Chapter 51 - 47: Who Is It Tonight?

Chapter 51: Chapter 47: Who Is It Tonight?

The carriage suddenly fell silent.

Sophie and Annie’s gazes followed Anna’s, all focusing on Lian.

Lian rubbed his throbbing temples. "It’s just part of the cleanup. You’ve all been through cleanups before, so you should understand, right?"

"Of course."

Having received a satisfactory answer, Anna withdrew her gentle gaze.

Sophie and Annie also looked away.

"Once Catherine officially returns to Blue Moon Territory and becomes its Lord, we will hold our wedding."

’So, your time to confess is running out.’

’Hurry up, or else I’ll be a married man.’

Lian added inwardly.

The three women showed little reaction upon hearing this.

Sophie looked at her fish tank and poked the small, black tadpole with her finger.

Annie took out the dagger from her thigh and wiped it with a silk cloth.

Anna opened a thick book and began to read it intently.

The carriage fell silent once more.

This display left Lian quite disappointed. ’It seems my charm isn’t as potent as my reflection in the mirror suggests.’

"Lord Lian."

Anna suddenly looked up at Lian.

Lian’s eyes lit up as he looked at Anna. "Hmm?"

"This matter still needs to be reported to the three ministers."

"Of course. I’ll tell them."

Lian had no experience planning a wedding; these matters would ultimately have to be handled by the three ministers.

Besides, Catherine was the future Lord of Blue Moon Territory, and a marriage alliance between Lords was a major event.

Lian said, "Is there anything else?"

"Miss Riel hasn’t seen you for three consecutive days. She wants to know when you’ll have time to teach her personally."

Anna said.

"Bill is my teacher. Having my teacher instruct her is already a huge gain. What a greedy little girl. Tell her to study hard on her own."

Lian shrugged and leaned back in the carriage to rest.

"Will you still be attending the nobles’ invitations this evening?"

Anna continued, adding that the nobles who had deposited money in the bank were still hoping Lian would personally attend their family banquets, taking the opportunity to introduce him to the eligible women of their families.

But these requests would likely not last long, as news of the Lord’s engagement to Miss Catherine would soon spread.

Just as they had unabashedly welcomed the carriage bearing the Blue Moon Territory’s emblem back into the inner city, this was all part of the groundwork.

"The entire territory is busy screening for and treating the Plague. They still have the heart to hold family banquets?"

Lian asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That’s because you possess a special ability to heal the Plague. An invitation to you, therefore, carries extra significance and makes the nobles feel more secure."

Anna explained with a smile.

"I see. So, who is it tonight?"

"It’s at Viscount Jamal’s estate. Jamel is only thirty, and his daughter is just twelve, so he probably wants to introduce you to his sister, Huina."

Anna said.

Lian’s original intention was to visit the noble families one by one to root out all the spies hidden among them, but now he’d changed his mind. That method was inefficient and not precise enough.

The spies were likely not the nobles’ mistresses or children, but their servants, and servants were unlikely to appear at every banquet.

A new idea formed in his mind. He could use the Plague as a pretext to have everyone come to the Lord’s Mansion to be tested for keywords.

And anyone with the [Spy] keyword would surely not dare to undergo the test.

Then, he could have the Minister of Internal Affairs compare the household registration records with the list of people who were tested, which would allow him to filter out the [Spy]s.

"Tell Viscount Jamal I don’t have time right now. I will honor our arrangement after the Plague incident in Green Shade Territory is over."

"Yes, Lord Lian."

The carriage passed through the High Wall and entered the outer city of Green Shade Territory.

When the commoners saw it was the Lord’s carriage, they all stopped to watch, erupting in enthusiastic cheers.

In their minds, Lian’s image had transformed from ’the strange lord who throws parties on the High Wall’ to ’the great lord with miraculous Medical Skill’.

"Lord Lian! It’s Lord Lian’s carriage!"

"Lord Lian, thank you! Thank you for having the church give us Holy Water."

"Lord Lian, these are flowers for you."

"Lord Lian, please take this fruit! We grew it ourselves."

"Lord Lian, the freshest leg of venison, for you."

The people of the outer city enthusiastically offered all sorts of gifts, and the Guards originally tasked with protecting the carriage became free labor.

Holding these gifts, they were filled with a sense of pride.

This was the Lord Lian they protected and followed—the immensely popular Lord of Green Shade Territory.

The Blue Moon Territory carriage following behind also drew the enthusiastic attention of the people.

They curiously sized up the people inside the carriage.

And the people inside the carriage curiously sized them up in return.

"Miss Catherine, Lord Lian is so popular,"

Mina exclaimed in surprise.

Catherine’s gaze swept over the people as she said softly,

"The people here live happier lives than those in Blue Moon Territory."

"But I clearly remember reading in the newspaper that Green Shade Territory was one of the three poorest territories and owed a huge debt to the Empire Bank. Why do the people here live so well?"

Mina was completely baffled. Blue Moon Territory’s annual tax revenue was ten times that of Green Shade Territory, and it was even considered one of the wealthiest territories. Yet its commoners were not nearly as well-off as those in Green Shade Territory.

"Mina, you must experience things with your own eyes."

Catherine said. Mina nodded obediently.

Knight Kage Mori bowed his head, polishing his sword. "If only we had someone like Lord Lian who could heal the Plague. Perhaps Blue Moon Territory would not have fallen."

"One Lord Lian could not have prevented the fall of Blue Moon Territory."

Catherine said calmly, "That was a conspiracy long-planned by Mary Frank. It was a cruel war."

"Miss Catherine, you don’t have to bear such a heavy burden. You have a place to belong now. Why not let go of your hatred and live a carefree life, just like these people?"

Knight Kage Mori sheathed his sword at his waist and sat up straight, looking at Catherine seriously.

He knew that before Blue Moon Territory was destroyed, Catherine had been locked away in a High Tower, not living like a noble lady at all.

And now, with Blue Moon Territory destroyed, Catherine had barely managed to survive. Why should she have to shoulder the heavy burden of revenge?

It wasn’t fair to Catherine.

If Catherine were his own daughter, Knight Kage Mori would never let her become the new Lord. He would only want her to stay far away from that place and find a new life for herself.

Catherine turned her head to look out the window at the happy people. A young mother held her child, nestled against her husband; an adult son supported his elderly mother as she soaked up the sun; young women carried flowers as they walked through the streets and alleys; children ran about, carefree. This was perhaps the ordinary life she had once longed for the most.

’If I had been born in Green Shade Territory, would things have been different?’