This celebration banquet was the first one truly hosted by Wei Wei in her capacity as the mistress of Sardinson Castle. It wasn't just a celebration of her marriage—it was a public declaration of her position within the Williams family.
Throughout the banquet, Wei Wei was escorted by Felix as they moved among the guests. That stunning white wedding dress that had once amazed the royal capital made another dazzling appearance, and in this banquet, she was without a doubt the most beautiful centerpiece of the evening.
But the guests didn't overlook the young Countess's capabilities. They quickly discovered that when they tried to discuss business and cooperation with the Earl of Williams, this Countess did not remain silent like other noble ladies. On the contrary, the Earl often turned to her for her opinion, and she consistently gave sound and insightful responses. It was clear she not only had an in-depth understanding of Sardinson's current development but was also well-informed about the specialties of the lands these visiting nobles came from.
Those who had initially dismissed her as just a pretty face soon realized that she was anything but. Not only was she intelligent, but she held significant authority. The Count himself often seemed to defer to her judgment.
This was a Countess with real power—someone who could influence the Earl's decisions.
The guests quickly came to a silent consensus and treated her with even more enthusiasm and respect.
However, the ladies of the five baronial families in Sardinson County were not in such high spirits.
If, during their last meeting, the baronesses and their households had still treated Wei Wei with condescending arrogance, now they didn't even have the chance to approach her.
Led by the wife of Baron Hunter, the group of ladies stood off to the side, cold and isolated, watching the vibrant and lively scene from afar. Their feelings were a tangled mess. The last time they saw Wei Wei, they had confidently believed this foreign noblewoman was just a passing fancy for the Earl. They had laughed at her naïveté behind closed doors, convinced she would soon be discarded.
But reality proved otherwise. The one they were so sure would be cast aside had become the Countess. Judging by how the Count never left her side all evening, shielding and supporting her at every turn, their relationship was strong.
What made them even more envious was how the Countess looked even more beautiful than the last time they saw her.
"Her dress is so beautiful…" one of the young ladies couldn't help voicing what everyone was thinking.
The allure of a pure white silk wedding gown was irresistible to women of this era.
Their jealousy nearly twisted them inside out, yet there was nothing they could do but envy.
Even though they didn't get to approach Wei Wei, seeing her easily converse with high-ranking nobles and observing her composed demeanor and occasional flashes of brilliance, they began to realize that this young lady was far from the innocent she had once seemed. In truth, she was graceful, intelligent, and an excellent communicator.
"We were fooled," Baroness Hunter muttered through clenched teeth, her face twisted with anger.
Yes—clearly, Wei Wei had deliberately played the innocent in front of them, making herself seem harmless and unworthy of concern. Why she did so remained unclear, but the fact itself was undeniable.
Now that they understood, there was nothing the other baronesses could do except be furious. After all, Wei Wei was now essentially their liege lady. Unless they wanted to give up their titles and family honor, none dared openly offend her.
Look at how much the Count doted on her. Not only did he keep her close the entire night, his hand never left her waist. Whenever their eyes met, they shared quiet smiles and subtle glances, conveying messages only the two of them could understand. That kind of unintentional intimacy could not be faked.
Fortunately, aside from Baroness Hunter—who had offended Wei Wei at their first meeting—the other baronesses recalled their past interactions and were relieved to find they hadn't been overtly rude. As long as they hadn't burned that bridge, there would be opportunities to mend relations in the future.
Unconsciously, the formerly united group of baronesses began to think differently. Quietly, the others distanced themselves from the Hunter family. Since they wouldn't be able to speak with Wei Wei tonight, they might as well use the opportunity to mingle with nobles from other territories, and maybe even find a good marriage match for their unmarried children.
Baroness Hunter, unaware that the others had begun to ostracize her, stood in a corner seething with rage. She turned her fury on her daughter. "If only you had managed to seduce the Earl of Williams, the one basking in glory right now would have been you."
Jenny's face turned pale. She looked around nervously to make sure no one had overheard before angrily snapping at her mother. "Why would you bring that up *here*? Have you thought about the consequences if someone hears you?"
Jenny was a proud and pragmatic young woman. After learning of Felix's marriage, she decisively crossed him off her list of potential suitors. At tonight's banquet, her goal was to meet heirs from other noble families. If someone heard what her mother said, not only could it ruin her chances, but she might also offend the current Countess.
Baroness Hunter realized she had spoken out of turn, but as a parent, she couldn't bring herself to admit fault to her daughter. Instead, she doubled down, scolding Jenny even more harshly. "Am I wrong? If you hadn't been so reserved back then, things wouldn't have turned out like this."
Her voice was quieter this time, but her meaning only made Jenny angrier.
"If by 'reserved' you mean I refused to follow your disgusting scheme—something only the lowest of women would do—then yes, I'll always choose to be reserved."
Jenny might've been temperamental and spoiled like most noble girls, but she also had her pride. Her mother had once implied she should seduce Felix and let things escalate until a scandal forced him to marry her. Just imagining such a shameful act was revolting to Jenny—how could she ever agree?
The argument nearly escalated, but they still remembered where they were. Jenny didn't want to listen to any more of her mother's vile suggestions. She lifted her skirts and silently walked away, heading gracefully toward the younger crowd, quickly restoring her dignified and elegant smile. Every movement radiated noble poise, and to some unmarried young men, she was very attractive.
Soon enough, she accepted an invitation to dance and entered the ballroom, leaving Baroness Hunter glaring resentfully from behind.
Felix and Wei Wei had no idea they'd inadvertently strained the relationship between a mother and daughter. They were busy chatting and doing business with visiting nobles. By the end of the evening, several new raw material supply agreements had been signed for Sardinson County, and their guests left pleased, already counting the gold that would soon fill their pockets.
Only the five barons who had originally planned to discuss compensation for the free citizens were now deeply disappointed. From the way things were going, they realized that even if they threatened to leave Sardinson County, no other noble would dare take them in. And without a patron, even the slightest hint of rebellion might lead Felix to dispatch troops to crush them.
Worse still, back when Felix had inherited his title, they'd already shown signs of defiance. At the time, they had arrogantly assumed the young Earl lacked the power to control them and behaved with blatant disrespect. Now, they feared that the sharp Count had seen right through their past behavior.
And judging by the cold shoulder Felix gave them throughout the banquet, it was clear he had no intention of letting things slide.
So the barons' minds shifted—from greedily plotting how to demand more compensation, to sweating nervously over what punishment might be coming.
Wei Wei noticed their huddled, anxious expressions and nudged Felix, gesturing toward them.
Felix glanced over, then smiled faintly and whispered, "Ignore them."
And that was that.
The banquet continued late into the night, well past Wei Wei's usual bedtime.
The next morning, some nobles left early, clutching the cooperation agreements they had signed with Felix. They rushed back home to adjust their spring farming plans and free up land to grow the materials Felix needed.
Others stayed behind, hoping to sign additional trade deals—something that required more detailed negotiations.
Wei Wei attended nearly all of these meetings, and her occasional comments and questions only further deepened everyone's respect for her.
After most of the guests had left, Felix finally met with the five barons.
After a few days of fear, they were much more obedient than before. Felix didn't wait for them to speak. He directly addressed the issue of the free citizens and offered a compensation plan that was indeed quite fair.
But while he offered the carrot, he didn't forget the stick. He tossed several folders onto the table—documents detailing their past misdeeds—and exposed their little schemes. He warned them that if they didn't change their ways, he wouldn't be so lenient.
"I know you all thought I couldn't manage Sardinson. But the truth has proven otherwise—I can, and I'll make it better than ever." His expression was cold, eyes like a frozen lake as he stared them down. "I'll overlook what's already happened, but if I find out anyone's defying me in secret, or acting against me behind my back, I won't hesitate to revoke the Williams family's grant to their house. Sardinson's lands are precious, and they deserve loyal, obedient stewards."
His meaning was crystal clear: anyone who played games would lose their titles and fiefs.
Of course, revoking noble titles was difficult in practice, but Felix had evidence. If he accused them of rebellion and sent troops, they couldn't resist, and no one would support them.
The documents even included transcripts of their private conversations, not to mention their contact with powerful nobles in other countries. That alone was enough to prove they had disloyal intentions.
The barons were drenched in cold sweat and didn't dare speak a word. They hurriedly pledged loyalty and promised to obey.
From then on, even if more free citizens left their territories, none of the barons dared ask for compensation. They followed Felix's orders to the letter and didn't even dare speak carelessly in private—who knew who might be watching?
After all the guests had left Sardinson Castle, Wei Wei received word from Architect Pierre: the house was finished.
Although the home Wei Wei had originally planned as her future residence no longer held the same significance, she still went immediately to inspect it.
She was accompanied by Felix and Dolores—one curious to see the house, the other worried that Wei Wei might like it so much she'd want to move out of the castle.
"If you're going to move in, you better bring me with you," Felix said in the carriage, shamelessly holding her hand despite his sister sitting across from them.
Wei Wei laughed. "Relax, I won't be living here alone."
Though a bit regretful, she knew the house was no longer suitable for her. As the Countess, she needed to consider security. Even if this house would be more comfortable, she couldn't stay there long-term.
The new cement roads made the journey quick, and they soon arrived.
The house had been built on the wild land near the 100-acre plot Wei Wei had purchased. The first thing they saw was a fence of sharpened wooden stakes, lined with thorny bushes transplanted from her garden trial plots—just much larger. It surrounded the entire estate.
This wasn't her first time seeing it. She'd seen the fences when she surveyed the area for planning. They were built by Felix's men with her approval. The fields would be used to plant high-yield crops like corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Until they had scaled up production, they didn't want outsiders learning of their yields.
The slaves originally assigned to Wei Wei had been reassigned elsewhere. The fields here would be worked by slaves skilled in farming, and when harvest season approached, soldiers would patrol day and night.
Felix even planned to build simple barracks outside the fences to house the guards.
"When there's security here, you can live here as long as you like. Of course, with me," Felix said.
He knew Wei Wei wasn't fond of castle life. He'd seen Pierre's architectural drawings and knew this place would be much more comfortable. If it was safe, he'd be happy to move in with her.
The carriage passed through the only entrance. Inside was a series of plowed fields. In one corner, protected by high walls, stood the house. The slate-gray roof with an attic poked above the walls, its windows reflecting sunlight.
It looked like a small manor.
The carriage stopped in front of the gate. They disembarked, and Pierre stepped forward to hand Wei Wei a key.
"Please take a look and see if it meets your expectations."
Wei Wei took the key and unlocked the gate. Before she was a small villa surrounded by a garden.
The villa matched the blueprints exactly—three stories high, including the attic, with a footprint of 300 square meters and a total internal area of nearly 900 square meters. It had a church-inspired aesthetic, though much simpler than the flamboyant Gothic style. It was elegant, modest, and had no statues or angels on the outer walls.
Wei Wei didn't go inside right away. She walked around the garden—which hadn't yet been planted—then to the backyard, where she saw a well, a stable, a livestock shed, and two latrines.
These weren't male and female toilets—they were for masters and servants.
The latrine was a key detail for Wei Wei. Pierre had done a fantastic job: clean, ventilated, and private. The master's side had a wooden bucket for water and a basin for washing hands. The toilet seat resembled a chair for the ill—very convenient.
The servant's latrine had water for flushing but no basin or seat, and the doors of the two facilities were on opposite sides to avoid awkwardness.
She then checked the cellar—far from the well, large, and located under the garden. It had stone-reinforced walls and a ceiling with support pillars to ensure stability no matter what was above.
Only after all that did they enter the house.
The interior followed the design plans exactly. The custom European-style furniture had already been delivered. It felt so modern that Wei Wei almost thought she was back in the 21st century.
Large windows filled the home with light—even the attic felt bright and inviting, a perfect place to read or enjoy tea.
The biggest surprise came when she found a bathroom attached to the master bedroom.
Bathrooms were common in castles, so it wasn't odd—but what shocked Wei Wei was the ceramic pipe beneath it, connected to the latrine's septic pit. The thick-walled pipe was embedded in the wall, reinforced with cement.
As long as it wasn't damaged intentionally, it would be fine—and even if it was, it could be replaced. The only risk was that the vertical and sloped pipes meant anything valuable dropped inside would be impossible to retrieve.
Wei Wei had once casually told Pierre that ceramic pipes could be used. She hadn't expected him to take it seriously and make it work.
Felix went downstairs to inspect the exposed ceramic pipe in the storeroom, then said thoughtfully, "Could this be used to build city sewers? That would improve the environment."
"Of course. Over two thousand years ago, our Silk Country was already using ceramic pipes for city sewers. They stood the test of time."
Wei Wei had seen such pipes in museums—unearthed from the Shang Dynasty. They even had T-junctions, just like modern plumbing.
After the full tour, Wei Wei exclaimed, "I love it here! It's beautiful—just what I imagined my dream home to be. Mr. Pierre, thank you so much for building such a comfortable and wonderful house for me."
"I'm glad you're satisfied." A happy client meant a happy architect. And Pierre had learned a lot from this build. Like Felix, he recognized the utility of ceramic pipes. He had already started designing a sewer system based on them, to include in future castle or cathedral projects.
And Felix was his next client—not for a castle or church, but for a *city*.
Felix had long dreamed of building a city. He hadn't revealed this publicly, but he'd shared it privately with Pierre, hoping he could take over the design once Wei Wei's project was complete.
It would be the greatest challenge Pierre had ever faced. His biggest project so far had only been a noble's castle.
But instead of backing down, he accepted with enthusiasm. If he could design a beautiful and unique city with his own hands, it would be the crowning glory of his entire life.
Pierre knew that the project he was about to undertake was entirely different from anything he had done before. He couldn't even fully envision what the final city would look like, but he knew it would be a city like no other—a symbol of the future, a symbol of change.
He had already begun sketching its outline in his mind—wide streets, a well-designed drainage system, uniformly planned residential and commercial districts, and enough open space to allow for future expansion and construction.
And all of it would begin with this very villa.
Because this place was not only the Countess's dream home—it would also serve as the prototype for the future city, the very first step toward a new era.