Just as Fran was starting her day of school, her brother Charles also rode in a carriage to Oteil's villa again.

At this time, the villa, after two days of renovation, has completely changed its appearance.

The pits he had seen when he first came that day, beside the atrium avenue, had been filled in, and the pits had been filled with transported trees, and the well-cut turf had been laid beside them, and the scene of green grass suddenly overshadowed the original desolate and dilapidated scene, and brought vitality to the villa.

And when he stepped into the spacious mansion in the villa, the luxurious scene made him even more staggering.

The exterior of the mansion has been repainted, while the interior, the rooms, are filled with different styles of furniture, as if to show the different bedroom styles from all over the world. In the spacious living room, the walls are full of the most precious masterpieces of the ancient painters, as well as a large collection of porcelain and clocks, the men's lounge is equipped with billiard tables and cigars, chess and cards and other small objects, and the women's lounge is full of embroidery from the East, with mysterious colors and grotesque patterns, and the texture is extremely precious at a glance.

Everything was so new to the young man, although the Trevil Mansion where he grew up was quite good, but it was not at all comparable to this temporary converted residence.

And that's just where he plans to live temporarily...... This Count of Monte Cristo is really rich to the point of frightening.

With this inexplicable exclamation, Charles walked into the reception room, and then saw the Count of Monte Cristo again.

The Count was still dressed in a black coat and a white shirt, delicate but simple, and his eyes wandered, and he couldn't see what he was thinking.

For some reason, the Count made a deep impression on Charles, and every time they touched him, Charles would have a strange feeling in his heart.

It's not hate, it's not fear, it's just pure doubt, as if the other side is really someone from another world.

After seeing Charles, he made a gesture happily.

"Glad to see you again, Charles."

"Good morning, Count." Charles saluted him respectfully. "Baron Tangral's side has already been arranged, there is time for these two days, will you go over today?"

"Why not?" The Count replied with a smile, "I would be happy to pay a visit to this great man as soon as possible." ”

Since His Majesty the Emperor ordered Charles to help the Count of Monte Cristo live in Paris as pleasantly as possible, Charles certainly did not dare to slack off and served the Count with all his heart.

The last time he left the Count's Palace, the Count made a request that he should visit the famous banker as soon as possible, so that he could have enough cash to cover his expenses in Paris.

At that time, he told Charles that he was going to spend five million a year, and Charles initially thought he was exaggerating or joking, but after seeing the renovation he carried out in the Villa Oteil, Charles almost believed it - I am afraid that it will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to renovate this house alone.

If the Earl had always spent money like this, then millions could really be spent.

Taking advantage of his family's connections, Charles quickly contacted Baron Tangral, and when he heard that such a big customer came to his door, the baron was surprised and had some doubts, so he decided to meet the Count in person and weigh the quality of this big man who wanted to borrow millions.

The Count of Monte Cristo was of course glad at the invitation, and he quickly agreed, and then asked Charles to take him to the house at a later date.

Baron Tangral is one of the famous financiers of the Empire, and he is naturally very busy, and he has to spare some time to meet people, and today is the day when he happens to be free, and Charles is ready to come and visit with the Count.

As the two men talked, they walked out of the wide mansion into the vestibule, where a carriage had stopped, waiting for the Count's use.

Under the guidance of the butler, Charles was about to get into the car with the Count, when suddenly at this moment, a carriage rushed in front of Charles and stopped.

Charles was shocked to find that it was a black man sitting in the driver's seat.

This black man was tall, with no hair or beard on his head, and his dark skin was shiny, muscular, and seemed to contain infinite energy.

After seeing the Count and Charles, the black giant stepped out of the driver's position, came to the Earl's side, and bowed deeply to the Earl, his eyes full of deference and reverence, and this bowing appearance was almost like a dog, which was really incompatible with such a large man.

"This is my servant Ali." The Count of Monte Cristo, as if sensing Charles's doubts, explained to Charles, while making a gesture for the black man to look up, "Or rather, he is my slave." ”

"Slaves?" Charles became more and more confused.

"Yes, he was exchanged for a treasure by me." The Count replied coldly, "This fellow was caught wandering near the harem of the King of Tunisia, and according to the law of that there are no blacks allowed to go to such places, so he was condemned to cut off his tongue on the first day, his hands on the second day, and his head on the third day." I've long wanted to hire a mute. When his tongue had been cut off, I went and begged the king to sell Ali to me in the price of a beautiful double-barreled spear, for I knew that he wanted one of these very badly. He hesitated for a moment, for he wanted so badly to bear out the poor creature. But I also had an English scimitar, which could cut the king's Turkish sword to pieces, and when I added it to the spear, the king relented, and agreed to spare his hand and head, only on the condition that he would not be allowed to set foot in Tunis again. ”

"Poor fellow!" After listening to this Ali's tragic story, Charles couldn't help but blink, "You-you saved him, but deliberately waited for him to have his tongue cut out?" ”

"Yes, it may seem a little cruel, but at least I saved his life, didn't I? It's better to lose your tongue than your life. The Count did not have any mood fluctuations, and replied in an unusually cold tone, "I saved his life, and then got him in exchange, so he is now my slave, and if I want him to live, he will live, and if I want him to die, he will definitely die." ”

"But I have to remind you, Count, that all forms of slavery have been abolished in our country since the Revolution, and he is no longer your slave as long as he sets foot on French soil." Charles reminded him, "Maybe he was a slave with you, but now he is free—I don't care about this poor man, but I hope you had better not openly promote slavery, otherwise you may get into some trouble, and maybe some people will use this against you." ”

"Oh, I forgot, we're not Africa, we're here, we're the law." The count's pale face showed a slightly mocking and contemptuous smile. "There are so many people in this country who have no food and clothing, hunger and cold, and the law can't control it and doesn't want to take care of it; As a result, when a person wants to serve a life-saving benefactor, the law has to stand up again, how regrettable it is! Ali was his volunteer when I worked hard and gave everything for me, and he didn't need any laws. ”

Perhaps to prove something to Charles, the Count muttered a few words to the big black man in Arabic that Charles did not understand.

Then Ali got down on one knee and raised his head to hold the count's man.

This gesture of bowing down, this worship from the heart, was enough to prove how fanatically obedient he was to his master.

In a tall, muscular, explosive body, there seems to be infinite energy, and who would have imagined that this body is just a crippled shell?

Not just physically, but spiritually.

In that case, Charles felt that he didn't need to say anything.

Just then, the carriage of the carriage opened again, and a woman in a green-gold cloak stepped out of the carriage.

Although the light under the cloak was a little dim, Charles quickly saw that this was a very beautiful beauty.

She was tall, with gray-black hair and pupils, a regular oval face, a straight nose, ruddy lips, and swaying eyes.

Charles quickly came to his senses after a short period of distraction, after all, he had been in His Majesty's court for so long, what kind of beauty had not been seen, purely because the other party's outfit was a little strange, so he took a few more looks.

As soon as she got out of the car, as soon as she got out of the car, her eyes were completely focused on the Count of Monte Cristo, as if she had not seen the young man.

"Isn't this your slave too?" Charles asked, somewhat uncomfortably.

"She is indeed my slave girl." The Count replied in a low voice, but now he looked at the other man in a completely different way than he did when he looked at Ali, "but at the same time, she is also my friend, daughter, and mistress. Her name is Heidi, and I exchanged it for the Ottoman Sultan with a treasure. ”

As if she didn't want to meet Charles, the woman named Heidi just nodded to the Count, and under the escort of the black slaves, she stepped up the steps and entered the mansion.

As she passed, the young man smelled the lingering scent in his nose, and for a moment felt even more strange to the Count.

This rich man in a foreign country, who can talk and laugh with rulers everywhere, has untold amounts of money, and has loyal servants by his side, he must have tasted all the pleasures of the world.

- What the hell is he all about? Why had his grandfather never heard of this person before? Could it really be that such a large amount of wealth could come out of thin air?

"Alright, let's go." While he was in doubt, the Count of Monte Cristo had stepped into the carriage that was ready to go.

Soon the carriage left the town of Outeuil and returned to Paris, where it arrived at the residence of Baron de Tangral.

Like all bankers who have made a fortune, the baron's mansion was built in great style, and he did not hesitate to decorate his dwelling, and the dwelling room was dazzlingly decorated, full of ornate ornaments, as if it were a court, and even the ceilings were gilded to show off their wealth—these bankers were all taking other people's money to make a fortune, so they had to spend as much money as they could, to show off their strength, and to give others the confidence to give them their money.

They remained in the reception room, and the servants went to report it.

Then, not long after, a quick sound of footsteps came from the doorway, and a man in a formal suit walked in quickly.

"Are you the most famous Count of Monte Cristo?" He nodded to the introducer, Charles, and then looked at Monte Cristo and asked.

The man was wearing a blue blouse with blue buttons, a white vest with a thick gold chain hanging from it, brown trousers, very dark hair, and shiny black hair, but the deep wrinkles on his face showed that his age and health were not so optimistic, in short, although this man was obviously about fifty years old, he wanted to make people feel that he was not yet forty years old, he was very energetic, and there was that burning greed in his eyes.

The man's gaze was sharp, shrewd and cunning, even a little treacherous, and his two lips were straight and so thin that, when they were closed, they were almost completely pressed into his mouth. In short, his large, bulging cheekbones, his flat forehead, the back of his skull, his large, vulgar ears, and his sallow skin, perhaps stained with gold coins, made this man look extremely vulgar.

As soon as he saw the honor of this Baron Tangral, Charles clearly felt that the count's spirit suddenly tightened, and his originally calm demeanor suddenly became a little snarky.

It stands to reason that it is normal to be serious when encountering such a big man who can influence the French financial world, but for some reason, Charles feels that the Count's attitude is not so much respect as mockery, like a hunter who has found his prey.

However, he did not say anything, and stood quietly watching the interaction between the Count of Monte Cristo and the Baron Tangral.

He could see that the baron's attitude towards the count was a little provocative, perhaps doubting the count's identity.

"Yes, I am the Count of Monte Cristo." The Count nodded coldly at the baron, and sat down without stretching out his hand. "You must be the famous banker, Baron Tangral, director of the Banque de France."

Both of them were not too polite, and exchanged glances for a moment, and neither of them budged.

Baron Tangral's lips were closed and his brow furrowed slightly, he hadn't been confronted like this for a long time.

"Well, your Excellency the Count," he owed, and said dryly, "I am willing to take the time to see you to-day, not only because of Marshal Tréville's introduction, but also because I received a notice from the Thomson-French Bank of Rome the day before yesterday. ”

"So, you've been notified?" The Earl nodded slightly, "They have finally sent it, and I am afraid that because of their mistakes, I will have no money to spend at once...... So, Mr. Tangral, how much are you ready for? ”

"Of course, it is not a problem to prepare money, my bank has funds." There was a hint of sinister in the baron's dry smile, "But Count, I need to clear up some minor doubts - I invite you here today in the hope that you will be able to explain." ”

"Explain? What needs to be explained? The Count seemed a little surprised, "Didn't they write it very clearly?" I think this bank should be quite serious, how can there be such an omission? ””

"No, they write French very well, and the words are clear, which is exemplary." Tangral shook his head slightly, "But I'll admit I didn't understand it all. ”

With that, he reached for the inside pocket of his shirt, "Yes, here!" Well, this letter tells me that you can take out unlimited loans in our bank and they guarantee it for you. ”

"Excuse me, then, what else needs to be explained for such a simple fact, Your Excellency?" The Count smiled suspiciously, "Isn't that clear?" ”

"Everything is clear, except that the word 'infinite' is so elusive that people can't fathom." The baron was still smiling, but there was not much warmth in his smile, "We are engaged in finance, and we have always been very sensitive to amounts, and the word infinite makes me even more sensitive." ”

"So are you doubting Thomson French's ability to vouch?" The Count asked, "I always thought they were rich!" ”

"No, it's not, in my opinion, Thomson-French Bank is one of the most creditworthy banks in Italy," Tenglar replied with an almost mocking smile, "and I'm not talking about how creditworthiness or ability they are to meet their debts, but the word 'infinite', and they can't afford the responsibility of infinity." ”

"Are you saying that you can't provide the financial guarantee that the Thomson French Bank dares to provide?" The Earl sneered and asked, "You admit that you can't take on the challenge of this bank, right?" ”

The knight hates to hear others question his honor, and the banker hates nothing more than to hear others question his money.

Charles could clearly see that the corners of the baron's mouth twitched, as if he was about to get angry.

"You're wrong, Your Excellency!" After a moment, the banker, who had suppressed his anger, straightened up with an air of arrogance and replied, "I dare not say that I have unlimited money, but I am sure that my assets are stronger than those of Thomson-French Bank." ”

"So what are you afraid of?" The Count seemed to spread his hands helplessly.

"Please set a practical limit for your infinity, and then I'll see if I should agree to it." Baron Tangral replied coldly, "I'm sorry, but for the professional demands of this profession, I must be a cautious person, and I can't put myself on an obligation without scale." Tell me, how much money are you going to withdraw? ”

"Oh, really," Monte Cristo shook his head, "I want a guarantee for an 'unlimited' loan precisely because I don't know how much money I have to pay. ”

His attitude, though polite, was full of mockery, almost to the point of disrespect, and completely pretentious. The Count of Monte Cristo, on the contrary, wore the most gentle smile in the world, seemingly straightforward but implicitly sinister.

"Yes, you born rich are always like that, you have a lot of wealth, and the only worry is how to spend it...... You spend a lot of money but never intend to relent, unlike us, there are always so many investments to make. The banker looked at the Count and muttered, "Is a million enough?" ”

"What am I going to do with a million?" The Earl immediately laughed with some disdain, "Sir, if I had only wanted to ask for a million from you, I would not have to vouch for such a meagre amount. A million, I only carry a million in my wallet or in a jewelry box. ”

As he spoke, Monte Cristo took out a small box containing business cards from his pocket, and from the box pulled out two coupons of 500,000 francs each, which were issued from the French treasury, and were no different from cash, that is, he really had with him a million francs—hundreds of kilograms of gold.

Even the banker, who was accustomed to seeing the world, could not help but raise his head in astonishment and look at the Count of Monte Cristo in a daze.

Then, he abruptly turned his gaze to Charles, who sat silently next to him.

He seemed to want to ask, "Is this man crazy?", and all Charles could do was shrug his shoulders slightly, indicating that he didn't know who the Count really was.

Whether the Count was a madman or not, neither of them knew, but they both knew that a man who could take out a million francs in his pocket at any time was a man of wealth, even if he was a madman.

"The Count told me before that he would spend about five million a year."

"Five million...... Baron Tangral was no longer surprised, but a little thoughtful. Can you spend five million a year? ”

"Isn't that weird?" The Count interjected.

"No, it's not surprising, I can spend ten million or more a year." The baron had come to his senses and looked at the count calmly, "But the man who spent five million purely for consumption, I thought that only the legendary King Solomon could do it, but I didn't expect to see it alive today." ”

"I hope you won't be too surprised." The Count owed slightly, "If you are not willing to bear this pressure, I have two more letters here, the same one I wrote to you." One from the Vienna Asdan Escris Bank to the Rothschild family, and the other from the London Baring Bank to Baron de Beauwon, both of whom are your illustrious peers...... Now, sir, you have to say a word, and I may send my power of attorney to those two banks, lest I disturb you any longer in this matter. ”

"No, no, Count, I accept your challenge." The baron stood up with a stern expression, as if he was a swordsman facing a tough opponent, "Five million a year? I was able to do it, there was no pressure. ”

"Well, I thank you for your generosity." The Count also stood up, and saluted the Baron very politely.

………………………………

After the contract had been signed, the Count of Monte Cristo left the mansion of Baron de Tangral, not empty-handed, but having already received a loan of five million francs a year from the great banker.

Five million francs, a figure that even the Charles were a little dizzy, and for these two men, it didn't seem to be a big number.

However, after the count left, the baron's expression was still grim, as if he had encountered some fatal problem.

"Believe me, Monsieur de Treville, I'm not afraid of a loser who can spend five million, but I'm still afraid, do you know why?"

In his living room, he said to Charles who had stayed behind.

"Why?" Charles was a little puzzled.

"I'm in finance, I love the industry, and I'm willing to spend my whole life loving it." The baron looked coldly ahead, "So I am collecting information about the rich people all over Europe all the time, all the rich people in Europe, all the rich people with enough wealth, I have made a detailed investigation report for them, their assets, their lives, and even their hobbies, I have a whole archive of this." ”

"I guess...... Without this count? Charles asked.

"Yes, ......no," the baron clenched his hands, "I must know what happened." ”