While Leo was immersed in his own world, on the other side, Moscow's old officials and new nobles were discussing the future of the war.
The two men were Anwar Faris Nur, who managed most affairs outside the Moscow city walls, and Yegor Ivanovich Sherikhov.
Anwar's attitude towards the future of the war was relatively neutral; he believed there was a fifty-fifty chance of problems arising.
Yegor, on the other hand, was full of optimism for the future, believing that the war could not possibly have problems and that the Prince's army would surely sweep away the enemies in the East.
However, despite their differences, neither chose to insist on convincing the other; instead, they opted to set aside their disagreements, both deciding to let time speak for itself on this matter.
As for why these two were together, it was because one was a typical outsider who had been in the army since arriving in Moscow a few years ago, with little contact with the outside world, so he naturally agreed when someone approached him.
The other had to be cautious in everything he did, and conversing with a lone wolf like Yegor carried the lowest risk, preventing him from being classified as belonging to any faction.
Yegor's expression was much better than when he met Rostislav, as the Prince had already dispatched troops to aid The Sherikhov Family, and recent messages from The Sherikhov Family indicated that the situation had largely stabilized.
The easing of the situation made him relax entirely, and he was no longer so tense throughout the day.
Moreover, his work was leisurely; as a veteran camp, the Moscow Camp inherently required little effort to manage.
However, every time Yegor saw those veterans in the Moscow Camp, he couldn't help but mourn for his old superior, Dir; his old superior truly worked extremely hard, as those new recruits constantly tested his patience.
Initially, Yegor focused on his conversation with Anwar, but soon, his gaze was drawn to other things.
What caught his eye were the young women, either lively on the dance floor or shyly standing by their elders; these young women were different from those he usually saw—what he had seen back then were just some, and even the beautiful ones had long been worn out by labor.
But these were the daughters of good Moscow families, raised in privileged environments since childhood, many times prettier than, for example, those village girls.
Yegor was also a young man, and he couldn't help but be attracted to these daughters of good Moscow families; even after serving in Moscow for several years, he hadn't seen many pretty girls, as he had been in the military camp all these years.
"Hmm? What are you doing? Oh, I see… By the way, Yegor, how old are you? I remember you're not married yet, are you?"
As Yegor became increasingly distracted, Anwar naturally noticed his attention, and there was a hint of reproach in his eyes, but more often understanding, as Yegor looked so young, and it was normal for young men to be full of desire for young women.
"I am 26 years old and not yet married."
Yegor scratched his head.
"I've always been following my father and brothers on adventures before, and I'm still alone since coming to Moscow, so no one has ever set me up; moreover, I've been staying in the Moscow military camp for a long time, so I haven't had contact with any young ladies, which is why I'm still single."
"26… that really surprises me."
Anwar stroked his beard; he hadn't expected this man to be this age, yet he looked like he had just come of age.
And the next point of surprise turned into his unmarried status; generally speaking, someone his age should have several children by now.
As for why Yegor wasn't married, it was because he truly had no interest in that aspect; although The Sherikhov Family were nobles of Yaroslavl, they were still extremely busy every day, so busy that he had no time to pay attention to such matters.
Of course, the most important reason was that he hadn't found anyone who caught his eye.
"I think now is a good opportunity, Yegor. Look around here. See how many people brought their children? What do you think they brought their children for?"
"Socializing? No, that doesn't feel right; most people here, except for the Greeks, see each other every day."
Yegor thought for a while but came up with nothing; in fact, this was his first time attending such a large banquet, and everything felt new to him, so he naturally couldn't understand Anwar's hint.
"Lord Anwar, what exactly is this for?"
He finally decided to ask directly; no matter what, asking was always the right thing to do.
"Haha, it seems you've had too little contact with these things. Look around, what do you see?"
Anwar chuckled a few times, then began to reveal the answer.
"A banquet?"
The topic changed rather quickly, and Yegor frowned; he truly didn't grasp the deeper meaning.
"Please enlighten me, Lord."
"What ordinary people see is a grand banquet, but what I see is a marriage alliance between Slavic and Greek nobles! Those wealthy merchants and citizens also want to participate; who knows how many people are scrambling in this hall, desperately trying to promote themselves or their children! I saw many such things when I was in Persia, but none were as grand as this."
"Marriage alliance… Yes, this is indeed a good opportunity."
Yegor immediately realized, enlightened; so Anwar had been hinting at this all along.
And Yegor's mind was quick; after the question was answered, his thoughts naturally extended further.
"So many nobles gathered here, it's convenient for them to communicate with each other and choose partners, and many of those Greeks will certainly hold positions in the Prince's government in the future. This is indeed an excellent opportunity; there are suitable marriage partners everywhere, and everyone is likely to find someone they like. But Lord, why do you say this is a good opportunity for me?"
"You truly have no self-awareness. Since you could just say those words, why couldn't you think of your own situation?"
Anwar shook his head, his tone filled with exasperation, as if he suspected the man was feigning ignorance.
"You are the most sought-after person here! If it weren't for you constantly talking to me, plus your lack of contact with others normally, you would have been approached by nobles long ago, and they would have to queue up in front of you. Look at your qualifications: heir to a Yaroslavl noble family, a favorite in the Moscow Prince's eyes, and your family's business is rising steadily, destined to be supported by the Moscow Prince in the future. No noble who wants to strengthen their family's power or maintain their family's status would let you go. By the way, if I didn't have an unmarried daughter, I would have made you my son-in-law long ago."
Yegor was somewhat at a loss, how did he suddenly become a prime commodity in Moscow's matchmaking market?
"Alright, alright, I know that for an adventurer and soldier like you, these noble games are too distant, but your current status dictates that you must understand them."
After saying this, Anwar glanced around, then said to Yegor,
"Tsk, I'll go watch the performance first, so I don't block the way for those who want to form a marriage alliance with you. You just wait here for them to come and promote their daughters. Oh, a piece of advice: no matter how you plan for the future, you must remember that you are the first heir of The Sherikhov Family; you bear the heavy burden of The Sherikhov Family, so choose carefully. Some choices might make you regret for a lifetime, or even completely ruin your family. No matter what kind of court it is, it is a place full of schemes and tricks; this will never change."
After Anwar finished these meaningful words, he took his wine glass and walked away to watch the performers, leaving a thoughtful Yegor standing alone.
And just as Anwar had said, not long after he left, nobles came over with their daughters, first exchanging pleasantries, then introducing their daughters to the Moscow senior officer before them.
Yegor handled it with ease, after all, Anwar had given him a warning beforehand, and for these hints and demands, Yegor kneaded the dough, so to speak, giving no concrete answers.
Although he was now the heir of The Sherikhov Family, he had never received the education an heir should.
He understood that these matters could not be acted upon according to his own will; he would quietly wait for his father's arrangements.