Outside of Paris, there are many beautiful suburban towns, especially Oteuil, where the Seine meets the Bois de Boulogne.

The beautiful scenery of the mountains and rivers has attracted many wealthy and aristocratic people in the city to build their villas here, and at the turn of spring and summer, they will come here to feast and have fun, and by the way, enjoy the gardens of each mansion and escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

This has been the case lately – as the temperature rises, the crowds of Oteuil, which had been sparse everywhere, begin to become denser, and from time to time richly decorated carriages drive from the city along the avenues into the town.

One of them was parked in front of 28 Fontaine Street.

This villa, which occupies a large area, is surrounded by iron railings, and only the outline of the building inside can be seen from the outside, but even then it can be seen that it took a lot of effort to build by the owner, and the building is quite exquisite, although it is not luxurious and high-profile, but it has its own pattern.

It's just that the lawn behind the railing is overgrown with weeds and looks a bit deserted, and no one has taken care of it for years.

After the carriage came to a stop, a young man stepped out of the carriage.

His figure is very athletic, his movements are stretched, and he looks to have been rigorously tempered, but his appearance is very gentle, the golden distribution is meticulously combed, and the blue eyes are also very smart.

Although he still looked a little childish, he wore a black tuxedo like a gentleman, a white shirt underneath, a blue thin bow tie, and shiny leather shoes on his feet.

Just by looking at it, people can see that this is a child of a rich family, a young master who is personable but ignorant of the world, and only occasionally for a moment can he see some cunning and indifference that has inadvertently slipped in his dark blue eyes.

After leaving, he took out his pocket watch and looked at the time.

Luckily, everything was so well handled.

He walked to the gate of the villa and was stopped by the porter.

"Sir, who are you looking for?" The old porter asked.

"Is this the abode of the Count of Monte Cristo? I have an appointment today, please help me pass it through. The young man nodded kindly at the old man, "I am Charles de Treville, and your master knows me." ”

"Okay, wait a minute." The porter immediately answered.

Soon after, the door opened.

"Please come in, sir, the Earl awaits your arrival!" The old porter also saluted the boy respectfully, as if he had learned the boy's identity.

"Thank you." Charles smiled again, and walked briskly inside.

Along the way, he watched his surroundings carefully, for he was very interested in this earl of unknown origin but with great posacy.

After meeting His Majesty there, His Majesty suddenly gave him the task of guiding and accompanying this important man who had just arrived in France to get acquainted with Paris—in other words, to spy on him.

Although he was surprised at first, since this was a task assigned by His Majesty, Charles could only accept it.

When he returned home, he did not dare to slack off, and gathered information about the earl everywhere.

Unfortunately, however, very little information was gathered, and there was little information other than the knowledge that the Count was very wealthy, and that he was a mysterious man who had traveled extensively everywhere.

This made him a little curious about this earl - after all, the person who could be the guest of His Majesty the Emperor was definitely not an ordinary person, and since he could be respected in various countries, then he must have great ability.

When he entered, he found that the mansion had been turned into a large construction site.

There are people coming and going everywhere, and there are traces of construction along the way,

Many large pits had been dug in the vestibule, and a group of workers were shoveling the earth everywhere, and others were laboriously erecting the poplars and maples that had been brought in, preparing to build a man-made pavement forest in the vestibule to grace the villa.

Inside the mansion, a large group of workers can also be seen painting and renovating everywhere.

It seems that the Count is going to completely renovate the villa he bought as his home in Paris.

Who is this Count of Monte Cristo?

Charles still didn't have an answer, but he knew that it would cost a lot of money to renovate like this.

Guided by the servant, Charles walked to the mansion and walked all the way to the second floor, bypassing the miscellaneous items and finishing materials piled on the ground.

On the second floor there is a living room, a bathroom and two bedrooms, one of which is connected by a spiral staircase that leads to the garden, and next to the bedroom is a huge study, in which the Count is located.

The servant opened the door and stood outside, Charles took a breath, and walked in with his head held high.

It is a large study, with shelves piled up on both sides, and I am afraid that there will be nearly a thousand books. The book covers were in a new condition, and it seemed that they had just been bought by the Count to decorate the façade, and opposite the study was a greenhouse, which was filled with porcelain pots full of exotic flowers and plants, and the Count sat on a chaise longue in the middle of the study, quietly looking at the book in his hand.

When he heard Charles's footsteps, the Count seemed to be aware of it, put the book on the coffee table next to him, and then slowly stood up, and stretched out his hand to greet his young guest.

"Welcome, distinguished guest." A subtle smile appeared on his face.

After seeing the owner of this place clearly, Charles was slightly stunned.

The person on the other side, tall and sturdy, very stretched movements, quick reactions, and calluses on his hands, was definitely a master of swordsmanship - he made this judgment for the first time.

This is nothing, the point is that the other party's skin is too pale, and with this ethereal smile, it is not that it is ugly, but it gives people a wonderful feeling, as if the other party is from another world.

He's probably the best person in the world to play a vampire. The thought flashed through Charles' mind.

Seeing the strange appearance of the other party, Charles was really a little uncomfortable, but quickly restrained his emotions.

Pretending to be confused, he walked in front of the other party.

"Count, by order of Your Majesty, I will be your retinue for the time being, to help you get acquainted with the city, and I ask your forgiveness if any inconvenience has caused you."

The well-dressed young gentleman and the richly dressed earl looked at each other for a moment, and the picture froze.

"Oh, you're so kind!" After a moment, the Count suddenly raised an eyebrow, and then his original indifferent attitude was replaced by kindness in an instant, "How dare I take a child of the Trevill family as my own retinue?" You are my guide, my friend, and I am glad that Your Majesty has assigned you to help me. ”

"You've heard of me?" Charles was slightly surprised.

"Of course, the surname Trevier is very famous, and even after all its ups and downs, its family members should be remembered." The Count bowed slightly, and motioned for Charles to come with him, "If I remember correctly, your ancestors were already in the court at the time of Louis XI, and your great-grandfather married the niece of Prime Minister de Choissell......"

He then spoke eloquently in Charles' presence, telling some of the famous people and stories in the history of the Tréville family.

"You know so well!" Charles was more and more surprised, "I thought no one cared about this kind of thing in this day and age......

"I carefully studied the detailed genealogy of every famous family in Europe, and I kept it in my head." The Count replied seemingly nonchalantly.

"You're amazing...... "Charles complimented him half-seriously, half-politely." Nowadays there are very few nobles as traditional as you. ”

The so-called glorious deeds of the ancestors, as well as what genealogical coats of arms and other knowledge, Charles himself did not care too much, only because of the needs of the nobility, he had to learn some genealogical common sense, and the earl in front of him who could talk eloquently was not at the same level at all.

In the midst of the pleasantries, the Count led Charles to the balcony outside the door of the study.

Sitting on the balcony with a table and some fruit, the garden downstairs and the breeze made Charles feel a lot more relaxed.

"It's a pity, if only you came back two days later, just two days." The Count waved his hand, then sat down next to the coffee table, "It's a mess here right now, and there's no way to entertain you properly." ”

"I'm already amazed by how big you are here." Charles smiled, "After spending so much effort on the transformation, are you planning to live in Paris for a long time?" ”

"Long-term? Not necessarily, I'm a wandering person, I'm afraid I'm used to experiencing different lives everywhere. The Count shook his head, "I will probably leave after I get tired of life in Paris, maybe a month, maybe a year or two, but probably not longer." ”

"So, you've spent so much money renovating this place just to live temporarily?" Charles' eyes widened slightly. "When you have the opportunity, you have to make yourself comfortable, don't you?" The Count replied with a smile.

Just then, a servant came over with a tray and laid down two steaming cups.

"You should be used to drinking coffee in Paris, so change the taste this time, my cocoa here is also good." The Count picked up a cup and took a gentle sip, "This is the best good thing shipped from Venezuela, and there is only one in Europe who can drink it now." ”

"Oh, thank you." Of course, Charles was so good that he picked up the cup of cocoa and drank it.

The aroma of chocolate spread to his mouth in an instant, and then poured into his esophagus and stomach with heat, which also shook his spirits.

"I've always been interested in Paris, the brightest jewel of Europe, so I've been planning to come and see it, but to be honest, I'm still a little apprehensive that I won't get the best living experience here because I don't have enough money, and that's always been my ......quest," said the Count slowly after Charles had drunk the cocoa, "So, Monsieur Treville, as you can see, how much money do I have to prepare for this purpose?" ”

"People have different ways of living, and from what I've seen, even people who don't spend a lot of money can live happily." Not knowing the other party's intention in suddenly talking about this topic, Charles replied cautiously, "However, if you want to spend money like those most famous young masters and Russian princes, it is still very stressful. How much are you prepared to spend? ”

"Probably, let's spend five million first, I spend about this amount a year, if it's not enough, I can spend more." The Count replied nonchalantly. "It's Paris, after all, so I need to be prepared."

"Five...... Million! Charles lost his mind for a moment.

Five million francs, in today's currency, is about a ton and a half of gold—even a Charles from a well-known family would be a little horrified to hear that someone was ready to spend a ton and a half of gold in a short time.

It's a big fat sheep.

Charles' eyes changed as he looked at the Count.

Hmph, you're pretending to be X in front of me? Pretend, let you pretend, wait, I'm going to slaughter you clearly!

"Is it really too little?" Looking at Charles' radiant blue eyes, the Count asked.

"No, not a lot! More than enough! Charles immediately replied in a loud voice, "Count, you are indeed richer than the prince, even more powerful than the prince, and I can assure you that you will become a legend in Parisian social circles, and you will be mentioned at every banquet." ”

"Oh, that's great." The Count smiled again, "Looks like I'm lucky enough to afford the life I want. Now the problem is very simple, I need to find a bank to help me discount and give me the money I need to live, after all, I can't carry that much cash with me...... Sir, what do you think of a friend who recommended Baron de Tangral to me? ”

"Baron Tangral is a well-known banker in our country, and he has a very strong financial strength, so it should not be a problem to take on the money you need, as long as you have enough collateral." Charles replied at once, of course he knew, that there was more to the other than that, "In addition to the exchange, the baron is also interested in politics, he is a director of the Banque de France and a good friend of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and there are rumors that he may be considered by His Majesty as the next president of the Banque de France......"

"That's pretty impressive." The Count's pupils narrowed slightly, unnoticed, and then he took another sip from the cup. "It seems that if I can find this banker, my worries will not be a problem."

After a pause, he suddenly looked at Charles again, "By the way, have you heard of Monsieur de Villefort?" I have a friend who also mentioned him. ”

"If you mean His Excellency de Villefort, Attorney General of Paris, then I do know him." Charles smiled, then spread his hands, "Actually, he has some ties to me. ”

"Well, what do you say?" The Count seemed interested.

"Actually, this relationship is quite tortuous, but since you want to hear it, I'll tell you in detail." "As you know, during the Revolution, many nobles had to flee the country, and my grandfather was one of them. He went to Düsseldorf, Germany, where he worked as a shoemaker and supported himself by this trade, and thanks to this, I would not be where I am today......"

"You are not ashamed," the Count smiled, "as far as I know, many of the sons of famous families are reluctant to talk about what their fathers and ancestors did during their flights. ”

"What's there to be ashamed of here?" Charles asked rhetorically, "What I admire most about my grandfather is the fighting spirit that survived the upheaval of displacement...... If he didn't have this spirit, I'm afraid he wouldn't have been able to regain everything he has now. ”

"Well, you're right, I'm not going to interrupt, you can continue—" The Count's smile deepened.

"Well, it was during his exile that he grew up and it was time to get married, but at that time there were no serious noble families willing to marry the exiled nobles, so these exiles had to intermarry with each other, and my grandfather married the sister of the Marquis of Saint-Meylan."

Charles took a sip of cocoa and moistened his throat, "The Marquis of Saint-Merand's family, originally a famous family in Marseille, the family was quite rich, but at that time there was nothing, and when he married my grandfather, he didn't bring any dowry, but my grandfather didn't care about these things, and soon after getting married, my grandfather responded to the emperor's edict and returned home with his wife, and his eldest brother was a staunch conservative and resolutely refused to compromise with the emperor, so he stayed in Germany."

Later, after an unfortunate defeat, the emperor was forced to abdicate, Louis XVIII returned with his court, and the Marquis of Saint-Merand returned with his family, and his property was returned intact because of the king's favor. Thanks to him as a guarantor for the king, my grandfather was not held accountable for his service to the emperor, who had many people arrested and imprisoned. ”

"Then, Louis XVIII was in power for only a year, and was driven away by the emperor who had brought him back." The Count calmly added.

"Yes, you know all this that happened, I won't say more, anyway, the Marquis of Saint-Merant was prosperous for a year, and then he lost again, but this time because of the persuasion of his brother-in-law, that is, my grandfather, he stayed, and his property was preserved because of his grandfather's good words, so you see, goodwill is mutual, right?" Charles replied with a smile, as if rejoicing at his grandfather's victory, "In that glorious year, the Marquis found himself a son-in-law, this Monsieur de Villefort, so we can be considered relatives when we turn the corner." My grandmother, the sister of his father-in-law, is simply that. ”

"Oh! I see! The Count clapped his hands, as if it had dawned on him. Then the two of you should have a lot of contact. ”

"Actually, it's not, we don't interact much with each other, just the occasional breath." Charles shook his head, "Monsieur de Villefort's father was a hardcore emperor, but he himself did not count, in the year of Louis XVIII's restoration, he misjudged the situation, actively served the king, and captured many supporters of the emperor, but later ...... His Majesty the Emperor came back and almost arrested him and sent him to prison, and in the end the Emperor spared him for his father's sake, but my grandfather was not used to his duplicitous behavior, so he was unwilling to associate with him. ”

"Then why did he become Attorney General again?" The Count seemed interested.

"It was also because of his father, his father, the Marquis de Novatier, who had suddenly suffered a stroke a few years ago and was paralyzed in bed, and the current Emperor took pity on this loyal old minister, who had served the Emperor for so many years, so he reactivated Villefort - and although this gentleman was not firm in his political position, his enthusiasm for work and working methods were indeed quite powerful, so he slowly rose up along the way, and over time there were not many people mentioning the things of the year." Charles replied honestly, "So now he's the attorney general that everyone fears." ”

Wait, the Count asks what this does?

When he said this, Charles suddenly came to his senses-

Since the Count of Monte Cristo claimed to be proficient in the genealogy of famous families, how could he not know his relationship with the family of Saint-Melan and with Villefort?

For a moment, he was slightly suspicious.

"Shall you, then, Mr. Treville, introduce me to this Mr. Villefort?" The Earl looked at Charles amicably, and made his own request.

"He's a very strict person, and he doesn't have any interest in life, so he's a workaholic, but it's not that good." Charles was a little embarrassed, "And I don't have much to do with him, his wife has been dead for a long time, and he has married another string, so this layer of kinship has also been broken." Yes, he has two children, one is the daughter of the original match, which is my distant cousin, and the other is the son of the continuation of the string, which has nothing to do with me. ”

"May I call you Charles?" The Count interrupted the boy abruptly.

"Hmm...... Absolutely! Charles nodded immediately.

Then the Count pulled out a shiny thing from his pocket.

Then, suddenly, he stood up and leaned in front of Charles.

Under Charles' stunned gaze, his hand reached for Charles.

At this time, Charles saw clearly that the count had a diamond pin in his hand, and in the sunlight, the huge diamond sparkled brightly, making him a little dizzy.

As if it were a medallion, the Count pinned the pin to Charles' chest.

"This diamond is not of very good quality, but it probably costs about forty or fifty thousand francs." Then, the count's cold voice echoed in Charles's ears, "But it is very beautiful after polishing, I have worn it before, and I will give it to you as a greeting gift, after all, I have been annoying you all this time." Thank you, Charles. ”

"Five...... Fifty thousand ......," Charles said to himself.

For the sake of such a big money, many people are willing to kill people and sell goods, and they are just introducing individuals.

What is this?

"Thank you, Count." Sven's handsome blonde boy showed a bright smile, "I can help you do that." ”