met free Chapter 224 Why are you here?
Chapter 224 Why are you here?
Jiang Yu was by no means an eloquent lord. Before the banquet began, she did not give any exciting speech. Instead, she calmly expressed her longing for the territory while traveling and thanked every subject of Hollandpur County for their support and understanding during her first year in office.
A year-long tax break as a boon was enough to raise public spirits to unprecedented heights, and Jiang Yu was pleased to hear everyone's heartfelt cheers. Indeed, empty gestures are meaningless; only real money can truly soothe people's hearts.
The first part of the banquet was, of course, a sumptuous breakfast. After all, it started very early in the morning, with many people arriving at the lord's castle before dawn to help out.
The breakfast session can last a long time. The local customs are somewhat similar to the morning tea in the south. Most people make a living by pearl diving and fishing. Apart from those who go out to work early in the morning, the rest of the people are willing to spend a lot of time enjoying their breakfast, even if it is just simple bread and fish.
There are also special breakfast stalls in the county where people sit together and chat, and some can even talk until noon.
Therefore, Fan Qingyin put extra effort into the breakfast menu, offering several types of hot drinks and soups/porridges.
He personally checked every detail of the banquet that morning before returning to Jiang Yu's side with peace of mind. He was still dressed in the ceremonial robes of a divine messenger, his hair neatly tied into a low ponytail at the back of his head.
Moya directly adopted the same color scheme as Jiang Yu in his attire, openly declaring his identity. Since he was now the young master of the Aurora Empire's Divine Servant Tribe, he wore a pure white robe adorned with a fuchsia diamond brooch on his chest, and pink floral embroidery on his collar and cuffs. Combined with his long purple hair, he looked even more refined and beautiful.
Thanks to Fan Qingyin's tireless promotion the day before, Moya's identity had already spread throughout the county, so everyone saw him with admiration and goodwill. The people were genuinely satisfied with Moya, who was about to become the lord's third husband.
"Wow, a year's tax reduction, what a generous gesture! Jiang Jiang, the people are overjoyed." Moya possesses absolute perception; he can directly receive the people's happiness and joy. This feeling is completely different from the fear and hatred he received a thousand years ago when he devoured city after city.
"It's just icing on the cake. Hollandpur is already wealthy. Although pearl diving is difficult, the income is still much higher than in other counties," Jiang Yu explained. However, the annual tax revenue is still considerable for an average family.
"It's true that the county is already wealthy, but it has reached a new level this year. Xiaoyu and Qingyin revised the laws and issued new decrees not long after they arrived. The improvements in the county this year are obvious to all, and Xiaoyu's return to the capital to report on her work was highly anticipated." As her husband, Lin Yi was proud of her.
"You still need to keep working hard." Jiang Yu was a little embarrassed, and jokingly brought up Fan Qingyin: "It's also to reduce the pressure on Qingyin with the accounts." She met Fan Qingyin's gaze, covered her mouth and smiled: "I get a headache as soon as I touch numbers, and I can't understand them when they're big. I can only help you from the root."
"In a sense, wouldn't you say I'm spending a fortune on you, Qingyin? I'm treating money like dirt."
Unexpectedly, Fan Qingyin chimed in, "Of course, how can it not be?"
The morning was very leisurely. Everyone chatted freely in the lord's manor and castle courtyard, which they couldn't usually enter. The lord and her husbands were also very approachable and could chat with anyone.
A grand ball will be held from afternoon until evening. Dancing is the most popular and effective way to connect people, whether they are nobles or commoners. The most popular dance in the county is a lively salon dance, which is performed in groups with clear drumbeats and a brisk rhythm. Although it originated in indoor salons, it was eventually taken to the open air or larger venues by the public.
Unlike the court dances in the royal city, which are polite and involve fixed partners, these salon dances often feature a wide variety of steps and frequent changes of partners. Although there are many routines, because they are folk entertainment, there are no strict rules, and many people will even add their own impromptu performances while dancing.
When Jiang Yu first arrived in Hollandpur, she spent some time studying. Although she didn't have many opportunities to perform, she is now considered a mature dancer.
Today, she planned to have some fun with everyone, and even dragged Fan Qingyin, Lin Yi, and Mo Ya onto the stage. Fan Qingyin and Lin Yi were both from noble families, and their social etiquette was top-notch, so ordinary dance steps were no challenge for them.
Lin Yi laughed heartily and joined the largest group, dancing gracefully and having a great time.
Fan Qingyin also changed his usual ethereal demeanor, with a joyful and relaxed smile on his face. His dance moves were graceful, and he still stood out in the crowd.
Moya was pulled away by a group of teenagers and started dancing in a circle around a brightly decorated tree. Before long, he was seen holding a child in his hand, carrying a child on his shoulder, and even holding an even younger child in his arms, singing and dancing skillfully and happily in the group.
Jiang Yu watched with envy and, not wanting to be outdone, joined the nearest group. This group had a good male-to-female ratio, and everyone was singing loudly. Some people were even spinning around with glasses almost full of wine to show off their skills. As a result, someone mischievously tickled him, and he spilled wine all over himself. He wasn't annoyed, but turned around and picked up another glass, shouting that he had to prove himself.
Jiang Yu was amused and laughed heartily. She was gently pushed into the middle of the group by two familiar noblewomen. She spun around freely to the beat of the drums, her skirt fluttering. She opened her arms, closed her eyes slightly, and felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation.
Her dance partners changed frequently; sometimes it was a cheerful little girl, sometimes a polite older man, sometimes a middle-aged woman singing loudly, and sometimes a bewildered young man. Everyone was very natural and respectful in their physical contact, neither offending her nor soiling her dress.
It wasn't until a large, aggressive hand pulled her into an embrace that the completely different feeling instantly snapped Jiang Yu out of her relaxed state.
Not far away, Fan Qingyin and Lin Yi stopped what they were doing and looked over warily. Further away, Mo Ya, who had been dancing around the tree, had already started to walk over here, still holding the child in her arms.
The people around also realized something was wrong in that instant.
The newcomer was tall and dressed in a black suit that was completely out of place for the occasion. He was pale and handsome, and he held the lord tightly in his arms.
Jiang Yu opened her eyes wide, looking at the other person's smiling, clear yellow eyes and the teardrop-shaped emerald earring peeking out from between their black curly hair.
"Kaslan? What are you doing here?"