Flowers, Swords and France

After Laura left, Charles also said goodbye to the club and returned to his home in the dusk.

Compared with the quietness before, this mansion is now much livelier, and people can be heard everywhere. Because he had just given birth to a child, he hired some new servants at home - according to convention, noble women would not breastfeed their children. So this is an inevitable result. Although he doesn't particularly like the excitement, he has no choice but to let it go.

As the family's population grows in the future, perhaps it will become even more lively in the future.

Charlotte has always liked to socialize, but she had to hold back for several months when she was about to give birth. Therefore, after giving birth to the child, she only rested for a few months to recover, and immediately began to participate in social activities again. She often held banquets at home. I am not keen on this, but he will support her as long as she tells her something, and I have gotten to know a lot of people because of it.

However, Charlotte did not hold a party today because she was receiving a guest at home.

When Charles came to the drawing room, he found that his relative in Marseilles, Count Henri de La Touche de Treville, was having a pleasant conversation with Charlotte.

"Oh, Henry!" Charles's indifferent face instantly changed into a smile, and then he opened his hands and quickly walked towards this distant relative. "I didn't expect you to come so soon!"

"After receiving your invitation, how could I not come quickly..." Henry bowed to him, and then replied with a smile, "Your new mansion is so beautiful, if someone hadn't guided me, I would have gotten lost. ”

He had been in Marseille, and a few days ago he received a telegram from Paris asking him to come to Paris. The person who sent the telegram was his relative and patron in Paris, Charles de Treville, who had now become the Imperial Minister. Naturally, he did not dare to neglect, so he immediately packed his luggage, took the train to Paris, and arrived in advance. Arrive at Minister Treville's house.

Because he was a relative, and she had been very respectful to her family in the past few years, and often gave him gifts such as pearls to show her respect, Charlotte received him with an unusual degree of grandeur. She stopped for some banquets, and then came to receive him alone. , they had been talking and laughing for a long time before Ciel came back.

"This place is indeed quite big. I usually feel a little deserted." Charles said casually, and then he asked again, "I'm really sorry for making you come all the way covered in dust."

"Ciel?" Before Henry could answer, Charlotte suddenly looked at Charles. "What's wrong with you? Your voice is so strange?"

Then, she moved closer to Ciel and looked at Ciel carefully. "What's going on? Your voice has become hoarse and there are wounds on your face?"

Because of Laura's fierce resistance and the last bite when she said goodbye, there were some shallow wounds on Charles's face, his tongue was bleeding, and he could no longer speak fluently. Charlotte naturally felt something was wrong at first sight. .

"Ah...it's nothing. I just had an accident during the meeting with my colleagues." Charles replied quickly. , "I was entertaining some guests for lunch at noon, and I accidentally injured myself. It's just a small wound. It will heal soon."

"Really? Then this lunch is really unpleasant." Charlotte's eyes became more and more strange.

"Well, it's very unpleasant." Charles sighed, "I even quarreled with someone and almost got into a fight! These businessmen are all so clever, and no one is easy to manipulate."

But she looked back and saw Henry looking at them, so she temporarily suppressed her questions in order to avoid arguing in front of outsiders.

"It's getting late. Let me go and have someone prepare dinner. Do you still have an appetite? If so, I'll have someone prepare more." She softened her tone, but still looked at Charles very seriously.

"Be more prepared, madam. A sumptuous dinner will help everyone talk more happily." Charles secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then changed the topic, "By the way, how were you having fun outside today?"

"What else can I do? It's just a few laps around the old places. I've long been tired of those places. It rains from time to time in this season, which can't give people a good mood." Charlotte complained a little, " Besides, I have to look after my children, so I can’t play happily.”

Because she just gave birth, she has inevitably gained some weight recently. Although in Charles's opinion, this cannot be called bloated, it can only be called plump, but Charlotte takes it very seriously and wants to return to her former self. Because of my poor body shape, I often take my children out for walks in the countryside and eat very little.

"I have to apologize to you for this. I have been too busy, so I can't share your pressure..." Charles blinked slightly apologetically, "But I will pay attention to it in the future and try my best to spend time with you. You two."

"Who dares to take over the position of your Excellency, Minister of Labor?" Charlotte sneered, "Just do your own thing well, the country cannot be without you."

Then she walked quickly out to arrange dinner, giving the two men space to talk privately.

"I'm really sorry, Henry, for calling you over all at once," Charles apologized to the other party again, and then sat on the sofa, "However, I think it's better to explain some things clearly in person, which is safer. "

"I think so too." Henry nodded respectfully, "In addition, please rest assured that I have no complaints against you. In fact, since the last time I said goodbye, I am very eager to see you again and express my gratitude to you. Without you, I wouldn’t be where I am today, so you can do whatever you want with me.”

Ever since he tried his luck and came to Paris to find relatives and actually connected with relatives in the capital, Count Henri de Latouche Treville's life has undergone earth-shaking changes. He jumped from poverty to poverty. He turned around and became a prominent figure in the local area. Everyone knew the weight of his backing and therefore respected him.

Of course he knows where he got all this from, so in order to keep everything he has got so far, he is willing to do anything for this backer.

"What you said is too harsh. I just gave you some help as much as I could. After all, we are relatives." Charles laughed, "Relatives should take care of each other."

Ciel knew that he was in power now, so it was normal for the other party to say this. If he lost power one day, the other party might not be able to come to him at his beck and call. So he didn't feel arrogant, but still maintained a calm attitude.

"Speaking of which, I have to thank you last time. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid my sister would be in big trouble." As if he just thought of it, he thanked him again, "You can tell me in detail Can I tell you what happened? My sister was frightened, so the description is a little unclear."

"Okay, Your Excellency." Henry immediately told Charles exactly what he saw and heard that day, even the final aftermath was not left out.

Charles listened carefully to the other party's narrative and carefully compared it with his sister's statement. After finally confirming that the two statements were basically consistent, he finally felt relieved.

"So, he has been sent to the United States, right?"

"Yes, we tied him and threw him on the boat. I saw it with my own eyes." Henry nodded. "I also know the captain and crew. I ordered them not to loosen their ties during the journey, but they must not be deprived of food." , just send it to America.”

"Very good." Charles laughed again, "Henry, you are indeed a trustworthy person, a very, very trustworthy person..."

"As a collateral member of the Treville family, as your friend and subordinate, I have the obligation to stand up when my family is in trouble." Henry held his head high and was impassioned, "Miss Treville shouldn't do it for some She was implicated in the bad behavior of a gangster, and I’m glad I protected her.”

Although in terms of genealogy and sequence, the branch of Duke Treville can be regarded as the main family, Henry ignored this obvious fact. Now that Marshal Treville's side is in power, and the Duke himself has passed away, with no hope of coming back, he would rather please this side.

Besides, Mrs. Charlotte can be regarded as the eldest daughter of Changzhi retrospectively, so it doesn’t mean that he ignores the facts.

"Well, your efforts will definitely be rewarded." Charles suddenly stretched out his hand and lightly knocked on the coffee table, "Actually, I called you over, of course, not just to ask about this matter. Henry, Your Majesty Next, he plans to expand the navy, and he plans to increase the budget for the navy in large quantities - you must have heard some rumors about this, right? "

"Well, we did hear some rumors, and I'm very excited about it." Henry nodded.

Read the original text in Liu#9@书/吧!

Since Louis Bonaparte came to power, the situation of the navy has been improving. After he became emperor, he significantly increased the funding for the navy. Although it has not yet been implemented, it has made the navy very excited.

"So, do you still hope to continue to advance in the navy?" Charles has become very serious, "Please answer this question seriously."

"Of course I hope so." Henry replied immediately, "My family has always had a tradition of fighting at sea, and my ideal is to become a naval commander."

"Well, if this is your wish, I will find a way to achieve it for you - but if this is the case, you should no longer be distracted by economic affairs and focus on being a general." Xia I still looked at the other party very seriously, "A naval admiral should not get involved in business, even behind the scenes. That's not possible. So if you want to continue to develop in the military, you have to quit all operations and leave everything to others. At most, you can only hold shares and get some dividends. So, I ask again. You decide, continue to run your business or advance in the navy, which side do you want to choose?"

Now Henry could no longer answer easily, because he already understood the weight of this question.

After pondering for a long time, the family ambition finally prevailed.

"I still want to continue to develop in the navy." He looked at the other party expectantly, "Sir, please continue to help me, I am willing to pay the price for this!"

"Very good, if this is your wish, I will help you realize it. Who do you think we are relatives?" Charles nodded slightly, "Then when you go back, take stock of everything you have in hand. , I will send someone to take over, they will set up a new company to collect all your property, and then convert it into shares and pay you dividends on a regular basis. You can no longer participate in the operation, just manage your fleet wholeheartedly. "

"Thank you, sir!" Henry certainly understood what the minister had promised him, so he was a little grateful, "I will never forget your kindness, and I am willing to do anything to repay your kindness."

He knew that the less you ask about some things, the better, otherwise it would bring unexpected disasters to yourself.

"Speaking of this, I still have something I want to ask you for help." Charles shrugged, "Charlotte has a younger brother, um, that is, my cousin, his name is Eugene, he wants to join the navy... and his father has agreed. So, Charlotte and I will ask you to take care of him in the future. Can you help me with this?"

"Of course, sir!" Although he didn't understand why the duke's son wanted to serve in the navy, Henry nodded and agreed, "He is also my relative. As long as I can, I will take care of him."

"Then I will thank you on behalf of Charlotte first." Charles stretched out his hand. He reached out and patted his shoulder, "Do your best, my friend. You will become famous in the future."

"Sir, I want to ask, does your Majesty and you... and your actions mean that there may be a war?" After hesitating for a moment, Henry asked hesitantly, "I always feel that the atmosphere in the country is not right now. The funding for the army and the navy has suddenly increased significantly, and your Majesty and you... and your actions are very urgent, as if you can't wait to make a big change in the short term."

Charles did not answer immediately, but looked at the other party leisurely, until the other party was a little panicked, he smiled and nodded.

"Yes, there will be a war soon, and the navy will be of great use this time, so... prepare well, Henry. Please believe me, my arrangements are all for everyone's good, just like in the past."

Henry wanted to ask for more specific details, but he saw that Charles obviously did not want to continue explaining, so he had to suppress the doubts in his heart.

"By the way, do you have anything else to do these days? If not, stay in Paris for a while. It's a rare trip, it would be a pity to miss the grand event." Charles suddenly changed the subject.

"Grand event?" Henry was a little confused.

"Yes, the French Empire will have a queen, isn't that a grand event?" Charles suddenly laughed, "Prepare your hair well, my friend. Don't make a fool of yourself in front of His Majesty!" (~^~)