biography of lvan

Similarly, these impoverished nobles were all gentle and mild-tempered people. Because it was often difficult to find people to work for them, losing servants due to losing their temper was a huge loss that they definitely couldn't afford.While looking at those materials, Ivan was thinking about how to attract the attention of the baron and the others.

If there were many impoverished noble children around his age present, compared to their solid reading foundation, his own frantic absorption of knowledge in the past four months was still rather short in time. It would be quite difficult to stand out with this, and if it came to aspects that he wasn't good at, that would be troublesome.The only thing he could be proud of was that he had seen countless precious commodities from all over the world in the previous store, and Mr. Juan's private collection was even the best among the best.

When it came to being well-informed and having an eye for appreciation, those impoverished noble children definitely couldn't match him. If he wanted to make a splash, focusing on this aspect would be a good choice.Thinking of this, a plan slowly emerged in Ivan's mind.Throughout the whole night, Ivan was repeatedly thinking about every step of the plan, every possible accident, and the measures to deal with such accidents.All of this was what Odrie had taught him before.Now it was really coming in handy for Ivan.

When he had thought everything through, the sky had already turned bright.Although he hadn't slept all night, Ivan still felt energetic.Following his daily habit, after running a lap along the route set by Herbert around the manor, Ivan went back into the house.In the living room, the butler and Odrie were already ready. There was a set of exquisitely made formal clothes lying on the sofa in the living room. There was no extra decoration or any flashy embellishments.

With the help of the butler, Ivan completed a whole set of tasks like combing his hair and washing his face. He washed his face again and again, and perfume extracted from some kind of flower was added to the water.The styling of his hair was done by the housekeeper. Although even his shirt got wet, after these tasks were completed, the brand-new look made Ivan feel that it was all worth it.After changing his shirt and putting on the formal clothes, Ivan wasn't quite used to the long lace on the shirt cuffs that extended far beyond them.The leather boots had already been prepared. The bright red leather with spots didn't know which unfortunate little sika deer it was taken from.Everything was ready.

Ivan asked, "Mr. Odrie, could you prepare a tea brick for me? The kind that you and Mr. Juan often drink."Hearing Ivan's puzzling request, Odrie thought for a moment and immediately understood what Ivan meant. He could even guess every step of the plan that Ivan was going to take.Odrie was quite happy about this. It seemed that the education had been successful."Get a big piece. Those small pieces are wrapped in gold foil, and people can tell at a glance that they are good things. Those big pieces are not suitable for giving as gifts, so they have no outer packaging and are just tightly wrapped in wax. Those who haven't seen them definitely wouldn't think how expensive such a big piece is," an old voice came from behind.

Ivan didn't need to turn around to know that Mr. Juan had gotten up early today, which was unusual for him.Seeing that Odrie and Mr. Juan had seen through the plan that he had thought about all night and thought was brilliant, Ivan felt a bit disheartened. Maybe the plan wasn't that perfect. Maybe Baron Lipper could also see through it easily.Odrie could guess a bit about what was on Ivan's mind. However, since the boss hadn't given any clear instructions, Odrie didn't know whether he should comfort his student. In his opinion, that plan was quite perfect and had a high chance of success.

After hesitating for a while, Odrie finally decided it was better to keep quiet. Ivan would definitely encounter times when he was alone in the future. He had to learn to make the right decisions, which would be related to many things.Therefore, it was best to let Ivan fully master the ability to think independently and make decisions on his own before that important moment arrived.When everything was ready, the carriage was already waiting outside the door.The coachman was the same one who had brought him here, but the carriage had been changed to another one.

It was obviously a private noble carriage. The outside was painted with brown paint, shiny enough to be used as a mirror. There were two pieces of transparent glass installed on the windows on both sides of the carriage. That was a rare thing. One could see the scenery outside the window and the wind wouldn't blow in. On ordinary stagecoaches, there were only screen windows installed on both sides. It was okay in summer, but in winter, the cold wind would directly blow into the carriage.

This carriage was obviously taller and bigger than the stagecoach, and it was even big enough for Ivan to stand upright in the carriage.Two spotlights were installed at the front of the carriage. The hemispherical bronze mirrors could project the light of the oil lamps far ahead.Ordinary stagecoaches only had one dim lantern. Without moonlight, they couldn't move at all.Following Odrie, Ivan got on the carriage. The butler directed the servants to load the luggage and gifts onto the luggage rack on top of the carriage.

After the coachman confirmed that everything was properly placed, without any looseness and definitely wouldn't fall off, the carriage slowly started moving.For Ivan, this wasn't his first time going on a long trip, but sitting in such a luxurious and comfortable carriage was a completely new feeling that he had never experienced before.The backrest seats made of calfskin were covered with a thick layer of cashmere. Although it wasn't as precious as the animal furs laid in Mr. Juan's lounge, in terms of comfort, there wasn't much difference between them.

The carriage compartment was made of dark purple pine boards pieced together, and the top was inlaid with an enamel-gilded relief, which was a picture of the goddess of harvest and the goddess of the forest dancing gracefully.Except for the roof, there wasn't much decoration in other places, but they were also inlaid with enamel and gilded.Such a luxuriously decorated carriage was rarely seen even in the homes of wealthy people in South Port.Completely different from the stagecoach, this carriage traveled fast and steadily on the country roads.

Through the thick glass windows, the sounds of the horse's hooves hitting the ground and the wheels rolling on the road were very soft.Because it was well-insulated and with the sunlight shining in through the windows, it felt warm on people's bodies and was extremely comfortable.Ivan, who hadn't had a good rest all night, started to feel sleepy.The carriage was speeding along, and the carriage compartment was swaying gently. Ivan's eyes slowly closed.

He leaned back on the soft chair back and fell asleep gently.In a daze, Ivan felt that the carriage had climbed over several hills and there seemed to be several small bridges in between.As the road went on, it became more and more difficult to walk on, and the jolting became more and more severe.When Ivan opened his eyes, the sun had already risen to the top of his head, and the scenery in front of him had completely changed.

If the journey from South Port to Avila was filled with lush greenery, full of vitality, and everything was so lively, then this place was completely a desolate and barren scene.On both sides of the road, there were only one or two patches of crops sparsely planted, and the trees were not flourishing either. It seemed that most of them had been cut down, and bare tree stumps could be seen everywhere.

Compared with South Port and Avila, the land here was much flatter. Looking into the distance, there were only two small hills, unlike the journey from South Port to Avila where there were mountains everywhere.After climbing over a hill, two households could be seen from a distance, sitting there all alone. They had earthen yellow mud walls and thatched roofs.

A small vegetable plot had been reclaimed beside the houses, which was the only greenery here.In the distant wilderness, the withered yellow thatch grew very tall. Vaguely, several goats could be seen tied there, and they were clearly not interested in this unhealthy fodder either.The carriage continued to gallop forward, and Ivan even felt a bit hungry.When getting on the carriage, the butler had placed a basket in a corner of the carriage compartment, and there was food inside.Ivan took a look at it.The basket had obviously been opened before.He turned his head and glanced at Odrie.Odrie was just like he had been just now, leaning back on the seat with his eyes closed, dozing off.

Ivan bent down and opened the basket.Inside the basket was a marinated goose and a plate of barbecued pork. One of the goose legs had already been torn off, but not much of the barbecued pork had been eaten.Ivan put the basket on his knees, took out a pair of sleeve protectors and a scarf from the drawer under the seat, put them on, and then ate with great relish.The marinated goose was quite good. It seemed that the cook had cooked it for at least a whole day, and it was really flavorful. The barbecued pork was also nice, sweet and savory.Ivan didn't have a very big appetite. Two wings and a few pieces of barbecued pork were enough to fill his stomach.

After finishing eating and drinking and tidying up, the carriage had already driven into a small town. The roads in the town were also very bumpy. The stone slabs paved on the ground had already been broken into pieces. The garbage that was thrown everywhere and no one bothered to clean up reminded Ivan of the place where they lived in South Port.The houses in the town were also made of mud bricks. The rooftops were gray and dusty as if they had never been cleaned or as if it hadn't rained for years.After passing through the small town, the road ahead finally became much wider. Although the road surface was still in such a dilapidated state, at least it had some of the grandeur of a main road leading to the county.

The carriage traveled another twenty or thirty miles, and a city came into view.It was neither as prosperous and lively as South Port nor as ancient and profound as Avila. This city covered a vast area and even seemed larger in scale than South Port.Looking around, there were low bungalows everywhere. The few tall buildings were like standing out from the crowd in this place.The carriage slowed down and drove into the city.

Both sides of the street were also full of shops, but it was obviously not as lively as South Port and Avila.The roads in the city center were fairly flat, and that was also the most prosperous place in the whole city.In one corner of the central square, a tall building was built. It had a spacious porch, thick supporting columns, a ground paved with marble, and a huge family coat of arms carved from marble placed on top of the porch. All of these indicated that their destination had been reached.

The builder of this mansion back then was clearly a rather practical person. There was no enclosure wall, no garden, and not countless spacious rooms.Apart from the front hall used for holding banquets and balls, there was a delicate small garden on the west side of the whole mansion. Although no precious flowers were planted, it was lushly filled with morning glories, roses, and violets. Coupled with the well-arranged layout, it also showed unique ingenuity.

The back part of the mansion was probably where the owner lived. All the rooms faced exactly south, so there was definitely plenty of sunlight.It could be imagined how financially strapped the current owner, Baron Lipper, was since the builder of this mansion had obviously tried to minimize unnecessary losses back then, and now the baron couldn't even afford to live in such a mansion.The central square of the city was a natural place for carriages to park. Apparently, the builder of the mansion had also taken this into account.

There were all kinds of carriages parked everywhere on the square.Just as Ivan had imagined, most of the people attending the ball were those impoverished nobles.Most of those carriages were already quite old, and many of the horses pulling the carriages were also rather old."You can get off the carriage now. Put on a good show!" Odrie said."Aren't you coming with me?" Ivan asked."No, you can't rely on me. You must win the attention of everyone on your own. Ted will be with you. He's your coachman and also your servant, which is quite in line with the identity of a weak noble. Most of the guests coming here are like this. I'll wait for you in the carriage," Odrie said.Ivan obeyed the order and got off the carriage. The coachman Ted had already been waiting respectfully at the carriage door, holding the tea brick wrapped in silk as a gift in his hands.

Ivan took out the invitation card from his pocket and then carefully checked himself from head to toe to make sure there were no flaws. Only then did he walk towards the gate of the mansion.When he got closer, Ivan realized that as the baron's residence, it was indeed much taller and more magnificent than Juan's manor. The two statues of the male and female war gods in front of the gate showed that the builder back then had earned this property through military achievements. 

The columns and walls were all built with bluestone slabs, which were materials used for building fortresses.

The two servants standing in front of the gate had already seen this half-grown child with a simple yet elegant dress and a childish look on his face walking towards them. Behind him was a servant carrying a gift.Another noble child had arrived. It seemed that this one's family was a bit better off than those of the other noble children who had come. At least the clothes he was wearing were not cheap, and the carriage he was riding in was brand new.

When they took the invitation card and had a look, it read "Lord Kewell Egrete Juan".The two servants opened the guest list and quickly found the name of that lord."Are you Lord Kewell Egrete Juan?" one of the servants asked."Oh, no. The lord is my grandfather. He's too old and hasn't traveled far for five or six years. For Baron's invitation, I can only come on his behalf to show a little kindness," Ivan said."Welcome, welcome. The master is waiting inside," the two servants said respectfully.

Walking into the hall, it was already filled with guests who had come to attend the ball. Some came with their whole families, while others came with their fathers or mothers bringing their children, and all of them were followed by servants carrying gifts.As soon as Ivan walked into the hall, he immediately attracted everyone's attention.Apparently, it was his expensive clothes that made him so eye-catching, and another reason was that Ivan came to the ball alone.

Ivan's appearance aroused a bit of hostility among the surrounding nobles to some extent. However, when they saw clearly that Ivan was two or three years younger than Baron Lipper's daughter, this hostility gradually faded away.Ivan stood alone in a corner of the hall, observing carefully.The host hadn't shown up yet, but the guests didn't feel impatient. Originally, for these impoverished nobles, attending such a gathering was a rather rare opportunity.

Most of the adults gathered together and chatted. Some who felt tired from standing called the attendants standing beside them to bring a chair.As for the young people, they all stood there alone, with no intention of taking the initiative to talk to each other.Although there were one or two people who were summoned by their parents to be introduced to other nobles, they themselves definitely didn't talk to others. Many of them looked extremely reserved.This is the life of the nobles, Ivan thought to himself. It was far from what he had originally expected.

In his original imagination, nobles should live in extremely luxurious mansions with numerous servants under them and eat all kinds of delicacies. And noble balls were even more luxurious. Fine wine was served in precious glass cups and could be drunk to one's heart's content. Besides that, there were also various delicate pastries, and the nobles dancing gracefully at the ball were noble and elegant.This was what Ivan had originally imagined the nobles to be like. In fact, Odrie was exactly trying to train him to become such a noble.However, everything here was obviously not that perfect.

Although there were beverages provided at the ball, apart from plain water and tasteless ale, there was nothing else. The snacks were small golden-baked sweet biscuits, which tasted quite good. However, just as they were brought out, Ivan only got to taste one piece before they were all gone.

Some of the attendants standing beside were whispering to each other, while others looked rather careless. It was hard to imagine how the host here disciplined them.All of this was far inferior to those moderately wealthy families in South Port.The only thing these nobles could use to prove their identities was their jewelry.In fact, that jewelry didn't match the clothes they were wearing very well.Those pieces of jewelry really broadened Ivan's horizons.

Some had been passed down since the era of Emperor Reduko, some were from the period of the third to fifth kings of France, and there were also some from the period when the Otto Dynasty split.Perhaps those pieces of jewelry looked nice when paired with the clothes of their respective eras, but when combined with formal dresses, they seemed a bit out of place. What's more, there were several pieces that were worn by ancient clergy, and their combination with secular formal dresses had a strange charm.

The most interesting thing was that a ring that monks in the era of the third king of France wore on their fingers to prove that they would serve the gods for life and give up all worldly pleasures was now on the hand of a noble lady who had two sons.It seemed that these impoverished nobles could only use these things to salvage a bit of their dignity.Just when Ivan was observing all the guests present with great interest.The host of the ball appeared at the venue.

Baron Lipper was dressed in a sky-blue knight's casual outfit, with a red ribbon slanting across his shoulder, looking particularly energetic. His pair of polished long leather boots were shiny enough to be used as a mirror.When the baron was young, he must have been a handsome and dashing figure. Although the merciless years had already made wrinkles climb onto his forehead, his bearing and charm were still among the best among those present.The baroness was wearing a long purple-red silk dress. Although the style seemed to be something from twenty or thirty years ago, it still looked neat and pretty, as if it were brand new. Around her neck was a very thin necklace from the period of the seventh king of France, which also seemed to be a treasure left by her ancestors.

Twenty years ago, the baroness must have been a beauty. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to hold the baron's heart. Some of her youthful and charming looks could still be seen on her daughter who was following behind her.That baron's daughter was really quite pretty. No wonder those nobles excitedly brought their sons to the ball, hoping that their sons could win the beauty's heart.The baron greeted several guests who were obviously old acquaintances enthusiastically.After some pleasantries, those nobles each led their children, presenting congratulatory gifts on the one hand and introducing their sons to the baron and his wife on the other.As for those young people with ulterior motives, they tried their best to appear refined or elegant in order to leave a good impression on the beauty.

Ivan watched all of this with great interest.Those gifts were quite thought-provoking. Since they were nobles, the gifts they gave couldn't be too shabby, but if they were too precious, these impoverished nobles couldn't afford them either.A porcelain plate with blue background and printed patterns, the most common kind, was already a relatively eye-catching gift. More often, it was a stack of silk handkerchiefs or something like that.The most boring one was a rather funny-looking lacquer jewelry box with gold foil pasted on it. It seemed to have some history. God knows how many times this thing had circulated among the generations of impoverished nobles in the south.

As for those introductions, they were also one of the things that Ivan found interesting.Those nobles tried their best to introduce their sons as perfect. In the end, they all seemed to be the same.In fact, seeing those extremely reserved, expressionless noble children who didn't even dare to breathe loudly, it wasn't wrong to say that they were all the same.Finally, all the other nobles had finished their introductions.

Ivan thought the time was about right. Some nobles had already started the second round of introductions with their sons.Ivan tugged at Ted who was following him and walked towards Baron Lipper.Baron Lipper was a bit surprised to see a young man without any parents accompanying him appear in front of him alone.

"Who is this?" the baron asked.The servant beside him, the attendant who had received the invitation at the door, replied softly, "This is the one representing Lord Kewell Egrete Juan.""My name is Ivan Juan. You can call me Ivan. My grandfather is quite old and his health condition can't bear the long journey, so I'm here on behalf of my grandfather to offer my congratulations to you, wishing you and the baroness a harmonious union for a hundred years." Ivan had thought about this speech for a long time."You're the grandson of Lord Kewell Egrete Juan? I'm quite familiar with your Uncle Odrie. Why didn't he come this time?" the baron asked.

"My family has few members. In the previous generation, there's only Uncle Odrie. He takes care of all the business by himself and is really busy. Originally, Uncle planned to come to congratulate you in person, but something unexpected happened and he had to deal with it himself. He really couldn't get away, so he asked me to convey his apologies," Ivan explained.After saying that, Ivan made a gesture, and Ted, who was following behind, respectfully presented the gift.

The gift wrapped in exquisite silk immediately caught the attention of everyone around. Everyone was guessing what was inside.The servant behind the baron reached out to take the gift and, with the baron's approval, carefully opened the silk wrapping.If the exquisite silk had made everyone around extremely curious, then the thing inside clearly disappointed them a lot.

Even the baron and his wife clearly showed disappointed expressions on their faces.The tea brick sealed with wax, for those who didn't know its value, would indeed be disappointed by its unimpressive appearance.The tea brick was originally black and dull, looking like a strangely shaped jewelry box from a distance. It felt light in the hand, and obviously there was nothing hidden inside.The wax on the outside was extremely hard. To be transported here from the distant East without getting damp at all along the way, one could imagine the thickness and hardness of the wax.

However, the shiny appearance of the wax couldn't prove its value. Compared with lacquerware, it lacked luster and colorful hues.Most people clearly regarded this thing as just another "ugly jewelry box", and some people already showed contemptuous looks on their faces.And this was exactly what Ivan needed."Thank your uncle for me and convey my regards to your grandfather," the baron said. He hadn't forgotten the proper manners and clearly didn't mind this "unimpressive gift" too much.Ivan didn't pay attention to what the baron said. He was waiting for the servant's handling of this gift.

Sure enough, he wasn't disappointed. Apparently, none of the people present recognized the origin of this gift. That servant even thought that what he was holding was trash that shouldn't have appeared in such an occasion at all. He casually stuffed the tea brick under a pile of gifts.Seeing this situation, Ivan started the next step that he had planned long ago. He said, "Mr. Baron, this small gift is just a token of my respect. 

It was prepared by my Uncle Odrie in a hurry to express his apology for not being able to attend this grand event in person. That thing is rather fragile and can't bear pressure. If it gets cracked, it will get damp quickly. If you plan to store it for a long time, please cut it into small pieces and put them in a sealed porcelain container. It's best to seal the opening with wax to ensure that moisture can't get in."