Chapter 562 - 568: Unable to Change

“Stop talking so much, Zhao Fan must have sent quite a few pursuers to kill us. Let’s rest briefly then start moving again. Uncle Wen, you’ve been fleeing in such a panic that you definitely did not have time to prepare anything. You’ve been hunted down by Zhao Fan’s men along the way, and you must be both tired and hungry. I brought some dry food with me when I set out. Eat some to fill your stomachs for now, and once we reach a safer area, I’ll get some hot meals ready.” Han Yu said, instructing his subordinates to take out the dry food and water they brought and share it with everyone to replenish their strength on the spot.

After such a run, everyone was indeed exhausted. They had only been concerned with saving their lives on the road and had not had time to eat, let alone prepare food. All they managed to catch were some small animals, which were far from enough to fill their stomachs. Hearing Han Yu’s words, Liu Xiu nodded, “Xiu Qi has considered this well. Ever since our hurried retreat, we haven’t had a proper meal, and the numerous battles against the pursuers have really drained us. We’re tremendously hungry, and at this point, we can’t be picky—having any food at all is quite fortunate.”

Grilled goat meat, boiled seven-gill eels, a small portion of apple puree and pear slices, hop-flavored barley beer, and white bread made from fine wheat flour.

This was Liszt’s dinner.

The slightly Western-style meal did not suit his taste, but he was incapable of cooking and could not prepare the home-cooked dishes he liked. Moreover, in this world, nobles are strictly forbidden from entering kitchens, storehouses, or any other places meant for servants, as doing so would be a breach of noble etiquette and subject to ridicule.

Of course, the court was an exception.

The chefs and servants of the court were all attended to by aristocrats from the various small fiefs. Liszt’s father, the Earl of Coral Island, had once served as a stablemaster for the new generation of the Sapphire Duke, responsible for caring for the Duke’s beloved steed—a horse with a mix of dragon blood in its lineage.

To this day, the Earl of Coral Island would occasionally enter the court to fulfill the role of stablemaster.

He relished this task, fearing that another noble might replace him as stablemaster and impede his close relationship with the Grand Duke.

In the same vein, the Sapphire Duke also served as a personal valet to the lord of his sovereign state, the Steel Ridge Kingdom, attending to His Majesty the King’s every need.

Essentially, commoners are the servants of the nobility, and the lesser nobility serve the greater nobility.

Only by becoming king of a country does one become a true master.

“Thankfully, here in Fresh Flower Town, I am the sole master and need not attend to anyone,” Liszt thought contentedly while eating his less-than-satisfactory dinner.

The Earl was his father who didn’t care for him and would hardly bother him.

After dinner, Butler Carter would direct the maids to clean up the dishes, and a personal valet would bring water for washing and assist Liszt with rinsing out his mouth.

When the routine was done, Carter left with the other servants, “I will be just outside the door, Master and the two gentlemen, please call upon me if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Mr. Carter,” Liszt said, smiling with a gentleman’s grace. In terms of noble etiquette, he was influenced by his predecessor and didn’t need to learn it actively; it came naturally to him.

Even towards the lowliest servants, one must maintain politeness and respect—in private, it mattered not whether they were beaten or killed or subjected to any sort of mistreatment, but publicly, one must maintain noble demeanor.

“It is my honor to serve you,” Carter said as he smoothly closed the door.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Liszt,” Goltai said, taking a sip of tea sweetened with honey, “we must quickly make use of the Elf Bug, but the town’s finances are in terrible shape. The previous administrative officer was a fool who did nothing but oppress serfs and left us with a mess!”

“I know, Teacher, please investigate as soon as possible to see which areas are suitable for the Elf Bug placements.”

“Alright, then I’ll be frank. Regarding the matter of my wife, I do not wish for anyone to question or drive a wedge between us, including you, Uncle Wen. I respect you as my lord, and I will certainly serve you with all my heart and without any second thoughts. The only exception is on the matter of my wife. I also hope that you, Uncle Wen, can be more tolerant, refraining from any injurious actions towards my wife. I won’t hide it from you; in this lifetime, I really did fall for her. My wife is my sore spot, the untouchable place. If anybody crosses that line, I don’t know what I might do.”

“Xiu Qi, you…,” Liu Xiu didn’t expect Han Yu to speak so openly.

“Uncle Wen, there’s no need to persuade me. Since I’ve fully realized my own feelings, this cannot change. Fortunately, I’m not overly ambitious. My greatest wish in this life isn’t more than to fight and make my mark on the battlefield. So, even if it involves more personal emotions, it doesn’t really matter.”

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