Chapter 5, The Steward

As the performance concluded, Liang Xi applauded. He was unsure how good it sounded, as he was tone-deaf. However, he was capable of reasoning; anyone bold enough to play the violin in the territory of the nobility must possess considerable skill, so he chose to applaud first and assess later

Liang Xi particularly disliked such formalities; eating a piece of steak only took five minutes, while the formalities required fifty minutes. Even if no one paid attention to him, he still had to endure five minutes of formalities. Dining with these privileged young gentlemen, he felt embarrassed to leave without having his fill. Liang Xi was capable of feeling embarrassed, but he did not wish to indulge in that feeling. Thus, he sat alone on a bench in the back garden, enjoying a meal and a glass of lemonade brought by the maid in the night breeze.

This is not the first time Liang Xi has assisted John with a case. Over the years, John has become increasingly lazy, delegating all tasks that can be handed over to Liang Xi. Every day, John just stays at home reading the newspaper. In fact, apart from meeting old friends, John only takes walks with Mary in the neighborhood. All of this aside, the tasks John assigns to Liang Xi are not profitable and there is no discussion of remuneration for the work.

Building C is located at a considerable distance from Building AB and serves as the accommodation for the estate staff, which is not lacking in comfort. For instance, the butler and the maids serving the main residence have their own housing within the main estate to respond promptly to the earl's summons. The maids reside on the first floor, while the butler occupies a side room on the second floor. The rooms are not particularly large, yet they exude a high level of style, albeit lacking in aesthetic appeal. Why is it said to have style? This is a genuine noble estate, so it undoubtedly possesses style, even though Liang Xi does not understand where that style lies. The maids reside on the first floor, while the butler occupies a side room on the second floor. The rooms are not particularly large, yet they exude a high level of style, albeit lacking in aesthetic appeal. Why is it said to have style? This is a genuine noble estate, so it undoubtedly possesses style, even though Liang Xi does not understand where that style lies.

The butler rarely encountered such colloquialisms, and it took him a while to understand the meaning, causing him to involuntarily laugh: "Please, have a seat"

The Earl's Manor features two guest rooms and several individual villa suites specifically designed to accommodate guests. Royal family members or the children of the elite are arranged by the butler to stay in the villas. The children of nobility are sent to Building A, where the rooms, facilities, and services are on par with those of a star-rated hotel. In preparation for this funeral, the butler has specially hired chefs and professional staff from a large hotel.

Liang Xidao: "No way?"

The first time I saw you, I knew you were a detective. However, I do not understand what a will means

The butler did not take it seriously and calmly said, "Since you have come to me, I am all ears."

Liang Xi thought for a moment: "Where did we just leave off?" Those eyes are too piercing

All of this is referred to as face; without money, one cannot uphold such face. Therefore, the gap between nobles gradually becomes apparent. Those nobles who have lost their wealth, despite holding titles, will adopt a more commoner-like approach to appear approachable, while using this approach as an excuse to conceal their lack of wealth. In contrast, the nobles who possess wealth strive to maintain all that is expected of their status, thereby constructing an insurmountable identity chasm between themselves and wealthy merchants.

"Regarding the will," Liang Xidao stated, "I have analyzed each individual's situation, and I believe that none of the four children of the count have stolen the will"

The steward invited Liang Xi to take a seat, and Liang Xi said: "In the dead of night, disturbing others' rest is not appropriate. How about we chat in your room? If it is convenient."

Today, guests began to arrive, and with many matters to attend to, the steward was very busy. Liang Xi quietly sat on the first floor, drinking tea and waiting. It was not until 1:00 AM, when the steward returned to the main residence, that Liang Xi approached and asked, "Is it convenient to talk?"

Liang Xi nodded: "No!"

Liang Xi felt ashamed and said: "I come from a humble background and do not understand etiquette"

The butler replied: "From the perspective of your attention to people and objects, based on my years of experience in observing others, you are either a detective or a thief"

The butler asked: "Detective?"

The butler maintained a smile and said, "I have worked at the manor for thirty years, and this is the first time I have heard of someone wanting to come to my room to chat, especially at one o'clock in the morning"

Liang Xi nodded: "Then I will get straight to the point: Please hand over the will."

Butler: "I really do not understand what a will is"

Liang Xidao: "You said you need to get up early tomorrow, and now I must begin to explain."

The butler said: "I need to get up early tomorrow"

Liang Xi thought for a moment and replied: "I am not a detective; detectives are compensated for their work. I am merely a person who runs errands, a mere errand runner."

... ...

... ...

The staff of the law firm reside in Building B, which has relatively modest conditions, yet it exceeds the standard rooms of ordinary hotels. There are also dedicated hotel professional room service personnel available to serve them

The butler hung his coat on the coat rack, and Liang Xi had already entered the room. Indeed, it was quite impolite. Not only that, but Liang Xi also rudely surveyed the entire living room, even tilting his head to glance into the bedroom a couple of times

The butler maintained a standing posture and replied, "Of course, it is possible"

The butler asked: "And then?"

No, the performer is not a beautiful young lady in a white evening gown, nor is she a princess. It is a gardener, a male gardener, a plump man in his forties wearing work clothes. The melody is gentle, yet the scene is discordant. Aside from Liang Xi, the only audience member is the gardener's wife

The butler hurriedly said: "No, no, I didn't mean that"

The butler retorted: "A will?"

A melodious sound of the violin drifted in from the side, prompting Liang Xi to follow the music. The gentle moonlight and the enchanting melody blended perfectly together, making one pause and reluctant to leave. The performer lightly closed their eyes, unaware of anyone approaching, completely immersed in their own world, lost in ecstasy

The butler looked at Liang Xi for a few seconds and nodded: "Of course, please."

The butler chuckled and said, "The will."

Liang Xidao: "Even if I do not understand etiquette, I insist on going to your room to have a chat now. Is that alright?"

Liang Xi's right hand was clapping in the palm of his left hand: "You actually do not care that the will has been stolen." I have caught you, I have found the right person.

Liang Xidao: "No, I mean, do I look like a detective?"

Liang Xi certainly understood that John was hinting at him to meet more people, especially those from high society, but Liang Xi had no interest in getting to know the upper class. He believed that with different class hierarchies, it was impossible to form friendships. What? The upper class can support you and provide you with opportunities? If I were to sell my face, I might as well change my profession and become a Robin Hood, stealing to help the poor. Who is the poorest? Of course, it is oneself who is the poorest. Whether one has money or not is irrelevant; the key is that as a Robin Hood, one must adhere to principles. Who made it so that I only know this one poor wretch?

Mr. Liang took his seat, and the butler also sat down: "May I ask what Mr. Liang needs from me?"

As night fell, the butler sent someone to invite Liang Xi to the dining room for dinner. In addition to the representatives from the law firm, there were also other nobles and even representatives of the royal family present. The nobles and royals would not arrive at the estate for the funeral until tomorrow morning; those who came today were the second generation of nobility and royalty. They arrived at the estate first to express their condolences to their relatives

Liang Xi asked: "Is a process required?"

The gardener felt quite embarrassed, humbly shook hands with Yuan Wang, and apologized for the disturbance. The gardener's wife brought over some refreshments, and the two began to chat. After a brief conversation lasting about half an hour, Liang Xi had essentially cracked the case; he knew who had stolen the will and even speculated about the accomplice. However, he had no evidence in hand, could not ascertain the identity of the accomplice, and was even less certain whether the new will had been destroyed.

The butler dismissed it lightly, closed the door, and asked, "Mr. Liang is not a lawyer at Cook's law firm, is he?"