With a close-fitting tuxedo, wavy hairstyle, and the bright powder that was forced to smear his face, the freshly baked Liszt is radiant.
"Perfect!"
May Opal patted Liszt on the shoulder: "You will be the focus of all the women at the ball tonight."
"I don't have that intention. Maybe in a few years I will be very keen. Now, sorry cousin, I don't plan to meet any noble ladies."
"If you say something insincere, I won't believe it. Don't worry, Liszt. The best thing in life is to meet the right person at the right time. Don't say let nature take its course, but seize the opportunity."
"That's why cousin you haven't been married for many years?"
"Don't bring the conversation up on me, now we're talking about you."
Liszt shook his cuffs. Mayopal was very kind to him. In fact, he really wanted to tell his cousin that instead of chasing Duke Sapphire's courtesan daughter and the possibility of vacating the Changyu family for birds in the future, it's better to be down-to-earth Find a noblewoman to marry.
But when the words came to his lips, he took them back.
This situation must have the will of the Marquis—the Changyu family prides themselves on being shrewd, and Baobuqi wants to go further. Once they marry the daughter of the Grand Duke Sapphire, the family's status will be unbreakable.
As a small town baron in the countryside, he should stop eating rough bread and worry about the Marquis.
After dressing up beautifully, he followed Mayopal to the hall where the ball was about to be held. Aristocrats in twos and threes had already arrived, chatting in the hall and enjoying the drinks prepared by the servants.
"Sir Mayopal, are you finally willing to come out?" A nobleman walked over with a wine glass.
"It's not time for the dance yet, don't worry, Matil."
Martial looked at Liszt: "This is?"
"My cousin, his father is the Earl of Coral Island."
"It turned out to be the Tulip family. We met for the first time. I'm Mathil Crossbow."
"Liszt Tulip." Liszt kept a polite smile, but he wasn't very enthusiastic. He was not a sociable nobleman, so it was really helpless to participate in this ball.
But then, he had no choice but to endure, and continued to meet the young nobles on Red Crab Island under the introduction of May Opal. Basically, they are followers of the Changyu family - the nobles entrusted by the Marquis, and they are completely loyal to the Marquis.
The interesting thing about the aristocracy is that.
The nobles entrusted by the king are the king's retainers, and the minor nobles entrusted by the nobles are the retainers of the nobles. But the small nobles entrusted by the nobles are not the king's retainers, let alone have to be loyal to the king. For example, William Lee, Earl of Coral Island, is a nobleman entrusted by the king and is the king's retainer, but Liszt is not. He only needs to be loyal to his father.
After a hundred years from his father, he needs to be loyal to his brother Levi.
"Is there any beautiful lady you like? If so, tell me, and I can help you, don't be restrained." Mayopal, who greeted a circle of guests, returned to Liszt's side, "Look at your brother, he It is completely adapted to the scene of the ball, and has already hooked up with the daughters of the three viscounts."
Following his gaze, one could see the ordinary-looking Levi, who said something that made a young lady laugh.
"And your sister, someone flattered him."
On Li Weila's side, there are two male nobles talking and laughing with her—she is not beautiful, but after a little inquiry, you can know that Li Weila has the title of baron, which is very important for those knights, or For nobles who cannot inherit the title of the family, it is a high-quality marriage partner.
Once you get married, you can continue to enjoy the noble status.
Liszt raised the fruit wine in his hand and touched Mayopal: "I hope they can find happiness as soon as possible. As for me, cousin, you really don't have to worry about me."
"Really don't need it?"
"real."
"Okay, but I'll still keep an eye out for the right lady."
"It's not necessary." Liszt was speechless, this cousin is too much, is he so keen on being a Yuelao
Mayopal shrugged slightly, and whispered to him: "Actually, this is what Grandpa meant. He knows that you are in the Tulip family and is not valued. I hope you can come to Red Crab Island. Besides, I also need help, Changyu family Population isn't thriving, I don't have any brothers or sisters, you know, I'd love you to come."
Liszt felt that Mayopal was speaking the truth.
According to his conversion of measurement units, it can be basically calculated that Coral Island is equivalent to the area of a prefecture-level city, about 10,000 square kilometers.
Red Crab Island is ten times the size of Coral Island, about 100,000 square kilometers.
This area is equivalent to the area of provinces such as Jiangsu and Zhejiang. There are no roads, and the traffic depends on horse-drawn carts. The bigger the city, the harder it is to manage. Moreover, the nobility is not a way of centralizing power. If there are too many small nobles who are entrusted, the management of the territory will become more chaotic, and even shake the foundation of the ruling family.
After thinking about it, it would be a lie to say that I am not tempted. The backcountry of Huahua Town really doesn't have much development value.
To develop on Red Crab Island, the Changyu family must give him at least one level of treatment—Viscount, who can own a fief of a small town.
However, relying on women to achieve this goal, Liszt is very resistant: "Let it be, cousin, I will not miss the ones I like, and don't force me if I don't like them."
"good."
…
When night falls, the dance begins.
The soothing piano music came from the fingertips of a pianist, creating a suitable atmosphere for the dance party.
As landowner, Mayopal danced the first opening dance with a viscount's daughter, and then stepped back, indicating that everyone should choose a partner at will.
Liszt sat in the corner, watching the young men and women dancing in the middle of the dance floor.
No action.
He has already looked at all the women who participated in the ball, tall, short, fat, thin, beautiful and ugly, and he has already recognized them, but unfortunately there is no woman who makes his heart beat. Even though there are several mature women who fit his aesthetic concept, age is an obstacle—he is only sixteen after all.
At this age, many nobles have already begun to indulge.
But it is not yet the marriageable age, when men reach 20 and women reach 18, it is the restless season for marriage.
His gaze crossed the crowd, and he didn't know where he fell in the void. After a while, invisible smoke gradually emerged, forming a twisted serpentine.
"Mission: Fresh and juicy alfalfa, which not only the cows like to eat, but also the horses like to eat. This is the basis for opening up a horse farm and the start of a successful career. Please place Cordyceps for the alfalfa worms. Reward: Three wild corn plants."
The task has existed for several days, and I feel a little anxious.
"After a few days of delay, the alfalfa should have grown, and the alfalfa worms can probably be settled when we go back... Wild corn, I don't know what it looks like, the yield should be at least several times that of wheat."
Just as he was thinking about the task.
Suddenly, a sweet voice like an oriole came from my ear: "Hi, Liszt, can I sit here?"
The smoke dissipated suddenly.
When Liszt came back to his senses, he saw a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl who looked a bit like Edith, the Earl's second daughter in "Downton Abbey". Wavy flaxen hair, a pointed nose bridge, deep eye sockets, and thin lips that seemed to be smiling.
Very standard, more than eight out of ten.
Mayopal had introduced him to him before, she was the youngest daughter of a viscount named Athena Salmon, and her family was famous for its abundance of salmon.
Liszt showed a gentle smile, and stretched out his hand to signal: "Beautiful lady, you are welcome anywhere."