A close-fitting swallow-tailed coat, wavy hair, and the bright powder that he was forced to apply on his face, the freshly baked Liszt was dazzling.
"Perfect!"
Meopal patted Liszt's shoulder: "You will be the focus of all the men at tonight's ball."
"I have no such intention. Maybe in a few years, I will be very enthusiastic. Right now, I am sorry, cousin, but I do not intend to get to know any aristocratic ladies."
"If you don't mean what you say, I won't believe it. Don't worry, Liszt. The best thing in life is to meet the right person at the right time. Don't say let nature take its course, you have to seize the opportunity."
"Cousin, is this the reason why you have been unmarried for so many years?"
"Don't change the topic to me, we are now talking about you."
Liszt shook his cuffs. Meopal was very good to him. In fact, he wanted to tell his cousin that instead of chasing after the Sapphire Grand Duke's daughter, which might cause the Taro family to be thrown out of the cage, it would be better to find a female aristocrat and marry her.
However, when the words were on the tip of his tongue, he swallowed them back.
This situation definitely had the will of the Marquis. The Taro family boasted of their shrewdness, and it was possible that they wanted to go a step further. Once they married the Sapphire Grand Duke's daughter, the family's status would be unshakable.
As a rural Baron of a small town, it was better for him not to eat coarse bread and worry about the Marquis.
After dressing up gorgeously, he followed Meopal to the hall where the ball was about to be held. There were already aristocrats in twos and threes who had arrived and were chatting in the hall while enjoying the wine prepared by the servants.
"Sir Meopal, you are finally willing to come out?" An aristocrat walked over with a wine glass.
"It is not yet time for the ball, no need to be anxious, Martier."
Martier looked at Liszt: "This is?"
"My cousin, his father is the Earl Of Coral Island."
"So it turns out to be the Tulip family. Nice to meet you, I am Martier Crossbow."
"Liszt Tulip." Liszt maintained a polite smile, but it was not very enthusiastic. He was not a sociable noble, so he had no choice but to attend this ball.
But then, he could only helplessly endure. Under Meopal's introduction, he got to know the young aristocrats of Red Crab Island. Basically, they were followers of the Taro family. Nobles enfeoffed by the Marquis were completely loyal to the Marquis.
The interesting thing about the aristocracy was this.
The nobles enfeoffed by the king were the retainers of the king, and the lesser nobles enfeoffed by the nobles were the retainers of the nobles. However, the minor nobles who were enfeoffed by the nobles were not the king's retainers and did not have to swear loyalty to the king. For example, Leewilliam, the Earl Of Coral Island, was a noble enfeoffed by the king. He was the king's retainer, but Liszt was not. He only needed to be loyal to his father.
After his father passed away, he would have to pledge his loyalty to his elder brother, Levis.
"Is there a beautiful young lady you fancy? If there is, tell me, I can help you pull some strings. Don't be restrained." After greeting the guests, Meopal returned to Liszt's side. "Look at your brother. He has completely adapted to the scene of the ball and has already hooked up with the daughters of three viscounts."
Following his gaze, one could see the average-looking Levis saying something that made a young lady laugh heartily.
"There is also your elder sister. Someone is also trying to curry favor with him."
On Li Weiwei's side, there were two male aristocrats chatting and laughing with her. She could not be considered beautiful, but with a little inquiry, one could find out that Li Weiwei had the title of Baron. For those Lord Knight or aristocrats who were unable to inherit their family's title, she was an excellent marriage partner.
After getting married, they could continue to enjoy their aristocratic status.
Liszt raised the fruit wine in his hand and clinked it with Meopal's: "I hope they can find happiness soon. As for me, cousin, you really don't have to worry about me."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Alright, but I will still help you keep an eye out for suitable young ladies."
"There is no need for that." Liszt was speechless. This cousin of his was too much. Was he so keen on being a matchmaker?
Meopal shrugged his shoulders slightly and whispered to him: "In fact, this is Grandpa's intention. He knows that you are not valued in the Tulip family and hopes that you can come to Red Crab Island. Besides, I also need helpers. The Taro family is not very prosperous and I have no brothers or sisters. You know, I really hope that you can come. "
Liszt felt that Meopal was speaking from the bottom of his heart.
According to his conversion of units of measurement, the Coral Island was equivalent to a prefecture-level city, about 10,000 square kilometers.
The Red Crab Island was ten times the size of the Coral Island, about 100,000 square kilometers.
The area was equivalent to the area of the provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. There were no roads, and transportation depended on horses. The larger the area, the more difficult it was to manage. Moreover, the aristocracy was not a centralized way of power. The more minor aristocrats were enfeoffed, the more chaotic the management of the territory would be, and even the foundation of the ruling family would be shaken.
After thinking about it, it would be a lie to say that he was not tempted. The Flower Town was a remote and desolate place, and it really did not have much development value.
If he came to Red Crab Island to develop, the Taro family would at least raise his status by a rank – viscount, which would allow him to have a small city as a fief.
However, to rely on a woman to achieve this goal, Liszt was very resistant: "Let nature take its course, cousin. If there is someone I like, I will not miss it. If there is something I don't like, then don't force me."
"Alright."
… …
At nightfall, the dance party began.
Soothing piano music came from the fingertips of a pianist, creating a suitable atmosphere for the dance party.
As the host, Meopal and a viscount's daughter danced the first opening dance, and then retreated, indicating that everyone was free to partner up.
Sitting in a corner, Liszt watched the young men and women dance gracefully on the dance floor.
There was no action.
He had already sized up all the women participating in the dance party. Tall, short, fat, thin, beautiful, and ugly. Unfortunately, there was no woman who could move his heart. Even though there were a few mature women who conformed to his aesthetic standards, but age was an obstacle. After all, he was only sixteen years old.
At this age, many aristocrats had already begun to be dissolute.
However, he was still not at the marriageable age. Only when men reached twenty and women reached eighteen would it be the restless season for marriage.
His gaze passed through the crowd and fell on an unknown place in the void. Then, after a moment, an invisible smoke gradually appeared, forming distorted Serpentines.
"Mission: Not only cows like to eat fresh and tender alfalfa, horses also like to eat it. This is the foundation for establishing a horse farm, as well as the starting point for establishing a career. Please help the alfalfa sprite worm settle down its worm stalk. Reward: three wild corn stalks. "
The mission had already existed for several days, so he was somewhat anxious.
"After being delayed for several days, the alfalfa grass should have already grown. When I return, I should be able to settle down the alfalfa sprite worm … Ah, wild corn, I don't know what it looks like, but its output should be at least several times that of wheat."
Just as he was thinking about the mission.
Suddenly, he heard a pleasant voice like that of an oriole: "Hey, Liszt, can I sit here?"
The smoke suddenly dissipated.
Liszt recovered and saw a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl. She looked a bit like the second daughter of the count, Edith, from 'Downton Abbey'. She had wavy flaxen hair, a sharp nose, deep eye sockets, and thin lips that seemed to be smiling.
It was very standard, more than eight out of ten.
Meopal had previously introduced her to him. She was the youngest daughter of a viscount, called Athena Salmon. Her family was famous for producing salmon.
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