was shocked again.
No one thought that the Kingdom's Noble Council would conduct a special review because of Xu Yi, a little baron.
And Earl Stark is right to ask, when that time comes, what choice will Xu Yi make? (To be continued...)