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(Author's Note: I said I took a leave of absence last night. When I came back in the middle of the night, I felt like I owed everyone a chapter. My heart was restless and I couldn't sleep. If I don't update it right away, I'll feel a knot in my heart. So, I stayed up all night to finish this chapter and make up for everything I owed …. Hmm, I even added an extra thousand words.
Chapter 265 "Make You Fall In Love With Me"
It's currently summer. In a place like the Northwest, the midsummer night was less hot, but more dry and cool.
After all, this is the Northwest. Even in the middle of summer, there aren't many rare plants to see in the garden.
In the garden, the ones that are in full bloom right now are the thorny flowers that are most suitable for growing in the cold. On top of these thorns, there are small yellow flowers that grow strong and tenacious under the night sky.
Mrs. Lister walks in front of Du Wei, her slender hand gently caressing the flowers. Like a blooming rose, it's hard to tell who's the woman and who's the flower.
Du Wei slowly follows behind Mrs. Lister, his pair of eyes never leaving the beautiful woman's back. But his heart isn't at ease.
With the bright moon hanging in the sky, Mrs. Lister suddenly stands next to a cluster of flowers. Looking up, she faintly sighs: "I can't even remember how many days it's been since I saw such a bright moon."
Du Wei smiles and stands with his hands behind his back: "In the Northwest, the wind is strong. When there are no clouds in the sky at night, the moon is always bright."
"It's not because of the heavens, it's because of the human heart." Mrs. Lister shakes her head, a trace of sadness flashed across her beautiful face.
With how smart Du Wei is, he immediately understood the other party's meaning. Faintly smiling: "Yes, it's not because of the heavens, it's because of the human heart."
Slowly turning around, Mrs. Lister's bright red evening dress accentuates her beauty like a blooming flower. Under the moonlight, those bright eyes of hers become even more soul-stirring. Her lips trembling: "You ….. In the end, you still won't accept my good intentions?"
Du Wei gently frowned: "I'm only fifteen years old, and my experience is only average. Although I'm a Duke right now, but in the Northwest, my military strength is not as good as the Northwestern Army, and my foundation is not as good as Governor Bohan's. In the future, I may not be able to stand firm. Marquise thinks so highly of me, aren't you afraid of making the wrong bet? "
Instead of answering directly, Mrs. Lister first whispered: "You …. We're not in a banquet right now, nor is this a formal occasion. Are you not willing to call me by my name?"
Pausing for a moment, he sighed, "With your intelligence, why do you need to come up with such excuses? I admit that I want our two houses to form an alliance for selfish reasons, but that doesn't mean it's purely for the sake of benefits …. After all, I'm also a woman. "
Du Wei was speechless, but Mrs. Lister slowly reached out her hand in an attempt to pluck off one of the leaves. Unfortunately, the thorny flower was covered in thorns, and as soon as she reached out, her delicate fingertips were pierced. Letting out a low cry of pain, a drop of blood condensed between her jade-like fingers. That delicate finger was so beautiful that even Du Wei couldn't help but stare blankly at it.
Seemingly satisfied with Du Wei's reaction, Mrs. Lister's face flushed red as she whispered: "I married my husband when I was young. Although he was already old when I married him, he was still the first man I met who treated me with sincerity …. I still can't forget the night of our wedding. With his status as a Marquise, he jumped down from the window sill. Just because I accidentally said something about a flower blooming in the garden under the window sill, he took the chance to take it. He was willing to jump down to pick it for me. "
Speaking up to here, she slowly put the pierced finger into her mouth and gently sucked away the drop of blood: "I am a woman. Ever since I was thirteen years old, I've heard countless men's praises, endured countless men's aggressive gazes, and even more so seen countless fellows fawning over me … But these people, in my heart, are all inferior to my husband. Although he died early, he gave me the most peaceful and happy years of my life. In those years, although he was already old, he accompanied me every morning to collect dew. At night, he accompanied me to warm the fire and watch the moon …. Even his coughs in his sleep seemed to bring me peace. "
The way she spoke, coupled with her soft and sweet voice, was even more enchanting. But Du Wei's heart shuddered. Looking at the woman in front of him with a flash of sadness in her eyes, although she's talking about her admiration for another man, the strange thing is …. Du Wei's original disgust for this Mrs. Lister faded a lot.
Hmm …. It seems she's not a woman who only knows how to exchange benefits.
Smiling at Du Wei, Mrs. Lister softly said: "I …. Are you angry that I talked about him in front of you?"
Shaking his head, Du Wei sincerely said: "You're right …. You're a woman after all. Even if you're the strongest woman in the world, the head of the richest business family in the continent, you're not a blockhead." Then he smiled: "I didn't expect you to tell me this."
"It's just a moment of interest." Letting out a faint sigh, Mrs. Lister slowly walked over to Du Wei's side. Unknowingly, her body was so close to Du Wei that the two were practically face to face. Under the moonlight, Du Wei could clearly feel the orchid like breath of Mrs. Lister. Under the moonlight, Du Wei only felt that this beautiful woman was particularly tempting. Suppressing the urge to reach out and pull her into his arms, he finally suppressed the urge to reach out and pull her into his embrace.
"Actually …. Since his death, I haven't been able to enjoy the moon …. Nor have I been able to relax for a day." Shaking her head, Mrs. Lister whispered: "Perhaps everyone knows that I'm always striving to expand the family business, but in my heart, I've always been looking forward to having someone to rely on."
Raising her head, those moonlight like eyes looked straight at Du Wei: "Women are like vines. No matter how strong they are, they still have to find a big tree to attach themselves to. But all these years, I've been struggling to hold on without a single day of true happiness. "
Du Wei remained silent until he heard Mrs. Lister whisper: "I …. It's been a long time since I've received flowers from others."
At this moment, Du Wei didn't know where the impulse came from. Laughing out loud, he reached into the thicket and tore off a bunch of yellow thorned flowers. Handing it over to Mrs. Lister, he smiled: "Flowers for a beauty. Although these thorned flowers can't compare to even one ten-thousandth of your beauty, they can't even compare to one ten-thousandth."
"Flowers don't depend on the type, but the person who gives it." Mrs. Lister smiled sweetly: "If it's a gift from your Excellency the Duke, even if it's just a bunch of hay, I'll still be happy."
Pausing for a moment, a trace of pleading appears on her face: "You …. Won't you call me by my name?"
In front of such a devastatingly beautiful woman, Du-Wei is still a man after all. His head heated up, he couldn't help but whisper, "Hmm … … Miss Lan."
"Mmm …. You, you calling me that makes me very happy." Mrs. Lister blushed and lowered her head.
Just by gently lowering her head with a bashful expression, Du-Wei almost lost his mind due to her stunning beauty. In his heart, he repeatedly exclaimed: Amazing!
It was no wonder that in his previous life, there were sayings such as "Riding the red dust while the concubine laughed, no one knew it was a lychee", "Anger for a beauty", and "Playing with the warlords with the fire beacon".
This woman, when beautiful to a certain degree, her lethality really can't be measured.
"In my thirty years of life, you are the first man I've fallen in love with." Such a bold statement from the Marquise made Du Wei's jaw drop.
"Don't misunderstand." Mrs. Lister smiles: "You may be a little young, but there's always an air of superiority around you. No matter how hard you try to hide, even if you hide in a crowd, you'll still be seen through at a glance. In my life, I've never seen a man as strange as you. Although I haven't fallen in love with you yet, no matter how I think about it, you're the best candidate for my husband. In my entire life, I've always admired those extremely intelligent and powerful men. Since I understand that I'm a vine, I'll naturally look for the strongest tree. "
Du Wei appropriately interjects: "Unfortunately, my tree is still only a sapling."
The Marquise suddenly chuckles and sighs. Looking deeply at Du Wei: "Do you really want me to give you the entire Lister House before you'll accept me?"
Du Wei is speechless.
"You …. In the end, what will it take for you to marry me?"
Mrs. Lister's straightforward question didn't hold back at all, leaving behind all pretenses. Such a question actually puts Du Wei in a difficult position.
Muttering to himself for a moment, Du Wei slowly says: "Madam, you're stunning and beautiful. I'm afraid there isn't a man in this world who wouldn't be moved by you. I …. of course, I'm no exception. To be honest, it's hard for me not to have some thoughts about you. It's just that …. I'm a stubborn person. No matter what, I'm not willing to let my marriage be an exchange! Even if it's an exchange! Perhaps you'll think it's funny if I say it out loud. But I might as well tell you this. What hegemony in the Northwest, or power, I don't care about it. Ever since I came to this world, the only thing I've pursued is nothing more than a simple 'freedom'! This ideal, you may think it's ridiculous, but I still insist on it. Until today, everything I've done, everything I've done, is for this ideal of mine. The so-called freedom, of course, I'm not willing to be controlled by others! If even my own marriage has to be based on the conventional exchange of interests, then wouldn't my so-called 'freedom' become a joke? "
Mrs. Lister widened her eyes and looked at Du Wei with surprise.
Du Wei slowly says: "It's not that you're not beautiful enough, nor is it that the Lister House's conditions are not attractive enough. It's just that …. I'm a stupid guy, and I don't want these things. "
Mrs. Lister carefully savored the word 'freedom' that Du Wei mentioned and was speechless for a long time.
At this moment, Du Wei's mind gradually became clear. Slowly recovering from the charm of Mrs. Lister, he said: "I invited you to dinner tonight for two reasons. First, naturally, it's to express my gratitude for the suggestion you made through Dadaneier's mouth. And second …. "
Looking at Mrs. Lister and seeing that the other party didn't show any signs of resistance, Du Wei continued: "Miss Lan …. What you're worried about is nothing more than the future prosperity of the Lister House and finding a big tree to rely on. However, although I don't want to be that big tree, I'm willing to find one for you! The marriage between the two families doesn't necessarily need to be completed by you and me. "
"What do you mean?" Mrs. Lister frowned.
"I have a younger brother named Gabriel." Du Wei slowly said: "He and I share the same father and mother. The only difference now is that his surname is Rollin while I've changed it to Rudolph. However, my brother is only ten years old and is very intelligent. With my current status in the Empire, although the Rowling family has declined, as long as I carefully guide him, within twenty years, he'll be able to stand out among his peers. At that time, not to mention high, even a count's title won't be difficult. Plus, he's also a disciple of Blue Ocean, so of course his character and aptitude are good. Such a character wouldn't be a disgrace to the young lady of the Lister House. "
Mrs. Lister's eyes widened as she stared at Du Wei: "You …. You mean …. You want your brother to marry into our family? But …. But my little sister Angel is already fifteen years old, and …. "
"Fifteen years old is only five years older than Gabriel." Du Wei glanced at Mrs. Lister, his meaning clear: You're more than ten years older than me, yet you still don't care.
"But Angel will never agree. That girl still has feelings for you …. If she doesn't want to marry you, then so be it, but if you want her to marry your brother …. She'll never agree."
Mrs. Lister resolutely said.
Du Wei smiled: "Angel is only fifteen years old, what does she know about the matters between men and women? Right now, she …. Hmm, she has a good impression of me, but it's nothing more than those legendary stories she's heard. I've only been with her for less than three days, and we haven't even spoken three hundred words. Wait until she's past her age, then she'll naturally understand that this is not true love. My brother's intelligence is well known in the capital, he's definitely a good match for the young lady of the Lister House. "
"That's enough!" Mrs. Lister suddenly showed a faint trace of disappointment as she stared deeply at Du Wei: "Even if you refuse me, you don't have to come up with such an idea!"
Suddenly, she leaned in closer to Du Wei. Her originally soft and fragrant body was almost pressed against Du Wei's chest. Looking up at Du Wei's eyes: "You! What will it take for you to marry me? "
"Unless I fall in love with you …." Du Wei's answer was resolute and decisive.
"Good!!" Mrs. Lister suddenly used a resolute tone and slowly said: "Du Wei! I will definitely find a way to make you fall in love with me! "
After saying that, the woman stared deeply at Du Wei for a while. The look in her eyes made Du Wei's heart skip a beat.
Watching Mrs. Lister turn around and leave, Du Wei gently stroked the flowers. Suddenly, his finger retracted because the tip of his finger was pricked by the thorns. Looking down, Du Wei bitterly smiled: "A flower with thorns is really powerful."
With the moon shining brightly, Du Wei stood alone in the garden. Mrs. Lister's departure made him feel quite emotional.
"You …. Aren't you being a bit too ruthless?" Deep inside his mind, Saimel's voice sounded.
"What's wrong?"
"That little girl from the Lister House, do you have the heart to force a political marriage on such a pitiful and cute girl? Moreover, you clearly know …. At least now, she still can't forget you. "
After a moment of silence, Du Wei's mouth suddenly pulled into a smile: "Saimel …. My dear Saimel …. Do you know, I recently read 'The History of the Continent' and there's a sentence that made me feel very emotional?"
"… … What?"
Du-Wei took a deep breath, and his face was cold and solemn as he said indifferently, "There are many times when you arrogantly think that you've already controlled fate, but in fact, you've always been controlled by fate!"
Saimel in the depths of Du Wei's mind suddenly went silent.
"Do you know who said that?" Du Wei smiled indifferently: "It's Aragon Roland!"
"… … But this woman called Lister, she said she will make you fall in love with her."
Shrugging his shoulders, Du Wei moved closer to the thorned flowers and gently sniffed: "Wait until the day I really fall in love with her!"
•
The next day, the prairie messenger Hamuye's patience finally came to an end. Du Wei finally met with the prairie prince.
Although he has been sleeping in a tent for several days, eating "takeout" for several days, coupled with the worries of the night, the prairie prince has lost some weight. But it seems his spirit is still quite good.
Du Wei adopted the suggestion Mrs. Lister gave him through Dadaneier's mouth. Instead of waiting for the other side to yield, Du Wei first hinted at his condition.
Sure enough, when Du Wei hinted that the empire can withdraw the 20,000 cavalrymen stationed in the prairie, this proposal immediately aroused Hamuye's interest.
"No matter what … …" Du Wei clearly stated his position: "This clause absolutely cannot be written in the contract! Even if you write it, I will not admit that this is the condition we paid! "
Du Wei's biggest concession was to promise that after the peace talks between the two sides, he would use the name of the empire's military to order the 20,000 cavalrymen to train in the Desa Province. After that, he would find a few excuses to keep them here forever.
Hamuye was very interested in this proposal full of temptation. Regarding Du Wei's neglect, he didn't bother to pursue it.
And Du Wei finally "generously" invited the prairie messenger to a banquet. He didn't let the messenger continue to use his own pocket to buy "takeout" anymore.
The first meeting between the two could be said to be friendly and good. After the end of the meeting, Du Wei immediately called for his aide Philip and asked him to draft a letter to Prince Chen and the empire's military.
"Proposal to apply for the disbandment of the prairie cavalry division"
Looking at the title of the document, Philip immediately raised an objection. After all, the word 'disbandment' is too sensitive. Not only did the empire not retaliate after being attacked by the prairie invaders, but they even wanted to disband the troops stationed in the enemy's territory. This is really a sign of weakness. If the word 'disbandment' is used, the Duke of the Tulip Family would be scolded as a traitor!
"Why don't we change the word 'disbandment' to … … reorganization, or expansion." Philip smiled: "This way, although the essence is the same, at least it sounds better."
"Okay, you draft the document. You are responsible for thinking about the best way to write it." Du Wei simply threw the problem to Philip.
At this moment, Philip suddenly raised a new question: "That's right … … About how to deal with the prairie messenger Hamuye. My Lord … … I suddenly have an idea, although it sounds a bit ridiculous. But maybe it will have a miraculous effect. "
"What?"
Philip's expression turned cold: "Snowy Mountain! The prairie people regard the Snowy Mountain as a god-like existence! Maybe we can use the Snowy Mountain to make a fuss! "
Du Wei pursed his lips tightly and carefully looked at Philip, as if trying to find something special in this young aide's eyes.
Snowy Mountain ah … …
Du Wei secretly thought to himself: Rodriguez already told me that Blue Ocean is also a disciple of the Snowy Mountain! But this Grand Scholar Blue Ocean actually sent eighty disciples to follow me to the Northwest. He also wants me to keep my promise and not let the prairie invade the empire.
Obviously, this is not a simple 'patriotism'! There must be a deeper meaning behind this!
Over the past few days, Du Wei may have learned of the relationship between Blue Ocean and the Snowy Mountain, but he never once mentioned anything about the Snowy Mountain. This Philip, although his growth is fast and he is also a talent that Du Wei thinks highly of … … but Du Wei's heart is still somewhat uncertain.
Philip, this young man, is he completely loyal to me … … or is he loyal to Blue Ocean … … or is he loyal to the Snowy Mountain?
Or, as a disciple of Blue Ocean, is this Philip a simple citizen of the empire … … or … …
In the end, did he already know something about the Snowy Mountain and kept it from me?
(After writing this chapter, I feel that the role of Mrs. Lister has been enriched a bit. It's no longer a weak image of the head of the household.
Pushing is not a problem, but when and how to push is the problem.
The following chapter will speed up the pace of the plot.)
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