"It's a pity that her father is too bastard, just leave his daughter here and don't care, and now she can't see anyone!"

As soon as Fanny said this, although Philip didn't understand what he meant at all, and only thought that his fiancée was denouncing the Italian lord Duke Ricanigter who had never been seen, Charles naturally understood completely. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

Oops, she really seems to know something. A flash of realization flashed through Charles's heart.

The point is, how much does she really know? If you just know Liana's background, it's nothing, if you know the reason why he hooked up with Lola, and why Lola was locked up, then the matter is serious, and it can even be said that it is difficult to control.

But in this situation, he can't ask his cousin-in-law.

However, fortunately, he had already experienced an unknown number of storms over the years, so after a brief moment of consternation, he immediately returned to his normal complexion, almost as if nothing had happened, just a slight glance at the other party.

And Fanny was also smiling and talking to Philip, but when he looked over, she smiled and nodded at him, which was self-evident.

When he was looking for a marriage partner for his cousin Philip, he only communicated with her father and finalized the matter, and did not pay much attention to the young lady—this is probably the case in this era, and the parents' orders are more effective than anything else. I really didn't expect that this young lady was also a ruthless character...... Charles couldn't help but feel a little big.

His sister and wife were powerful enough, and the thought that such a clever man would also become his cousin and future duchess made his expectations for the future even more obscure.

Hey, what did these people learn when they were learning to paint...... Do you just take pleasure in fighting each other?

But in any case, now that the wood is done, the Duchess and Kellers have already arrived, and it has been announced by the Count de Beauvang himself that it is impossible to regret it, so he can only face the reality head-on.

"Are you not feeling well, sir?" While Charles was still thinking, Fanny suddenly ended her conversation with Philip, walked to Charles's side, and looked at Charles with concern, "Do you want me to call someone over?" ”

"No, no, I'm fine, thank you." Charles hurriedly waved his hand, "It's just that I've been standing for so long, I'm just a little tired, I'll just rest for a while...... Okay, I'll go over and rest first. ”

After saying that, he immediately prepared to turn around and leave, but because his heart was too heavy, he couldn't help but add. "Fontie, you may know something, but since you want a duchess, you know that quiet elegance is the most important thing for a duchess......"

"Sir, after a while, we will be a family, so you don't need to use the kind of words that speak to outsiders to teach me, just give me direct orders." Fanny still had that kind smile, "In the same way, as a family, our first obligation is to help each other, I will never be against you, I really hope that my relatives and my friends will be happy......"

"That is, you will be silent about what is bad for me?" Since she said that, Charles was also straightforward, "Fanny, I don't know how much you know about me, about Lola, but I like that you can keep quiet for us, in the end, it is in everyone's interest. ”

"I follow your teachings completely." Fontie bowed and watched Charles leave.

Charles nodded and turned to leave, though he had received such a clear promise from Fanny, but for some reason, he vaguely felt that a danger seemed to be looming, and he couldn't tell what it was.

He couldn't figure it out after thinking about it, and in the end he had to leave the question behind.

…………………………

In the middle of the night, the feast finally came to an end, and the protagonists of the feast, Philip and Fanny, had gone home with their respective families, while Charles remained here, and he had some things to make clear to the Count.

Led by the servant, he again went to the Count's lavishly decorated study, where the Count had been waiting early, sitting behind his desk.

At this time, the Comte de Beauvais was at the pinnacle of his life - he had just fulfilled his lifelong wish to become the president of the Banque de France with the strength of his comrades and allies, and to take charge of the country's economy, and to become one of the most dazzling people in the entire economic world.

Getting this throne, of course, is not just to show off his strength and power, in fact, he is more low-key than before, without the slightest domineering in a high position. He has devoted all his body, mind and energy to his career and work, so that he can come out of the pain of losing his child.

"Charles, I heard you're going to Crimea?" As soon as Charles was seated, the Earl asked directly.

"Yes, I am going to inspect the supply situation at the front line, and by the way, boost the morale of the soldiers on the front line." Charles nodded and replied, "In addition, I actually have the task of making diplomatic contacts with Russia, and if things go well, turning such contacts into front-line peace talks." ”

"Your Majesty is really inclined to make peace talks as soon as possible." The Count smiled slightly, "It seems that the current prolonged war has made him a little on pins and needles. ”

"We didn't intend to fight the Russians to the death, but now that we have hurt Russia, we have achieved our goal. Now the Russians no longer dare to treat us the way they did at the beginning, and that's enough. Charles shrugged his shoulders, "Now, it is indeed time to talk about how to collect troops, if the war continues, it will naturally have a lot of pressure on the domestic economic situation." ”

"The country's economic situation is not good, but it is not so bad that it is intolerable." The Count did not agree with him, "On the one hand, it is true that a great deal of wealth and military expenditure have been consumed at the front, and taxes have increased, but on the other hand, because of the war, our employment has also increased, and accordingly a special prosperity and prosperity have been created...... In general, we will certainly be able to hold out longer than the Russians. ”

"I agree with you." Charles replied with a smile.

"It is difficult, if not impossible, to completely conquer the Russians in war, but it is not so difficult to defeat the Russians economically." Count de Beauvang replied quietly, "Yes, the Russians have 20 million square kilometers of land, they have tens of millions of people, and they even have inexhaustible resources, but the Russians do not use their minds, they only squander their wealth, and then fall asleep in drunkenness, which is why they can't beat the Anglo-French army at home - so I think that if you can continue to fight them later, they will not be able to hold it up after all." ”

"What do you mean?" Charles didn't understand for a moment.

"Wars can and should end, but they must end in an orderly manner." The Count waved his hand and motioned for him to stop first, "The current prosperity we have created is artificial, and the operation of the factory depends largely on the mobility we have created out of thin air, if we suddenly end the war, then what will happen next?" The water that we spill out will pour back and eventually submerge ourselves, and the whole industrial system will be greatly affected......"

After the start of the war, because of the huge war expenditures, the imperial government soon faced the dilemma of serious shortage of funds, in order to solve this difficult situation, the government multi-pronged, on the one hand, to increase taxes, on the other hand, to increase the intensity of foreign borrowing, and His Majesty the Emperor after appointing the count as the president of the Bank of France, even more without scruples issued a large number of small denomination banknotes, relying on this way to expand the liquidity of the market.

However, although this practice worked, it also had great side effects, especially in this era of the gold standard, which was more likely to cause panic, but fortunately these additional banknotes were widely sprinkled among the general public, so as not to cause immediate confusion.

But if the war were to end soon, the boom that had arisen as a result of the war would have come to an abrupt halt, and there would have been a sudden and massive decline in factory orders everywhere, and workers would have lost their jobs on a large scale, and the extra money would have flooded into the market in an instant, and finally hit the entire domestic economy.

Therefore, although the Earl was not opposed to the cessation of the war, he believed that it must be stopped in an orderly manner, so that the special prosperity caused by the war could continue for a period of time, and the impact on the economy should be reduced.

"I see what you mean." After the Count's explanation, Charles nodded in agreement, "I will refer to your opinion, I personally believe that as long as we can win, then the people's identification with the Empire will rise, and in turn consolidate their support for us." ”

"The support and cheers of the people are no match for the cheese on their tables." The Earl replied coldly, "The cycle of credit and credit expansion is over, and although we still need to continue to maintain the previous construction plan in order to promote employment, we must also solve the problems accumulated before, and it is time for the empire to prepare for the end of the previous years." Of course, fortunately, the Russians are in a worse situation than we are, and I believe that they are likely to face financial bankruptcy, which could be great news for us. Now the Russians are desperately borrowing, but their domestic business is not developed, how can they borrow? It is even more impossible outside, and neither Britain nor France will open their doors for them. ”

"Then I wish them to go bankrupt first." Charles replied expectantly, knowing in his heart that it would not be long before something earth-shattering would happen in Russia.

Of course, Count de Beauvin did not know the conspiracy of Count Bezukhov, but from that purely economic point of view, he could naturally see that the Russian Empire was already in turmoil at this time, and it was no longer possible to support the war with Britain and France, although the current situation in France was not particularly good, but it was obviously much better than Russia, and this was also the confidence of his demand for an orderly end to the war, and the superior side could always be more active.

And then, it's what he really intends.

"Victory over Russia, in my opinion, is not a problem." The Count casually picked up the pen on the table and scribbled on the paper, "However, for the Empire, the defeat of the Russians should be the beginning of the construction of a new system for the entire continent, not the end of a short adventure. If we only overcome for the sake of victory, then we have wasted the meaning of victory. It may sound vague, but my point is clear – if the Russians fail, they will lose so much that they may not recover for a generation, let alone get their hands on Europe...... They can no longer use their influence to suppress other countries, and this invisibly gives us the perfect opportunity to receive the space they have left behind, which is the best that France can get from this war. ”

Charles had been listening quietly to the Count's words, and he soon understood what the Count meant.

"Do you want the Empire to take the opportunity to push its power deep into the East?"

"Yes, we can by all means encircle those countries that are disgruntled and even more fearful of the Russians, and make them our allies and accept some kind of protection from France." The Earl nodded, "This will be very helpful for the future, because sooner or later the Russians will get back up from the mire, and we need more helpers to restrain them." Other than that...... Bringing these countries and powers under the control of France would also be very conducive to the economic expansion of the empire, and if they could all buy French arms, French industrial goods, and even receive French investment, then why should we worry about the economic crisis? This is the most important thing. ”

"Obviously, your thoughts coincide with mine." Charles nodded hurriedly, "I think that for the sake of the empire in ten or twenty years, we should seek to build a new system now, and at this point in time, people will be very enthusiastic to accept our favors." I intend to strengthen those friendly countries of ours by means of assistance. Turkey, for example, we can send them instructors to help them rebuild a barely passable army, and then we can give them preferential loans......"

"Of course, these loans must be used to buy French arms and machinery and other equipment, right?" The Count asked rhetorically. "Is that a disguised domestic subsidy? In order to slow the impact of the armistice on industry? ”

"You're so shrewd." Charles laughed.

"Looks like I don't have much more to teach you." The Count smiled wryly, then held out his hand to Charles, "Good luck with you." ”

Charles stepped forward and took the other's rough, loose hand.

"Goodbye." The Earl nodded indifferently, and then his eyes suddenly flickered slightly. "I sometimes feel that you are more suitable to lead the empire than Your Majesty, do you have similar thoughts?"

Charles knew the weight of the question, of course, but he knew even more, and now he could only say no.

"Goodbye!" He smiled, then turned to leave.

"Slippery boy, his ambitions are really big." Looking at his departing back, the Earl sighed, "I didn't deny it harshly!" ”