Flowers, Swords and France

When Charles heard the servant's announcement of Charlotte's visit, he found it difficult to describe the change in the atmosphere in the small reception room. .

The atmosphere was extremely harmonious and full of joy a second ago. Fran listened to Charles' explanation attentively and worked hard to learn how to manage the household. But just a second later, when she heard the name, almost the entire air in the small reception room froze.

"What?" Charles exclaimed when he heard the news.

Why did she want to visit today for no reason? She didn't even consider the occasion!

But soon, he calmed down, "Oh, I know."

While responding, he glanced at the two girls in front of him with the corner of his eye. Although their expressions did not change at all, Charles felt a little trembling in his heart for some reason.

She really came at a good time! Charles couldn't help but sigh in his heart again, and at the same time secretly complained that the servant didn't know how to read the atmosphere and just shouted it out.

Just as he was still hesitating whether to fulfill Charlotte's wish, the servant's expression made him feel something unusual.

"Anything else?" he asked in a low voice.

The servant came over hesitantly and handed over a note in his hand. "This is what Miss de Treville asked me to give you..."

Charles barely ignored the strange look beside him, and then took the note with a suspicious look.

"Today's matter is very important. My grandfather and father told me that I must see you. If you dare to pretend not to be at home. I will try the method of that day again.

Your loyal friend————and destined lover."

After reading it, he shook his head with a smile. The girl had already said this. What else can he do?

"Okay, let her in." He sighed and ordered the servant.

After that, he stood up and prepared to leave the reception room and go to the living room to meet Charlotte's cousin who gave him a headache.

However, just as he stood up, a voice suddenly rang next to him.

"Brother. Do you remember what you told me?" Fran's expression seemed very calm, but her eyes were sharp and fierce, which made Charles inexplicably afraid to meet her gaze.

"Oh. Of course I remember, lovely Miss Treville..." He smiled slightly, trying to make his tone more relaxed, "I just have something to do now. I will come over as soon as I am free. I will continue to explain to you, don't worry!"

However, this gaze suddenly became sharper.

"Have you really forgotten?" Fran's voice became lower and her face became paler, "Have you forgotten what you said to me that day? You clearly promised..."

Promise? What?

After hearing this question, Charles couldn't help but frowned, slowly thinking about what Fran meant.

Finally, after a short while. He finally remembered.

That night, in his sister's room. He promised Fran in person that he and Charlotte would never stay together again - the "promise" Fran referred to must be this.

Although he didn't know why Fran hated Charlotte so much, Charles did make this promise in front of her. However, not long after he made this promise to his sister, he ran to the countryside with Charlotte, and then spent the whole night together again - oh, why did you say again?

Have I become such a scumbag! Suddenly, Charles, who was a little confused, sighed to himself in his heart.

However, no matter how he complained about himself in his heart, he had to pretend to be calm on his face.

"How could I forget?" He smiled and nodded to his sister, trying to make his voice more stable to reassure her, "Of course I will remember what I said, don't worry, this is just official business, she came to me for something serious."

Then, with a trace of guilt, he ignored his sister's sight and walked out quickly.

Fran's sight followed Charles's movement, and finally she stared blankly at her brother's leaving back, as if she was in a trance.

And Miss Marquis Leoran, who was beside her, suddenly felt uneasy.

"Fran, what's wrong with you?" She called out softly, and then seeing that Fran was still in a trance, she reached out and gently pulled her corner, which made Fran turn her eyes back.

"Fran, are you okay!?" Miss Marquis asked again nervously.

After a while, Fran shook her head gently.

"I'm fine." Although she claimed that she was fine, her voice was no longer as relaxed as before.

It seems that something is wrong. Miss Marquis' heart suddenly tightened.

She also remembered the name she mentioned when she visited Fran one day. From Fran's expression, it was almost certain that the lady who had just come to visit was her cousin, that is, Charlotte, the Duchess of Treville, Charles's former lover.

Charlotte, Charles... they are really a perfect match. Did the elders decide it at the beginning? They have known each other since childhood, and they are the duke's daughter, and they are from a famous family like the Duke of Treville... everything, she has it all! I wonder what she looks like? I guess she's pretty? And judging by Charles's expression, he doesn't seem to be as determined towards that lady as he says...

Really, it makes people want to feel disgusted... A coldness slowly filled her heart, and she couldn't help but frown slightly.

But soon, the negative emotions that suddenly arose were suppressed by reason to the deepest part of her heart, because she knew better than anyone else that these were meaningless emotions. Although she has always been very weak on the surface, Mary is actually an activist.

Then, she quickly changed many thoughts, and then asked casually, pretending to be casual.

"Flan, the lady who just came here is the one you mentioned to me before, your brother's past lover, Miss de Treville?"

under her questioning. A flash of anger flashed almost immediately in Fran's eyes. Although the anger was fleeting, it finally made Miss Marquis understand that her disgust was not alone.

Fortunately, there is finally some good news.

Miss Marquis secretly breathed a sigh of relief in her heart.

……………………

When Charles just came to the living room, Charlotte had already walked in directly from the door.

She wore a long golden dress embroidered with fine patterns, and her long golden hair was tied up in a bun, hanging down to her shoulders. She did so in an almost defiant manner. He walked in with his head held high and returned to the Marquis Palace after being away for several months. The servants of the house followed her carefully, and in a daze, she seemed to be acting like a mistress.

When we just met. She smiled slightly, then curtsied slightly.

"Mr. Treville, you are faster than I expected. I originally wanted to wait for you for half an hour..."

"Then let you smash my window again? No. No need. Once is enough." Charles replied with a hint of sarcasm, "We don't need to waste time on unimportant things. Say, you are What's the reason for coming to me this time? I hope it's as important as what the note said... Otherwise, don't forget, I was patiently teaching my sister just now, but you interrupted me rudely. Owner……"

"Okay, you won't be disappointed." Charlotte's smile deepened. Then he continued to walk in front of Charles and looked directly into his eyes quite challengingly.

Then. After a moment's pause, she spoke again.

Read the original text in Liu#9@书/吧!

"Charles, my grandfather and father want you to join the National Guard."

Even with Ciel's usual calmness, he was still taken aback.

"Huh? National Guardsmen? Why?" He looked at Charlotte in confusion, "What exactly do you mean?"

"What do you mean?" Charlotte raised her eyebrows, "We eliminated the rats and vacated the place, so naturally we need to bring the tigers back..."

"I think you need to explain it carefully." Charles replied while making a gesture to sit down.

The two people slowly walked to the table and sat down each.

Then Charlotte went back to explaining in detail.

"Recently, my father and others have been purging the republicans in the Self-Defense Forces and excluding them from the Self-Defense Forces, so..." Charlotte lowered her voice, "So you can definitely imagine it? The recent There are a large number of vacancies in the National Guard and they are in urgent need of manpower to fill..."

After hearing this, Ciel couldn't help but frown slightly.

Has it finally begun?

As history has evolved, shortly after the end of the February Revolution and the establishment of the Second Republic, the republicans slowly lost their political and military status. The main participants in the revolution were slowly being replaced by the post-revolutionary country. Repelled until finally disappearing from the stage.

For political reasons, there are very few regular troops stationed in Paris, and the main military force in the city is the National Guard composed of the bourgeoisie and aristocrats.

Now, the National Guard is beginning to prepare to exclude those dissidents.

What does this mean?

"Char, it won't be long before France's righteous force can settle the score with the mob!"

Charlotte's words gave Ciel the most perfect answer.

Before Charles could answer, Charlotte continued, "Charle, you can also see that all the disasters in France today are caused by this ridiculous revolution, anyone can see it! Is it possible for this unpopular republic to continue? No, it will not! It will be condemned by God! Now we need to reorganize this armed force so that it can once again become a great weapon for the defense of France..."

Then go and massacre those workers and give yourself a bad name?

Ciel refuted it in his mind, and when he was about to answer, Charlotte continued.

"Charles, I know it seems impossible to ask you to abandon the Bonaparte family, but... can you forget your origin? When this country is in danger, can you stand by and watch it? Will we slip into the abyss of violence step by step again? No, it won’t work, we will never do it. We can't let it repeat the terrible disaster of sixty years ago! Otherwise, none of us can escape! Can't you see that this is not just a matter of one of us! Prominent, but nothing will happen to you and your grandfather; if Napoleon’s nephew comes to power—— Bah, I want to see how he can do it! - What will he do to us? Our family can only say goodbye to politics. It has been eighteen years, so we are not afraid of it being longer. What if we gain the upper hand? God, can you think about the consequences? Are we going to run out of this country again? Then follow the example of the grandfathers and live in exile for twenty years? No, it's impossible! I would rather pick up a gun and fight to the death than escape from this country like a lost dog! Don't you know that with your wisdom? Is it such an obvious thing? Can you choose to walk away in the face of your destiny? "

What she meant was very straightforward and simple - our factions, no matter who is in power, will not leave the other party with no way out (admittedly this is true), but when those mobs come to power, we will all be finished! Isn't it?

Then, Charlotte stopped talking and looked at Charles quietly, waiting for his answer. She seemed to be convinced that in this big question of right and wrong, Charles would not make a decision that would disappoint her.

"What is your father's plan?" After a long silence, Charles suddenly asked.

"Does this need to be said? He directly fired several self-defense army officers with impure thoughts, and then secretly used various excuses to eliminate a large number of unreliable people. Not only him, but now other The same is true in local areas. Everyone is working together to reduce the toxins that endanger the country little by little. They are all exhausted..." Charlotte immediately replied, "So, we are short of manpower now. They hope that you can come in as an officer and help us control some troops. You can also bring some people in by yourself... As for your resume? Don’t worry, the name Treville is worth any resume!”

Ciel stopped talking, but began to think again, and his thoughts even started to wander a little.

National Guard!

In this era, this is a strange army, an army composed of the wealthy people themselves. It has militarized training and organization, but its members are all civilians, and even a large part of them are members of society. Celebrities and dignitaries.

There is no doubt that they are all natural defenders of the national system - as long as this system is beneficial to them.

Then, it is not difficult to understand their hatred of the revolution and the republic.

Now, this quasi-army has issued an invitation to itself, hoping that it will abandon the stereotypes of political factions and save its country from a class standpoint.

How touching!

He couldn't help but laugh sarcastically.

What happened to all this? . )