The Mandheling family mansion is not far from the Kado, and it only takes about thirty minutes to get there by horseback.

The mansion is over 300 years old and has been renovated several times, most recently more than 80 years ago, so the whole mansion has an ancient atmosphere. In the middle of the flower bed in the middle of the front yard, there is a bronze statue of the first generation of the Mandheling family, the founder of the country, Ponins. The statue of Mandheling, given by the first king of East, was originally placed in the domain, and was moved by the owner of the house when it was completed.

From that time until sixty years ago, every generation of East kings, after ascending the throne, would come and plant a tree around the statue. This was a royal tradition, but since the Mandheling family was demoted, no member of the royal family has visited. Still, the bronze statue, surrounded by trees planted by successive kings, has an unusual significance. Anyone who passes by the gate of Mandheling's house can't help but take a light step for fear of desecration.

Minna tied the horse to a nearby grove and let it graze on its own, and hid not far from the gate of Mandheling's house, and watched it carefully. The old bronze gate was tightly closed, but the small door next to it was occasionally entered. The doorkeeper was a middle-aged man with an arrogant expression, his head held high, his back straightened, his dress and gray hair were a trace of handing over a business card to ask for a meeting, he would sometimes bow and let him go, sometimes he directly slanted at the person with a cold gaze, and said lightly, "The master doesn't see a stranger, please go back", and then ignored the other party's request. But the door was never opened, and the guests came on foot or in luxury vehicles with six horses and four wheels.

Minna remembered Alex casually mentioning that the door of his house would only open when the king or members of the royal family came, and usually only small doors. Therefore, in order to meet the needs, the so-called small door is actually more than three meters wide...

Minna wouldn't be foolish enough to run up to the gatekeeper, confess her identity, and ask to be seen. The Mandheling family and Xiao... Although the Kado family is not a feud, it is also a deep grudge. Alex's aunt, Elena, remained in Van Ah after the war, and heard that she had decided not to leave the temple for the rest of her life. After the current head of Mandheling's family learned of his sister's decision, his hatred for Xiao Tianjian deepened, although Minna privately felt that it had nothing to do with her grandfather, and Ms. Elena was clearly involved by the spies of the Demon Domain.

Since she couldn't enter through the front door in the open, how could she meet Alex? She can't make up an identity. Since Ito is going to live for a short period of time, the fraud will be discovered sooner or later.

She pondered for a long time, and suddenly remembered that Alex had mentioned the situation in his back garden during the casual conversation, and hurriedly ran from the path next to the mansion to the back door, and found the "ivy-crawling" wall of the ground, and then found a hollow gap in a remote corner. Although Alex had said that their cousins had been playing through the crack in the wall for a few hours, it was clear that the adults had discovered the secret and patched up the wall. The gap was still two or three feet lower than the wall next to it, but it was also three meters high.

But it's not that hard for Minna. She looked left and right and saw that no one was passing, then she took out her wand and turned her dress into an ivy face and pattern, then plunged a dagger into the wall, took a few steps back, ran a short distance, jumped up and stepped on the dagger and jumped up the wall, and saw a figure shaking in the wall, and hurriedly lowered her head and hid, and waited until the servant entered the house. only then jumped over the wall, and then quickly turned the dress into a grassy face.

The Mandheling family's house was mainly made of stone. The exterior of the house was covered with ivy-like plants, and under the shade of the trees were dense bushes and flowers, which greatly facilitated Minna's evasion. She carefully avoided the passing servants as she crawled to the ground, according to Alex's description in memory. Looking for a friend's place to live.

Although a little embarrassed, she soon found a small, independent two-story building. In front of the building, there are two bushes of thorn roses, which are in full bloom right now. The flowers were as red as her dress, as described by her friends.

This small building was a birthday present that Alex received when he was ten years old. There are few magical geniuses in the body. He moved into this small building at a very young age to study and live on his own. She remembers that the first floor of the place was the living room and study. The basement is the laboratory and storage room. On the second floor is Alex's bedroom. There is a large terrace. There is no shading device at all. Just plain in the sun.

Minna once again transforms her lichen dress back into a vine face. before he dared to walk over and push the door. However, the door was locked. Apparently the host was not at home. She glared at the magical lock. Decided to find another way to get into the house. Although she could undo that magic. But that would alarm Alex Land. Then there is no way to "surprise" him.

Go around to the terrace below. She looked around. I saw that no one was passing by. He threw out a rope hook. Climbed to the edge of the terrace and climbed up. Luckily it was. The patio door is just a normal lock. She opened it with ease.

The furnishings in the room are very simple. Beds, tables, chairs, wardrobes and storage shelves. Almost all of Yan Se are dirt series land. Next to the fireplace on the stone floor is a pot of more than one meter of high-altitude sunflower. Turquoise foliage brightens up the room. There are several paintings hanging above the fireplace. One of the small portraits. The protagonist is a woman in her thirties and forties. Dressed in some old-fashioned dresses. Eyebrows gently. Smile at the corners of your lips. Separates the hair from both sides softly and softly. Loosely pulled to the back of his head. There is a tender red rose diagonally. She was holding a small baby in her arms. Staring at a pair of bright eyes. Minna recognized the gaze. And the curly hair curled slightly. It's not exactly the same as Alex

So he was like this when he was a child? Chubby, powdery and cute. So this woman is his mother?

Minna leaned closer to the statue to take a closer look. Suddenly, I heard two bangs downstairs. It seems to be the sound of a door opening and closing. Could it be that Alec has returned? She crept down the stairs. Going to scare him.

But before she could get to the corner, she shrank back quickly, and crouched down on the stairs and did not dare to move.

Because it wasn't just Alex who came through the door, there was also an old man in his fifties or sixties, with a thin build. The waist is straight, the temples are gray, and he is wearing a deep aristocratic suit, and his facial features are somewhat similar to Alex.

As soon as he entered, he stopped Alex: "Don't go! I want you to make it clear! Do you even know what you're doing?! ”

Alex was expressionless and didn't look back: "Of course I know what I'm doing, but you, father... I'm afraid I don't know what I'm doing! ”

"Ridiculous!" The old man's eyes widened, "I really spoiled you in the past, I spoiled you so much that you didn't know how thick the sky was, and you did such a thing that went against the interests of the family!" When I received the letter, I couldn't believe it! You used to be fooling around. I don't care about you, but this time, I will never allow you to go against my will again! ”

"Father!" Alex closed his eyes, a flash of pain on his face, "Why don't you listen to me?" Politics is not what you are good at at all, you need to manage your territory well, don't get involved in anything else, this is good for you and for your family. It's good for my brothers! ”

The old man snorted coldly: "What do you know?!" Our Mandharing family has fallen to the point where it is today, and if we don't find a way to revive the family business, we will fall like the other families! And... Now the situation has reached a point where we can't get out, as long as things are finally successful, we can become the most noble family again, and no one or anything can threaten us anymore! ”

Alex shook his head: "I know what you're worried about, but the phone is easy :. CN tidying up that is a thing of the past. As long as you are quiet for a few years, for a long time, no one will remember. But what you do now. But it's to force someone else to dig that thing up again! Father, can't the lessons of your ancestors wake you up? How did Mandheling lose his duke title? Why are you going down the path of your great-grandfather and grandfather?! ”

"How is that the same?!" The old man shouted. "At that time, our family chose the wrong place to support, but now, apart from the second prince, is there a more suitable candidate? Everyone is on our side, those who don't support it are fools! Even if the king wants to go his own way. But with so many nobles opposed, what can he do?! ”

Alex gave his father a sad look: "You really don't fit to go down the path of politics. Father. If it was before, as long as His Highness was not seriously injured. His Majesty the King will not be right. The more nobles on the queen's side, the less likely it is that His Majesty will let them go easily. It's a dead end, so why do you insist on squeezing into it? ”

The old man's expression changed: "What did you say?" ”

Alex smiled wryly: "I've persuaded you many times, but unfortunately you didn't listen." Father, you have also been a member of parliament for decades, don't you see what is going on in the heart of His Majesty? You see, how many of the other seven ducal families that were once on the same level as our Mandheling are left? For hundreds of years, except for those who did not land, died out, and rebelled, there were only three families left, We, Chulov and Heddah, Hedda had been defeated, if it weren't for the fact that the current head of the family was the queen's nephew, I am afraid that he would not be able to keep even that little bit of territory and family property; Chulov, who seems to be prosperous, is in fact rotten inside, and those who are successful are all children of the side line, and the only one in the lineage is Goodwin, and there are no heirs, and the reason why their family has been able to stand for many years is only because they have hugged the king's thigh; In contrast, we still have a good territory, you and the eldest brother have two seats in the council, and the second brother also has the title of deputy director, what are you not satisfied with? If you anger the king, I'm afraid you will lose even that. ”

The old man was silent, and after a long while, he spoke again: "Child, you don't understand. What an opportunity for us. Even if the king would be angry, what could he do? Although his prestige is high, if all the noble princes have enough qualifications, he is a decent young man, and even those who support the eldest prince do not deny this. ”

He slowly approached his son and said, "Think about it, the king is already old, and it won't be long before the new king will ascend the throne." The second prince is still young and inexperienced, once he becomes the new king, who can he rely on? The queen can't handle political affairs for him, and the third prince can't do it. The children in Heda's family are even younger, and one is half-blind! The people of the Francis family are mediocre, and the others can't believe it! It's just us, it's just us, the Mandheling family. Child, can you imagine what that would be like? Ever since your grandfather died, I have been in great pain every day, and I have often asked him in front of the bronze statue of the first head of the family how I can revive the Mandheling family, and now that I have such a good opportunity, how can you let me give up?! ”

"Perseverance, judging the situation," Alex muttered a few sentences that were neither like song nor poetry, "We live in the sun, Mandheling, and refuse to be humble and cowardly..."

It's an ancient language, Minna had just learned, so she vaguely understood, but what did it mean?

The old man opened his mouth and sighed, "Why do you suddenly read this?" ”

"This is the motto of the Mandheling family, engraved in front of the statue of the first head of the family, my father should know it very well, right?"

"Of course!" The old man said, "And that's exactly what I did!" ”

Alex shook his head with a wry smile: "No, father, even if the sky is only fleeting, the sun will always reappear, but what you do... But it led us into a dark hole, where we could only be in the company of maggots and flies

The old man turned around angrily: "Stubborn guy! If you don't listen, forget it, but don't stop us! Just because you want to live in humility and cowardice doesn't mean that anyone else will! He lifted his feet and walked away, slamming the door away.

"Father!" Alex stopped him loudly and asked, "What if... You fail, what do you do? Even if you don't do anything, the future new king will still count on you, why should you take the risk? ”

The old man paused for a moment before replying, "Today, I can't turn back." To do it or not to do it, the results obtained are not at all the same. After saying that, he walked away.

"But if you do, you will have to live in humility and cowardice in the future," Alex sat down in his chair and buried his head.

Minna hesitated, not knowing whether she should show up to say hello. She seemed to hear something important... It turns out that Alex's family supports the second prince? Then he helped the eldest prince on the way back, was his father angry?

Just thinking about it, as soon as his feet moved, Alex noticed the abnormality, looked up and shouted, "Who is there?!" ”

Minna popped up embarrassedly and waved at him with a smirk: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... I just wanted to come and see you, and it just so happened to be..."Song: "It turned out to be you...", he looked at the door that was still shaking, and smiled bitterly: "I'm sorry, it seems that you have seen something unseemly..."

Minna laughed dryly: "Actually, it's nothing, our family... We Xiao... There are also people in the Kado family who support the two princes separately, and Beryl and Manda have also quarreled, it's really nothing..."

Alex smiled, didn't say anything, asked Minna how she got in, and said, "That's right, I don't want to stay at home anymore, let's go out together."

Minna blinked and cautiously asked, "What do you mean by that?" ”

"That's what it means." Alex tugged at the corners of his mouth, "I regret it a little, why did I choose to come back at this time, if it was a month or two late, maybe it wouldn't be so uncomfortable." ”

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing." Alex shrugged and smiled sarcastically, "My father is getting married, and in order to welcome the bride, he specially cleaned up my mother's room and disposed of all her belongings." I've also divided a few of them. It's a pity that we children can't be disposed of, and I hope the bride won't find it an eyesore. ”

Minna opened her mouth, not knowing how to comfort him, but the smile on his face was quite bright: "Guess who he is going to marry?" You can't guess! ”

"It's... Who? ”

Alex's smile became even brighter: "It's a noble widow, the head mother of the Hedda family!" The young head of the house probably also felt that it was not Zimina's eyes widened: "Helenf."