NOVEL NEXT Chapter 44
Chapter 44 – Prom Invitation
Lei Xi’s words were as accurate as the prophet’s prediction.
“Poetry of Frost” made a big splash in the salon of Mrs. Senator, and there were more than a dozen invitations on the second day. Giuliano expected them to be extremely sought-after as their fame grew, but he definitely didn’t expect them to be this much. Several messengers even fought fiercely, just for the right to meet Lei Xi first.
Of course, Lei Xi didn’t refuse all comers. He said yes to some invitations, declined others, wrote a few tactful letters, and arranged their itinerary for the next few days. They showed up in a hurry at several banquets, and then went to several salons to perform small performances, never staying for too long, and decisively exiting after performing a song. This can not only show their skills, but also keep the “Poetry of Frost” mysterious.
Giuliano never took off the mask again. Anytime, anywhere, they might run into Fernando socially, or anyone who knew his face. Giuliano didn’t dare to be careless. But luck or misfortune, they never met Fernando, not even half of the Infançon family.
Giuliano began to worry that their plan would be in vain. Perhaps it would be safer to ask Diego Gombet or some other dignitary to recommend them?
He spent day after day in anxiety. Finally, three days before the masquerade, the messenger of the Infonson family came to the Golden Trout Tavern and invited the “Frost Poetry” Orchestra to the masquerade held by Fernando Infonson in accordance with the ancient and complicated etiquette Performance. Giuliano wanted to agree on the spot, but Leixi also followed the ancient and cumbersome etiquette, and made a polite show with the courier. The courier promised to come back the next day with the official paperwork. Never before had Giuliano loathed Xanodia’s “customs” more than at this moment.
He patiently endured until the courier resigned, then grabbed a cushion and threw it out viciously. The cushion hit the wall harmlessly and fell silently.
“Damn customs! Damn cities!”
“Don’t worry.” Enzo said, “All the sacrifices are worth it. We have already received the invitation from the Yinfangsong family, which can be considered half the battle.”
“Where’s the other half?!”
“Hmm…” Enzo pretended to be contemplative, “It depends on your performance. Didn’t you say that you would draw a map of the Yinfangsong family’s mansion? What about the map?”
Giuliano shrank back in embarrassment: “I…I’ll just draw.”
He asked the owner of the tavern for a pen and paper, and explained to Enzo while drawing: “The mansion has three floors, surrounded by a courtyard and a maze garden with hedges. When you enter the door, you will first see the foyer, followed by the grand banquet hall, and the left and right wings are small banquet halls.” hall and restaurant. The ball will definitely be held in the grand ballroom, and several other halls may be converted into lounges.”
He draws a few squares on the paper. “The second floor is mainly guest rooms, entertainment rooms, showrooms, etc., as well as terraces and sky gardens. The third floor is the rooms of the owner’s family, including bedrooms, living rooms and study rooms.”
He marked the locations of those rooms one by one: “These are what I wrote down when I went to that house last time. Many years have passed, and I don’t know if the layout of the rooms has changed.”
“Even if it has changed, we have no way of knowing. We can only assume that there is no change.” Enzo said, “If Fernando has something to catch, it must be hidden in the study or bedroom.”
“I think so too.” Giuliano pointed to the location of the study and bedroom, “But how do we get in?”
“This is the bedroom. What’s down there?”
“It should be the servant’s room. I remember there is a staircase near here for the servants to pass through.” Giuliano drew a circle on the map.
“Very well. We can take advantage of this. Where’s the study? What’s on it?”
“The Hanging Garden. Sometimes tea parties are held here.”
“Can I go down to the study from the garden?”
Giuliano thought for a while: “I think it’s okay. Just under the garden is the window sill of the study. I remember…” His eyes darkened. He remembered that when he was a child, he went to Fernando as a guest and had a great time playing in the hanging garden. His mother warned him not to make any noise, because the master’s study was below, and he might disturb others. Everything at that time is still vivid, but his mother is gone, and his cousin has become his sworn enemy. Did the innocent child who walked the garden ever imagine that there would be a day when things would change suddenly?
He shook his head, shaking the distant memory out of his mind. “Should we go together or separately?” he asked. “There will be a follow-up if we go together, but we may not have that much time.”
Enzo looked at the bard: “Lexi?”
“Don’t look at me. I’m not part of your scavenger hunt.”
“…I’m not asking this.” Enzo raised his forehead, “I’m asking, how much ‘leisure time’ is available for us?”
“This performance is similar to that of Diego Gombet’s banquet. The guests either dance in the big ballroom or rest in the small hall next to it. We are in charge of performing in the small hall to ensure that the guests will not get bored At the same time, there should be two or three other teams invited. This kind of banquet is relatively high-level, and you can’t get away with it by singing ditties. I think there will be three rounds of performances in one night, and there will be about three quarters of an hour between each round. time.”
“That is to say, three rounds of performances, with two intervals in between. We will act at that time.”
“Together we will?”
Enzo nodded. “Hopefully in time.”
The next day, the messenger of the Yin Fangsong family sent an official letter, and also brought three sets of exaggeratedly decorated dresses and three carefully crafted masks. Giuliano glanced at the gown and snorted, “I’m never going to wear this.”
The messenger replied respectfully and arrogantly: “The master hopes that the three of you can wear clothes suitable for the ball, please be sure to accept it.” I will lose the dignity of my family.”
Leixi touched the corner of the dress and accepted the gift indifferently. After the messenger left, he picked up the mask and compared it to his face.
“This Fernando has a lot of eyes.”
“He didn’t send these out of kindness, did he?” Giuliano said grimly.
“Of course not. What will happen if you put on the clothes he gave you?” Rexi looked at Giuliano meaningfully.
The young apprentice searched his brains: “Uh…it doesn’t seem to be a problem? Just put on what he gave…” A flash of inspiration flashed in his mind, “Everyone wears masks at the masquerade ball, and it is impossible to tell who is who, but if we Wearing the clothes and mask he sent in advance—”
“—He will know our identities.” Enzo finished the rest of the sentence for him, “It seems that Fernando is also afraid of suspicious people getting in the ball, and he has to monitor foreign artists like this.”
“Then we can’t do anything?”
Enzo glared at him. “You’ve been studying with me for so long, haven’t you learned anything?” He hated iron, “Can clothes be changed?”
Volume 5 Masquerade