Tittanya, Earl Howard's mansion.
The spacious mansion resembled a small palace, and the neatly trimmed lawn presented an elegant and generous landscape under the beautifully cut floor. After the recent cessation of the search and trial of suspects by the Guards, the place had returned to its former bustle.
Today, Earl Howard is hosting a grand banquet, and many nobles in the imperial capital have been invited.
Within the empire, earls were considered the pinnacle of nobility, while dukes were rare, with only four of them, and their status was similar to that of a king. The nation's nobility was divided into four classes: duke, earl, viscount, and baron. The lordship was an honorary title bestowed upon those with exceptional talent or honor, and was not hereditary.
Advancing to a noble title was no easy feat. In fact, during peacetime, titles rarely changed, and some nobles with lesser titles were even in danger of falling. The historical context for large-scale nobility grants was generally due to the Empire's expansion into foreign lands, which was why the expedition a few years ago attracted so many people.
Today, nearly a thousand years after the founding of the empire, there are no more than 100 families with earldoms, and the number of earldoms that still maintain the corresponding status and real power hovers around 60-70.
Such a rare and honorable position symbolizes power, wealth, status, etc., which is why they often have great influence.
"Everyone is welcome to visit my mansion."
Earl Howard, who had gained a little weight, had his hair slicked back today and wore a custom-made black suit. He stood on the central staircase of the hall, opened his arms, and greeted the many guests below.
He spoke slowly and calmly, with the composure that only a superior could possess. His blue eyes slowly scanned the invited guests, searching for someone he was interested in chatting with today.
For a noble like him, wealth was no longer a problem. As long as he didn't commit treason, his status within the empire would remain largely unchanged. He inherited the title of Earl at birth, just like his father and grandfather, naturally and destined to do so. They all received guests in this luxurious hall like this; he had seen his grandfather do it since he was a child, his father did it, and now he did the same.
You'd say he's not bored. He's perfectly accustomed to this kind of situation, like it's ingrained in his blood. He enjoys the compliments and words. Whenever he sits at a banquet table, a constant stream of people come up to him, telling him about the latest news and interesting happenings. All he has to do is slowly savor his wine, occasionally nodding in appreciation of the visitor. This is his favorite pastime; it not only showcases his family's nobility and earns him a good reputation, but also helps him pass the time.
Today, after briefly entertaining these guests, he slowly walked to that fixed corner. The view here was excellent, and it was not very conspicuous (in his opinion). When he was still a minor, he sat here and fell in love with Marilyn, the daughter of Viscount Elland, and naturally she became his wife later.
After the waiter prepared the orange-red Cointreau for him, he sniffed it carefully, marveling at the fragrance that had remained unchanged for the past ten years. He then raised his hand slightly, and the waiter beside him immediately understood and stepped back. Then a man in a formal suit came forward.
"Good evening, Count. I am delighted to see that you are still in good health."
"Okay, okay, Hewlett. Tell me something interesting. Have you lost money again recently?" Howard waved his hand.
Baron Hewlett was a familiar henchman from childhood. Though not particularly skilled, he had always dreamed of making a fortune. He had started many new businesses over the years, but unfortunately, they always ended up losing money. Sometimes, when he was short of money or had no connections, he would come to him.
He had no interest in Hewlett's popcorn-sized business, but it was always interesting to hear him talk about how he lost money, so he didn't let his servants stop him.
"Your wise and honorable Lord Earl, I have recently discovered a new business opportunity." Hewlett spoke in that familiar tone as soon as he came up, causing Howard to raise his beard involuntarily.
"Well, old sport, tell me about it." He shifted his position and crossed his legs.
"I wonder if you've heard about the caravan that recently arrived in the imperial capital. They're from the Lagetis Chamber of Commerce, and they've brought with them many mysterious products from the East."
"The East is so wonderful." Howard savored the wine slowly, recalling the shock he felt when he saw the world map in his grandfather's study as a child.
The East is a distant and vast world. People in the empire have some understanding of it, but not a deep understanding, so they are full of various assumptions and fantasies.
Some people say that there is wealth everywhere and rare treasures everywhere. Porcelain and silk, which are more valuable than gold in the empire, are available in every household there. Oriental women have smooth skin without body odor and never age. It is like another world.
Although Howard had never been to the East, his home still collected many books and travel notes describing the East, which described many real or imaginary things, making people feel as if they were in a fog and full of imagination.
"This time they not only brought silk and porcelain from the East, but also many things from the East that have never been seen before." Hewlett knew that the Earl was interested in the East.
"Among them are light gauze and feathered robes that can let through candlelight, elixirs that can make people live a hundred years, fine wines that can make people dream of the past, puppets dancing on the table, and strange pearls that show the oriental wonderland like clouds and mist..." The baron used all his words and imagination to describe those things that had never been seen by anyone.
Although he was already eager to listen, Howard still maintained his outward expression, nodded gently, showing slight approval, and then interrupted him appropriately.
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