"Ernest, can you tell me clearly whether you are in the position of standard-bearer of Lord Carlyle or the 'standard-bearer' of the Judge's father?" The pleasant Isabel looked intently at Ernest Walton and gently took a sip of a special alcoholic drink of cider and pear wine from the small Gothic table beside her.

Answering a question with a question is a phrase used by Isabel Walton when dealing with relationships. Except for the eldest son Ernest who just returned home today, all the family members here have been taught to varying degrees. At this time, everyone pursed their lips and smiled to see how the eldest son would deal with Isabel's rhetorical question, which was more cunning than a fox.

Although Ernest lived a rough military life during his service, because he was a would-be knight who was favored by Viscount Carlisle, it was inevitable that he would have some contact with the ladies and ladies of the local aristocratic families in Cumberland, where Carlisle Castle was located. However, an aristocratic lady like Isabel he admits that he met it for the first time.

After thinking about the other party's question, he subconsciously replied, "Of course, I am holding the position of the lord's standard-bearer. Besides, there doesn't seem to be such a position as a standard-bearer in the county magistrate's court. ”

"Gurgle... Brother, I didn't expect that you, who are good at fighting the highlanders, are not my sister's opponent. Yuphimia couldn't help but smile, and was the first to rush to say what was in everyone's hearts.

Ernest looked at his parents, who had not spoken, and only smiled or shook his head slightly. Look at Isabel sitting opposite, still with a somewhat mysterious smile on her face. He picked the hair near his right temple, glared at his eyes and whispered to his sister, "Effie, what do you mean?" No, I mean what do you mean with your father and mother? ”

Yuphimia smiled smugly and said, "Actually, my sister is unable or unwilling to answer your question for some reason. However, she is not willing to infringe on your quasi-partnership with her because of her own ideas, or a partnership that may become possible in the future. If it is a family member, it should be a harmonious relationship between relatives. So, you just have to wait calmly. ”

Ernest listened for a long time and still didn't understand his sister's words, and thought about it for a long time with his mouth open before he said, "Wait, wait for what?" ”

"Stupid, she'll tell you when you want to know. And, most of the time, you don't need to ask her. ”

"Oh, uh, okay."

At this moment, Ernest couldn't remember all the questions he had thought about before because of his sister's words. I could only stare at Isabel with two eyes and say, "Uh, I'm sorry, I can't remember the question I just asked you." Can you remind me, Isabel? ”

When Ernest uttered these silly words, even Sir Augustine laughed: "Son, if you still want to know the answer, you might as well go to her after dinner." ”

Isabel put down her glass and said apologetically, "Ernest, I should have said sorry to you." I cannot answer your question because the question you want to know relates to matters that fall within the duties of my father's magistrate, and because my father is now in the service of His Majesty the King. ”

This time Ernest understood. However, he seems to have forgotten that the Duke of Richmond had given Isabel full authority over the affairs of the county. Still asking, "Since it is a matter within the scope of my father's duties, why can you assist my father in handling public security cases?" ”

Sir Augustine was about to speak, but saw his daughter shaking her head and saying nothing. After Isabel stopped her father's speech, she still said calmly: "Ernest, if my father is guilty of negligence, corruption, hypocrisy, or dereliction of duty in the discharge of his duties as a magistrate, His Majesty may expel my father from the Council of Peace. At that point, what do you think should be done to protect Mother, Effie and the family? ”

"So, what about the annual honorarium? There's always a gratuity for my father's position as a county magistrate, right? ”

"No, Ernest, my father's office is one that no penny can receive."

Ernest realized what his father's position as county magistrate was, and he suddenly felt that there were many questions he wanted to understand one by one. He knew that he was the eldest son, and he also had a responsibility to know what had happened to him after so many years of being away from this family.

After dinner, he came to Isabel's room with two wooden swords and knocked lightly on the door three times. When the door opened, Isabel stood in the doorway and looked at him and said, "What's the matter?" ”

"Well, I heard from Effie that you've been practicing swordsmanship for a long time. So, I wonder if you can beat me. ”

"Good idea, do you have a lot of questions for me?"

"Yes, Isabel. As the eldest son of this family, I should know some family matters that I don't know. ”

"No problem, come with me."

When the two arrived at the manor's schoolyard, Ernest looked at Isabel as he handed her a wooden sword, and said, "I have no objection to my father being the magistrate, the captain of the guard, and the inspector of justice. However, I would like to know how my father got the appointment decree from His Majesty the King. ”

Isabel took the wooden sword and unhurriedly pointed the tip of the sword upward, roughly checking whether there was any damage on the erected sword, and said, "The recommendation of His Royal Highness the Duke and the squires of the county, as well as the negligence of the previous county magistrate. ”

"Probably there is corruption, I remember you said that corruption might be a reason for His Majesty to expel his father."

"Maybe."

When the two of them were seven or eight paces apart with their wooden swords, Ernest raised the wooden Cross Knight's sword with both hands and placed it on the right side of his head, and after taking a pose, he said, "Isabel, are you ready?" ”

Isabel nodded in the same pose and said, "I'm ready." ”

I saw that the eldest son of the Walton family nodded vigorously, and rushed towards the other party with a sword in both hands without saying a word. Isabel held the wooden sword upwards in her hands and stood motionless as she watched Ernest rush towards her.

When Ernest rushes in front of his opponent, he performs a powerful slash from the top right to the bottom left. Isabel stared at the wooden sword that was about to fall on her head, and her right leg drew a semicircle along the ground with her right leg to the left back, and then leaned to the left to avoid the sword completely.

The moment before the opponent retracted the sword momentum, he held the strong sword body behind the back half of the sword with his left hand, held the hilt of the sword with his right hand, and then sent the wooden sword forward with both hands, and the tip of the sword was directly against the skin of the right carotid artery in Ernest's neck.

Ernest, who was about to react, clearly felt a sharp object against the skin of his right neck, stopped retracting his sword and said with a slight smile: "Isabel, I admit defeat." ”

Isabel continued to keep her hands moving, glanced at him and said, "Do you throw in the towel when you are in the armor, or do you throw in the towel when you are not in the armor?" ”