Chapter 177 Sudden Arrival

After sharing some interesting things and gossip among the nobles, Audrey stopped writing and pretended to be thinking about it seriously.

Relying on the excellent memory of the "audience", she sorted out fragments of words and occasional teachings from her father Earl Hall, and sorted out some of the news heard at banquets, dances, and salons, and organized them into paragraphs.

After finishing the draft, Audrey wrote:

"As for the political situation in Backlund you asked about, it's not within my scope of interest. I can only describe to you the details that I know by chance based on my impressions."

"Just some time ago, my father told me that after the repeal of the "Corn Act", food prices plummeted, and the rent standards for fields and pastures also fell off a cliff. I don't know the exact extent, but I can only give you an example. clear."

"You know, the Duke of Negan is the nobleman who owns the most land outside the royal family. He claims to have more than 12 million pounds of fields, pastures and forests. Last year, his land rent income reached the highest level ever, 1.3 million pounds. And this year, the foreseeable total land rent income is 850,000 pounds, a full reduction of 450,000 pounds, which has exceeded all the property I can share."

"I don't need to explain further, my dear brother, you must understand the characteristics of most of the old-fashioned nobles. They are proud of owning land, mainly relying on land rent income, and decent is more important than anything else. Even if they are in debt, they must maintain enough money. A life that matches one's own status, castle repair costs in the tens of thousands of pounds per year, clothing and jewelry expenses of tens of thousands of pounds per year, and persistent hunting activities, social banquets, occasional grand weddings, extravagant funerals, etc., etc., etc. "

"Due to the serious decline in land rent income, as far as I know, some nobles have encountered financial difficulties. For this reason, Earl Wolfe sold 840,000 acres of land in the countryside and received 290,000 gold pounds. The £55,000 collection was sold to the National Gallery."

"Except for a small number of enterprising aristocrats who have already shifted their focus to steel, coal, railways, banks, rubber and other industries, everyone else has suffered serious damage in this "Corn Bill" storm. Let us praise us here Dear Lord Hall!"

"Father told me that financial difficulties will reduce the aristocracy's control over party politics and seats in the House of Commons. It is conceivable that the number of members of the landed aristocracy will be greatly reduced in the next year's election."

"In order to raise funds, the Conservative Party and the New Party have promised that no matter who has no criminal record and donates enough money, they will seek knighthood for each other. Of course,

The premise is that the gentleman has the minimum land area to match the title. "

"An example is that the wealthy Mr. Syndras purchased the minimum 600,000 hectares of land required for a baronetship, and then donated 100,000 gold pounds to the Carlton Club and 400,000 pounds to the Conservative Party. 300,000 pounds, and finally succeeded in obtaining His Majesty's imperial seal, becoming a distinguished baron. In this regard, I heard that there is a price list, from 300,000 pounds for a baron, 700,000 to 1,000,000 pounds for a hereditary baron, and none for viscounts and earls. Definite answer, but I think it's certainly exaggerated enough."

...

"In this year, many nobles with financial problems began to seriously consider the possibility of associating with wealthy businessmen. In just two months, there were three similar marriages. The dowry of the woman is very coveted."

"Furthermore, the workers who marched against the Corn Bill did get a reduction in the price of food, but their quality of life did not improve, or even decreased, as bankrupt farmers moved into the cities, robbed jobs, and wages for the working class have plummeted.”

"I remember that day, after talking about these things, my father asked me, who do you think is the winner of this "Corn Bill" incident?"

"Dear Alfred, you must know the answer, and you must also rely on your own efforts to obtain a hereditary title."

…………

Hugh Dilcha and Fors Wall, who received Audrey's reply, were returning to the Backlund Bridge area in a carriage.

With disheveled blond hair, Xio looked out the window, her eyes were so bright that it seemed as if two flames were burning.

She kept saying the word "450 pounds" to herself, like chanting a mantra, and every time she said it, she could gain courage and strength.

"Darkholm hasn't come to us today, tell us about the recent investigation, let's go directly to his house!" Suddenly, Xio turned to look at Forsi.

Darkholm is the leader of a gang in Backlund's East District, controlling many beggars and thieves.

Although he always looked kind, with a friendly smile on his round face, Xio knew that he was a cruel and vicious villain. He once stepped on the hand of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old thief. Just because the other party hid the harvest.

If it wasn't inevitable, Hugh wouldn't even want to see Darkholm, but he was one of the people who knew the city's homeless people best.

Forsi pushed her curly brown hair behind her ears and said:

"As long as it doesn't delay my lunch."

"No problem! Maybe after this week, I'll treat you to an Intis feast!" Hugh promised feeling very good about himself.

"Do I have to thank God for this?" Forsi asked back with a smile.

She is different from Xio, she is a shallow believer in the god of steam and machinery.

While talking, the two girls changed to another public carriage, came to Backlund East District, and found Duckholme's home.

This is a townhouse located in a narrow alley, with green plants growing on the walls, and the outside environment is quite messy.

Xio walked to the door, raised his right hand, and tapped on the door a few times with a unique rhythm.

With a creak, the door that wasn't closed closed opened back with her knocking.

Xio's slightly confused expression instantly turned serious, like a lion with fried fur.

She pulled out the triangular thorn she carried with her, pushed the door carefully, and walked in slowly.

Forsi also changed her casual state, and took out a dagger from nowhere.

None of them smelled a strange smell, but their rich experience made them keenly aware of something wrong.

One step, two steps, three steps, Xio and Fors entered Darkholm's home.

Then they saw the pale severed arm hanging on the gas lamp, saw the heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney on the coffee table, and saw strips of flesh and blood spilled on the floor and hanging on the coat rack!

The white bones were shaved cleanly and piled up in a mess right in front of the door.

Among the white bones, there was a head with empty eyes, which was Dakholm.

There was still a kind smile on his round face, as if everything was normal, and the inside of the house did not smell of blood, not even a single bit.

As a former clinic doctor, later a best-selling author, and a Sequence 9 Extraordinary, Forsi has seen more disgusting death scenes than this one. She patted Xio who was tense and about to vomit, and looked around. Shen Sheng said:

"Chilingus? 'Vice Admiral Hurricane' Qilingus?"

"He found out that Duckholm was investigating the missing homeless man, so he tracked backwards and went straight to the door?"

"Or Dakholm tracked down his whereabouts, but was discovered by him?"

Xio resisted the throbbing of nausea, nodded solemnly and said:

"As expected of a pirate general known for his viciousness and cunning... and the weirdness here also matches the performance of his magical item."

"Cunning..." Forsi was startled suddenly, and blurted out, "Would he still be waiting nearby, trying to ambush and investigate his main messenger?"

Xio froze for a moment, then replied in a slightly flustered manner:

"Probably!"

That is the "Wind Blessed One" of Sequence 6, a great pirate who holds a magical item, and the two of them only have Sequence 9!

This is a very simple and easy comparison!

...

In the house opposite Duckholm's house, a man in his thirties with a unique wide chin and dark green eyes stood by the window, watching Xio and Forsi coldly as they pushed open the door and walked in slowly.

This is exactly "Vice Admiral Hurricane" Qilingus!

The black glove on his left palm suddenly wriggled as if alive, and a layer of dark golden fine scales appeared on the surface.

Qilingos showed a cruel and joyful expression, and his dark green eyes turned into pale golden, ruthless vertical pupils.

...

Forsie turned her head, and hurriedly dragged Xio to the other side, avoiding the area directly facing the door.

Immediately afterwards, she gritted her white teeth and took off a string of bracelets covered by the ruffles on her cuffs.

There are three dark blue rough stones on this string of silver bracelets. The surface of the stones is full of burn marks and uneven.

Fors snapped off a stone, and whispered in ancient Hermes:

"Door!"

She firmly grasped Hugh Dilcha, watching the stone burst into an illusory light blue light.

The figures of the two ladies then blurred, almost invisible.

They saw things that were indescribable in shape, even transparent to the point of non-existence, saw one after another bright and pure brilliance of different colors, containing endless knowledge, they entered the mysterious spiritual world,

In that weird world that was higher than reality, Fors pulled Xio to take a step in a certain direction.

After three breaths, they left the transparent and illusory state, returned to reality, and returned to Backlund.

However, the place where they were was no longer Duckholm's home, but an uninhabited cemetery.

...

Chillingus, wearing fine scale gloves, quietly appeared at the door of Duckholm, and looked inside coldly.

He froze for a moment, frowned slightly, and said to himself:

"'traveller'?"

…………

In the cemetery.

"What should we do next?" Forsi gasped with distress and fear.

That string of bracelets is another magical item she got in the adventure of obtaining the "apprentice" formula and materials. Except that she will hear some strange and vague ravings every month when the full moon is full, there are no other hidden dangers. .

There were originally five stones on the bracelet, which could allow her to travel through the spirit world and do things similar to teleportation, but now, there are only two left.

After calming down his mind and spirit, he solemnly nodded and said:

"Notify Miss Audrey first, and then call the police!"