Chapter 2250: Margaret Manor Banquet

Margaret Manor covers a large area. Now as night falls, when the gas lamps in the courtyard and the mansion are lit one by one, the entire manor can be seen decorated in gold and jade from a distance.

Although Xia De and Miss Belindell arrived early, many people actually arrived earlier than them.

And when the Belindell family's motorcade stopped at the gate of the manor, the people who had gathered at the gate talking immediately dispersed. Margaret's personal maid and Baroness Elmont, who was in the princess's entourage, represented Margaret to welcome her. As for that Baroness Elmont, she was Margaret's cousin.

In short, the lively banquet officially began. The nobles of Moon Bay gathered, and the jewelry and treasures of the ladies were enough to dazzle anyone. Margaret wore a small silver crown today and attended the banquet in a golden long dress. When she met Miss Belindell, she even winked at Xia De quietly.

The most important part of this nominal welcome banquet was Margaret reading a letter written by her father, King "Lion Leon," to the citizens of Moon Bay to the local nobles.

This part was carried out when the banquet officially began. At this time, Xia De was still standing with Miss Belindell and Miss Matilda. And when the banquet officially started, the countess went to deal with the social engagements and conversations that had to be dealt with tonight, Xia De had already left quietly. After changing into a set of clothes, he met Mr. Bernhardt, who was holding a glass of red wine.

In fact, even without Xia De, he could get an invitation himself, it was just more troublesome. When Xia De saw him, he was talking to a middle-aged man with a mustache. Then, when greeting Xia De, he quietly pointed to the middle-aged man who was leaving:

"This baron is in the red wine business in Moon Bay, and wants to ask how the vineyard in Huntington City is this summer, and whether it has also been affected by the weather."

"Has it been affected?"

Xia De asked curiously. Mr. Bernhardt nodded gently:

"The situation is not optimistic. Grapes are plants that like warm seasons. Although Huntington is not like Moon Bay on the coast where it snows in summer, the low temperature will definitely affect the ripening speed of the grapes and the quality of the finished product, thereby greatly affecting the taste of the 1854 batch of red wine."

He shook the red wine glass in his hand:

"Many people are already preparing to start hoarding goods on the market, hoarding the 1853 and 1852 batches of red wine. If this abnormal weather continues for several years, then even ordinary quality goods can be sold at a high price in abnormal years. This is also the business I originally came to Moon Bay to talk about..."

He sighed and asked curiously:

"Let's not talk about this. Don't you need to accompany that countess? We can meet again in a while, anyway, the banquet will last until very late."

Xia De shook his head:

"Mr. Bernhardt, you probably have some misunderstanding about me. It's not that I accompanied her to attend the banquet, but that she requested me to accompany her to attend the banquet."

The vampire viscount nodded slowly:

"You are still amazing."

The remaining three targets tonight also had great backgrounds. The marquis with the highest status had not yet appeared in the banquet hall. Xia De planned to check in a while whether he hadn't come or was talking to someone else.

So the two went to meet the remaining two vampires first, one of whom was a genuine "vampire"—

"I've said it many times, I provide them with wages and rewards. I even provide them with drinking water for free in the factory. Why do they still oppose me?"

When Xia De and Mr. Bernhardt met Baron Chandler, he was complaining to his friend in a somewhat loud voice.

This Baron Chandler was the fattest person Xia De had seen at this banquet so far, but he happened to be wearing a black formal suit that didn't fit well.

This caused the buttons on his chest to look like they were about to burst, and he was trying hard to maintain the fabric on both sides from betraying each other.

"Why can't that group of workers understand? I spent money, so they have to work for me. Eight-hour work day? Fine, then cut the current wages until I can turn the two-shift system into a three-shift system with the same crowns!"

He drank champagne in big gulps angrily:

"Which factory doesn't do this now? I swear, if I really give them a raise and reduce overtime, it won't take until next week, before the weekend my factory will go bankrupt. By then, won't they go begging on the street just the same? I am their benefactor, it is I who gave them the opportunity to support their wives and children, why do they treat me like this?"

His friend—who didn't have a small bat logo on his head—was smiling awkwardly, not knowing how to answer this sentence. Fortunately, he saw Xia De and Mr. Bernhardt walking over, so he immediately said:

"Raymond, look, these two gentlemen seem to be looking for you."

The very fat Baron Chandler turned to look at them, frowning in confusion:

"Gentlemen, do I know you? Let's say first, I won't sponsor other people's research and inventions casually, let alone invest in projects I don't understand."

"No, no, let me introduce myself. I am Armand Bernhardt. I have written you a visit letter."

Mr. Bernhardt handed out his business card. Baron Chandler took a look and raised his eyebrows:

"Oh, the Viscount from Willondale. I remember your letter. But I don't do red wine business. My factory mainly produces cotton cloth and gauze."

After speaking, he sniffed and showed a sudden realization expression:

"Oh, so it's a relative. I didn't know you before. Since that's the case... come over here and chat with me with your friend. I haven't seen relatives from Willondale for a long time."

Although he just spoke boldly about the workers in his factory, when treating his kin, or rather, treating people whose status was close to his own, this Baron Raymond Chandler showed great appropriateness and humility.

The baron's friend walked away temporarily, and the three came to the table by the wall on the west side of the banquet hall. They picked up new wine glasses from the champagne tower on the table together. Xia De turned to face the banquet hall and glanced at Miss Belindell and Margaret, then went to search for other familiar figures. Behind him, Baron Chandler was asking Mr. Bernhardt about the recent situation in Willondale.

Of course, the two did not forget to shake hands halfway, and Mr. Bernhardt also judged again that the one cooperating with the vampires was not him.

As for the matter of "Blood Sorrow," Baron Chandler also didn't know. Even when Mr. Bernhardt hinted that the sword might be in Moon Bay, Baron Chandler's fat right hand directly squeezed cracks into the glass:

"There is such a thing?"

"Speaking of which, Mr. Bernhardt, who do you think is more abominable, Mrs. Jude from this morning or this Baron Chandler?"

Baron Chandler also soon bid farewell to the two and walked toward his business partner. Xia De put his left hand in his pocket and asked his friend again.

The vampire viscount pondered for a moment:

"No one is more abominable than the other. Their practices are all wrong. Even if my ability is limited and I cannot stop all the things I think are wrong, at least I must be able to distinguish what is right and what is wrong."

"It seems that after going back this morning, you have indeed thought of some things... However, you are right, your 'relatives' in Moon Bay are really all kinds of people."

"Suspect No. 3" was excluded. In this way, only the last two remained. The marquis still hadn't appeared. Xia De saw "Suspect No. 4" Miss Angri Rice talking to Margaret at a glance.

The young Miss Angri Rice was the youngest of all the targets suspected by Mr. Bernhardt. In fact, she was even 8 months younger than Margaret, but she was also the one with the highest level among the current suspects. The level of six rings was only one ring lower than Xia De and Mr. Bernhardt. Such an age was enough to be called a genius.

Miss Rice's father, Earl Rice, was one of the most prestigious nobles outside the Seven Great Families in Moon Bay. As an only daughter, she would inherit the family title in the future without accident, so she would also be a countess in the future.

Mr. Bernhardt originally thought about waiting for her to finish talking to Princess Margaret before going up to talk, but was taken directly over by Xia De.

Margaret smiled at the two:

"Look who this is, Viscount Bernhardt. I didn't expect to see you here."

She knew what Xia De was doing, so she took the initiative to introduce to Miss Rice:

"These two are friends I met in Huntington City on my way to visit Delarion last year. This Viscount Bernhardt gave me red wine that was very delicious at the time. He has red wine businesses in Huntington and Willondale."

Mr. Bernhardt then took the initiative to reach out his hand, and then got the conclusion that Miss Rice was also not the source of blood.

However, Miss Rice still had to talk to Margaret, so the two who only came to greet the princess on the surface did not stay long.

After walking far away, Xia De asked in confusion:

"So, we have found the answer? The one cooperating with those people from the 【Dragon Feast Sect】 is that Hou Jue? But what is he trying to do? He has status and position, what else does he need to do by cooperating with cultists?"

"I don't know either. I originally thought the one with the least suspicion was actually that Excellency."

Bernhardt was also not very sure:

"Let's meet and see, but did the Hou Jue really come?"

Xia De didn't know if the Hou Jue came or not. However, he could get the answer by asking the manor butler, anyway, they were all his own people.

The butler also gave the answer. The Hou Jue had already arrived, but was talking to Earl Addington in the study upstairs, and would probably come down in a while. Therefore, Xia De and Mr. Bernhardt planned to wait. When the two were chatting, Mr. Bernhardt also reminded Xia De:

"You have to be careful with that Miss Angri Rice." ===== CHAPTER 2251 =====