by Feng Yue
Ye Qingxuan eyed him. “I’ve never taken a bribe.”
“Haha, oh really?” Shi Dong smirked. “The nobility really have such short memories, Your Highness ‘The Prince of Avalon.’”
Ye Qingxuan was suddenly indignant. “The situation was critical then! I didn’t have time to think. How could I have known that gaining this title would cause so many problems?”
“It’s too late to change that now,” said Shi Dong. “Besides, aren’t you happy to be the Prince? If you say you don’t want it but then accept it, doesn’t that make you a bit hypocritical?”
Ye Qingxuan was seething now, practically spraying spittle in the old b*stard’s face. But even if he spewed a whole bathtub’s worth of spittle on him, it wouldn’t help.
These past few days Ye Qingxuan had been busy running all over the place and hadn’t had time to come back. And even after he had returned, he had been busy inspecting everything, and so hadn’t had time to make an appearance at the palace and make a report. And here was the reason: he had been through almost half of the Avalon Royal Library, but hadn’t paid any attention to anything to do with affairs of state.
So how could he have known that, throughout history, the Prince of Avalon had always been the Queen’s husband? No wonder Mary had looked so determined when she had given him that title. Now he knew that it was not only the authority to act as the Anglo Kingdom’s deputy ruler that she had entrusted him…
What could he do? He could only run over there and act like an ostrich by putting his head in the sand. He could only pretend that he didn’t know what he was there for.
The problem was, acting like this would be very dishonest. It could even be said that it would be acting dishonestly towards his family. If this got out, he would be regarded as the very model of a scummy man.
After waiting for half a month, the Queen had finally sent an invitation. Even though it was only a dance, she would still expect him to declare his intentions.
“Why are you hesitating? There’s nothing bad about this for you.” Shi Dong squinted at him. “Do you think the Queen is ugly?”
Ye Qingxuan shot him a pained look. “No.”
She wasn’t just not ugly, her beauty was unrivaled. What was even more rare about her was that her disposition was noble and refined. Even when she had been controlled by a curse and completely covered in blood, she was still so stunning that people would not dare to look at her.
“Is there a problem with her personality?” Shi Dong asked.
“No, there’s no problem” Ye Qingxuan answered.
Just “no problem”?
When she was young, Mary was known throughout Avalon for her authentic character. And, just like her mother, she had not hesitated to sacrifice herself for the nation. After being freed from the Curse of the Dragon’s Blood, she had become even better and had not made any mistakes.
“Then has she not been kind enough to you?” Shi Dong asked.
“No, she’s been very kind to me.” Ye Qingxuan was beginning to feel ashamed.
Just “very kind”? She couldn’t have been kinder. Not only had she been willing to share authority over the Kingdom of Heaven and Earth and the Anglo Kingdom with him, she had never refused any of his requests. He had but to nod and she would give the entire kingdom to him.
Shi Dong took a deep breath, and then roared in his ear, “Then what the hell are you waiting for?”
“I…I…I..” Ye Qingxuan was forced into a quick answer. He slapped his leg. “I’m a clergyman! I’m the Archbishop! I can’t get married.”
“Pah!” Shi Dong spat and looked at him scornfully. “You still think of yourself as a clergyman? What a pity. Throughout history, all of the leaders of the Inquisition have had families. There was even one stud who had dozens of lovers and children all over the world…”
Ye Qingxuan was silent for a while. After a while, he waved his hand and said, “I’ll say that I’m busy, that will let me turn her down politely. I need to calm down.” He did not wait for Shi Dong answer, but turned and left, just like he was running away. But when he opened the door, he saw the golden retriever lying on the ground outside. The dog squinted at him with disdain. He opened his mouth, showing off his teeth.
Your whole family will be disappointed with you.
Ye Qingxuan’s legs suddenly felt weak. He started trembling so much that he almost had to sit down.
“I’ll go!”
Without waiting for Old Phil’s response, he went back inside just as quickly as he had left, grabbed the invitation out of Shi Dong’s hand, and said seriously, “Help me pick out some formal clothes!”
And so, in this harmonious and beautiful atmosphere, everything was taken care of.
Old Phil nodded with satisfaction, then disappeared without a trace.
…
The next evening, at seven o’clock, an incessant stream of carriages arrived before the palace. In the faint music streaming through the palace gate, servants bustled about, swiftly but elegantly making preparations for the upcoming banquet in an orderly fashion.
Elegantly attired noblemen strolled in leisurely with their female companions and handed their invitations to the messenger. They did not hurry inside but lingered outside the gate chatting with their acquaintances.
This was the first dance after the Queen’s ascension to the throne. For newly made noblemen, it was their best opportunity to make an appearance. There were still many vacancies in important positions, and the guests were hoping that at this dance they would be given a chance to fill them.
Among the crowd, several young people surrounded a smiling middle-aged man, fawning over his every word.
Viscount Belfast, who had recently been made Royal Treasurer, was a popular man in this circle.
The Belfast family had served the royal family for generations and had been in charge of their money. This made him an incredibly important figure. He also had shares in the East India Trading Company. He was like a leader to the new aristocrats who had made their fortunes in the Indian colonies. His stance was often the Queen’s stance. If they could get some inside information from him, they’d be able to pursue their own goals more effectively. As far as his character, he was known as an honest and reliable member of the otherwise quite corrupt aristocratic circle, and worthy of trust.
Many people consulted him on his opinions on investments, hoping to get some pointers. But Viscount Belfast was not likely to divulge these, he’d only give out a little bit of private information that had already leaked out of the aristocratic circle anyway.
“Right now the East Indian colony’s industry is already saturated, so it’s not suitable for investment. However, there’s always tea. The insects have been quite serious these last two years. The quality of some tea plantations has decreased, and capital turnover has been affected. If you buy low right now, in a few years your returns will be quite good.” After saying this, Viscount Belfast was silent for a moment, then suddenly added, “The shipping industry that Mr. Bligh was just talking about is indeed quite a good prospect, but requires massive amounts of funds to operate. If you all are interested, I’d invite you to pay attention to domestic manufacturing…”
Following the Queen’s orders, he let loose a small secret, “Especially weaving and industry. In a few months, there will be some significant positive news in those areas.”
In the past, Belfast had always been rather vague about such things, trying as much as possible to use words like “maybe” and “possibly.” Rarely had they seen him so resolute and decisive.
As a weathervane for investment and financial management, everyone around him was shocked at this revelation and started asking him what inside information he had. Some people tactfully invited him to join them for a wine tasting after the banquet, expecting him to reveal a bit more there. But Belfast would not reveal any more, leaving them all quite disappointed.
Belfast had already told them half of what there was to know, but he stopped ab
ruptly and looked stiffly down the road at the slowly approaching black carriage. He could no longer stand on formality, and after a few curt “excuse me’s” he quickly rushed over, even abandoning his own female companion.
Everyone looked at each other in dismay. In a flash, they had all reacted. They shook off their dumbfoundedness and chased after him.
In all of Avalon, there were only two people who liked to take these black carriages without emblems.
One was the former Keeper of the Seal Maxwell, and the other was the former head of the Knights of the Round Table, the head of the second department, and the Secretary of the Navy, Lancelot.
And those two were no longer there. And thus, there was only one person left in Avalon who was able to ride in this nondescript black carriage.
Maxwell’s heir, the new Keeper of the Seal, the head of the Inquisition, the Savior of the Nation, and the deputy ruler of the Anglo Kingdom—Ye Qingxuan!
Countless people had tried to send visiting cards and invitations to this nobleman, but none of them had ever received any response. He was so reclusive that none of them even knew where he lived. Even his colleagues on the Privy Council had only ever seen him a few times, and every time he had left just as quickly as he had arrived, never giving them a chance to talk to him.
If this was truly his first time appearing in public, who would pass up the opportunity to meet him?
Before the carriage had stopped there were already a large number of people waiting outside its door. And more people who had heard the news were starting to make their way over. Layer upon layer of people crowded around, so many that they were almost impenetrable.
The carriage door opened.
A man wearing black formal wear emerged from within. He was not wearing any medals, and his long silver hair was tied up behind his head. He was so terse as to be almost rude. Although he wore no expression, his face still seemed cold enough to dampen the crowd’s mood. However, the Keeper of the Seal, who was famed for his cold nature, did not make things awkward and took the initiative to smile and nod at everyone. Then he turned and reached back into the carriage, helping out his charming female companion.
Lola.
Her long hair was done up in a bun, and she was wearing a water-blue evening gown, but no jewelry. She still had the dignified air of a scholar. Even if that had been all, her posture and appearance would still have eclipsed all the other women present.
Everyone present had already heard the juicy gossip that had circulated about the Keeper of the Seal and the professor, so it was not too strange to see them together.
After a few polite greetings, Ye Qingxuan made a dinner appointment for the day after next with Viscount Belfast and then brought Lola directly inside.
“Thank you for coming,” he said quietly to Lola.
“Haha.” The still smiling Lola turned back to the crowd, and her grin widened, revealing her canine teeth. “Next time, take the old lady to be your shield.”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry. It’s just this once.”
“Once you’re inside get away from me as soon as you can. Otherwise, I won’t be able to stop myself from hitting you.”
“Fine, fine.” Ye Qingxuan sighed and braced himself to enter the ballroom.
This was going to be a long night.
627 Can You Give Me a Hug?
Lola really meant what she said as she completely ignored Ye Qingxuan the moment she reached the venue. She could not be bothered to entertain other people, and single-mindedly headed to the old scholars that were gathered in a corner. She would treat this event as an opportunity to network with a few historians. In the end, Ye Qingxuan was surrounded by so many people that he was almost completely drowned out by the crowd. Fortunately, he managed to find a lifesaver at the very last moment.
Tristan. He was the previous vice-captain of the Knights of the Round Table. After the death of Lancelot and realizing that he has been used, Tristan stepped down from his position and relinquished all his powers to Ye Qingxuan and Christine. Since then, he had been leading a reclusive lifestyle. His appearance was simply a saving grace to Ye Qingxuan.
Tristan was now close to 50 years old, and although his hair might be balding, he was still as fit and strong as when he was middle-aged. He was always known for his stern and unsmiling image. He was the stereotypical knight—reliable, willing to sacrifice his life for the country, and a somewhat boring person that few noble families were fond of. With him around, one would not have to worry about being disturbed by others. A glance of his blind left eye was all it would take to scare away all the ordinary busybodies.
But the awkward thing was that Ye Qingxuan had nothing to talk to him about. Tristan had always been a man of few words and sometimes, it almost inappropriate to make a joke around him. Talk about women? No way. Talk about country matters… Ye Qingxuan did not care much about that. He has already delegated his job to Gavin, matters related to the Religious Court of Inquiry to Shi Dong, and his scheduling duties to Lola.
It was rare that Tristan would try to tactfully advise Ye Qingxuan to focus more on matters related to the country. After all, he was the Queen’s Keeper of the Seal so all governmental decrees could only go through with his seal. On top of that, he was also the Prince of Avalon and deputy ruler of Anglo. After commenting about the weather for the umpteenth time, Tristan finally sensed Ye Qingxuan’s awkwardness and shook his head before raising his glass. “If Your Majesty does not mind me being dull and boring, please feel free to spend your time with an old man like me. There will only be peace and quiet here and nothing else.”
Ye Qingxuan could finally breathe easier. “In that case, I’m going to have to impose on you.” Thereafter, he and Tristan sat on a sofa in a corner of the banquet hall. They quietly observed people passing them by, as they sat as still as statues. After some time, Ye Qingxuan suddenly recalled the report he received a few days ago and could not help but ask, “Mr. Tristan, will you not reconsider rejoining the knights? The Tristan family has always been the backbone of the Knights of the Round Table. Without your presence, it’s almost as if the Knights of the Round Table has lost half of its spirit.”
“I have handed over everything to Geraint. He is a proper knight. With him around, the Knights of the Round Table will be fine.” Tristan touched his fake eye with his metal hand. “Your Highness, I’m so old that I may die on the sickbed anytime. The last thing I should do is to continue to hold on to my position.”
Ye Qingxuan was silent for a moment. “Knights should die with a sword in their hands.”
“I know.” Tristan sighed. “Our ancestors have always done the same, so let me be the embarrassment. I have toiled for so many years. Now is the time to rest. Next month, after the things in the capital have been settled, I plan to leave Avalon.”
“Where to? Back to the manor?”
“Yup, my daughter has built a house for me beside the lake so I can go fishing during my free time. The fishes there are pretty decent and can be made into good soup. Your Highness doesn’t have to worry. With half a year’s time, my successor will definitely be able to prove that he is worthy of taking over the Tristan armor. Please allow him to assist Christine and serve Your Highness on my behalf.”
Tristan’s mind had been made up and he even found a successor. Ye Qingxuan knew that there was no way he could convince him otherwise so he only nodded and sighed. “In that case, I wish you a happy retirement.”
Tristan finally smiled before emptying his glass of champagne in one shot. The sound of melodies could be heard. It had finally begun.
With the announcement of Mary’s arrival, she finally stepped into the banquet hall. Unlike what everyone was expecting, she was not dressed in her usual rigid and formal clothes. She wore a simple evening gown and her golden hair was tied up neatly. It was customary to make a simple speech but once that was over, Mary had no intentions of maintaining a dignified and stern image. She raised her glass. “When mother was still al
ive, she was most fond of parties that were free and easy. Everyone, please relax and enjoy yourselves to the fullest.”
Everyone took Mary’s cue and raised their glasses as well. Then, all of them looked towards Ye Qingxuan. It was also customary that the person of the highest position in this event should give a toast to the Queen. By right, there should not be anything too special about that. But when the audience’s gaze swung between Ye Qingxuan and Mary, there seemed to be a suspicion of an ambiguous relationship between the two of them, for their attires looked very compatible. It was almost as if they had planned for it together.
Ye Qingxuan did not allow such a complicated atmosphere to persist for too long. He took a glass from the waiter and raised it. “May the heavens bless Anglo and may the king bless me.”
“May the king bless me!” Everyone echoed before drinking up heartily. With his glass of champagne in hand, Ye Qingxuan scanned the area around him and was just about to sneak away when a hand pushed him lightly from behind. As a result, he took a step forward rather clumsily. He wriggled his fingers slightly so that all the alcohol that would have spilled were returned back into the glass instantaneously. He made it look as if he had taken a step forward nonchalantly to drink up his glass of champagne before putting it back onto the tray. He subtly gave Lola a stare for what had just happened.
Lola was not concerned about the fury in his stare and only smiled wider because of it. Mary also sensed Ye Qingxuan’s embarrassment, and her mouth curled into a smile. Ye Qingxuan’s actions attracted everyone’s attention so he was in the spotlight once again.
Ye Qingxuan coughed lightly and showed none of the awkwardness that he was feeling. He continued forward until he reached Mary. Under everyone’s gaze, he bowed and stretched out his palm. “May I have the honor to have the first dance of the night with Your Majesty?”
Mary almost wanted to laugh at how Ye Qingxuan was put in a difficult spot. Just as it was getting a little awkward, she stretched out her wrist and placed them in his hands. “My pleasure.”