It is summer at this time. In the northwest, midsummer nights are less hot, but more dry and cool.
After all, it is a bitterly cold place in the northwest. Even in midsummer, there are no rare and exotic plants to enjoy in the garden.
In the garden, the most blooming flowers at the moment are thorn flowers, which are most suitable for growing in bitter cold places. On the thorns, the slightly yellowed flowers grow vigorously and tenaciously under the night.
Mrs. Liszt walked in front of Du Wei, her slender hands gently caressing the flowers. Her figure, as red as a blooming rose, walked through the flowers, making it somewhat unclear who was a human and who was a flower.
Already.
Du Wei walked slowly behind Mrs. Liszt, his eyes always fixed on the back of this stunning beauty, but his heart was not necessarily relaxed.
The bright moon was in the sky, and Mrs. Liszt suddenly stood next to a cluster of flowers. She raised her head, stared at the bright moon with her eyes, and sighed quietly: "I can't even remember how many days it has been since I saw such a bright moonlight."
Du Wei smiled and stood with his hands behind his hands: "The wind is strong in the northwest. At night, there are no clouds in the sky and the moonlight is always very bright."
"It's not because of heaven, it's because of people's hearts." Mrs. Lister shook her head, a hint of sadness flashed across her beautiful face.
Du Wei was so smart. After pondering for a moment, he immediately understood what the other party meant and smiled faintly: "Yes, it is indeed not in heaven, but in people's hearts."
Mrs. Lister slowly turned around. Under her bright red evening dress, she looked like a bright red flower among the flowers. Her bright eyes, under the moonlight, became more and more breathtakingly beautiful, and her lips curled up
Trembling: "You...are you still unwilling to accept my kindness after all?"
Du Wei frowned lightly: "I am only fifteen years old, and my experience is only general. Although I hold the position of a duke now, but across the northwest, my military strength is not as good as that of the prairie people and the northwest army. My foundation is not as good as Governor Bohan.
If you want to gain a firm foothold in the future, you may not be sure of it. The Marquise values me so much, isn't she afraid of making the wrong bet?"
Mrs. Lister did not answer directly, but first whispered: "You... are not at a banquet now. It is not a formal occasion, so why don't you refuse to call me by my name?"
After a pause, he sighed: "With how smart you are, why do you need to make these excuses? I admit that I only want the two families to form an alliance. I have selfish motives, but I don't really care about interests... after all.
, I am also a woman.”
Du Wei was silent, but Mrs. Liszt slowly stretched out her palm and tried to climb a flower leaf. However, the thorn flower was covered with barbs. As soon as she stretched out her hand, her tender fingertips were immediately pricked. She whispered in pain.
With a breath, a drop of blood condensed out of the space that was originally like a jade sculpture. The fingers were so slender and beautiful that even Du Wei couldn't help but be stunned.
Mrs. Liszt seemed to be very satisfied with Du Wei's reaction, a blush flashed across her face, and then she whispered: "I married my husband when I was young. Although he was already old when I married him. But
After all, he was the first man I met who treated me sincerely... I still can't forget it. On the wedding night, he was actually willing to treat me like a marquis and jump off the window sill upstairs just because I accidentally...
He said in the poem that a flower in the garden under the window sill was blooming beautifully. He was willing to jump down and pick it for me."
Having said this, she slowly put the pricked finger into her mouth, gently sucked away the blood drops, and whispered: "I am a woman. Since I was thirteen years old, I have listened to countless men.
Words of praise, intrusive looks from so many men, and I don’t know how many guys I’ve seen who were attentive to me... But in my heart, these people are not as good as my husband. Although he died young, he gave me so much love.
He gave me the most peaceful and happiest few years. In those years, although he was already old, he accompanied me to collect dew every morning, and accompanied me to build a stove to warm up and watch the moon at night... Even he
The sound of coughing in my sleep seems to bring me peace."
She spoke so eloquently, and her soft and waxy voice made people even more enchanted. But Du Wei felt a chill in his heart, looking at the woman in front of him with sadness flashing in his expression, even though he heard
He asked her to tell her his admiration for another man, but the strange thing was that... Du Wei's original disgust for Mrs. Liszt actually faded a lot.
Hmm... It seems that she is not a woman who only knows about the exchange of interests.
Mrs. Liszt smiled gently at Du Wei and said softly: "I...I said such other things in front of you, are you upset?"
Du Wei shook his head and said sincerely: "You are right... you are also a woman after all. Even the most powerful woman in the world and the head of the richest business family in the mainland is not a dull person." Then he smiled: "
I didn't expect you to tell me this."
"It's just a whim." Mrs. Liszt sighed quietly, but slowly walked to Du Wei's side. Unknowingly, her body was close to Du Wei, and the two of them were almost face to face. Liszt
It was as if Du Wei could clearly feel the lady's orchid breathing. Under the moonlight, he felt that this beautiful woman was particularly alluring. He endured it again and again, and finally suppressed the urge to reach out and take her into his arms.
.
"Actually... since his death, in the past few years, I have never had a good time to admire the moon... and I have never really relaxed for a day." Mrs. Lister shook her head and whispered: "Perhaps everyone knows,
I always strive to make my family's business bigger, but in my heart I have always been looking forward to having someone I can rely on."
She raised her head and looked directly at Du Wei with her moonlight eyes: "A woman is like a vine, no matter how strong she is, she will always find a big tree to live in. But I have struggled to support myself over the years. There is no real day that I can
Happy life."
Du Wei was silent, and then heard Mrs. Lister whisper: "I... haven't received flowers from others for a long time."
At this moment, Du Wei suddenly got the impulse from nowhere. He laughed and reached out to grab a handful of flowers. Regardless of the stinging thorns, he pulled off a handful of yellow thorn flowers and handed them to Li Si.
In front of Mrs. Te, she smiled and said: "Flowers for the beauty, although this mere thorn flower is not even one ten thousandth of your beauty."
"It's not about the category of flowers, it's about the person who sends them." Mrs. Liszt smiled sweetly and said, "If it's from you, your lord, the Duke, even if it's just a bunch of hay, I'll be happy in my heart."
After a pause, a trace of pleading appeared on her face. She said softly: "You... just refuse to call my name?"
In front of such a peerless beauty who was so beautiful that it brought disaster to the country and the people, Du Wei was also a man after all. When his mind became hot, he couldn't help but shout in a low voice: "Well... Miss Lan."
"Well...you, you called me that. I'm very happy." Mrs. Lister blushed and lowered her face.
Just by bowing his head in such a shy manner, this stunning beauty almost made Du Wei lose his mind. He kept exclaiming in his heart: Awesome!
The word "powerful" has a knife on its head. No wonder the ancients in the past life said: "When a concubine rides on the red dust, she laughs, no one knows that it is a lychee", "An anger turns a beauty", "A beacon fire plays on the princes".
If this woman is beautiful to a certain extent, her lethality will be immeasurable.
"In my thirty years of life, you are the first man I have ever met and the most enamored of." Such "bold" words from the Marquise made Du Wei open his mouth involuntarily.
"Don't get me wrong." Mrs. Liszt said with a smile: "Although you are a little younger, you always have a temperament that seems to be born to be aloof. No matter how hard you hide it, even if you hide in a crowd, you can still...
You can be seen at a glance. I have never seen such a strange man like you in my life. Although I haven’t fallen in love with you yet, no matter how I think about it, I feel that you are really the best candidate for me to choose a husband. I
All my life, I have admired men who are extremely smart and strong. Now that I understand that I am a vine, I naturally have to look for the strongest tree."
Du Wei appropriately interjected: "It's a pity that my tree is just a sapling now."
The Marquise suddenly smiled softly, sighed, and took a deep look at Du Wei: "Do you really have to give the entire Liszt family to you before you are willing to accept me?"
Du Wei was silent.
"How...are you willing to marry me?"
Mrs. Liszt asked such a straightforward question without any care and put aside all false pretenses. Such a question actually made Du Wei embarrassed.
After pondering for a while, Du Wei said leisurely: "Madam, you are stunningly beautiful and elegant. I am afraid that no man in the world will not be tempted by you. I...of course am no exception. To be honest, it is difficult for me not to be attracted to you.
A trace of reverie arises. It’s just that... I am a stubborn person. In any case, I am not willing to let my marriage become an exchange! Even if it is an exchange in any situation! Maybe you will find it ridiculous if I say it.
But I might as well tell you that I don't care about the hegemony in the northwest or the peak of power. After I came to this world, ever since I became sensible, what I have been pursuing is nothing more than a simple 'freedom'!
You may think this ideal is ridiculous, but I still insist on it. Until today, everything I have done and everything I have done is working hard for this ideal of mine. Of course I am not willing to accept the so-called freedom.
Being controlled by others! If even my own marriage involves a clichéd exchange of interests, wouldn’t my so-called ‘freedom’ become a joke?”
Mrs. Lister's eyes widened and she looked at Du Wei in surprise.
Du Wei said slowly: "It's not that you are not beautiful enough, nor that the conditions of the Liszt family are not attractive enough to me. It's just that... a stupid guy like me, this is not what I hope for in my heart."
Mrs. List carefully savored the word "freedom" mentioned by Du Wei and was speechless for a long time.
At this moment, Du Wei's thoughts gradually became clearer, and he slowly regained his clear thinking from Mrs. List's charm: "I invite you to dinner tonight for two purposes. First, of course it is to treat you.
I would like to express my gratitude for the advice given by Dardaniel. And the second thing..."
He glanced at Mrs. Liszt and saw that she showed no resistance. Du Wei then continued: "Miss Lan... what you are worried about is nothing more than the future prosperity of the Liszt family, and you always have to find a big tree to rest on. Just
However, although I am not willing to be this big tree, I am still willing to find one for you! The marriage between families does not have to be completed by you and me."
"What do you mean?" Mrs. Liszt, Demi, frowned.
"I have a younger brother named Gabri." Du Wei said slowly, "I have the same father and mother. The only difference now is that his surname is Luo Lin. I changed my surname to Rudolf. But my brother is 20 years old.
Fang is ten years old, but he is very talented. With my current position in the empire, although the Luo Lin family has declined, as long as I guide carefully, he will definitely be able to stand out in less than twenty years.
A title may not necessarily be a difficult thing. In addition, he is also a disciple of Lan Hai, so his character and qualifications are of course not to mention. Such a person will definitely not humiliate the young lady of the Liszt family."
Mrs. Liszt's eyes widened and she looked at Du Wei: "You...you mean...you mean to let your brother marry our family? But...but my little sister Angel is already fifteen years old.
and……"
"Fifteen years old is only five years behind Gabri." Du Wei glanced at Mrs. Lister, which clearly meant: You are more than ten years older than me, so you still don't care.
"But An Qier will never agree. This girl is still treating you...if she doesn't marry you, forget it. If she wants to marry your brother...she will never agree."
Mrs. Lister said firmly.
Du Wei smiled: "Angel is only fifteen years old, so what does she know about things between men and women? She has a crush on me now...well, she has a good impression of me. It's just because she has heard too many legendary stories and is a girl in love with her. I
The total contact time with her was not more than three days, and the total number of words spoken with her was not more than 300. Once her youthful age is over, she will naturally understand that this kind of girlish sentiment is not real.
Love. My brother is smart and well-known in the imperial capital. He is definitely a good match for the Miss Liszt family."
"Okay!" Mrs. Liszt suddenly showed a hint of disappointment and gave Du Wei a deep look: "Even if you reject me, there is no need to come up with such an idea!"
She suddenly pressed her body towards Du Wei, her already soft and fragrant body almost pressed into Du Wei's arms. She raised her head and looked into Du Wei's eyes: "You! How on earth do you want to marry me?
"
"Unless I fall in love with you..." Du Wei replied decisively.
"Okay!!" Mrs. Liszt suddenly said in a decisive tone, word by word slowly: "Duwei! I will definitely find a way to make you fall in love with me!"
After finishing speaking, the woman stared at Du Wei deeply for a while, and the absolute look in her eyes made Du Wei tremble in his heart.
Watching Mrs. Liszt turn and leave, Du Wei gently stroked the flowers. Suddenly his finger retracted and his fingertips were scratched by barbs. Du Wei looked down and said with a wry smile: "The thorny ground flowers are really powerful.
"
The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. Du Wei stood alone in the garden. Mrs. Lister's departure made him feel quite emotional.
"You...are your methods too ruthless?" Saimel's voice came from deep in his mind.
"how?"
"That little girl from the Liszt family, can you bear to put this kind of political marriage on such a poor and lovely girl? Moreover, you clearly know...she still misses you, at least now."
Du Wei was silent for a moment, then suddenly a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth: "Semmel... my dear Semmel... you know, I recently read "General History of the Mainland", and there was a sentence in it that made me deeply moved.
"
"……What?"
Du Wei took a deep breath, with a look of indifference and solemnity on his face, and said calmly: "Many times, you proudly think that you have controlled your destiny. In fact, you have always been controlled by your destiny!"
In the back of his mind, Semel suddenly fell into silence.
"Do you know who said this?" Du Wei smiled lightly: "It's Aragon Roland!"
"...But this woman named Lister, she said she will definitely make you fall in love with her."
Du Wei shrugged his shoulders, went to a bush of thorn flowers, sniffed it gently, and said calmly: "Let's wait until the day I really fall in love with her!"
On the second day, the patience of the grassland messenger Hamuye finally came to an end. Du Wei finally received the prince of the grassland.
Although he slept in a tent for several days, ate "takeout" for several days, and worried about the night, the prince of the prairie lost some weight. But he still seemed to be in good spirits.
Du Wei adopted the suggestion Mrs. Liszt gave through Dardanelle. Instead of waiting for the other party to give in, he first hinted at his own conditions.
Sure enough, when Du Wei hinted that the empire could remove the 20,000 cavalry stationed on the grassland, this proposal immediately aroused Hamuye's strong interest.
"No matter what..." Du Wei clearly explained his position: "This clause must not be written in the credential contract! Even if you wrote it, I will not admit that this is the condition we paid!
"
Du Wei's biggest concession was his promise that after the peace talks between the two sides, in the name of the imperial military headquarters, he could order the 20,000 cavalry to train long distances and come to Desa Province in a separate document. After that, he would find a few more excuses.
Let this cavalry stay forever.
Hammuye was very interested in this tempting proposal. He didn't bother to pursue Du Wei's neglect.
And Du Wei finally "generously" treated the envoy from the prairie country to a dinner. He no longer asked the envoy to buy "takeaway" out of his own pocket.
The first meeting between the two was described as a friendly and good atmosphere. After the meeting, Du Wei immediately found his staff Philip and asked him to negotiate and draft a letter to Prince Chen and the Imperial Military High Command.
.
"Recommendations on Applying for the Abolition of the Remaining Cavalry Division in the Grassland"
After looking at the header of this official document, Philip raised an objection. After all, the word "disbandment" is too sensitive. After being invaded by the prairie people just now, not only did the empire not fight back, but it also had to disband the garrison in the opponent's territory. It was really
It is an act of showing weakness. I am afraid that the passionate public opinion will also call Duke Tulip a traitor because of the word "abolition"!
"How about changing the word 'abolition' to... reorganization or expansion." Philip smiled and said: "In this way, although the essence is the same, at least it sounds better."
"Okay, you can draft the document and decide how best to write it. You will be responsible for considering these issues." Du Wei simply left the issue to Philip.
At this moment, Philip suddenly raised a new question: "By the way... Regarding the treatment of Sir Hamuye, the messenger from the grassland... I have an idea that suddenly came to my mind. Although it sounds a bit ridiculous, it may work.
It works wonders.”
"What?"
Phillip looked stern: "The Snowy Mountains! People on the grasslands regard the Snowy Mountains as a god-like existence! We may be able to use the Snowy Mountains to make a fuss!"
Du Wei pursed his lips tightly and looked at Philip carefully, as if he wanted to see something special from the young staff member's face and eyes!
Big snow mountain...
Du Wei thought to himself: Rodriguez told me a long time ago that Lan Hai is also a disciple of the Snowy Mountains! Then this great scholar of Lan Hai actually sent eighty disciples to follow me to the northwest, and he asked me to abide by the experiment and try my best to keep it.
Steppe people invade the empire.
Obviously, it is not simply "patriotic"! It must have a profound meaning!
These days, although Du Wei knew about the relationship between Lan Hai and the Snowy Mountains, he did not mention anything about the Snowy Mountains to the disciples that Lan Hai entrusted to him. This Philip, although he has grown rapidly, is also a talent that Du Wei is optimistic about...
...However, Du Wei was still a little unsure!
Philip, this young man, is he completely loyal to himself... or is he loyal to the blue sea... or the Snowy Mountains?!
Or, as a disciple of Lan Hai, is this Philip a simple citizen of the empire...or...
Did he already know some inside information about Daxue Mountain, but he kept it secret from himself?