Infinite Replacement

In the courtyard garden of Ashford's house, there is a small fountain of several meters in diameter.Maria was sitting at the edge of the pool, staring at her feet wearing women's sandals in a daze.

These days, she often looks like this.

"Miss, lord, please invite you to the study." I didn't know when the maid stood next to her and said to her politely.

Maria looked up. "Do you know what it is?"

"Master did not say, but he seemed very happy." The maid replied.

"Happy?" Maria thought of something, and the expression in her blue eyes gradually recovered, becoming bright and charming.

A few minutes later, when she came to the closed study door, Maria stopped still.She recalled that banquet night, it was here, she had a fight with her father...

At that time, she explained her father and his thoughts with her longing for the future and marriage.But instead of giving her blessings, her father shook his head and said to her,'If you sign a marriage contract with him, the Ashford family will really be over.'

Then, her father explained to her incomprehensible.

It turned out that the Ashford family signed a marriage contract with him, relying on the relationship of the Chinese Federation, and could temporarily retain the family title.However, once the empire and the Chinese Federation start a war, the first thing to bear is the Ashford family, and the emperor will take it.The war between the Empire and the Chinese Federation is a matter of time.

In other words, once the marriage is established, the Ashford family will perish at the moment of renewed war.

Maria could understand this, and her face became pale.However, she quickly cheered up and explained to her father that Jingyu would definitely find a way, and Jingyu would not ignore the Ashford family from which she was born.

Of course my father did not agree with this view.Tell her, how long have you known each other, how can you understand what kind of person he is?Maybe he just wants to use you to get the Knightmare manufacturing technology of our Ashford family.He didn't do that at first, probably because Mariana didn't want him to do that.

Yes, Maria didn't know the glittering Mariana until that moment. The beautiful and graceful round table knight was not actually dead.

According to his father, Jingyu may not have done that to get Mariana’s complete allegiance.Now, he does not have such preferential treatment for her Maria, because she is just a noble lady, and there is no such value at all.

Why did my father think so hard about Jingyu?Maria is not incomprehensible, because the father's shoulders carried the entire Ashford family.Since Mariana's defeat, her father has been sad all day long, and even her white hair has increased... This is what she sees in her eyes.

But she couldn't help shouting to her father, "He wouldn't do that, he valued me because he helped me."

Then, no matter how surprised and frowned the father's reaction was, she rushed out of the study...

Standing here again, Maria has understood that she did not refute her father, but lacked confidence.

She really wanted to see him and listen to his own denial.

Now she pushed open the door of the study.She was banned, maybe here, she can get some surprises that surprised her.

********

The Duke of Ashford is a man in his fifties.He has short blond hair and tasteful gentleman's beard. He is sitting on the sofa in a black suit with his hands crossed on his abdomen.

Today, his appearance is indeed much better than before.The creases on the cheeks that have only recently increased have also opened a lot.

Seeing Maria, he said lightly, "You're here..." He was temporarily silent.

Maria approached his desk and looked at her father's face curiously.He seemed to be thinking, how to tell her... she suppressed the inner anxiety and waited quietly.

After a while, the old prince said, "Today, I received a notice of visit from His Royal Highness Prince Schneizel. You attended the banquet that day, and you know that he was the chief representative of the imperial peace talks. I think he asked me The purpose of this is probably related to the peace talks."

"Then, then..." Maria's heartbeat accelerated, and she quickly asked what she wanted.

The old prince raised her hand to stop her, "This is just a guess, it can't represent anything. But..."

He paused, "If, I mean if... If the move of His Highness Schneizel was mobilized by Long Jingyu in some way..."

In a word, he paused again and again and couldn't help shaking his head several times, showing how unbelievable he was.However, as the Duke has long lived, after all, he also has a very high political vision, can understand what he said, and how valuable it is.

"...Maria, then he would be a very remarkable person." The Duke exclaimed: "And, you and him are not completely without chance, and they can even keep our Ashford family."

"Really? Father..." Maria ran to the table, pressed her hands on the table, and asked excitedly, "Can I really be with him?"

The old duke laughed and looked at his daughter without answer.Maria felt her shame and flushed with shame.

The old duke straightened his face and said, "Specifically, it depends on how tonight. The most important thing is that the empire, preferably His Royal Highness Prince Schneizel, personally contributed to this marriage...Maria, You don’t know politics, as long as you know that this is first mentioned by the Chinese Federation, and the Empire promises that it will be many times better.

Also, in any case, this news can only stop within the family, and must not be leaked.You'd better not meet His Highness Schneizel, lest this shrewd prince could see the flaws."

"I see, father." Maria nodded solemnly.

After walking out of the study, Maria could hardly hide her joy.She forgot the etiquette of the lady and ran happily in the corridor.The silver bell-like laughter even returned to the study, causing the old duke to shake his head...

Later, the old duke agreed with Schneizel.For Schneizel, the peace talks went against time, and he came to Ashford's house that afternoon.The old prince personally led him into the study. After sitting down face to face on the hospitality couch, Schneizel first expressed condolences to the Ashford family.

For example, the failure to use Ganymede as a model for mass production machines is not due to the Empire’s lack of attention to the Ashford family. It is entirely considering the convenience of training drivers on a large scale; The Ashford family has lost faith and hopes that the Ashford family will make persistent efforts to serve the empire... and the like.

After waiting for this, I entered the topic.

"In order to promote relations with the Chinese Federation, the empire intends to select a woman to be a representative of the Chinese Federation's dragon division and pro... I have drawn up a few places, including my sister Conelia, Ling Qian Maria Miss, daughter of the Duke of Kiev..."

Schneizel said several names in a row, "I will go to several other houses later and tell them this thing in person." He paused, "I don't know Ashford Secretary, Is there any disagreement about the marriage of Miss Maria and the Dragon Division?"

"This... Your Highness, the other party may not necessarily choose the little girl?" The old prince said embarrassedly: "What's more, the little girl just released Xia Yinggeqing's marriage contract. I’m afraid she will make something wrong and discredit the empire. I have even banned her foot these days."

He didn't really think that Schneizel even included Connelia in the quota.In this way, he was a little inaccurate, and Schneizel really wanted his daughter to be married to Jingyu.

Schneizel smiled politely, "It doesn't have to be Ashford Secretary. I think that night, the Dragon Army Division took care of Ling Ai, and Ling Ai's impression of him was also excellent... as long as you and others The secretaries did not object. In the past few days, I will arrange for them to meet with the dragon division one by one."

"Since Your Highness said so, I will try my best to convince her," the old Duke assured.

Schneizel nodded in satisfaction, made a few remarks with the old duke, and left Ashford's house.

..