duke and writer

The ivory chess piece was held between the fingers by a good-looking hand. The black cavalry half-hanging knocked over a white pawn, and it landed in the center of the chessboard with ease. Leishi raised his head and calmly looked at the pawn standing in front of him people.

"It's impossible for her to be alive." He glanced at the messy chess game and lowered his brows. "Who set up the game?"

"Probably the bishop. After all, the reformists have been pressing harder and harder over the years, and the adults of the Holy See should have been unable to sit still..."

"Then what are they looking for that idiot for? - To be the son of a fake, or to drag me into trouble?"

"This……"

"He should still be in the Governor's Mansion." His slightly closed eyelids hid his deep thoughts, and after a moment of silence, he ordered, "Now, take all the things you found to see the Prime Minister."

Knocking the table with his knuckles, the boy got up again and stopped the subordinate who was retiring, "Wait, I'll go with you."

——Father will never be ignorant of this, but it is definitely not his thing to let his opponent do whatever he wants, unless...he also puts the bait in it.

The unbearable vacation made the young writer restless for a moment. The matter of his mother and the girl had already made him burnt out, and at this time he was being followed and monitored. He didn't know the other party's details and plans, so he dared not go home rashly.

Passing through the hustle and bustle of people in the square, An Mixiu walked towards a carriage parked by the side of the road, but just a few steps away, he was grabbed by the cuff by a thin arm.

"Sir..." A voice came timidly.

"You are..." Seeing who came, he opened his eyes wide in surprise.

"Thank goodness," patted the boy who was still in surprise with one hand, "Did I live up to my promise this time?" Palos's orange eyes were full of smiles.

"Are you busy with this these days?" An Mixiu grabbed the other's hand and said incoherently, "Oh my god... I really don't know how to thank you, everything has been messed up during this time... ..."

"What's the matter?"

"It's nothing." Thinking of a pair of prying eyes, he shook his head, "But this kid, let's talk in another place..."

"Huh?" Palos raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise, and some consideration flashed in his eyes, "Come with me." He said.

Following the young man, the three of them walked for a long time.

The old and tall buildings shrouded the daytime road in a gray shadow, and the rough and fragile withered vines reluctantly climbed the outer wall, like a twisted and haggard hand struggling to grab something.

"What kind of place is this?" An Mixiu stopped walking with a look of hesitation, and put down the girl on his back, "Where are you taking me, Palos?"

"How should I put it... a place that is hidden from people's eyes." The white-haired young man looked around relaxedly, and then smiled, "But here is also fine."

He raised his hand to call the little girl to his side, squatted down and gently adjusted the pleated skirt for her, "Go, tell him." He got up and pushed the slightly trembling shoulder with his fingertips.

Seeing the girl approaching, the young writer quickly lowered his body, "Don't be afraid," he said, his eyes were eager and cautious, "Tell me, please? Where is she?"

"..." The girl looked at him timidly, and opened her mouth to say something, but her voice was as thin as a mosquito.

"What?" He couldn't help getting closer——

And in an instant, a blood-colored cold light stabbed at his face, An Mixiu wanted to dodge in shock, but his squatting body was pinched by a pair of hands on his shoulders and he couldn't stand up——

"What are you doing?!" He asked the young man who didn't know when he was standing behind him in shock and anger, the bright red on the side of his neck stained the white collar.

"I like guys who don't wear scarves, just like you," he whispered in the boy's ear, the hand protruding from behind firmly stuck the well-shaped chin, his wrist was slightly raised, fragile The throat of the assailant was laid out in front of the assailant at a glance, "It can always save us a lot of unnecessary trouble."

The black-robed cleric smiled happily, but when he saw a trembling knife point, his tone changed, "How long are you going to delay? Think about your sister's illness—except you , I still have many choices, but what about you?"

"...Why?" An Mixiu asked with difficulty.

"I said, you've always been worth it."

"..."

In the living room of the Duke's Mansion, Mr. Writer stared blankly at the gorgeous relief above the fireplace, and every word seemed to be squeezed out between his teeth, "When he wanted to kill me, why didn't you mean it?"

"Huh?" Lei Shi showed an unbelievable expression when he heard the words, "So this is the conclusion you have come to after thinking for so many years? I am afraid that you have forgotten who saved you at that time."

"Remember, why don't I remember," An Mixiu turned his head, looked into those purple eyes and sneered, "I will never forget the 'Lord Thunder Lion' that Palos called you."

"It's because you didn't want to tell me and threatened to break up the relationship, but father..."

"So you find that kind of guy to lie to me because you are afraid that I will break up with you?" An Mixiu's eyes were full of irrationality. He really wanted to open the other's head to see what was inside, "Are you Are you a fool? I wanted to kill you back then!"

"You wanted to kill me when I was saving you?"

"What a coincidence—you were the one who killed me, and you were the one who saved me."

"If Palos was ordered by me, why should I save you?"

"Then how do you know he's going to do it there?"

"I, no, know, know," Lei Shi said, looking directly into those light blue eyes, "but there is the only way to go to the back door of the governor's mansion, so he probably doesn't know."

"Well, it doesn't matter. I think the little things he did to his subordinates back then will not have any impact on your reliance today."

"I regret that I didn't get rid of him sooner, but I'm glad I didn't kill him more than once. His existence is valuable, An Mixiu..."

"Stop, Your Excellency the Duke." He got up and walked to the man's side, looking down at him, "I just want to ask you, who was the one who burned my manuscript?"

Lei Shi held the goblet, pursed his lips unnaturally and replied, "...it's me."

"Very good," the young man's voice was incomprehensible, "So, was it all your idea to drive me out of school?"

"Yes."

"The eviction order from my aunt's house, too?"

"Yes."

"Well," he nodded with the corners of his mouth pulled up, "so all this is just for my safety."

"It's for everyone."

"Everyone," An Mixiu repeated, laughing a little, "and that child?"

"She needs to go to trial, you should know..."

"What about her? The 'counterfeit' you called?"

"It was a cruel political wrestling. No one can escape unscathed. What do you think was the cause of my father's death? An Mixiu, don't you understand?"

"She's dead, I know." He wrote lightly, taking a deep breath to try to hide his choked nasal voice, "Of course I understand—but who is she? What she knows, except me and my mother, how could ...if, if she..."

"Even if she were, you couldn't save her—no one could. Like that fight, her death was inevitable."

"You're right, but it's not for you to decide."

"No matter whose board you are involved in, you will be welcome, but no matter whose game you are in, you will only be a sacrificial piece in the end-the king's rook is switched, and you are the rook used to block arrows."

"Can……"

"At that time, I will not abandon my family, but I will never use your blood to pave the way, so excluding you from the chessboard is the only way." He raised his head, his eyes were softer than ever , "I'm sorry, my friend, but I have no other choice."

"..." An Mixiu stared into those beautiful eyes, and sighed for a long time, "You are an excellent politician, Lei Shi, but we are not friends, not now, nor will we be in the future. I Understand you, but I will never agree with you."

"..." The young duke poured a glass of wine silently, shook his head with a bit of a smile, "I don't agree with it enough, what do I look like in your eyes, so that you can make your Excellency write that kind of book?"

Mr. Writer casually sat beside the man, fiddled with the mother-of-pearl cuff buttons on his shirt with his head down, "I can't help it," he said softly, shrugging his shoulders, "Although I want to do a lot of things, I still hold grudges." My manuscript guy."

"It seems that you don't intend to help me restore my reputation no matter what."

"You still have a reputation?"

"I thought the misunderstanding between us was resolved."

"Who knows," An Mixiu smiled, got up and asked again, "Is it enough for this, Lord Duke? I should leave, can you return the shoes?"

"Well, I should go too," the young Duke smiled and handed over a glass of wine, "Maybe we won't be able to see each other in the future, so let's drink one last glass with me."

The young man hesitated for a moment, but still took the wine, and without waiting for the other party to say anything, he drank the light golden liquid in the glass in one gulp.

"Can I go?" He asked, putting down his glass.

"Of course." Lei Shi rang the bell in a good mood.

The servants quickly opened the door and came in. Mr. Writer was not used to being served and dressed, and was about to leave when he was called again.

"There is something I've always wanted to ask Your Excellency," His Excellency the Duke asked with interest, "Why did the Duke fall in love with the widow?"

"There's no particular reason," An Mixiu turned back, and said naturally, "It's just to make him have a difficult relationship and get what he asks for, so that the plot can be more twists and turns."

"..." is enough twists and turns, whether it is in your novel or in reality.

Ignoring the other party's obvious displeasure, Mr. Writer bowed with a polite smile, "Let me take my leave..."

While he was talking, he suddenly felt a burst of dizziness that seemed to flood his brain with his movements.

The young man grasped the coat rack on one side unsteadily, but he still couldn't resist the tendency to fall over.In the second when the palm lost its strength, he fell into a somewhat stiff embrace.

"Lei Shi... you..." Before he could utter an angry curse through gritted teeth, he fell into a dark silence.

"Tsk," Lei Shi murmured uncomfortably as he waved away the others, "The effect is really slow."

……

At midnight, outside the royal city——

The young regent rode at the front of the team on a tall steed. He turned his head and said something to the lieutenant beside him. He patted the other side's shoulder heavily, and the clash of armor made a clanging sound.

"I will live up to my trust," Camille pressed his right hand to his chest, speaking solemnly, "Take care."

After speaking, he took a deep look at the man, then pulled the reins, and galloped away along the trail with a group of light cavalry.

Looking away from the quiet path in the distance, her purple pupils are like a dark and turbulent deep sea.

In the night, a cold wind raised a heavy dark cloak, stroked the hilt of the sword engraved with the family crest, and Lei Shi looked forward with firmer eyes, and did not look back.

He will go to battle.Maybe he had to shed blood up to his knees before he could win that sacred authority, but other than that, he had no choice—for oath, duty, honor, and someone important...