The Sin of Ludwigs

"I know."

A short sentence, like a boulder falling into a lake, aroused a tsunami-like horror in my heart.

"you……"

For a moment, I was so shocked that I didn't know what to say.

However, if you think about it carefully, it doesn't seem surprising that the Earl would know about this matter. After all, Beatrix, who planned the men's disguise as a woman, went from his side to Earl Ian's side, but what is he? When did you know?If he knew it from the beginning, why did he behave like that in the dining room, just to prevent Earl Ian from finding excuses to continue playing pranks?Would a normal man hug another man knowing the truth?If he only found out from Beatrix after the meal, what was the meaning of his actions just now?

I didn't dare to think about it, so I could only grit my teeth, looked up at him, and said my identity directly: "My lord, I sincerely pray that you can listen to me tell the reason why I am here and ask you for your mercy. Please believe that I am absolutely not talking nonsense, my real name is Ludwig Francaimon Edmund, I have a noble status, and I am a viscount personally appointed by His Royal Highness Karl Eugen, Grand Duke of the Duchy of Württemberg. Because For some personal reasons, I came to the New World under the arrangement of God, and accidentally broke into Earl Ian’s manor when I had nowhere to go, and was forced to deceive you because of a ridiculous bet, whether it is I am deeply ashamed of this, both on behalf of the Edmund family's honor and my own."

After I finished the long series of words in one breath and emphasized my noble status, Earl Elvis stared at me, frowning slowly.

"I know there is a problem with your identity, because after the cruise ship landed, the lady eloped with the coachman who went to meet her, but I didn't expect you to have such an identity."

It was only then that I realized that what the Count knew was not the same thing as I thought he knew.

"Ludwig Francaimon Edmund," the count said slowly after a moment of silence, "Françaimon, this name, you and Württemberg What's the relationship with that Grand Duke?"

Unexpectedly, the Grand Duke’s reputation for being romantic spread so far, even the New World, thousands of miles away, knew his name. I secretly slandered him, but I still had to reply respectfully: “Your knowledge is as good as that of the mainland. As wide as you can see, my lord, the king is the father to the people of a nation, as you see."

The count looked down at me.

"illegitimate child."

Even when he uttered this harsh word, Earl Elvis still kept his calm tone, which was not so much the religious and moral attitude of the so-called "decent people" I used to grow up. Judgment and contempt, it is better to say that he is stating an established fact.

I bit my lip hard.

Just like my half-brothers with the same middle name "Frankemont" and various surnames, in Ludwigsburg all the nobles know who we are, they will Talking about our existence in private with a disdainful tone, some old-fashioned people who rely on their family history and noble blood will even turn their heads when they see us, but in general, no one has ever dared to speak so directly in front of us. speak out.

"My lord, the monarch's power comes from the gods. They are the incarnation of the Lord in the world. Their will is the will of the Lord. What is more important than their orders? There is nothing shameful in serving the king."

It is only natural for the lower-ranking people to share the worries of the higher-ranking people. This sharing of worries naturally includes marrying their mistresses when necessary to give their illegitimate children a legitimate surname. It's a very common thing in high society, and even if I came from such a background, I don't think it's a problem.

"I know that the Duke of Württemberg will stuff his illegitimate children into the mercenaries hired by the Kingdom of Great Britain as officers, and the price is much higher than that of ordinary soldiers, so you are here with the British mercenary regiment—— What is your position there?"

Facing this question that directly hits the crux of the matter, I choked for a moment.

"My lord, I have been given the title of lieutenant colonel, but this status is not what I want. In fact, neither the Grand Duke nor the people close to me know that I have come to the New World. If they want to know that I Any news about you can only rely on your grace."

"Ludwig, this is the real reason why Ian treats you like this."

I leaned down and pressed my forehead to the carpet.

"My lord, because of the position of lieutenant colonel that I cannot refuse, I have suffered many unexpected disasters. Thanks to the grace of the Lord, I can meet you. I dare to ask you for your grace. If you are willing to bestow your mercy on someone because Poor wretch who by all misfortunes has been driven from his native land, allow him to return to the land and shelter of his king, and by the names of the fathers of the Edmunds, I dedicate the most precious treasures of the Edmunds to you, and all the nobles will praise your generosity."

If a nobleman is captured during a war, as long as the captor does not want to kill him, then the only way to deal with it is to ask for a ransom or let him go. The former gains money, the latter gains a good reputation, and the method of paying the ransom secretly To have money and a reputation for generosity at the same time is as sincere as I can be.

After a long wait that seemed to be the end of judgment, Earl Elvis came to me.

"Head up."

Under the flickering candlelight, the Earl's elongated shadow was like a huge sea monster, completely covering me lying on the ground.

"I grant your request, but," the count stared at me, bent down and put his hand on my chin, and slowly stroked my cheek with his thumb with an affectionate force, "before the echo from New Jersey arrives, You have to pay the price you promised first."

The overwhelmed shock left my mind blank, so that I finally realized it when his hand turned to reach for the button on my collar.

"My lord!" I didn't care about the distinction of status, I grabbed his wrist, "My lord, I, I'm a man—!"

"If I remember correctly, you just revealed your identity." Earl Elvis still had that extremely calm tone, as if what he was going to do was not a taboo that violated religious beliefs, but just Something as small as a cup of coffee: "Or, after you've just made a promise, you want to break it?"

I have always thought that as long as I get the permission and help of Earl Elvis, I can leave the New World and return to Europa. The price I have to pay is ransom, jewelry or manor. After paying the ransom, how should the Edmund family's immediate financial crisis be resolved—but I never thought that myself would be included in the ransom to be paid?

"My lord, I am willing to give all the gold and silver treasures of the family in exchange for personal freedom, but this does not include myself—"

"You just promised that you are willing to give the most precious treasure."

Earl Elvis spoke slowly while holding my wrist and pulling me up from the ground.

During the period of time waiting for him to come, I had already taken off my gloves. As a result, when he grabbed my wrist, I could directly feel the extremely hot temperature of his palm, and when I wanted to withdraw my hand , the Earl held on tighter.

He said: "Is there any treasure in your family that is more precious than you alive?"

I can't refute this logic for a while.

Inheritance is the sword of Damolix on the head of every noble family, and the background of the Edmund family is not even considered a real noble family. It has been hovering at the bottom of the noble class, until the predecessor The head of the family married my mother to get the title of viscount.I am the only legitimate male heir of this generation of this family. If I die, the Edmund family will cease to exist—in this sense, there is really no one more important than me in the entire family thing!

I'd like to think it's Earl Elvis playing a joke on me, like his mean brother, but when he puts his arm around my waist, I can't kid myself.

"My lord, I'm a Catholic." Since I couldn't push him away at all, I could only desperately remind him that unnatural hobbies are against religious beliefs for both Catholics and Puritans. Recalling the stories in the Bible that I have never been too lazy to listen to the priests' long-winded narration, "The Lord taught us that we should not abandon the natural use of women and take the reverse use of men, otherwise, sin and disaster will be shall return to them."

The count was completely unmoved.

"A woman shall not wear what a man wears, and a man shall not wear what a woman wears—if it is a sin to disobey God, you have already committed it, Edmund."

"Frigo Manor has never lacked Catholics, Jews and Gypsies. In this territory, I am their master."

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Pull the lamp, if you want to say ruthless or brother ruthless, simply neat

I remember a fairy cutie said before that he was angry that Edmund was being bullied, so he was looking forward to his brother's appearance. God knows how much I wanted to laugh when I saw it hahahahaha... Brother, he is a white cut. Edmund met him The result is that there is no scum left, hahahaha (thumping laugh)

Thanks to Nie Cen and Xianying Piaoji, two cuties for sending me catnip and fish food ~ happy to take them away and play