The eldest sister, Charlotte, sat lazily, her hands playing with the teardrop-shaped necklace that was supposed to belong to Cinderella. She said with admiration in her eyes, "It's so beautiful......"

The Earl had given her a jeweled hair ornament, which, if she had worn it, would have been the most beautifully dressed woman at the next ball.

He must have been very wealthy in his family. Charlotte's gaze showed a hint of obsession.

She didn't want to marry a businessman nouveau riche who had no money but no title, nor did she want to marry a noble lord whose family was in decline. She also knew, however, that if her father, Count Manifico, arranged for her to marry, it would be precisely these two men that she would most likely marry.

The former urgently needed the daughter of a noble to help him elevate his family and truly break into the upper class, while the latter either needed her high dowry to make ends meet, or hoped to regain the family's former glory through her relationship with Count Manifico.

As for those young men who were truly wealthy and decent, and who had a knighthood, they naturally had the capital to choose as wives as ladies, who were also noble, of pure blood, and of good dowry.

Lineage......

Charlotte's expression was tinged with melancholy, why was her biological father only a farmer, and how good it would be if she were the biological daughter of Count Manifico.

But it doesn't matter now, there is a mother in every qiē, and the mother will definitely help herself.

Her face lightened. The dark glow of the ruby shone on her palm, the slender chain peeking through her fingers, and she narrowed her eyes a little pleasantly. Later, she will have more such jewelry.

Just as Charlotte was looking at the necklace in fascination, Katie pushed the door open and walked into the room.

Charlotte could tell at a glance that the bracelet that Katie was wearing on her wrist at this time was new, and she could guess that it was a gift from the Earl. To match the bracelet, Katie even changed into one of her favorite dresses.

She said unceremoniously, "Don't look like this and dangle in front of me, there are no men you want to see here." ”

Katie was taken aback by her stern tone, "Charlotte, I didn't mess with you today. ”

Then she looked at the necklace in Charlotte's palm, "Whose is this, did the Count give it to you?" ”

She reached out as she always did, trying to take the necklace from her sister's hand.

Charlotte handed her the necklace a little reluctantly, and said, "Be careful, don't break it, it's mine." ”

Katie thought that Charlotte would be like before, so she was so stingy that she didn't want to give it to her, and only reluctantly showed her after she asked repeatedly, but she didn't expect her to agree so quickly.

Charlotte certainly understood Katie's eyes, and she put on a slightly deliberate gentle smile and said, "It's just a necklace, I will never lack this in the future." ”

Katie slowed down for half a beat before she realized what Charlotte was hinting at, and she threw the necklace into Charlotte's arms with some annoyance, "Do you really think of yourself as a countess?"

The Countess heard Katie's voice from the room, and she went to the door and said, "What are you arguing about, girls?"

Katie and Charlotte turned their heads away from each other.

The Countess clapped her hands and said, "Be happy, my child." My brother doesn't like girls like that, yes, you should laugh like that. Usually show up in front of him more often, and don't let him ignore you. If you don't know what to say, don't say more, pretend to be shy. If you say the wrong thing for a while, don't worry, you can be a little more playful and lively, and who would be willing to blame such a lovely girl for saying the wrong thing once in a while?"

Charlotte carefully took note of what her mother said.

Katie was thoughtful.

The Countess was pleased with their attitude, and suddenly she frowned, and she pointed to their clothes, "No gentleman would want his future partner to always be dressed as an upstart. Now it's not about going to the ball, hurry up and take off these unfashionable jewelry. Dress up naturally and don't look too urgent, knowing that you're not yet a countess. ”

But it's also fast. She added quickly in her heart.

……

There was a piece of parchment on the table, and next to it was an inkwell, who would have imagined that such a small bottle of ink would be enough to ruin an ordinary civilian family. The price of this ink, which is made from the expensive blue pigment extracted from lapis lazuli, is prohibitively high.

Qiao Heng was writing a letter, not to any of his relatives and friends, but to the king who was far away in the court.

As for how to manipulate power and please the king, it was completely easy for him.

He didn't even need to go to the king in person to talk to him in depth, just a short letter to easily cement his place in his heart.

Of course, don't expect the content of this letter to be sincere, it's just routine for him.

The smooth parchment of the quill leaves a trail of paper, and a letter is written with ease. Qiao Heng walked out of the room and handed the letter to the attendant who was waiting outside the door.

The attendant respectfully accepted the letter, and then said, "I did not allow the two Manificos to come to visit separately just now, and I did not allow them to enter the room. ”

Qiao Heng said bluntly: "Don't pay attention to them. ”

Mr. Squire executed Qiao Heng's order perfectly.

The two sisters of the Manifico family were completely neglected by him, and the two sisters ran to their mother aggrievedly and cried, tears filled with tears, which was really pitiful.

The Countess fanned her fan in distraught, could it be that Brian had really forgotten what they had agreed to before?

But there's no hurry now, after all, that sick man hasn't gone to see God yet, and it's not too late to think about it when she's really dead. If you seem too urgent, you will fall behind.

Moreover, although her two daughters are slightly inferior to Cinderella in appearance, they are also very good. Thinking about the good, maybe he was stumped and didn't know which one to choose.

The next day, while Qiao Heng was enjoying breakfast with the Countess and the two Countesses, a servant from the Manifico Manifeco's manor led a squire and a maid into the room.

The two attendants and the maid were not from Manifico Manor, but two of the servants of his original wife that Qiao Heng had left at home to take care of.

As soon as he saw the figures of the two, Qiao Heng guessed their intentions, but he still asked, "Why are you here?"

The maid lifted the corner of her skirt and saluted, "Count, Madame is seriously ill. ”

The joy in Countess Manifico's eyes almost burst out of her eyes, but fortunately the attention of everyone present was not on her, so that no one noticed.

"Catherine," Qiao Heng called out the name of the cheap sister, "I don't think I can stay here long, I should go back." “

The Countess showed some worry and sadness, and she said in a comforting tone: "Don't worry, she'll be fine, be careful on the road." ”

Qiao Heng didn't bring too many things with him when he came, and when he left, he was ready to travel lightly, and there was really no need to bring back those items that were not necessities.

As a result, several of the attendants quickly packed their belongings and were able to leave Manifico Manifio that afternoon.

Cinderella had been talking to the other servants of the manor for a few days, and had learned that the unknown gentleman was a count like her father.

She didn't dare to see him in the first place, and now she didn't dare to see him.

But if she didn't go to see him, how could she thank him?

For the past few days, Cinderella has been staying in the kitchen and rarely going out. By the time she learned that the Count was leaving Manifico Manor, it was already a little late.

If you don't see him again, you may never see him again, let alone thank him. She thought as she picked rotten beans.

The countess said to Qiao Heng: "Don't rush to leave at night, she will be fine." ”

Qiao Heng sat in the carriage and looked down at the Countess as she spoke, and after she finished speaking, he just said politely, "I will take care of safety." ”

The Countess summoned her two daughters, "Your uncle is leaving, say goodbye to him." ”

Charlotte stepped forward boldly, with a bit of reluctance in her expression.

She opened her mouth to say something, "Count......"

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted.

The voice was clear and melodious from far and near, with the characteristic sweetness of a girl's voice, "Count!"

Cinderley pulled the corners of his skirt and panted to the carriage, "Great, finally in time." ”

Charlotte was almost mad at her, if it weren't for Qiao Heng's presence, she might have slapped Cinderella directly.

The Countess looked at Cinderella with a look that grew more and more unkind.

Qiao Heng looked at her with interest, waiting for her to say something.

Cinderella looked him straight in the eye and said with a little tremor in her voice, "Thank you...... Thank you for the gift!"

With that, she didn't dare to look him in the eye anymore and prepared to run back to the kitchen. She heard the young man call her name behind her, "Ella." ”

Cinderella looked back at the young man, who stood with his back to the light, the light of the sky seemed to be left behind him, she looked at his right hand stretched out to her with some confusion, she thought it was probably a parting handshake, and shook it with a slight trembling.

Then, with a burst of air, she couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice.

The young man took her hand and dragged her directly into the carriage.

Qiao Heng didn't look at the pale-faced countess again, he turned his head to the attendant who was driving and said, "Let's go." ”

The squire flicked the reins, and the horses snorted and set out on their way home.