Shen Zui pushed open the door, the narrow corridor was dimly lit, and the strange smell of secondary fermentation of vomit was permeated.

Most of the children of Onishi at this level come from the hinterland of the mainland and have no experience of going to sea.

At the end of the hallway is an upward staircase, and the upper floor has the same layout, except for the extra windows on each side of the escalator.

Shen Zui stopped and looked out the window, and the sky finally cleared.

He couldn't wait to run up to the deck, and when his eyes were adjusted to the sun, he saw a red glow bursting out of a few intricately shaped clouds, shining on the ice without a trace of human fireworks, showing an oil painting-like texture, and then scattering gold on the azure water.

Because of the tailwind, the sails were lowered, and the eight groups of paddlewheels were left to rest.

The four warships responsible for escorting them followed, but they were far away, and it seemed that they were out of the bitter sea, and their escort mission would also end.

After another five or six leaks, they change course and head northeast.

Brandon's voice could be heard from the second deck.

"Finally seeing the sun. He said.

Shen turned his head drunk, and saw that his short gray hair was neatly combed back to his head, and he was wearing a delicate dark red leather tunic with a palm leaf pattern embroidered with gold thread at the neckline, a row of buttons inlaid with amber gemstones, and a pair of brown riding boots on his feet that were shiny and shiny.

Brandon walked slowly down the stairs and asked triumphantly, "How's this outfit?"

Shen Zui showed a contemptuous expression on his face and said, "Not only is it pompous but also ugly. ”

Brandon said indignantly: "You know a! This is tailor-made for me by the best tailor in Nuno, and the labor cost alone costs forty gold coins, and the cost of materials is even higher." ”

Seeing that Shen was drunk and ignored him, he said again: "By the way, my sister also prepared a set of clothes for you, naturally not as luxurious as me, but it is not shabby." ”

Shen Zui pursed his lips and said, "I have my own clothes." ”

Brandon said, "Your clothes, are you going to wear your ragged linen clothes to the Red Stream's dinner?"

Shen searched for this name in his brain, and after a while, he asked, "The Red Stream Marquis of the Twilight Country, Aizawa Makoto?"

Brandon frowned and said, "It's my nasty little cousin." ”

Shen Zui laughed at himself: "Your nobles' banquet is not something that ordinary people like me can go to. ”。

Brandon laughed and said, "The invitation letter to me says that you can bring an attendant. ”

Shen Zui said, "Squire, I'm sorry, I'm not interested. ”

"Do you think I'm happy, I hate this kind of social activity the most on weekdays, if it weren't for my father's repeated request, I would have agreed? This banquet is for the royal families and nobles of various countries who have come to Kyushu to study, and I am not in the same circle with them at all, and I can't recognize all the emblems of each family, let alone the Venerable Master. You don't know what virtues they have, most of them will rectify me and embarrass me, you accompany me, how much more down-to-earth I feel. ”

"There is a little cousin covering you, what are you panicking about. ”

Brandon lamented, "I haven't seen him for ten years, so it's not sure if he can recognize me." What's more, they don't have a good bird in their family, and they always feel that my father's aristocratic status was bought with money and looks down on our family, so he bullied me a lot when he was a child. ”

Brandon's father, Louis Antois, was originally a rich peasant from Kangju, but after the death of his parents, he was not at ease with farming, so he sold his ancestral land at the age of 17 and went to the Great Western Kingdom to pioneer. Because of his clever mind and unique vision, he circled several ice-burning mines, became rich overnight, and became the richest man in Nuno, the capital of the Western Kingdom, within 30 years.

At the age of thirty-five, he spent a lot of money to get the recommendation of Benigno Robredo, the former consular minister of the Twilight Kingdom, to become the authorized business manager of the Twilight royal family, and in the following five years, through various sales and investments, the royal family's private property was tripled, which was deeply appreciated by the Twilight King.

Later, the Dusk King instructed the princess Li to be the matchmaker, and he married the king's niece, Princess Naoko, who had just been widowed for seven years, and was awarded the title of earl the following year after marriage.

For many years, Louis-Antois ran a huge network of interests between the Great Western Kingdom and the Twilight Kingdom, which led many politicians in the Twilight Kingdom to consider him a careerist and speculator who was incapable of power. Because of the blood of the common people and the status of a mercenary merchant, his title of lord was not accepted and recognized by the traditional aristocratic class of the twilight kingdom from the beginning of his canonization, and his son Brandon Antois was regarded as a nobleman with impure blood.

Shen Zui understands Brandon's difficulties, and also understands the truth that "gentlemen don't take advantage of others' dangers", but with his friendship with Louie, it would be hypocritical if he didn't take the opportunity to slander him.

So he rolled his eyes, shook his head and said, "If the second heir to the Twilight throne doesn't wait to see you, then you will definitely be miserable, and I will accompany you there, but one more person will suffer." Not suitable, not suitable. ”

"You!" Brandon glared angrily, slowed down for a few seconds and put on a playful face, "If you accompany me to the banquet, I will give you what you have in mind." ”

Shen was drunk and secretly happy, thinking that this kid had finally opened his mind.

Although he was not from an aristocratic background, with his father's fame in the academic world, he often went in and out of the social circle of the aristocracy since he was a child, and knew their etiquette and conversation very well. So unlike Brand, he does not reject similar dinners.

Shen Zui pretended to be a little puzzled, and said, "What is my heart and mind? I don't know how I know?"

Brandon said earnestly, "Ancient Fragments - Excerpts from the Stars - Volume 7. ”

The ancient fragment is the book of the "one-eyed prophet" Hua Liang, a total of five records of breaking the barbarian, stealing the fire, the imperial weapon, picking the stars, and destroying together, 108 volumes, recording the deeds of the ancient gods, because of the long time, there are only 31 volumes left, so it is called the "ancient fragment".

According to legend, those who can obtain the essence of ancient fragments can know the heavens and the earth and foresee the future, so this book has always been banned in all countries.

It's just that it has been banned for a long time, and people always want to get a glimpse of the mystery of this book, but because of this, there are many versions of forgeries, and it is difficult to distinguish the authenticity.

The few suspected authentic artifacts unearthed through tomb robberies will be purchased by high-ranking officials and nobles for the first time once they enter the black market.

Shen Zui deliberately probed: "Such a valuable thing, you will carry it with you?" ”

"Naturally, the hand-copied scroll cannot leave my father's study, but I have read it carefully, and now the whole book plus the annotations of posterity are all in my head, and if you agree, I will give you a copy of it. ”

Mr. Shen was drunk and worshiped with Brandon at the age of five, and naturally knew that although he didn't understand the world, his brain was very bright, and he also had the ability to never forget, not to mention that it was just a volume, and he could memorize it word for word for him.

It is indeed difficult to judge whether what Brandon is looking at is genuine, but relying on his father's financial resources and vision, even if it is not genuine, it is still worth reading.

Shen Zui frowned, held his chin with his hand and said thoughtfully: "If that's the case... I pour ... Maybe... I might promise you. ”

Brandon was anxious, and said with some indignation: "If there are any other requests to be mentioned, it can be regarded as begging you once, let you fall to the end, it's okay." ”

Shen Zui couldn't help but laugh, and said: "I heard that your father has booked you the largest room in the school, with a separate study, a bath barrel, a thatched room, and a water flush, but really?

Brandon clenched his fists, eager to hammer a few times on the drunken head, gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, good, change it, it's all up to you." ”

Shen Zui still wanted to tease him, and said, "I also heard... ”

"Shut up, don't go too far. ”

Brandon covered his ears and pulled his legs and fled, smiling drunken and smug, and chased after him.

After breakfast together, they went back to their respective rooms, and drunkenly packed their belongings, including what Brandon called the shabby new coat - a navy blue wool coat lined with red, white and green plaid satin.

When he heard a long whistle, he picked up his luggage and returned to the deck.

The deck was already crowded with people, mostly attendants, some were responsible for carrying luggage, some were responsible for holding umbrellas for their young masters, and some had saddles on their shoulders that seemed to be specially leading horses.

Among the passengers on this ship, Shen Zui and Brandon did not have their own attendants, Shen was drunk because the family had no money, and Louis Antois taught Brandon to be self-reliant in everything since he was a child.

Soon after, there were more seagulls overhead, and I looked into the distance and saw the land I hadn't seen for a long time. It is the port of Dongshengkou, the largest port in Kyushu Province and the closest port to Rinkaze Castle.