Barton Hunt was the owner of a small bakery and a part-time cook,
He came from a farmer's family and had gone to school in the church's Bible school,
He had read some books and recognized some words.
He was diligent and thrifty,
There were only two slightly extravagant hobbies: watching plays and reading novels. So he was an old friend of the Civic Theater and the bookstore.
After a period of hard work,
He went to the familiar bookstore as usual,
The bookstore was releasing a new novel: "Duel,"
By Anna Lin.
"Boss,
Aren't there any other new novels? "
"Sir, this is the hottest book selling right now."
"You know, I don't like female scholars,
Female writers. "
The boss looked troubled,
He smiled apologetically. "There really haven't been any new novels recently. You know, most of the best-selling novelists,
They were all second-level VIPs, or simply second-level people. You know,
You know,
It's all over the place now. "
Bonnards liked to talk about politics.
When a person acted like he knew politics,
He was always respected.
Barton pretended not to be surprised and replied seriously, "Oh! Of course I know! "
"You're a gentleman who knows politics. Then all the more reason why you should read the Duel, 'said the shopkeeper.
"Although,
This is a female writer,
But I feel that there's no one who's written more poignant than her recently. "
Barton was floating. Take out the money.
On the way, he came back to his senses and began to regret, muttering to himself, "This soft ear. This soft ear. "
Recently, the flour had risen so much that he really didn't have much money on hand. He had to be even more selective when buying books.
If he bought this book, he wouldn't be able to afford it when his favorite author came out with a new book.
Back in the low bakery, the moment the moldy wooden door was pushed open, the damp, unpleasant smell mixed with the smell of bread wafted out. His wife screamed at him from the end of the narrow and dark aisle, her voice like claws scratching the wall, "Son of a bitch! You went to buy those useless things again! "
Creak, creak. Tap, tap, tap. Big feet stomped heavily on the wooden floor, aggressive.
He thought about how this woman, who was born in a family of butchers, was as heavy as a sow, and how she had rushed over with a kitchen knife. He was scared out of his wits. He quickly ran into the bakery and chased the apprentice away. "Go, go, go, I'll do it."
When his wife rushed in with a kitchen knife and saw him kneading the flour seriously, she snorted through her nose and looked up and down as if she was sizing up a piece of pork. "Don't let me find anything useless."
Bang. The door closed.
He stopped kneading the flour.
"What do you know …" His voice trailed off.
There was only a small square window in the flour room. Outside the window were strips of cured meat that were often hung. As usual, the dim light brought in the smell of dried meat.
As always.
His expression was numb as he gradually stopped kneading the flour. He smelled the novel "Duel" in his arms. It was newly printed and still emitted the fragrance of ink.
It was completely different from the smell of flour, smoked meat, and slightly moldy old house.
No matter what. This was also a novel. He thought.
He flipped to the first page. The muscles on his face went from stiff, stiff, and secular to soft. They became pure, relaxed, and innocent.
In the dim light, a door that seemed to block out the noise of his wife and apprentice, he quietly read, "This year, two brothers who grew up together became adults. Their fathers were not the same, and their mothers were not the same, but their hearts were always together … "
When his wife Mary rushed in, he was still immersed in the novel and did not notice that the sky was gradually darkening. When he read the novel, he needed to get closer and closer to the words.
"Husband!" Mary shouted. "Something happened!"
After she rushed in, she suddenly stopped and stared at her husband suspiciously. "What are you doing?"
Barton rubbed his soft red eyes and explained in a panic, "The flour, the flour went into my eyes."
Mary did not believe him. She circled around him and decided to deal with him later. "Hurry, my father is here. Something big has happened!"
"Father-in-law?" Barton's eyes were round and his mouth was slightly open. He nervously rubbed his hands, his feet trembled, and his neck shrunk. He followed behind his wife and saw his father-in-law.
After so many years, his father-in-law's physique was as strong as before. As he stood there, the muscles on his face trembled, and the scar slanted across half of his face. His voice was like thunder.
When Barton saw him, it was like a mouse seeing a cat. "You, you're here …"
"Son-in-law! Close the door! " When the father-in-law opened his mouth, it was not thunder, but an extremely low, trembling old man's weak voice that he had never heard before in his valiant life. "My shop is in trouble …"
His wife felt as if she had been struck by lightning. "Father, isn't your shop in the busiest section?"
In the next moment, she was speechless.
Thud, thud, thud.
Thud, thud, thud.
The sun had completely set, and the night was shrouded in darkness. The sound of horse hooves shook the houses on both sides of the street.
The family stood behind the door, listening to the sound, their faces horrified.
Barton swallowed a mouthful of saliva. "Father, this is …"
Having lived in Bona all his life and experienced many years of life in the capital, the experienced and knowledgeable father-in-law lowered his voice. "Idiot! Can't you see? Someone is rebelling! "
*
"Lock the doors and windows tonight!" This was Hathaway's last instruction to her when she came and left in a hurry.
Lin Daiyu got up in shock, put on her coat, and chased down the stairs. Before she could ask anything, she had already mounted a horse. A guard followed her with a torch and left in a hurry.
In the night, Lin Daiyu leaned against the window and saw the torches lit up all over the city. Waves of noise came from all directions, mixed with the sound of horse hooves that shook the earth.
She frowned and stared for a long time.
The maid asked her in a panic, "Miss, what do you think is going on? Tonight, His Highness … Could it be … "
The Archduchess had lost all her charm tonight, and there was only desolation and sternness in her eyes.
Usually, women would not ride alone.
She could not help but think of the banquet countercurrent she had experienced in her childhood, and the chaos of the Church some time ago.
"Silence." Lin Daiyu raised a finger to her lips and gestured for them to keep quiet.
"Don't worry." She looked at the number of torches outside the window and saw some flags in the light. She said softly, "The fire can't reach us."
The maid did not know the reason for her judgment, but she was infected by her calmness and gradually calmed down.
She usually looked weak, but at this moment, she could strangely calm people's hearts.
She did not look like a writer who only knew how to write, but more like … The maid could not say what she was like.
Subconsciously, she wanted to get closer to this lady so that she could draw some kind of power.
Lin Daiyu had already retracted her gaze, took off her coat, and sat back on the bed. "Go to sleep."
Seeing that the maid was still a little frightened and seemed unwilling to leave, Lin Daiyu could only say, "There's no use thinking so much. Sleep and rest well. It'll be fine tomorrow morning. "
The maid's shoulders gradually drooped and were no longer tensed up. "Yes."
The next day, at dawn, the Holy Bell was rung in advance again.
The Bona people tossed and turned, and they were on tenterhooks all night. They got up silently, stuck out their heads, and carefully investigated the situation.
The guards in the uniform of the royal guards had already begun to patrol the streets, beating drums and notifying:
"The rebels have been arrested, the rebels have been arrested! Execution at noon! "
Rebels?
Rebels!
Who are the rebels?
People whispered.
At noon, the execution ground was surrounded early in the morning. At the front was a group of panic-stricken, gorgeously-dressed nobles.
The soldiers parted a path and escorted a string of prisoners.
Those who had foresight, were good at currying favor, and had some understanding of the local upper-class society of Bona exclaimed, "Archduke Eric! Earl Ede! "
The row of prisoners turned out to be all prestigious aristocrats and their family members.
At the top of the execution platform, there was a judge's seat. Allan I sat on it with a sullen face, and Archduchess Hathaway stood by his side.
Eric and the others looked at the emperor, their faces full of unwillingness.
Eric, the leader, had a vicious gaze. He wanted to curse, but Hathaway gestured to the executioner.
His hand rose, the knife fell, and the head and body were separated.
It was clean and neat.
The dark crowd froze for a moment. The sound of the wind could be heard clearly.
They heard the Archduchess, who had always been known for her charm and exquisiteness, say coldly, "This is what happens to those who force the palace to rebel."
She turned around and knelt down to the emperor. "The remnants have been executed."
The emperor stood up and nodded to her. He slowly walked to the front of the crowd and stared at the nobles. "From today onwards, these criminals will be taken away from their titles and buried as commoners. I hope that my heart will change for the hearts of my subjects. Don't let down my good intentions of dividing the land. "
This frightening night finally ended with a limited number of heads.
The young emperor bared his fangs, and all the ripples quietly sank to the bottom of the water.
After watching the beheading come back, Mary looked enviously at the new steward who was proudly walking out of the city.
She whimsically complained to her husband, "Useless thing, if only you had read more books back then. If you had read more books and passed His Majesty's requirements, you might have been able to become a high-ranking official … "
Ever since that night's shocking change in the imperial city, the emperor began to recruit a large number of literate and capable young people through public examinations to serve as stewards of various levels in the various noble fiefs. There was no restriction on their level.
Barton lowered his head in embarrassment.
His father-in-law helped him out and said in a muffled voice, "Come on, he's just a poor boy. How can he manage those things? Just run the bakery properly. "
Mary scolded him for a while, but she didn't say anything else.
Suddenly, she remembered something and shouted, "Did you use money to buy new novels again?"
Barton was shocked. He stammered, "Huh? I didn't … "
"Who are you lying to? I can smell the books! "
Mary sniffed around and found a book on him. She was proud and angry, "What is this? Huh? "
She rolled up the book under Barton's extremely distressed gaze and was about to take it home and burn it.
She turned around and walked a few steps, but was pushed aside by the crowd that was rushing over to watch the young steward leave the city.
It was difficult to maintain balance with her bloated body.
Bang! She was pushed to the ground. The book was thrown out and landed under the horse's hooves.
One of the young and handsome stewards suddenly stopped his horse. His companion asked him, "What's wrong?"
The steward dismounted and picked up the crumpled book, "It's' Duel '. I didn't even buy the last batch of printed copies."
Mary was still struggling on the ground. Barton rushed over to help her, but the young steward had already reached out and pulled her up. He asked her with a smile, "Madam, is this book yours?"
Mary was stunned by his handsome appearance, gentlemanly behavior, and appropriate clothes. She couldn't help but nod.
"Sigh." The steward sighed, "Then I can't take away someone's love. You really are a woman with literary taste. " He politely bowed to her bloated body, lightly but regretfully mounted his horse and went away with his companion.
"Sigh, it's a pity that I didn't buy Miss Anna's new work. I don't know when it will be out of the city …"
"Mary, Mary." Barton waved his hand and called her tentatively. Only then did Mary come back to her senses. She didn't get angry at her husband who was a step late. Instead, she asked, "What's written in this book?"
*
"'Duel'."
The Empress flipped through the novel in her hand and asked the bridesmaids in confusion, "It seems that most of the content has nothing to do with duels?"
Annie smiled sweetly, "I don't know why either, Lillian."
The Empress flipped through it for a while, not understanding why her husband sent this novel to her. He also said that this novel would be the best-selling one recently.
Although she liked Anna's plays, the theme of this novel was really boring to her. After reading a few pages, she put the novel aside and sighed, "Sigh, His Majesty is busy, and Hathaway doesn't come to see me."
A noblewoman smiled and said, "You still don't know, right? Mrs. Brown – oh no, you can't call her Mrs. Brown anymore, you can only call her Her Royal Highness. It's not the same as before. "
The Empress was a little stunned, "Why can't I call her Mrs. Brown?"
All the noblewomen were silent.
Although Hathaway used to be a Grand Duchess, she was a Grand Duchess in name only, and the husband she married was even more of a joke.
On the surface, they respected her, but in private, no one compared her to Annie.
Although she was a married woman, she was first and foremost a wife, so most people called her by her husband's name and ignored her own title. Unless the husband died.
But Hathaway …
Annie saw that no one dared to answer, so she smiled and said, "Because Hathaway's husband died."
Her eyes seemed to be narrowed even more because of her smile, "His Majesty also issued a decree to make her an Imperial Minister. In the future, she will be so busy that she won't have time to stay in the palace. "
The Empress was even more stunned, "Ah? But … "
"Why did Earl Brown suddenly die?"
"And, Hathaway, she … she is a woman, how can she be a practical official?"
The Empress's eyes swept through the crowd for help, but no one answered her.
They were all whispering to each other. The expressions on their faces were very strange.
Jealousy.
But also excitement.
The Empress suddenly felt a kind of confusion.
In the end, what was going on?
It's too strange, too strange.
She lowered her head and glanced at the novel that her husband sent. It was said to be a recent best-selling novel.
Just like … just like that novel "Duel".
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