my wife is a consul

Lu Ming estimated that the distance from the Principality of Lintonburg to the Imperial Capital of the Lionheart Empire was about two thousand kilometers. Although the roads were relatively smooth and there were various stations to stop and replace the livestock, the convoy still traveled for more than a month.

It’s no wonder that the delegation from the Principality of Linton Castle set out very early and accompanied a delegation from a passing principality along the way.

Lu Ming spent most of the time in the car with his eyes closed and resting, but in fact he was naturally acting in the Northern Territory.

……

The imperial capital of Alexandria, in free translation, means the unfallable city. From a distance, the continuous city walls seem to have no end in sight, and the majestic outline of the city is extremely shocking.

A four-layer defense system. The first layer of low walls and moats will render the enemy's heavy cavalry useless; the second layer of outer walls is seven or eight meters high and is made of gray limestone strips several meters thick. It is strong and difficult to shake; The heavy inner wall is more than ten meters high, and the inner wall is not connected to the outer wall. During the siege, even if the outer wall was collapsed with siege weapons, there is still an inner wall more than ten meters high to protect the city; the fourth layer is densely packed with towers The shooting holes and turrets were originally the stations for archers and crossbowmen, but now that the musketeers have been replaced, they can also form an intertwined fire network.

However, times are changing drastically after all, and gunpowder weapons have now entered the stage of history.

At the same time, France had already torn down the city walls of Paris in order to develop economy and trade. However, the fate of this ancient and powerful empire in front of us was really hard to say under the setting sun.

It was dusk when he arrived in Alexandria. Lu Ming looked out of the car window at the huge city covered in golden halo under the setting sun, and had a wonderful feeling that it was slowly integrating into a great and tragic history.

Alexandria is in the midst of a population boom, now close to one million people. This is probably because the current era is the early stage of the steam age. Large factories are beginning to replace manual workshops. It has become a common practice for freedmen to leave their lords' estates and migrate to cities. An unstoppable trend.

This has also been the most heated issue debated in the National Assembly in recent years. The conservative aristocrats and the new aristocrats who are gradually becoming capitalists are in tit-for-tat opposition. One side also hopes to use regulations to bind farmers to their own territories; the other side hopes that farmers will lose their land. , landless farm laborers should be given absolute freedom, so that they can work in the factories they invest in. The more labor there is, the cheaper the wages will be.

Even Lu Ming, who had just entered Alexandria, felt this sharp and increasingly fierce confrontation from the billboards on some buildings on both sides of the long street and the news headlines shouted by the newsboys.

The hotel in Alexandria still has a very old model, which is that it was originally a residence. The landlord can rent the room for a long time and use it as a temporary hotel for tourists when it is vacant.

As the date of the "National Assembly" approaches, more and more citizens have joined the ranks of temporarily renting their houses to tourists.

In addition, entertainment venues such as bars and billiard rooms usually provide guest rooms for tourists, as do large hotels.

In recent years, professional hotels and even luxury hotels have gradually appeared.

However, in order to experience this era that he only knew about in history books, Lu Ming also wanted to keep a low profile, so he stayed in a residential hotel.

From the rental advertisements I saw in newspapers, even if this kind of house is a private residence, the conditions are definitely much better.

Indeed, this residence is a large house with a green wooden courtyard located in the original "inner city" area on the east side.

The owner of the house is a baroness, but it seems that her family's title has been stripped away long ago. The honorific title given to her by her relatives and friends is more like a flattery to get some benefits from her.

It seems that Baroness Fatima's financial situation is not very good, so she rents out the house, but the asking price is very high, and it is also advertised that she and Lady Fatima can worship together.

In the three-story house, Mrs. Fatima lives on the top floor, the second floor is rented to tenants, and the servants live downstairs.

The selection of tenants is also very strict. Mrs. Fatima personally meets with the tenants and asks questions for screening.

Finally, Lu Ming was selected, and another tenant came from the north. For the Lion Heart Empire, the further north, the closer it was to the prosperous and ever-changing Styx Empire, and most new ideas and new technologies came from the north.

Now Lu Ming is in the living room on the second floor, chatting with tenants from the north.

Robert, the northern tenant, is a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing purple casual clothes and a well-spoken businessman.

He came from the Principality of Ivan in the north and came to the imperial capital to look for investment opportunities. It sounds like he was considering investing in a large cloth factory near the imperial capital and introducing a new steam engine-powered loom from the northern empire.

He is cautious, but it is rare for young people in front of him to be curious about new technologies and able to ask for ideas.

I am neither treating northern technology as a scourge nor being arrogant and dismissive, but I am truly asking for advice with an open mind.

As a result, Robert was so excited that he talked to a stranger for more than an hour.

It wasn't until the maid came to call the two of them to have dinner that Robert suddenly came back to his senses and even laughed dumbly. It was a bit ridiculous for a strange young man who met for the first time to feel like he had met his soulmate.

The dinner on the table was very good, including fried meat, milk, bread, etc.

The dazzling copper-plated candlesticks were shining with golden light, and more than a dozen snow-white candles were lit. They were high-quality candles that burned fully and produced very little smoke.

This kind of candle is worth a lot of money. This is a second-floor restaurant used by tenants, so I lit a dozen of them at once. There was no clue that the hostess was in financial crisis.

From this, we can also understand how its financial crisis came about.

"Madam will have dinner with you today. You are welcome to stay!" The gray-haired elderly maid had a kind attitude and a smile on her face.

There are only Lu Ming and Robert in the restaurant now.

The entourage of both of them were arranged to live and eat in the same environment as the servants of the residence downstairs.

"Welcome!" With an extremely delicate and charming voice, Mrs. Fatima appeared at the door of the restaurant. She was twenty-four or five years old, graceful, wearing an exquisite black gorgeous skirt, embroidered with complicated dark red flowers. The pattern is gorgeous yet noble, and the neckline design is unique and slightly open, showing off her graceful collarbone and faintly visible breast curves.

The crystal-clear amber eyes like a Persian cat are extremely deep and express endless amorous feelings. The long dark red hair is tied into an exquisite bun, which is lazy, sexy and charming.

Taking an elegant step and sitting down as the host of the table, she smiled and said: "Both gentlemen are guests from far away. If you encounter any difficulties in the city, I will definitely help."

After a brief exchange of greetings, the three of them began to eat.

Mrs. Fatima mainly asked Robert about the situation in the north, because Lu Ming didn't seem to know much about the situation in the south.

Lu Ming was satisfied with the dinner. The local fried lamb was extremely fragrant and tender, and there was a special seasoning that was spicy. It was very good. It was the first time he had tasted delicious local food since he came to the third continent. Dishes.

……

On both sides of the main long street of Alexandria, there is an extremely complete street light system. Now it is the second generation of street lights, which are reflective oil lamps with better lighting effects.

The fuel of this kind of street lamp can be rapeseed oil, olive oil or even animal oil that does not freeze at low temperatures. In addition to burning more stably than candles, it is also equipped with mirrors that reflect light, which greatly improves the illumination. It is also much cheaper than candle street lamps. .

Lighting them requires a specialized lamplighter, and the lighting and extinguishing times are regulated by the Alexandria Police Department.

In fact, two hundred years ago, the then Lion-Hearted Emperor promulgated the "Urban Lighting Law". In addition to installing street lights, residents facing the street were also required to install outdoor lighting fixtures.

There are also special "lantern men" roaming around the city.

Today, the profession of "lantern bearers" has not died out. On streets without street lights, they will patrol with lanterns at night and are managed by the patrol department of the police station.

It was now past eight o'clock tonight. Lu Ming was walking on the streets of Alexandria. He had a vague feeling that he had traveled to Paris in the mid-to-late 18th century, that is, the Napoleonic era. Is this the kind of city scene he sees today?

Walking next to Lu Ming was the elderly maid Mu Lin.

Mrs. Fatima has the pride of a traditional aristocrat, and thoughtful etiquette is part of this pride. She treats her tenants as guests. Therefore, Lu Ming said that she would travel in Alexandria to gain more knowledge. After hearing Mu Lin’s report, she So Mu Lin was sent as Lu Ming's guide.

Using the horse-drawn bus system, private rental horse-drawn carriages and walking, Lu Ming spent the whole day wandering around the streets and alleys of Alexandria. On the main long street, Alexandria has a public transport system with several horse-drawn carriages. Charges are based on mileage, which is almost 1 Dalian per stop.

In remote streets and alleys, Lu Ming rented a carriage and walked. The rental price of the carriage was 200 doyle for half a day, but there was a limit on the total distance, and it was only within the city. It cannot be said that the 200 doyle was used to rent a carriage for a long distance. .

The carriage that was walking slowly behind Lu Ming and Mu Lin was rented by Lu Ming.

Lu Ming felt that his wealth was rapidly expanding here. Not to mention the extremely scarce gold and silver coins here, a one-dollar silver coin in the Northern Territory could be converted into ten million doyle here.

As for stone coins, raw materials can be mined in the Dwarf Hills. There is no problem in imitating the stone coins here using the technology of the Northern Territory.

And 1 stone coin is 1000 doyle. The amount of coin stones used in 1 stone coin can be mined in Dwarf Hill more than pieces a day.

From this point of view, if I miss something between my fingers, I can buy this huge city of Alexandria, right?

"Sir, it's too late. Should we go back?" Mu Lin seemed to have endured it for a long time according to etiquette and could not rush the guests. But it is true that the street lights are gradually turning on now. This is the West City again, and it is far away from the inner side of the East City. Tima's residence is a bit far away, and it will take a long time to go back by carriage. I will definitely not be able to make it in time for dinner.

Lu Ming smiled: "Okay, let's find a restaurant to eat, and then go home after eating."

Mu Lin wanted to say something, but finally nodded. …

Returning to Fatima's residence is around nine o'clock in the evening.

Before returning, Lu Ming found a high-end restaurant to dine and ordered the most expensive local fresh food.

For Lu Ming, of course it was just a taste of something new, but Mu Lin looked surprised.

Although the rent of Fatima's residence is not low, 10 yuan a month, which is 1 denarii, this price is usually aimed at the slightly richer but poorer middle class. Mu Lin did not expect that this appearance is very The young man from a foreign land was a lavish spender, spending more than two thousand dollars on one meal.

The food Mrs. Fatima provided to the tenants was very good, but for two thousand dollars, that was almost a month's food expenses.

Back at the residence, the lights were still on, and Mrs. Fatima was using the reception room on the second floor to receive guests.

Seeing that there was no chance to say good night, Lu Ming went back to his room. Dibaya, who was dressed in a black and white maid outfit, slowly stood up. This stinging rose had some complicated emotions on her pretty face.

Mrs. Fatima was a little disgusted with Lu Ming's request for the maid to sleep in the same room as him, but finally agreed. Mu Lin privately reminded Lu Ming not to make any noise at night.

"Sir, I'm going to get the bathtub to put hot water for you..." The complex emotions on Diba Ya's pretty face flashed away, probably because she simply stopped thinking about it.

After this mysterious young man saved her son and the old, young, women, and children of the village, she was indescribably grateful. She volunteered to follow this mysterious young man on his journey to repay this kindness.

As for the relationship between men and women, she never thought much about it, because this mysterious "Mr. Yuan" never regarded her as a woman. Not only to her, but to any woman, "Mr. Yuan" never seemed to matter. idea.

But she didn't expect that on the second night after settling down in the northern imperial capital, she would be asked to sleep in the same room as "Mr. Yuan".

The identity of the maid was known to Mrs. Fatima’s servants, so how could she be qualified to sleep in the same room as her master?

unless……

Maybe this is because I feel full, warm and lustful, and finally live a stable life, so...

However, Dibaya didn't think it was a big deal.

In the settlement, the relationship between men and women is very casual. As the chief's wife, she has a high status, so she remains loyal.

Nowadays, it seems natural to repay "Mr. Yuan" with your body.

But more or less, I still had a strange feeling in my heart. Seeing Mr. Yuan come back, I simply stopped thinking about it.

But without thinking, Mr. Yuan waved his hand: "No, I won't sleep here today. You can watch the door for me. If someone calls me in an emergency, you can call me again."

Debaya was stunned, "What?"

Lu Ming had already waved his hand, and a golden door lintel appeared in the room.

"Come, come with me, so you can come and go freely!" Lu Ming waved to Di Baiya.

He pointed again, and the lintel with golden waves slowly moved and gradually merged into a floor-to-ceiling mirror beside it.

Di Baiya was dumbfounded and didn't know what to do. It wasn't until Lu Ming grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the mirror that she suddenly regained consciousness.

The scenery in front of him changed, but it turned out to be a large luxurious room with more than ten floor-to-ceiling mirrors on the side.

Lu Ming pointed to the mirror where he and Di Baiya just came out, "Okay, if you go back from here, if you want to find me, the mirror is the passage. Come over here. There are guards outside this room. If you want to see me, That’s good!”

Dibaya's mind was in confusion and she didn't even know how to get back to Mrs. Fatima's house.

The guest room on the second floor is an inner and outer bedroom, but there is no independent kitchen and bathroom. The entire second floor shares the toilet and bathroom.

Debaya sat blankly by the mirror for a long time, then fell asleep slowly on the table.

At dawn the next day, she sat up suddenly and "stung" Di Baia. The sharp senses she had trained in life and death had not deteriorated.

Lu Ming was walking out of the mirror.

"Oh, you didn't sleep, okay? You can go to the bed in the back room and have a good sleep. The same applies to the next night. I won't sleep here, so you can use it as your bedroom." As he spoke, Lu Ming had a few more paper bags in his hand, " You really like snacks, here you go."

"Yes, thank you sir!" Dibaya carefully took the paper bag, but facing this mysterious "Mr. Yuan", she felt a little more frightened because it was obvious that the other person was a god and had the power of a god. Is this God in the eyes of secular people?

I just don’t know why he is walking in the secular world? Could it be that the time for divine punishment has arrived again, and this time, the "gods" are going to rain down more divine punishment on this continent?

Dibaya's body trembled slightly, her whole body drenched in cold sweat.

At this time there was a gentle knock on the door outside.

Mu Lin said in a low voice, "Mr. Yuan, Miss Dibaya, I heard that you are awake. Excuse me. Can I talk to Mr. Yuan about something now?"

"Ah, should I change into pajamas?" Diba Ya looked at the maid outfit she was wearing last night.

Lu Ming waved his hand: "It doesn't matter, just go and open the door."

Mu Lin's face was full of hesitation, as if she had something very difficult to say.

Lu Ming asked her to sit on the sofa opposite the coffee table, but she just stood beside Lu Ming.

"You want me to ask for something? Can I help your master borrow money?" Lu Ming suddenly asked.

What could this loyal elderly maid do to her?

She found out yesterday that she is rich.

And I have very sharp ears and eyes. Although I didn't eavesdrop intentionally when I came back, the content of Mrs. Fatima's conversation with people in the living room seemed to involve debt disputes.

Speaking of which, Mrs. Fatima is also a socialite in the imperial capital. It seems that the other party is blackmailing Mrs. Fatima to do something, and it is related to Princess Rose. It seems that Mrs. Fatima and the most famous "Constance" in the empire What kind of relationship can we have?

It sounded like a big conspiracy, but it had nothing to do with me, so I didn't listen carefully.

And with all of this, after thinking about it a little bit, I also know the purpose of Mu Lin's visit.

When the gray-haired maid heard Lu Ming's words, her eyes widened in surprise, but she nodded immediately with a look of shame on her face, "Yes, but, but I am borrowing money from you, not Madam." At this point, he couldn't continue and shook his head repeatedly, "No, no, I'm too unreasonable and too arrogant. Even if you have such a big sum of money..., not to mention, even if it's Daoer, I shouldn't have opened my mouth to you. Arrogant thoughts, I, I am really a shameless low-class person..." Turning around and staggering out, Lu Ming called her, but she was so lost that she didn't stop at all.

After glancing at Di Baiya, Lu Ming said, "Go and find out what's going on."

……

Before breakfast, Dibhaya turned around.

"She refused to tell me in detail. She just said that her master was in great difficulty and needed 700,000 to 800,000 dollars in turnover. Otherwise, not only this house, but also the orphanage funded by her master, etc. They will all go bankrupt..."

"She should have mentioned to Mrs. Fatima that you are a rich man, sir, but Mrs. Fatima reprimanded her. How could she borrow money from a strange tenant, someone who has only known her for three days, not even a friend? How shameless do you have to be to have such an idea?"

"Mu Lin didn't sleep all night. She thought about it and begged you, but in the end, shame prevailed and she didn't say anything."

Lu Ming nodded, seven to eight hundred thousand doyle, let's count it as one million doyle, which is actually one-tenth of the silver coins of the Northern Territory.

He reached out and took out a Northern Territory silver dollar, "Hey, go and give it to Mu Lin. Just say it's my family heirloom. I'll extend the rent for one more month. I'll deposit this here as a deposit."

"Okay!" Dibaya happily took the silver coin. Although she was born in a settlement, she still seemed to have the characteristics common to normal humans. When she can help others, she will have a pleasant feeling of dopamine secretion.

As for the value of silver coins, she understood more or less, but seeing the "god"-like ability of this young master suddenly opened her eyes. To the master, these small worldly money naturally didn't matter.