Chapter 17 Chapter Sixteen The White Oak Girl

Seven days later, the black iron gate rumbled open, and just as César walked out, the gate closed behind him. This is the back door of the Bureau of Inquisition. Most of the people who walked through this door failed to come out, but on the day the cardinal's amnesty order was delivered, his case file was destroyed, and a strange executive took him out. Raised from death row, taken to the back door for release. During the whole process, the executive officer did not say anything, and there was no formality such as signing. Just like what Veron said, a word from a big man is more effective than any law. Sometimes a person's life and death depend only on whether there is that sentence. talk.

Three full years later, César faced the emerald sunset again, hanging over the steeple of the church in the distance. He walked out of the hidden alley and came to the bustling street. The tall buildings on both sides of the street stood like cliffs, and hundreds of purple flags were flying in the sky.A celebration was being held in the city to celebrate Marston's victory. The official caliber was that the Western Allied Forces had won a complete victory in Marston and destroyed the main force of the Easterners. He walked in this familiar yet unfamiliar city, smelling the scent of spices floating in the air, and the huge towers lined up like a forest made of granite.

Three years ago this was his city, where he owned houses, limousines, servants and Adele, and now he wanders in this forest like a stray black goat. He stopped on a bridge under which the waters of the Tiber flowed. This river passes through the city, and the scenery on the river is beautiful. The clear water is mixed with the powder and rouge of the noble girls. When night falls, the boatmen pass by the river, leaving behind the boat songs of lonely men.But César hated this river very much, because there were often corpses floating down the river, and this river was also a good place to deal with enemies.

In his view, the Tiber River is the epitome of Emerald, so elegant and artistic, but there are many bones deposited on the bottom of the river. He suddenly missed Marston. Although that city was not friendly to him, there were Master Fabio who insisted on aristocratic demeanor, brave Master Byron, Anne who looked at you affectionately and said nothing, Master Minet who is always ready to call you brother-in-law...that fool Minet...of course there is Adele who is like a cat, she comes from the roof on a stormy night and brings a cake she made to celebrate her brother's birthday . Now he was back at the center of the world, and everything about Marston was buried under the ruins.

At this moment, Adele has arrived in Aachen, right?In the capital of the Principality of Charlemagne, she has already lived a life that belongs to a princess, right?Although she is a hostage, she is Prince Charlemagne's fiancée and the pope's illegitimate daughter after all. No one dares to neglect her. But is Prince Charlemagne Richardman, that beautiful man who is famous all over the world, reliable?Nine times out of ten, the so-called handsome man is a man who is like a fish in water among women. How much patience can he have when facing a fiancée who is coveted by the princes of all countries?

The calm mood was destroyed in an instant, César frowned slightly, and murderous aura unknowingly invaded the brow. He didn't notice that the eyes in the shadows were already staring at him. The Tiber River is the junction of the aristocratic area and the civilian area. Police patrols often only stop at this bridge. There are often desperate teenagers guarding the river beach, waiting for suitable prey. César was the right prey, first of all he was wearing noble clothes, secondly he didn't look like a high-ranking nobleman, robbing him or even killing him would not arouse the family's revenge, and finally he was alone.Several boys wrapped in black coats walked through the crowd and approached César's back. They turned up their collars to cover their faces, and pressed their clothes to block the sharp hooked knives, which were used to cut throats.

At this moment, a carriage rushed over from the side, and the black carriage, like a high black wall, blocked between César and the gangsters.The door of the carriage was kicked open, and the firecracker was aimed at the leader's forehead. The girl stood on the boarding step, her skirt fluttering, behind her was the huge sunset, which gilded her white dress with brilliant gold. The gangsters were stunned. It wasn't the firecracker that frightened them, but the girl's radiance and courage.The young girl dressed in this way undoubtedly came from the upper class and received the best education. The aristocratic family style permeated her eyebrows and eyes and every crevice of her long skirt.And César seemed to be just a poor little nobleman, and Fei Lengcui, who gathered in famous families, was also like sand.

But the girl stood firmly in front of César, using her body to block the path of the knife-bearer. "Bi'er, I guessed you would come." César turned to look at the girl. "Of course I will come, Master Cesare!" The girl waited for Cesare to board the car before boarding herself, and slammed the door shut. The carriage left the gangsters far behind, and the girl put away her short skirts, straightened her skirt like a peacock's tail feathers, and curtsied courtly to César. Bier Danti, graduated from the Lower School of the Holy Seminary in Turin, and is the headmaid of César.

The world-famous Turin Congregational Academy is divided into the Elementary Academy, the Advanced Academy, and the Hengdong Tianxue Palace known as the "Peak of the Ivory Tower".The children who can enter the elementary school are already the best among their peers, and the graduates of the high school and Hengdong Tianxue Palace will be the future national elites. Bi'er's major is secretarial, which is the most inconspicuous major in Turin Congregational College, and it is only offered in junior colleges.But graduates of this major are in high demand, making the finest squires, capable of satisfying the most discerning masters.

Most of Bi'er's classmates are girls. They take advantage of the opportunity of studying at the same school to establish a good relationship with the noble boys, and often determine their future employers during school.In addition to the secretary, they can also become excellent maids. The whole family will feel honored to have a maid in a commoner family.Bier was born in a commoner family, her father was a shoemaker. Her father hoped that she could also find a generous employer and earn some money to support the family, but no one invited her. For girls majoring in secretarial affairs, there is a way to find an employer. First, they mix into the circle of noble students, drink and have fun with them, gain their trust, then take the initiative to help them run errands, and slowly intervene in their private affairs. I can't live without you, so I have to hire you.

This requires the support of money, but Bier's father is very poor, and her beautiful mother eloped with an artist when she was very young. She inherited her mother's beauty but not her mother's romance, and was called "White Oak" by her classmates. This was not a compliment, but a satire on her dullness.In a hilarious social occasion, the roses are bright red, the wine is bright red, the girls' long skirts and high heels are also bright red, only Beer stands silently in the corner like a white oak tree. This has nothing to do with ethics. As a secretarial student, Bi'er doesn't think it's shameful to please noble children, but she just isn't good at pleasing people. She was eighteen then, tall as an oak tree, but still a little girl at heart, hoping to be invited and admired on the dance floor.She lowered her head, waiting for a hand to suddenly reach out in front of her. But she is the daughter of a cobbler, so she is destined to cater to others in this life, and no one will invite her. "The pope's illegitimate son is going to school!" This sensational news spread in the Holy Church in Turin, and the girls who changed jobs as secretaries were all eager to try. Boys from big aristocratic families are called "resources" by them. High-level resources, such as dukes or young masters of the elector's family, will be divided up by the girls once they appear, and there are even lucky ones who end up marrying wealthy families. This time the Pope's illegitimate son is coming, which is also a very good resource.Previously, there was a pope’s son, Luigi Borgia, in the school. He was handsome, gentle and personable, and the famous young masters were proud to associate with him. From then on, the “Borgia boy” seemed to have a brand guarantee like. On the day when the illegitimate child came, the college was in full swing. The guards of the Pope's Hall took over the security work, and the dean led the teachers of the Academic Affairs Department to welcome him outside the school gate.The students squatted on the windows and stared wide-eyed, wanting to see how flamboyant this noble illegitimate son is, with such a grand pomp and such high-standard security measures, how much the Pope likes this son who is not recognized by the law. But when the salute was fired and the white petals were flying all over the sky, only an unmarked black carriage came across the petals.The coachman was a soldier in black, and there was no guard, no maid, and no parents to accompany him. The car door opened, and a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy jumped out. He had black hair and black pupils, and his skin was so pale that there was no blood in it. He only looked black and white.He nodded slightly to the dean, and then looked up towards the direction of the teaching building. At that moment, the boys and girls behind the window felt that they were being watched, stabbed by a cold gaze, and condescendingly contempt... Although they It is the one who occupies the high place. The boy was carrying a heavy schoolbag and walked alone through the tree-shaded avenue in front of the teaching building. The scorching sun at noon shone on his shoulders, but he was as cold as a ghost under the moon. Although not as likable as his brother Xiang, Cesare is still a good resource, and girls are eager for him. Surprisingly, the school specially arranged for a girl from the Department of Secretarial Affairs to meet this noble young master.It is said that this illegitimate son has been trained in the army before, and has not received an orthodox college education. He needs senior students to help him adapt to the environment.Girls from the secretarial department are of course the first choice. Everyone dressed up that day with care. In the spacious and bright hall, dignified or bright girls wore elegant dresses and lined up in two rows for the young master to choose. It seemed like a grand concubine selection party. Beau had little hope, and hope was a luxury to her. She is nineteen years old, older than that noble son.In terms of caregivers, older girls are better, but what boy doesn't like young and beautiful girls?A boy of this age needs a playmate rather than a secretary. What's more, she went out for an interview without telling the academy, and she has already been hired by an elderly nobleman, and she will go to his house as a secretary after graduation. The widowed old aristocrat probably wanted to use the female secretary as a probationary period for his future wife. During the interview with Bi Er, his old and dry fingers slid on her shoulders, and there was a longing light behind the lens.Bi'er did not refuse. For her, this was considered an opportunity, and it could also be regarded as marrying into a wealthy family. A girl like her who came from a commoner family might not have this opportunity if she did not have a degree from the Seminary of Turin. The provost piled a thick stack of resumes in front of César, and César flipped through them with a calm expression.Occasionally when he raised his head to look at someone, the girl would immediately show a confident and flattering smile.Many people spent money for this interview. Spending money can make their resumes be placed in a higher position. The higher the resume, the more recommended it is by the academy. But Bi'er kept her head down. She was calculating in her mind whether the advance payment she got from the old nobleman was enough for her father to pay off the family's debts. In order to support her education, her father borrowed a loan, and the monthly interest was an astonishing figure. At this moment, a pale hand suddenly appeared in front of Bi'er.Bi'er was stunned, this action was like inviting a dance, but this is not a dance hall. "Bi'er Dante, right? From today on, I will take care of my daily life." César was not as tall as Bier at that time, and he could only look directly into her eyes when he raised his head, but his eyes were condescending. All the girls looked at Bi'er with unwillingness and jealousy, but Bi'er was like a puppet in a daze, knowing that the young master turned to leave, she didn't even lift up the corner of her skirt to make a beautiful curtsy.Was that chosen?But why choose her?Some lively and beautiful girls were looking forward to the nobleman's favor, and they even specially wore low-cut skirts for him. In this way, Bier became César's maidservant. This was a hasty and arrogant decision, and Bier was never given a chance to refuse. The setting sun was setting in front of the carriage, and César didn't speak all the way. Bi'er sat quietly by the side, even breathing very lightly.This is the basic quality of a maid, when the master does not need her, she seems to be completely absent, even if you are close at hand, you will not notice her. The carriage finally stopped, it was already dark, and the dark building stood right in front of the truth.That once glorious mansion is now riddled with holes and stands in the weedy wasteland. The black windows are like countless eyes, like a hundred-eyed giant crouching on the wasteland. "Is this the Canterbury Castle today?" César asked. "Yes, my lord, this is Canterbury Castle." Bea said softly. This was not the case with Canterbury Castle three years ago, when it was one of the famous mansions in Emerald.There are high walls made of granite around it to separate it from the outside world. Visitors must first ask the guards for permission in front of the gate made of black iron; The gravel pavement has two purposes. One is that it is easier to clean if the horses defecate during the march. The other is that no horse can run fast on the gravel road, lest someone forcibly rides into it, which is not conducive to Master; people who are not familiar with the road will go all the way along the horse path, which is wrong. If you go this way, you will go out from the other side. The real house is located on the side of the horse path, covered by the shade of old trees. There are not many houses, but there are also six bedrooms and three servant rooms. The walls and floors are made of marble. The numerous columns and railings make people feel like they have entered a maze, but for those who are familiar with it, that It's a very comfortable house. César and Adele live in this house. Adele likes roses, so Bier asked the gardener to plant all kinds of roses outside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. There are so many varieties of roses that many people come in spring. Gather outside the castle and admire the colorful rose fields on the hillside from a distance. They call it Rose Castle. Three years ago Cesare was found guilty and expelled from Emerald, leaving Canterbury Castle vacant.Thieves began to visit here. Their targets were crystal chandeliers, copper decorations and high-end furniture. Then someone smashed all the marble sculptures in the garden and took them away. After a cold winter, the rose fields were completely barren, and finally this place became A gathering place for homeless people. Bier paid the car rental fee to the coachman, picked up the heavy suitcase, went to the door with the peeling black paint, and took out the brass key to open the door. Surprisingly, Canterbury Castle, which is dilapidated on the outside, is clean and dust-free on the inside. The scarred floors have been polished to glisten, the babbling stairs have been simply reinforced, the white window screens have been hung, and the new furniture Covered with a white cloth. Of course, it is incomparable with the past, when the furniture stuffed with cherry wood, walnut and rouge wood were all hand-carved by craftsmen, and the red velvet curtains separated different spaces, and the curtain tassels Doped with gold. Cesare stepped into the central rotunda, where there should have been a piano. Adele played the piano very badly, but she liked to play the piano. When she was a child, she liked to sit by the window and use her fingers, toes and even Fiddle with the keys with your chin.The piano is long gone, replaced by a broken sofa chair, which was a good piece of furniture at the time, huge and magnificent like a throne, but now only the empty wooden frame remains. "I'm sorry, there are still some things I haven't come to clean up in a hurry." Bi'er said. "The current layout is also quite good, with a wide field of vision." César said lightly. Bi'er felt a little uncomfortable, is this a good arrangement?What an insincere thing to say.The boy who used to be tall and strict in the cold storage is now so gentle and amiable. Did Marston wear out his sharpness, or did time wear away his sharpness? "Bea, I'm a little hungry, help me get something to eat." César said. "I'm going to prepare right now! Please wait!" Bi'er hurriedly put on her apron and walked towards the kitchen. Dinner was smoked grouse with aloe vera, served with mushroom bisque.Cooking is not Beer's forte.The division of labor in the noble family is clear, the maid is the maid, and the cook is the cook.Originally, there were three chefs in Canterbury Castle, but now Cesar is the only one left by her side. Think about their life before, just one order down, the best quality lobster, gammon, truffles and caviar are sent to the kitchen of Canterbury Castle, while the chef cooks the food, the waitresses start to set the table and light it up one by one Candle.Cesare and Adele sat side by side on the bench by the window, watching the sun go down and Adele's pony roamed the garden. That was the quietest and gentlest time for César, and Adele rested her head on her brother's shoulder, and the siblings were like a pair of dolls.Behind them, the whole of Fort Canterbury lit up like a sea of ​​stars... Now that's all in the past. Beau came to the living room with the dinner tray, and Cecil was sitting on the bench outside the window.On the same rusty bench, César sat on the left, leaving the empty seat on the right.He silently looked at the emerald jade in the night, as if the sea of ​​stars was reflected in his pupils. A poet said that the western world under the night is like an irregular black plate, on which there is a unique luminous pearl rolling, that is emerald.The power of steam injected endless firepower into the city, electric lights illuminated the streets and alleys, singers sang softly in the high gate courtyard, and flamenco dancers indulged in dancing on the bar street, Long hair and slim waist. It was a city that never sleeps, eternally lively, and César looked over the city like a lonely ghost. Bi'er vaguely understood Cesare's mood, Adele should have been sitting on the right side of the bench, but now Adele is far away in Aachen. "My lord, it's time to eat." Bi'er walked behind César and reminded her softly. "The money for repairing here is your private money, right? Did your father quarrel with you over this?" Beer didn't mention it at all, but César guessed that he had always been a very observant person. In the past three years, Bi'er's father forced her to marry someone several times so that she could have a generous dowry, and Bi'er, who had lost her master, had long since had no salary to take.But she is still very popular in the marriage market. She graduated from the Congregational Academy in Turin and used to be the headmaid of a wealthy family. She is tall, beautiful, young and healthy. Several businessmen have expressed interest in Bi'er's father. But Bi Er showed amazing stubbornness. She helped people copy ancient books in a bookstore and handed over all the money she earned to her father, on the condition that he would stop interfering with her marriage. The day before yesterday, people from the Pope's Hall suddenly came to inform her that the former owner had returned to Emerald. She immediately resigned at the bookstore, then went to the bank to withdraw her savings, hired workers to do simple repairs on Canterbury Castle, and cleaned up and down by herself.After all this was done, she rushed back home. She wanted to tell her father that she couldn't go home for a while.César has just returned to Fei Leng Cui, so she must be used for many things. What awaited her was her father's gloomy face, followed by merciless insults and ink bottles thrown at her head and face. In the end, she walked out of the house amidst her father's roar. The black box she carried contained all her belongings, and she had nowhere to go, just like César. "Get out! Get out! See what that illegitimate child can give you? I should have known, I should have known, raising a daughter is raising a white-eyed wolf, and one day she will run away with a strange man! But you don't think about you What is yourself? He is younger than you! He is just losing power now, relying on you, and when he gains power one day, shouldn’t a woman like you be thrown away after playing?” Father’s hysterical screams are still in my ears . But Bier knew that if César really gained power, her father would only hope that she would return to César as soon as possible. "It will get better soon, I'll figure out a way," Sizer said lightly, "Sit down and watch the night scene with me, dinner won't be cold for a while." Bi'er hesitated for a moment, and finally declined politely, "I'd better comb your hair for you. It's messy. You don't pay much attention to hairstyles at Marston's side, do you?" "Alright." César nodded. Bea stood behind César, combing his hair silently.Three years have passed, and he has grown taller, like an adult, and he can no longer use the previous hair style. Bi'er combed it while thinking about it. Under the wooden comb, César gradually became a little emerald. look like. "Bi'er? What's the matter? You used to chatter when you brushed my hair, but you're silent today." César asked. "My lord, you just came back. I was afraid that my hands would not comb well, so I just focused on combing my hair." "No, this is just your excuse. You think that Adele married to the Principality of Charlemagne, and I will be sad when I return to Emerald alone. You don't know how to comfort me, so you don't say anything." Zelton paused, "But you are wrong, I have nothing to be sad about, but rather happy." "Happy?" Bi'er was stunned. "How could I not be happy that after three years I'm finally back in Emerald, in the center of the world, in an offensive position again? Over the past three years, I've grown farther and farther from my true self. Farther away, just when I thought I too could grow up and marry and grow old and die as a Marston boy, fate called me back to the city again. Now I can clearly feel that true self again , it's throbbing in my veins." Cesare smiled silently, "Yes, I'm happy, I'm happy." Bi'er shivered involuntarily, she vaguely heard from this sentence...the devil's sorrow, she put her hand on César's shoulder, trying to give him a little comfort with her own body temperature. "Don't worry about me, let alone Adele. I'm still the same vengeful Cesare Borgia you knew, and anyone who causes me pain will pay ten times the price. And those people I will take back everything I took from me one by one." César patted the back of her hand, still looking into the distance, "But if I say such things in my current capacity, you will laugh at me in your heart Bar?" "I believe it." Bi'er said lightly. "you believe?" "I believe that every word you say will become a reality. I believe that you will welcome Her Royal Highness back from Aachen. I also believe that you will make some people regret for life." "Why?" This time it was César's turn to be surprised. "Because I'm such a pawn." Bi'er gently pressed his shoulder. Five years ago, Bea asked César a question. At that time, she had just served César for a year, and she was just a personal maid. "My lord, why did you choose me?" This question has been lingering in her mind for a long time. Many times she looked at herself in the mirror, wondering why this noble illegitimate son extended his hand to her through countless expectant eyes. César doesn't really like answering other people's questions, so Bi Er specially chooses to ask questions when she combs César's hair before going to bed. Nobles have to comb their hair when they wake up, and they also comb their hair before going to bed. messed up. The fire in the fireplace was burning, and the bedroom was warm and comfortable. That was the most relaxing time for César, and he wouldn't be offended if he said a few more words.And that day was Bi'er's twentieth birthday, so she would be forgiven for asking inappropriate questions. "Because your resume was put at the end at that time, no one recommended you, and you were the one who was abandoned among all the people." Sizer said lightly, "In other words, you are an abandoned pawn." Bi'er felt a little sad in her heart, it turned out to be out of pity... Although she also felt that she was not that good, she still didn't want to be pityed by others. "But there are already many excellent people in this world, right?" César suddenly said this nonsense.At that time, the fire in the fireplace danced deep in his pupils, and there was a frightening smile on the corner of his mouth. Beer was at a loss. "Why can we only choose excellent people? Even in chess, the pawn who rushes to the bottom line will become the queen. Maybe only one of all the strokes can make it, but even if the blood is flowing, you have to go forward. This is the pawn. fate." César turned his head and stared into Bier's eyes, "A chess player who wins with a queen is by no means the best chess player, I chose you just to see what a pawn can do .” "Have I satisfied you with what I have done this year? Am I a pawn who can reach the bottom line?" Bi'er asked in a dry voice. She was not sure about this, and she had never been sure about herself. What should I do if I am not doing well?Can you still stay with César?Since it is an abandoned pawn picked up at random, if it is not done well enough, it will still be abandoned sooner or later, right? "Happy birthday." César took out the huge paper box that had been prepared and handed it to Bier like a magic trick, "Your birthday present." Inside the cardboard box was a long dress, cut from expensive silk, with a slender waist and a wide skirt that fit Beer's slender figure just right, and it was undoubtedly custom-made for her. Bea was stunned, this kind of dress was too luxurious for a mere waitress, and Cesare actually remembered her birthday and knew her body size. "If you are wondering how I know your size, I have to say that I definitely didn't measure it secretly while you were asleep. Everything about you, including your figure, is in your resume. Although I haven't reached the bottom line yet, I know you It's good to keep working hard. Happy birthday, and from today onwards, you are the headmaid of Canterbury Castle." César held out his hand to her, just like the moment when he chose Beer. "Oh, so it's that sentence, you still remember it." César thought for a while, then laughed silently, "I just said it casually at the time, and wanted to encourage you." "I have received encouragement, and I will never forget it." Bier said softly, "I, Bier Danti, was supposed to be the second wife of an old nobleman, and I ended my life like this. But on that day, Turin The white flowers pave the road in front of the Holy Church, and everyone is looking forward to the arrival of a Highness. The black carriage of the Pope’s Hall is coming from a distance, and you get out of the car, facing the eyes of the tide. Every one of my classmates Curtsing to you, looking forward to serving you. That was the day you chose me, and I have since become Mistress of Canterbury Castle." César silently looked at this tall and beautiful girl like a white oak tree. "Today I am still the headmaid of Canterbury Castle, and the place where we are is Canterbury Castle, no matter how dilapidated it is, it will return to its former glory." Bea'er's voice was very soft, but she said firmly, "Because, you are back !" After a long silence, César looked away and continued to look into the distance, "I'm so happy, Bi'er, because of you, I know that there are still people in this city who are looking forward to my return... I heard people say , There must be three people in a family to be considered a family, and Adele and I only have two people, but sometimes I feel that Fort Canterbury is really like a family...probably because of you." Bi'er's hand trembled slightly, and she held the comb vigorously. They stopped talking, Bier combed Cesare's hair silently, and Cesar silently looked into the distance, the emerald green was unfolded in front of them like a glorious chessboard, as if reaching the end of the world, those magnificent churches placed on the chessboard Pawn, no one in the world can play such a grand game of chess.Except those who are chosen by fate and choose their own fate.