"The Duke of Normandy Richard is really unreasonable, first without saying goodbye, and then secretly appearing at my banquet, without saying hello to the host of the banquet and disappearing."

The Count of Bauduin stuffed a piece of pickled herring meat into his mouth, pretended to be angry, and poured a large sip of wine, the red liquid staining his beautiful beard at the corners of his mouth.

This is another roundabout trick on my words!

"Indeed, the Duke of Normandy, I was surprised by his sudden arrival, and I had to speak with him politely, even if my mud-stained boots would not splash my newly made leather trousers," I replied slowly. ”

"These damned northerners, no matter how long it takes, still can't learn the proper manners of the nobility, just like their ancestors who rode the dragon head warship a hundred years ago, they will only blindly rampage, I wish I had been born hundreds of years earlier, and I would have seen the legendary Viking who came with the wrath of God, you know that they only live now, scaring the bedtime stories of mothers who refuse to sleep naughty children, and I was quite frightened when I was a child."

The Count of Baudouin grimaced with emotion, trying to ease my guard, and it was evident that he had seen through my clumsy disguise.

"These Vikings with horn helmets conquered every dream of my childhood, but when I grew up and really fought against each other, I realized that they were just ordinary people with a nose and two legs, and they couldn't live if they had their heads cut off."

I tore a chicken leg from the plate held by the attendant behind me, put it in my mouth and chewed it vigorously, making indecent biting sounds from time to time, and smearing my face with oiliness:

"My lord, they believe in the doctrine of taking, believing that it is better to cultivate by force, when I was in Italy, His Majesty the Emperor had a Norman mercenary army, with whom I fought side by side, all of them were useless warriors, except for the savage tattoos on their arms and the sour breath that made people sick to their stomachs, it was their innate nature to burn and plunder, even God could not do anything about it."

"Haha! I like your jokes, Randy, can I call you that, Lord Earl? ”

Count Baudouin took out a white silk handkerchief from his sleeve and elegantly wiped the pickle sauce on his hand: "Of course, you can also call me Robo, like a true friend." ”

"As you wish, my lord." I smiled at the corners of my mouth, wiped my fingers from my trousers, and followed Count Baudouin on my walk through the little garden of the castle.

In fact, as soon as the Duke of Normandy had departed, the little chamberlain of the Count of Baudouin came running and sent a message that his master wished to have a friendship with me, and to avoid the flies-like annoying but ubiquitous ears, and I followed him around the overlapping staircases and long corridors to the winding garden where the smell of plants reeked in the moonlight.

It is a small indoor garden, small but delicately carved, like a round white porcelain doll.

Unlike the Chinese royal gardens, which open and close, or the gentle gardens of the rich and wealthy, this indoor garden cleverly uses a large curved patio to let in light and receive rainwater irrigation, while conserving the temperature in the flower room, and the interconnected waterways are carved between the flower paths, using the steam released by the warm water to raise the temperature of the entire space and ensure the suitable environment for the precious flowers and trees in the garden.

"It's a delicate garden, Lord Robo, it's like coming to God's Garden of Eden, and I'm going crazy when I'm at a loss."

Tut-tut, and gave the earl a thumbs up, not surprised by the beautiful flowers blooming in the garden, but at the huge amount of money spent on the construction of the flower bed, and the price of white marble for the flower bed alone was far from being affordable for ordinary people.

"Your assessment is very pertinent, because there is no need to lie and please me like the others, you have seen the most beautiful gardens in Italy, and you must have seen the most beautiful gardens in Italy, and the craftsmanship of the Roman era must have been more ingenious."

The Count of Baudouin was very much praised by me, and dragged a delicate flower and sniffed it, with a gentle and unpretentious expression, like a fine masonry paste.

"Beautiful things always need to be constantly watered and nourished in order to grow according to ideals, just like two countries cannot establish a long-term relationship of trust in a vacuum."

Finally getting to the point? Old fox!

I slandered in my heart, but with an approving expression on my face, I nodded vigorously to cooperate with him: "What you say is so reasonable, Lord Robo, Nijmegen has long wanted to have the same kind of generous and trustworthy support as Flemish father, and we only need a little shoulder, enough to cover the rain of arrows, and you don't have to worry about it all the time." ”

"That's why we're here, and you've made Flender notice the little brother who is thriving on your side in your own way, and the road has been very bumpy."

Count Baudouin let go of the flower in his hand, which had been destroyed to the point of almost withering, and turned to me, and the little squire retreated to a distant place to take the wind, and now the conversation could only be heard by the two of us, and came out of his mouth into my ears.

"You know I've always needed to have a worry-free neighbor on my flank, and it would be nice if that person could go one step further and become a member of the family who doesn't have to be watched day and night."

Having said that, everyone should be able to talk openly and honestly, the left and right are just an exchange of interests, and the only thing left is the bargaining between you and me.

"It is my heartfelt hope that I will be favored by God and will be able to marry your jewel, Princess Serena, a goddess as pure and unflawless as the white moonlight." Seize the fleeting opportunity and immediately express his desire to say what he thought he had known about me.

Count Baudouin knew what I wanted, and his performance at this moment was nothing more than a show: "Hehe, it is a pity that we cannot be friends anymore, but God has given us a blood tie, and entrusted to you my most cherished little daughter, Serena, so that Flender and Nijmegen will be close to each other, and I will be able to sleep for the rest of my life, without worrying about enemies from the north and the east." ”

He patted me on the shoulder with a smile on his face, and his face was full of kind, gentle smiles that were about to flow from the water, and it was really easy to be gullible, if you did not understand the family motto of the Count of Flender that debts must be paid.

"I will dedicate the most perfect wedding to Princess Serena, when it will be witnessed by a venerable archbishop under the Pope's throne, either a cardinal of Flanders or an archbishop of Berlin, who will be guaranteed to convince the princess that she is the happiest woman in the world."

I rubbed my hands together and paused embarrassedly, as if I was a little self-reproachful and impatient.

"Nijmegen will bear all the wedding expenses, including the ingredients and wine used in the banquet, and Leonardo will ensure that they are all the delicacies of the famous chef, worthy of the princess's flower and moon."

"I'm thrilled to know what to reciprocate for your generosity, Randy, God must have heard my prayers day and night to bring such good fortune."

The Count of Baudouin looked up at the moon that was slowly hiding behind the clouds, as if thinking about something, and his solemn expression quietly covered his lonely face.

"Serena's mother, after giving birth to her, died of bed fever, in the rooms of this castle, which was her heart disease and untouchable pain from childhood, as a father, there is nothing else but to double the pampering, thank God you can continue to love her for me, and take care of Flender's most delicate flowers."

"So be it! I will take the very attached territory of the city of Antwerp as a dowry, and all its income will be kept in Serena's private money, which will at least ensure that she will have no food and clothing for the rest of her life, and will not be ruthlessly abandoned by the bastards of Paris, like my poor mother, and you will not be jealous of me for talking like this, will you? ”

"I swear that I will spend my life protecting Princess Serena, assure God."

I took the Count by the arm and pledged my loyalty: "I will never be a disobedient man like King Robert, marriage is a mixture of spirit and flesh, and I am willing to give my life." ”

The Count of Baudouin finally grinned, at least this time in a rare show of sincerity, and he stretched out his arms and gave me a big hug: "And what else can I say?" Give me a hug, kid, and we'll be a family from now on. ”

"The sword of Nijmegen is always at your disposal, Lord Count."

I buried my head in the broad shoulders of Count Baudouin, and resisted the uncomfortable feeling of my neck being made uncomfortable by his stiff beard. The family matter was resolved in a few words, just like the Duke of Richard said, Normandy became a stepping stone to Nijmegen's ascension, so that everyone had to face up to the rise of another political power, the so-called milk tiger roaring valley, the beasts were terrified, as it was.

"So now...... Go and meet the goddess of your mouth, my daughter Princess Serena, who is not allowed to attend tonight's feast, and as a maiden to be married, it is her duty to stay in the boudoir. ”

The Count of Baudouin beckoned to his attendant and told him to take me to the princess's room, and I was amazed by the enlightened father, who first rushed to put his own daughter on the table as a political bargaining chip, and then asked a young man to visit his fiancée at night, what a strange and contradictory medieval man.

The little attendant lowered his head and said nothing, turned left and right and led me to the front of the door wrapped in thick soft cowhide, and then stood silently at the door and became a wooden man, I swallowed and spat helplessly, the first time I entered the girl's boudoir, it was inevitable that I was a little nervous, just like I never dared to confess to my crush in high school, and there was an insurmountable obstacle in my heart.

The door seemed to read the entanglement in my heart, and opened silently, I hurriedly lowered my head, only to see the small corner of the white silk dress squeezed into my eyes, and the beads of sweat instantly became like rain.

"You must be Lord Count Nijmegen, please come in!"

The owner of the voice must have been as pleasant as it was, and when I saw the white dress disappear from the corner of my eye, I cautiously stepped inside, stepping on a thick cashmere carpet as soft as cotton, with bright and light patterns on it, in line with the girl's pink character.

"So everything is decided, you and my father?"

Princess Serena placed a delicate white porcelain glass in front of me, but instead of a fragrant dragon well, it was a scarlet wine juice.

"Let me guess what kind of price it was, selling myself ......"

"I beg your pardon for taking the liberty of ...... Princess"

I was about to speak when Princess Serena stiffly interrupted: "Are you having trouble getting used to my bluntness?" This is the real me, a porcelain doll on the shelf waiting to be sold, although it is the heart of the clay, but it is destined to a glamorous life, my life, old age, sickness and death are not up to me, I must be sold or re-refined according to the interests of the family. ”

Interesting girl, it seems to be a little different from other nobles who pretend to be ladies, I thought so, and slowly raised my head.

Disappointing is that there is no amazing face like an angel, but a girl who has just come out of the cabinet, the fair baby fat face still has dark freckles, the facial features are not eye-catching, but it reveals a kind of uncontrollable exuberant energy, if you live in modern times, I have no doubt that she will paint a big smoky blood makeup, become the pioneer of a rebellious girl, is the kind of vigorous youthful beauty.

"God has given every child born in the world a predestined mission, and life is a process of washing away original sin, and at the same time it is a destiny that must be practiced."

I picked up the white porcelain wine glass with a mysterious luster in the candlelight and played with it, the mellow enamel reminded me of my hometown in the East, and the expression at this moment was the little freshness of the melancholy temperament that the girls were obsessed with.

"We are about to become husband and wife, and according to the results of my discussions with your father, the Count of Baudouin, and then you will have the exact news, and the whole of Flanders will be lively."

The girl blinked her slender eyelashes and stared earnestly at my melancholy face: "As you said, we must be married, this is fate that is difficult to change. Rest assured, I have received a good education from an early age and will help you manage the rear of the castle well and fulfill the responsibilities of a competent wife. ”

"Respectfully, beautiful princess, marry me, old man." I raised my glass and nodded at the princess, thinking I had made a playful joke, but was quickly hurt by her answer.

"It's okay, I've already tasted it, Father Ben Red's little priest, handsome and full of energy, and the main thing is that it smells of clean grass, which is the smell of youth."

(End of chapter)