Chapter 160: Stepping on a Landmine
Chapter 160: Stepping on a Landmine
A little earlier, back when the Lionheart Coach was still stuck on the road...
The important guests had all arrived, but the crucial Lionheart Coach, which was supposed to carry the new Duke, was nowhere to be seen. The new head of the Lane family and the remaining elders were on the verge of losing their minds.
"Has Old York lost his marbles?"
Unbeknownst to the other two elders of the Lane family, the old steward had already suffered a heart attack and was carried away for medical treatment after enduring the "elementary school sentence" torture from someone. Half a day had passed without the new Duke's return, and the new head of the Lane family, wearing a custom-made oversized tailcoat, couldn't help but exclaim,
"He said that after serving the old Duke for so many years, he's experienced all sorts of special occasions, and there's no way he'd mess this up. I only agreed to let him handle it, and now look what's happened! He can't even manage a simple task like fetching the new Duke, and we're already running late!"
"Don't worry, let's wait a little longer."
Compared to the new head of the Lane family, the elder of the Lane family was clearly more composed. After sending two attendants to hurry the new Duke, he furrowed his graying eyebrows and said,
"Our new Duke is different from the old Duke. He's a commoner who has never received a noble education, so it's inevitable for him to make mistakes in a ceremony of this scale. For now, we can only trust Old York and give him a little more time."
"Give him more time, but who's giving us more time?"
Peeking through the gaps in the curtain tassels at the hall, the elder saw some guests showing signs of impatience. The head of the Lane family couldn't help but sigh,
"If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have planned so many procedures. If we hadn't put him through so much trouble, we wouldn't have such a tight schedule, and we could've spared some time!"
"Don't worry. The more urgent the situation is, the more we need to stay calm."
The elder slowly sipped the tea by his side, then took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the tea stains from his white beard. He spoke in a soothing tone,
"The new Duke is a bit of a mess, and he doesn't know how to act like a noble. If we want him to cooperate with us, we must first make him understand that even though he's the Lionheart Duke, the Lane family's survival depends on the three of us.
So, a bit of ceremony is a good thing. It's an opportunity for him to realize our importance. If we don't take charge of the arrangements, he might not even be able to handle the Marquis Ceremony, and this will affect our future interactions.
"That's true..."
The head of the Lane family was convinced by the elder's words and nodded after some hesitation.
"Alright! Let's stick to the original plan. You continue sending people to hurry him, and I'll go to the front hall to calm the impatient guests."
"Okay, go ahead."
...
As the two elders of the Lane family reached an agreement, one going to find the new Duke and the other trying to pacify the guests, time continued to pass. The guests on the first floor of the main building were growing increasingly impatient as the ceremony showed no signs of starting.
"Haha, our new Duke sure knows how to make an entrance!"
As the crowd's brows began to furrow, a certain "Little Beggar" Count, renowned in the Capital City due to Lyon, couldn't help but speak sarcastically,
"Everyone here has a connection to the Lane family, and many are of the same generation as the old Duke. Half of us are his seniors, and some are even twice his age.
Out of respect for the recently departed old Duke, we, his elders, woke up early and rushed here under the starry night to attend the ceremony. And now, we're just waiting like this?"
"The Cabbage Baron's speech was blatantly obvious, practically writing the words 'I'm here to cause trouble' on his face."
However, firstly, everyone here could smell the stench of personal gain. These crows, eager to feast on the Lane corpse, were well aware of each other's intentions, so there was no need to put on a pretentious facade.
Secondly, they had all risen early to attend the ceremony, only to be left hanging for a long time. Naturally, they were all quite dissatisfied. After the Cabbage Baron finished speaking, not only did no one object, but some even voiced their agreement.
"Indeed, the Lane family has fallen short this time."
"It's not that they fell short, but that they didn't take us, their kin, seriously at all!"
"After all, they are the pillars of the kingdom. Why should they care about us, these small nobles?"
With the deliberate incitement of some and the willing cooperation of others, each with their own ulterior motives, by the time the Lane family head emerged from backstage, the entire hall was in chaos. Direct criticisms and sarcastic remarks filled the air.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Please calm down and hear me out first!"
Hearing the tide of accusations in the hall, the Lane family head broke out in a cold sweat. He quickly raised his voice and shouted, "I apologize, apologize! Today's ceremony was indeed a bit hasty. The Duke was also delayed on his way due to some matters. It's our Lane family's fault for being unprepared and keeping all of you waiting.
But the reason for this is also to thank you all for coming. We specially prepared a grand ceremony, but with such a complex process, it's inevitable for things to go awry. I hope that all of you, our relatives and friends, will be understanding and forgiving, considering our past relationships."
"Furthermore, besides all of you, we also have Madam Ann representing Prime Minister Leonard, and Prince Joshua representing the Princess. Please, everyone, give these two noble guests some face and bear with us a little longer. I sincerely thank you all for your tolerance!"
After the Lane family head finished speaking, the hall, which had been in an uproar, suddenly quieted down.
This speech, though a bit hasty, was incredibly effective in controlling the situation.
Without hesitation, he first apologized, admitted his mistake, and calmed the emotions. Then, with a powerful move, he climbed onto the moral high ground, saying, "Being late was not intentional disrespect, but because we hold you all in high regard."
Subsequently, he emphasized the presence of the Prime Minister and the Princess, implying that causing further trouble would be disrespectful to them. He firmly suppressed those who were looking for trouble, like the Cabbage Baron. In the end, he bowed on the spot to thank everyone for their tolerance, completely shutting down any further dissent.
It can only be said that the Lane family elder's ability to take control of the Lane family after the Ryan Blood Night was not solely due to his age. He truly had the skills, and this quick chain of tactics proved the Lane family head's prowess in speech.
Unfortunately, while the Lane family head's words successfully appeased ninety-nine percent of the people, they specifically irritated the most troublesome one among them.
"I am not anyone's representative!"
Hearing the words "Prince Joshua, representing the Princess," the youth in formal attire, standing at the forefront of the guests and conversing with the Prime Minister's wife, couldn't help but frown. Ignoring the woman beside him who was secretly pulling at him, he bluntly refuted,
"Mind your words! If we're talking about representation, I represent the Royal Family, not anyone else!"
(End of Chapter)
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