Chapter 210: First meeting with Grand Duke Kunstan (more updates, please give me a monthly vote)
The temperature of Shadow Flame Volcano is extremely high, so the main body of the volcano and the large area of land at the foot of the volcano are barren.
The Windfury City, which is 100 kilometers away from the foot of the volcano, also has a high temperature climate.
But such a climate is very suitable for crop growth, so the Grand Duchy chose to establish its capital here and enjoy the gift of Shadow Flame Dragon at close range.
Similarly, a little further away, in the center of a mirror-like lake, the Shadow Flame Dragon Blood Family built the magnificent Shadow Flame Grand Duke Palace. This castle with a main body of red is like a mountain in itself.
Most people call it Red Castle, and some people call it Red Mountain.
As for the mirror-like lake where the Red Castle is located, its name is Mirror Lake. There is a long bridge road for wading in the east, south, west and north.
At the end of the road is a huge archway. Many buildings have been built around the archway, which is itself a town.
Russell and Eric are now in the West Arch Town, followed by a carriage with a hundred boxes of White Dew Rain Dragon cigars in the carriage.
"Name!" The guard knight of the West Archway blocked the way of the two.
"Russell Fluorescent Mushroom." Russell took out his business card, which is equivalent to a business card for identification. It has the emblem of the Fluorescent Mushroom family and Russell's name on it. Only nobles can make business cards to show to others.
"Fluorescent Mushroom family?" The leading guard knight, obviously a fantasy beast knight, rode a most common nightmare ghost horse.
He took the business card handed over by his subordinates, flipped it over, and asked, "Who is Mr. Roland Fluorescent Mushroom to you?"
"My elder brother." Russell responded.
And shook his coat, inadvertently revealing the scholar's medal hanging on the lining of his chest.
"Mr. Roland's younger brother? Oh, you are also a scholar?" The fantasy beast knight immediately discovered this detail.
Russell smiled slightly: "Yes, I am a lord of the Valley of the Dark Light, and also a scholar canonized by the Grand Duke. I came to the Red Castle today to visit the Grand Duke and present him with a gift... This is my Knight Commander."
Eric hammered his chest.
The Magic Beast Knight nodded, returned the business card, and said with a smile: "Welcome, Sir Russell, I am the Knight Commander of the West Arch, my name is Shanks."
"Hello, Sir Shanks, nice to meet you."
"It is also my honor to meet the children of the Fluorescent Mushroom Family." After confirming Russell's identity, Shanks' attitude became enthusiastic.
After waiting for other guards and checking the goods in the carriage, he let Russell go.
After crossing the long bridge, they soon arrived at the wall of the Red Castle. The guards of this palace were not strict, in fact, they could be described as relaxed. No one came to check Russell's identity, and no one even looked at him twice.
Until he passed through the gate of the city wall and entered the castle.
Only then did the palace guards come over, and after verifying his identity, they took him to the lounge to wait.
After a while.
The eldest brother Roland rushed over: "Russell, why are you here? Haha, I didn't believe it when I received the notification!"
Then he gave Russell a bear hug.
"My father asked me to follow the caravan and give the Grand Duke a gift." Russell pointed to the carriage.
"Is it Yulong Cigar?" Roland's eyes lit up.
"Yes."
"Okay, haha, I have boasted about Yulong Cigar for you several times in front of the Grand Duke, and the Grand Duke has been looking forward to it!" Roland said excitedly, "This time, the reputation of Yulong Cigar must be thoroughly promoted!"
Russell plans to give most of the agency rights of Yulong Cigar in the entire Volcanic Oasis to Roland.
He is only responsible for boasting, advertising, and then waiting to get the money.
"Oh, by the way, this is a letter from your mother and grandmother, and Lola also wrote a letter to you." Russell took out a few more letters and handed them to Roland.
"Let's go, take the gifts first, I'll take you to meet the Grand Duke!" Roland took a few letters and stuffed them directly into his arms, urging Russell to follow him quickly to give gifts to the Grand Duke.
With Roland, the local snake, leading the way, the journey was smooth.
The Red Castle is divided into three parts: the archway, the outer castle and the inner castle. The four archways are not only checkpoints, but also the resident places of various departments.
The outer castle is also an office organization. Many noble officials who assist the Grand Duke live in the outer castle. Roland also has a small courtyard in the outer castle, where he keeps some servants and two confidantes.
"I'll take you to see the courtyard where grandpa lives later. It is not much smaller than our castle, but it is empty now." Roland said.
After passing through the outer castle in the shape of a Chinese character "Hui", you will enter the inner castle.
The inner castle is also divided into two parts. The front part is the hall, where Grand Duke Kunstan handles government affairs. The back part is the residence of the Shadow Flame Dragon Blood Family. Currently, only Princess Anxia lives with Grand Duke Kunstan and Little Princess Kunlaya.
Once you enter here, the guards are strict. There is a sentry every three steps and a sentry every five steps. You will be questioned every time you pass a checkpoint.
After arriving at the hall, Eric could no longer follow in. He just waited outside with the carriage, waiting for the servants of the castle to come and receive the gifts.
Russell took a box of Bailu Yulong cigars and walked towards the main hall with Roland, saying, "I brought a hundred boxes of Bailu Yulong cigars for the Grand Duke this time, and I also brought twenty boxes for you, brother. Please help distribute them to others when the time comes."
"No problem!"
There were no complicated rules for meeting the Grand Duke. Roland led them all the way and soon they met Grand Duke Kunstan in the side hall of the main hall.
Grand Duke Kunstein sat on a high chair and looked at Russell with a slight arrogance as he bent down and bowed to greet him. His voice was a bit sharp: "Are you Russell Fluorescent Mushroom? Roland told me about you, not long after the enfeoffment. "
The vassals of vassals are not my vassals.
Russell was not a vassal of the Grand Duke of Kunstein, so he naturally did not need to kneel down to the Grand Duke of Kunstein.
"Yes, Your Highness, I was made a Lord by my father at the coming-of-age ceremony." Russell straightened his back and looked at Grand Duke Kunstein.
He has long silver semi-curly hair and slightly feminine facial features, making his face look somewhat feminine. However, the golden grand ducal dress on his body made him look full of heroism, and his noble aura naturally escaped.
Especially a pair of amber eyes, as if there were flames burning in them, completely changing the feminine temperament of his whole person.
Russell had to admit that this Grand Duke of his own age was not inferior to him in appearance.
Even in terms of handsomeness, it is one or two points better than him and Cousin Mel.
Of course, Russell had every reason to believe that a large part of the reason why he felt ashamed of the Grand Duke's beauty was the low-key way of survival of the Fluorescent Mushroom family. After all, he is also the son of Baron Roman.
"Yes, a very heroic young man!" Archduke Kunstein stood up, his tone deliberately pretending to be mature.
"Your Highness, my brother also brought you a gift!" The eldest brother Roland interjected.
"Really, what gift?"
"It's the Bailu series of Yulong cigars. There are a hundred boxes in total, ten boxes in each box." Russell took two steps forward, opened a box of Bailu Yulong cigars, and presented it to the Grand Duke. "This Yulong cigar was invented by me. The new type of sun-cured tobacco is specially designed for nobles.”
"Oh, I know this Yulong Cigar, Roland told me about it." The Grand Duke picked up a cigar curiously, "Speaking of which, I just remembered that you are also a scholar, and I personally signed the reward letter."
As he said that, he turned around and shouted: "Come here, light a fire for me."
Immediately, a servant came forward and brought a lit fire: "Your Highness, the fire you want."
Russell narrowed his eyes and quickly took the fire certificate from the servant.
Personally help Grand Duke Kunstein light it: "Your Highness, the White Dew series of Yulong Cigars are ordinary cigars. After the magic tobacco leaves in the territory are harvested, I will select the best tobacco and produce a special cigar, the Wind Frost series. "
Helping Archduke Kunstan light the cigar, Russell continued: "The Wind and Frost series is only available to Your Highness, Earl Merlin and my father. Only one hundred boxes are provided every year. Apart from this, no more will be produced. "
"Russell, not even me?" Roland asked deliberately annoyed.
Russell shook his head firmly: "Brother, no, even I don't know how to enjoy the Wind and Frost series. If I smoke one less, I may not be able to produce three hundred boxes a year... If it is not enough, I can only wrong my father." Smoking less."
Holding the Bailu Yulong cigar in his mouth, although he couldn't tell that the cigar was any easier to smoke than the pipe, Grand Duke Kunstein's expression was very satisfying: "This cigar... is indeed very interesting. No wonder Earl Merlin was full of praise for it. "