20demayo Chapter 40 Hunting
Chapter 40 Hunting
"That's alright, Lord Lisandro naturally has his own considerations," Tibi said to Lisandro with a smile. But a shadow of gloom flashed through his heart.
[Damn it, if you, Lisanzhuo, dare to let your daughter attend the banquet today, I'll show you what it means to make it a fait accompli on the balcony or in the garden tonight!] Tiberius thought viciously to himself.
The reason is simple: you, Lisandra, cannot possibly watch your daughter's lover and savior go to the battlefield of Valanthi, can you?
Of course, Tiberius only thought about it in his mind; he never actually did such a thing...
Um, I don't think I could do that, right?
Besides, if I really did that, the first person to lose his temper probably wouldn't be Lisangzhuo, but my uncle who always has a stern face.
He estimated that he would put the greater good before family ties.
Uncle, can I still go to the White Legion camp tomorrow?
I'm sorry, I can't meet any of the three requirements.
"By the way, Lisanro," Tiberius suddenly asked as he watched with displeasure as Lisanro replaced the sweet milk with honey in his hand with wine.
"How did the hunting go?"
"Ugh, stop talking about it!" Lisangluo got a little annoyed at the mention of it. "That leopard has disappeared again!"
"You're really something else. Your hunting grounds are so small, and you managed to lose this?" Tiberius thought to himself. "It's just a shame about the pigs and sheep on your estate. They'll probably be slaughtered."
[However, directly inviting Sanro to form a mercenary group? No, that's too blunt!] Tiberius thought to himself.
So, while he was discussing with Lisanro how to design the story of Governor Lisanro, Lisanro read several paragraphs of his sequel to Tiberius, whose eloquence and logical storytelling impressed Tiberius greatly.
[Lisanlo is quite skilled at writing this!] Tiberius thought to himself. [It's full of classical flair; I can even sense a Homeric epic in it. But…]
"Lisanlo, what you've written is very suitable for discussion in aristocratic salons and high-class gatherings," Tiberius offered his opinion tactfully. "However, these stories need to be circulated not only among the nobles but also among the common people!"
"My idea is that these stories are heard more often in bustling bars, in crowded streets and alleys, and at children's bedsides, rather than simply in aristocratic salons and banquets."
"Think about it. Those nobles and wealthy merchants won't develop a liking for your father based on a few stories. But the commoners are different! Unlike those nobles and wealthy merchants who know your father inside and out, they only see Lord Lisangzhuo's magnificent mansion, his strong slaves and alluring bed slaves; his fleet of ships enough to fill half a port and his imposing banks. But they know nothing about what kind of person Lisangzhuo Rogal really is!"
"But through these stories, they will learn what kind of person Lord Lisanzhuo really is: a governor who loves his people like his own children and is resourceful and wise. For their simple minds, that's all too easy to understand!"
He leaned closer to Lisanro, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret: "Think about it, when the common people of the entire city of Lis are singing praises of Lord Lisanro's virtues and wisdom, would those potential political enemies dare to easily challenge his authority? When your father issues decrees, wouldn't they be more easily accepted by the masses?"
"I understand, Tiberius, so you mean, you want me to write something even better... um." Rissanro tilted his head, thinking of an adjective.
"More approachable, more down-to-earth?"
"That's right!" Tiberius clapped his hands. "It's all about being accessible! It has to be catchy and easy to read, without too much fancy language and rhetoric. How could dockworkers, cooks, or apprentices in the brewery possibly understand your eloquent writing? It's like feeding flowers to cows! They'd probably be yelling for the storyteller to get off the stage after three paragraphs and wanting to tell their own vulgar stories!"
"Then all that I wrote has become scrap?" Li Sanluo said with some disappointment, clutching the parchment, his body limp like a punctured ball.
"It's hardly a discarded draft. In fact, you're quite adept at crafting stories now, aren't you?" Tiberius gestured to the parchment in his hand. "You've written very well, just like this: ending abruptly at the climax, introducing the next crisis after each one is resolved, while the constant progression keeps the reader hooked... This narrative technique works for both nobles and commoners! You just need to change the language to plain language they can understand immediately!"
"I see!" Rissanro exclaimed in sudden realization. "I get it now, Tiberius, you truly are a genius!"
"No, it's just that I used to be a nobody online novelist!" Tiberius thought to himself. "Even getting a contract was difficult!"
After that, Tiberius stopped discussing with Risanto how to "deify" Risanto and started talking about trivial matters, such as which noblewoman had cheated on her husband or which merchant had recently lost a shipment of goods...
Tiberius had no interest in these stories, but he always maintained a curious attitude towards Lisanlo, which pleased him greatly.
[After all, Tiberius is still a commoner and doesn't understand the intricacies of noble relationships!] Lisanro thought with considerable pride. [Besides, he's too young; I'll have to personally teach him these things!]
However, when they came to a fireplace decorated with ornamental weapons, Tiberius suddenly picked up a ceremonial, exquisitely crafted but poorly balanced javelin, weighed it in his hand, frowned slightly, and then gently put it down.
"I remember you killed Jon Starr with a javelin?" Lissanlo said with a laugh. "Tsk, I'd love to learn that. I really hope one day I can shoot a leopard through the belly with a javelin."
Tiberius smiled inwardly as he watched Lisanlo take the bait, knowing that the groundwork had been laid and it was time to reveal his true purpose.
He feigned deep thought, then said, "This isn't difficult. By the way, Lisangluo, the details of those stories, and how to spread them more widely, require careful planning. Perhaps we can discuss this in detail in a quieter, more convenient place? For example…"
He paused precisely at the right moment, as if just remembering something, his gaze sweeping across the banquet hall before returning to Li Sanluo with a knowing smile:
"For example, how about we go to your hunting grounds to find that leopard? It's quiet enough there, and none of this annoying socializing. We can enjoy the hunt while we discuss this important matter concerning your father's reputation. What do you think?"