Chapter 270
Lucian deliberately revealed his doubts in his tone and said, "Mr. Ivanovsky? What is there to discuss so late?" Can't you wait until tomorrow?"
This is a reaction that a normal nobleman should have.
Ivanovsky smiled in a kind tone: "A good thing. I know several viscounts of the Vladimir family and have a good relationship, so when I saw you, Mr. Peter, I felt very close. And Mr. Peter, you are brave and determined, strictly abide by the chivalrous creed, and are a friend worthy of knowing and making deep friends, so since there are good things, how can you take advantage of outsiders without looking for friends?"
Good things, hit it off at first sight, etc. always make Lucian feel like he has encountered a liar again, but Ivanovsky is a famous smuggler, so he won't "fall" to this point, right?
After thinking about it, seeing that Ivanovsky had already come to the door, Lucian decided to hear what "good things" he had, so that he could deal with it later. Besides, this kind of big smuggler relies on connections and resources, and may not work on "acting skills", but it is likely that through his every move, we can see through his true purpose.
Therefore, "The Actor's Self-Cultivation" is a divine book, Lucian used the knight's intuition to sense outside the door, and found that there were indeed people around Ivanovsky who were difficult to sense clearly. But this man openly appeared as Ivanovsky's assistant and bodyguard, not hiding.
With his left hand on "Frost", Lucian pretended to open the door normally.
Ivanovsky was still dressed like a winter bear wearing gold-rimmed glasses, and he was followed by an old man with gray hair in a black suit and black bow tie. He was carrying a black suitcase, a head shorter than Ivanovsky.
Ivanovsky saw that Lucian himself came to the door, and said with a little doubt: "Mr. Peter, where is your housekeeper? This kind of thing should not be done by a knight or a gentleman."
"My butler is sick because of the snowstorm, I asked him to rest early and not hold on. I was enjoying the moonlight, but I didn't expect outsiders to visit." Lucian explained casually, "Who is this?"
Ivanovsky smiled and pointed at the gloomy old man: "This is my assistant Matvi, he has great business talent and his own unique understanding of the economy."
"Really? I wonder what unique insights you have on the production, circulation, distribution and exchange of wealth, Mr. Matvey? Do you think that the entire business process has its own laws, like an invisible hand manipulating everything?" Lucian asked seriously, with a lot of "malice" in his heart, this guy is like a thug and bodyguard better than a business consultant.
Matvi frowned and did not answer, Ivanovsky's smile froze on his face, and he laughed for a long time before laughing: "I didn't expect Mr. Peter to not only focus on the way of chivalry, but also have such in-depth research on economics. It's hard to meet a nobleman like you."
"Where, I just learned a little casually, otherwise I would have my own territory in the future, and I would be easily deceived by those business consultants and affairs managers." Lucian didn't continue to ask, making the other party unable to go down the steps is not suitable for the current situation, just now it was more of a demonstration, don't think of me as a fool!
Ivanovsky "revealed" an appreciative expression: "This is a good idea, in the future, more nobles should learn this knowledge, instead of simply handing it over to housekeepers, business consultants and other operations, and only responsible for inspection and harvesting."
He also didn't mention the specific economics content, and under Lucian's hospitality, he sat on the soft sofa, while Matvi stood quietly behind him, his eyes becoming a little sharp.
Lucian picked up the red porcelain kettle on the glass coffee table and poured a glass of white water for himself and Ivanovsky: "Mr. Ivanovsky, I don't know what you are looking for me?"
Ivanovsky's wide hand held the white-glazed porcelain teacup like a toy, and he smiled without drinking: "Mr. Peter, you should know that Count Witte has the blood of the Vladimir family, right?"
"Of course, Count Witt's mother is a member of the Vladimir family, a female knight and ladysess who inspired the family's unique 'frost' bloodline. But what's wrong with that? Count Witte still inspired the 'withered' blood of his paternal family, and surpassed the ancestors of previous dynasties, becoming the first member of the Wert family to advance to the heavenly knight, and repeatedly made meritorious contributions in the wars with the Holy Helz Empire, the Kingdom of Tria, and the Duchy of Vaulite, elevating the hereditary baronial title of the Wert family to the count, controlling nearly half of the Ural State." Lucian talked eloquently that Count Werther was a nobleman he knew better.
Ivanovsky smiled inscrutablely: "So I asked Mr. Peter for your good deeds is the title of an earl, which is comparable to the inheritance of an ordinary duke."
There are many mines in the Urals, and the nobles here are much richer than the nobles of the same class in other places.
"What do you want to do? Is Count Witt going to be called by the Lord?" Lucian asked "in a panic", "What does this have to do with me?"
Ivanovsky nodded lightly: "Carilliana is the niece of the second wife of Count Witt and is close to the Count. According to her, Cardinal Nevsky of the Urals asserted that the Count could live for half a year at most, and that he was aging naturally and could not be treated with magic."
"Count Witt is of 'withered' blood, and his descendants are already difficult, and he has been fighting heresy in the south in his prime. After returning as an earl, he went through three wives but only had one son, but unfortunately this young master died before he was ten years old."
"But what does this have to do with me?" Lucian asked emphatically again.
Ivanovsky put down the teacup in his hand and motioned for Lucian to calm down: "Mr. Peter, you should know that Count Werther's parents died early because of the heretical war, and he did not stimulate his blood until he was twenty-five years old. In the process, some members of the Vladimir family who did business here helped him so that he could safely stimulate his blood."
"According to the Count's customs that Caroliana inquired about, it seems that he decided to take a male member of the Vladimir family as his stepson, and then arrange for him to marry a girl from the Wert family who had no background power as his wife, so as to inherit the title and inheritance, and make those collateral members give up. This news may be announced in a month, and there will definitely be many members of the Vladimir family coming, why don't we seize this time and try to make a good impression in front of Count Wert?"
"Mr. Peter, you are handsome and elegant, polite and elegant, you speak well, and you are very young and have inspired the power of your bloodline, and you have the status of a knight, I think Count Witt will be very satisfied."
Lucian probably understood what they were planning. The title of count and the inheritance of half of the Ural state are wealth that Duke Vladimir would also be tempted by, not to mention smugglers like Ivanovsky.
After figuring this out, Lucian asked casually: "Madame Carriliana has the blood of the Wert family?"
Ivanovsky was stunned for a moment, then laughed: "Yes, from a few generations ago. Although it is very thin, no one can deny it. Mr. Peter, without Carolina's cooperation, it would be difficult for us to figure out Count Werther's preferences, and she was very fond of Count Werther and had a say in the final decision. Therefore, we cannot deny her benefits."
"I don't think any normal nobleman can refuse such a beautiful beauty as his wife and get the title and inheritance of an earl."
"From this point of view, it seems that Sergei is not defrauding me with gold coins and long swords, but wants to control me through 'this business', but unfortunately I am not greedy. After Karelina's beauty plan also failed, Ivanovsky simply came directly to the door and used huge interests to tempt him straight to the point." Lucian pondered, but there were still many doubts that he couldn't figure out, such as why did Count Witt age early when he was twenty or thirty years away from the end of the average life expectancy of the Sky Knight? Did he suffer any incurable injuries or curses in the war of heresy in his prime?
And it seems that after inheriting the title, Carilena's reputation as a "black widow" will become even louder in a few years.
So, Lucian smiled and said, "This is a difficult decision, but I still have to say sorry, Mr. Ivanovsky, I can't cooperate with you."
Although Lucian was a bit of a wealth fan, this was the Shahran Empire, and he was not a member of the Vladimir family at all, so he calmly refused.
The succession ceremony presided over by the cardinal will verify the bloodline!
Without greed, there is no stupidity!
"What?! "Mr. Peter, you must understand that you are refusing the title of an earl, half an inheritance of the Urals, mines, and countless estates......" Ivanovsky said in surprise. He didn't believe at all that anyone could resist this temptation, not even the supreme emperor in the worldly palace in the palace of St. Ivan Castle Dolgolu!
Lucian said solemnly in an aria-like tone: "Because I can't give up my surname, Vladimir is a noble and glorious surname that has been passed down for many generations! I believe that one day I can become another Count Vladimir with my own strength."
After saying that, Lucian added with an honest face: "My surname is my pride!"
Ivanovsky stared at Lucian like a madman: "I thought that the knight who simply chased glory had disappeared from the nobility of the Shahran Empire, and only the paladins of the church were possible, but Mr. Peter, you have subverted my thoughts."
Then he stood up and bowed deeply: "I hope Mr. Peter can go further and smoother on this path."
Although he tried to show "admiration", Lucian judged from his not-so-superb acting skills, which seemed to be the opposite.
"I will keep it a secret for you before the news is announced." Lucian said in a "righteous knight" tone.
Ivanovsky smiled kindly: "I believe in you, Mr. Peter, and I hope to have the opportunity to cooperate with other things that do not violate your knight's creed in the future."
Then he left Lucian's room with Matvi, who was half-blocking his gaze with his eyelids half-hanging.
"Master, be careful, Ivanovsky has always been ruthless and doesn't like to leave hidden dangers." Leo walked out the door after Ivanovsky left, reminding Lucian with concern.
(End of this chapter)