Chapter 302: The Castle That Never Sleeps
It was already the end of May when we arrived at the Red Fort.
Roland had friends to visit and a lover in the small yard to appease, so Russell went it alone.
First I went to visit Earl Merlin.
"Grandpa, here are one hundred boxes of Fengshuang Yulong cigars for you." Russell motioned to his subordinates to bring in one hundred boxes of cigars. "After an ice age of fermentation, these Fengshuang cigars have reached the most perfect quality."
The magical tobacco leaves can achieve the best taste after simple fermentation.
"Okay, I finally waited for the Feng Shuang cigars." Earl Merlin directly asked someone to open a box of Feng Shuang cigars, then lit the fire, took a sip and tasted it carefully, "The taste is better than white dew and clouds, not bad, not bad!"
"I also made many improvements before finally deciding on the taste of the Feng Shuang series." Russell said with a smile.
Then he started to add more details to the cigar: "If cigars represent the life of a knight, burning one cigar will fully taste the life of a knight. Then, the wind and frost cigar represents the knight's indifference to life - just a little bit of wind and frost. That’s all.”
Earl Merlin's eyes lit up and he laughed loudly: "That's right, all the troubles in this world are just a little bit of wind and frost!"
As a dragon knight and a member of the Elder Council for many years, Earl Merlin has seen too many things.
From the scorching volcanoes to the frigid snowfields, his footprints are all over the Shadow Flame Grand Duchy. Perhaps he is criticized for being authoritarian and cruel, but at least he is encouraging and supporting the operation of the Grand Duchy, and his heart is as firm as a rock.
The honor and disgrace in the outside world are really just a little bit of trouble to him.
Seeing this, Russell immediately suggested: "Grandpa, I want to place an advertisement in next month's Di newspaper to promote Yulong cigars."
"advertise?"
"It means to spread the word, so that the entire Shadow Flame Grand Duchy knows what the three series of Yulong cigars mean." Russell said.
Earl Merlin narrowed his eyes. In principle, he did not agree with Russell's advertising. Di Bao was Di Bao and represented the authority of the Red Castle. How could he allow others to advertise on it. But Yulong Cigar won his heart, and he also wanted people to know the meaning of Fengshuang.
He did not rush to agree, but asked: "I already know the meaning of wind and frost, but what do clouds and mist and white dew mean?"
"The green mountains are covered with clouds and mist, and peace of mind is where you go. The clouds and mist are the unswerving nobility of the nobles. Even in the most difficult times, they are as calm as the clouds and mist." Russell made up the words at will, how to be lofty and noble. Come.
After a pause, he continued: "As for the white dew, ordinary knights can also buy it. When you take a sip of a cigar, the white dew becomes frost. After smoking a white dew cigar, you will be greeted by the rising sun, which means that warmth will surely return!"
"Not bad." Earl Merlin nodded.
Although Russell's lines are a bit far-fetched, the victory is that the style is well created. Take a sip of white dew, and the knights will bask in the sun; take a sip of clouds, and the nobles will feel at ease; take a sip of wind and frost, and everything in the world will no longer be a worry.
"Grandpa, can I advertise in the Di newspaper like this?"
"Can."
"Thank you, grandpa." Russell said with a smile. He could see clearly that Count Merlin had an upright character, but he could not escape his desire for fame.
After bidding farewell to Earl Merlin, Russell paid a visit to Arnold Marquis of Lieyang.
Marquis Arnold had previously returned to the Kingdom of Blazing Torrents, and after returning to the Grand Duchy of Shadowflame, he planned to settle here for a long time. Until one of the three electors wins the election and is elected as the new Grand Duke, he will end his role as "the host of the electors".
Since he did not participate in the government affairs of the Senate, Marquis Arnaud was relatively free, so he recruited a group of literati and celebrities in an independent castle near Stormrage City.
Arrange dramas and recite poetry.
Especially after the ban on banquets ended, dance banquets were held in turn, and singing and dancing continued every day, gradually becoming a grand scene in Stormrage City.
Marquis Arnaud also deliberately changed the name of the castle to "Nevernight Castle", and the lights were on all night long.
How many ladies from Stormrage City and the Red Keep spent huge sums of money to get invitations to attend the balls and salons in the Evernight Keep. Those poets, dramatists, and painters who could freely enter and leave the Evernight Castle became the new favorites of noble ladies.
Because there were so many people who wanted to visit Marquis Arnold, Russell started queuing in the afternoon and waited until nine o'clock in the evening before he was invited into the study of the Evernight Castle.
"Are you Russell, the second son of Baron Roman?" Marquis Arnold had met Russell, but he couldn't remember it at this time.
He sees too many people every day, and many of them are handsome.
"Yes." Russell bowed and saluted. In fact, he was already very angry with the wait. The famous assassin had been sent over by his subordinates yesterday. The other party gave him a time to meet in the afternoon. As a result, he had to wait until nine o'clock in the evening to meet.
"Why did you come to visit me?" Marquis Arnold asked lazily.
"My territory has specialty Yulong cigars. Your Majesty the Marquis must have heard of it. Yulong cigars are divided into three series, Bailu, Yunwu and Fengshuang. Fengshuang only produces three hundred boxes each year, one hundred boxes are given to my father, and one hundred boxes are given to my father. One box was given to my grandfather, Count Merlin, and one hundred boxes were originally promised to be given to Archduke Kunstein..."
Russell suppressed his dissatisfaction. After all, he was here to do business. Making money and becoming famous were the most important things. A little slighting could be tolerated.
"Now that the Grand Duchy has begun the era of selecting princes, and the Marquis is the presiding officer, I would like to give these one hundred boxes of Feng Shuang cigars to the Marquis." Russell placed the box of Feng Shuang cigars he carried with him on the table.
"Specially supplied to me?" Marquis Arnold raised his eyebrows.
"My grandfather once said that the only one who deserves to enjoy the Frost Cigar in the Grand Duchy is you, the Marquis."
"Haha!" Marquis Arnold laughed when he heard it, "Earl Merlin is too kind, my election as a princess is just a temporary status... Since Earl Merlin said so, I will accept this Frost Cigar."
Under Russell's guidance, Marquis Arnold lit a Frost Cigar.
Cigars made from magic tobacco are strong when smoked.
Russell just promoted the words "just a little bit of frost" to Marquis Arnold.
"It's really a good cigarette!" Marquis Arnold was more and more satisfied with the Frost Series Yulong Cigars - special supply cigarettes, only three people in the Grand Duchy can smoke them, one cigarette is a knight's life, just a little bit of frost, this style is too high.
It fits his positioning of his status as a great nobleman too well.
Anyone can smoke the tobacco on the market, but how can it be like Rain Dragon Cigar, which has clear grades and corresponding identities.
However, when Russell mentioned that he wanted to include Rain Dragon Cigar in the trade between the two countries and sell it to the Blazing Torrent Kingdom. Marquis Arnold avoided the topic and was unwilling to nod his head, saying that the Blazing Torrent Kingdom had better tobacco for making cigars.
"My Lord Marquis, Rain Dragon Cigar is the first cigar on the Dragon Sleeping Continent, which is a glory that no one can erase."
Russell responded calmly: "Except for Rain Dragon Cigar, there is no imitation that can better represent the identity of a knight and highlight the identity of a noble."
"I admit this." Marquis Arnold looked at the young and handsome Russell and said calmly, "But whether others smoke Rain Dragon Cigars or not is none of my business. One hundred boxes of Frost and Wind Cigars are enough for me every year."
"How about this, my Lord Marquis, if Rain Dragon Cigars can be sold to the Blazing Torrent Kingdom, you will take half of all the profits!" Russell also bleeds a lot.
The indifferent Marquis Arnold smiled again: "Young man, you have courage. I will support young people and add Yulong cigars to the trade list between the two countries. But half of the profit is not enough. I want 80%!"
"80%!" Russell stared.
"The trade between the two countries is difficult. 80% profit is just a subsidy given to the knights by me for their hard work." Marquis Arnold picked up the teacup, blew a breath of hot air, and drank the tea indifferently.
Russell took a deep breath: "Okay, let's set 80% profit."
After a while, he walked out of the Never Night Castle, and Katie and others immediately came up to him: "My lord."
"Go back." Russell climbed onto the back of the unicorn Polly and looked back at the Never Night Castle with bright lights and singing.
He silently swore in his heart: "Arnold, you thief, how dare you bully me! When I am promoted to a dragon knight, I will make you spit out both the principal and the interest!"