With an inexplicable lightheartedness, Prince Richard von Metternich left the palace of His Excellency Chancellor Tréville with joy, and he could be said to have returned this evening with a full load, and what he had received even more than he had originally expected, and he received an unequivocal assurance, convincing him that Franco-Austrian friendship was to be expected in the empire of the Bonapartese family. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

He even looked forward to it, hoping that he would be able to move His Majesty the Emperor to Paris with his fiancée to attend the celebration of Empress Carona's twentieth birthday, as his friend had hoped, and if he could do so, he would have laid a solid foundation for Fao-Austrian goodwill, and at the same time accomplished an extraordinary diplomatic achievement for himself.

At that time, he will be able to truly inherit his father's business, instead of inheriting only one surname and living in the shadow of his father's fame, as he is now.

Charles made it all the way to the door, and the smile on his face didn't disappear until he saw Richard off, and he was just as happy as Richard, because he had seen his victory from tonight's exchange - of course, there was still a long way to go before he could win in the end.

Despite their suspicions and fear of Western European intervention, the Russians eventually could not suppress their irrepressible territorial ambitions and absolutely began to take risks and march on Turkey. And Turkey, which is already dying and decaying, will not be able to withstand the military machine that the Slavs are rolling on, it must ask for help, and it will do so desperately.

The Austrians, though they feared Russia, did not dare to stand up for direct resistance against the Russians at such a high stage, they could only choose armed neutrality, and hoped that someone would stop Russia for them; The Prussians, although pro-Russian, did not want to see the Russians dominate Europe, so they preferred to remain neutral in such a situation, and then present themselves as mediators between the East and the West, and take advantage of the opportunity to enrich themselves.

As history has happened, everything is so clear and clear, each country is acting in its own interests, and only when Britain and France unite can they organize an invincible force to hold back the advancing army of Slavs. They're ready.

The thought of this gave Charles a sense of pleasure in watching the huge machine run smoothly.

It was late at night, but he was still in high spirits, and he strode out of the study, and returned to the drawing-room, only to find his wife and Agnes still at rest, where they were teasing their son.

"Haven't you rested yet?" At the sight of them, Charles couldn't help but laugh again, then walked up to them, picked up Clovis, and stroked his hair.

"Tap!" Because of Charles's sudden attack, Charlotte couldn't help but be a little frightened, and immediately shouted orders to Charles.

Although her voice was loud and always had a commanding tone, her expression was much softer than the previous antagonism between the two people.

Because she and her husband were often absent from her side before, coupled with the mental pressure brought by other things, as well as the depression that mothers must have, her mental state is not very stable, and she is often angry with people, but recently, Charles has paid attention to increasing the time she spends at home, accompanying Charlotte, and with Agnes's company, her mental state is much better, and she is about to give birth, her belly is getting higher and higher, her face is more rounded, and her skin has become whiter because of her long-term seclusion. The whole person is filled with a graceful and luxurious atmosphere.

"I'm just teasing him." Charles smiled at his wife, then at Agnes next to him, "I'm glad you liked him too...... This is a lucky boy! ”

As Charles said, Agnes liked the child very much, and since she came to live here, she often teased him, so that Clovis was now more affectionate to her than to her father, and of course Charles was not jealous of this, but was happy.

"Of course I am lucky to have such a good mother," replied Agnes calmly, "but my father may not be able to make him too proud. ”

"I don't think I'm going to drag him down." Charles replied with a wry smile.

"Not necessarily, you still have a lot to do in order for him to be proud of you." Agnes took Clovis from his hand, and pinched the child's face, making him laugh, and she herself couldn't help laughing, "This kid is cute." ”

As she spoke, she slid her hand down and gently kneaded the child's hand for a while, "The flexibility of the hand is also good, and the movements are also flexible, I think it is a good material for learning swordsmanship, I can start teaching him in two years, if I start laying the foundation, he must be much higher than you......"

"This ...... He's still young, so he doesn't need to practice so early......" Charles hesitated, and the smile on his face stiffened, "Besides, as my son, he doesn't need to fight anyone, so there's no point in learning this......"

It's not that Charles is against his son's practice of swordsmanship, nor does he hate swordsmanship, but he can't bear to toss him.

Because of the habit formed by practicing swordsmanship in her early years, she is one of the first people to get up here every morning, practicing her swordsmanship and maintaining her hand by the way, and it is precisely because of this diligence that she has been able to maintain the stability and agility of her movements. And Charles back then, she suffered a lot for her habit, and she was picked up early in the morning every morning, and then she was tossed badly.

He really couldn't bear to let his son suffer at a young age.

"Charles, there's nothing wrong with that, is it?" But Charlotte, "Our ancestors have been practicing swordsmanship since childhood, huh? Besides, it's good to lay the foundation at a young age...... It doesn't hurt to let your son learn early. ”

"Wouldn't it be nice to exercise his will and develop his physique while he was still young?" Agnes was still smiling, and by the way, she grabbed Clovis's hand and made a gesture of drawing a sword, "As the heir of the Trevill family, how can you do it if you don't have good swordsmanship!" ”

Although Charles was tempted to say that times were no longer the same, and it was okay for nobles to not know swordsmanship, he did not have the courage to insist on retorting when his wife and aunt were in unison. "Well, since you say so...... Then I don't have a problem with that, let him start learning in two years. ”

Hey, son, that's hard for you...... He sighed inwardly.

"That's what it sounds like." Agnes teased the child in her arms again, apparently in a good mood.

Perhaps because of Charlotte's recent influence, or because her purse has bulged, she is much more delicate than before, and the fine silk skirt will show off her still good figure - of course, this is also inseparable from the exercise that has been insisted on for many years, and now she is a little more luxurious than Charles's impression, but her slender fingers are still flexible and powerful, and her eyes are still so alert and energetic, and she can't tell at all that she is close to forty years.

"How's it going with Richard?" Charlotte asked, "This guy is very cute and speaks nicely, if it weren't for the fact that I'm pregnant now, I'd like to entertain him." ”

"You'll have plenty of opportunities to entertain him in the future, and he'll bring his wife with him." Charles smiled and replied, "And he will be more attentive to you, for I have given him great relief." ”

He then briefly explained his conversation with Richard.

Of course, he could only tell all the diplomatic secrets, but only in general terms, and at the same time, Charlotte and Agnes were not very interested in foreign affairs such as Russia and Prussia, but their attention came up when they heard the latter.

"The Emperor is coming?" Charlotte was surprised at first, then smiled, "Great! The last time we went to Austria, they treated us very well and we finally had a chance to repay them for once. And if we can invite him to our house by the way, then no one else will be able to match us......"

Charles made such a proposal to focus on diplomatic considerations, to demonstrate the strength of the two countries to promote Franco-Austrian rapprochement, and by the way to curry favor with Her Majesty the Queen, while Charlotte considered different aspects - she paid the most attention to the family, and if she could let His Majesty the Emperor of Austria come from home for a special visit, then it would be difficult for anyone to match the success of her own family.

So even from this point of view, she was very supportive of the emperor's visit.

"It's not certain yet, it's just a proposal." Charles said to his wife flatteringly, "But I suppose that His Majesty the Emperor will face reality if the Russians continue to put pressure on us, and if we show some sincerity, after all, didn't our Empress Majesty grow up in Austria?" They'll take that into account. And if he does, I'll find a way to get him to come to our house once and for all, and you'll be the most glorious hostess of France." ”

"Great, Charles!" Charlotte smiled, visibly happy.

After a while, her smile gradually smiled, "Speaking of which, Her Majesty the Queen is really not easy, she is only twenty years old now, and she has already experienced so many things, God knows how she endured it one by one!" I used to be by her side and I could help her with her boredom, but now I can't see her for months, so I'm a little worried about her. ”

"She is the queen, is there still a shortage of people around her to relieve boredom?" Agnes asked, slightly mocking.

"The more queens are, the more lonely they are, especially the queens of Bonaparte, aren't they?" Charlotte asked rhetorically. "She has lived hard enough, and she has to endure her dislike for certain people on the one hand, and curry favor with His Majesty the Emperor on the other, and she must not appear too disrespectful in front of us people, isn't it hard? His Majesty the Emperor still dotes on her, but this kind of favor can't offset the affairs he has in private. ”

Maybe Charles was thinking too much, but listening to it, he always felt that Charlotte's words were a bit of a scolding scolding, and he couldn't take it well, so he lowered his eyes and pretended not to hear it.

"You're not wrong to say that, it's really not a good job to be a queen." Agnes nodded, "It's pitiful to marry a husband who isn't much younger than my father. ”

"Even if she is pitiful, she is a poor man with a crown on her head, and we must treat her with respect and serve her." Charles was not sentimental, "She will be happy if I do this, and she will rely on us in the future." ”

"So, are you going to make Her Majesty your patron?" Although she had never understood Charles's political stance before, Agnes was a smart person after all, and immediately understood the implicit meaning of the words, "If you can do it, it will be very good." ”

"If she wishes, then she can be a part of our political group, or a leader—" Charles smiled, and immediately added, "Of course, it is the apparent leader, and I respect her, but I have no need or obligation to obey her every order, I only do what is good for me." ”

"It's a complicated game, and you're going to enjoy it." Agnes didn't plan to delve into it, so she didn't ask any more questions, "Anyway, you make up your mind about this kind of thing, just remember to be cautious at all times." Of course, as one of your subordinates, I will carry out your orders. ”

"It's a shame for you to say that, you're not my subordinate, you're the one who helped me." Charles was a little embarrassed. "I have no right to order you to ......"

"Isn't that the same thing? Anyway, I'm working for you, taking money from you. Agnes smiled, "By the way, when are you going to Giverny?" ”

According to the previous schedule, Charles was supposed to go to Giverny yesterday to inspect his factories there and encourage the production of munitions and armaments, and by the way, he summoned all the railway officials of his department in various places to come and give him a lecture, but because he suddenly received a request from Richard to visit, he postponed the schedule for a while.

"If nothing else happens, tomorrow afternoon." Charles hesitated to answer.

"Okay, got it." Agnes nodded, "Then I'll get ready as soon as possible." ”

"Huh? Are you going too? Charles was a little surprised.

"I've authorized Agnes to be my plenipotentiary to inspect the place. Since these lands and factories are in my name, it is not good if I keep ignoring them, I must know the specific business situation, right? Charlotte interjected, "I think it's better that way." ”

"Besides, there are a lot of idlers waiting for them to come there, so I'll have to watch for you." Agnes reminded him emphatically, then asked with a smile. "According to the agreement we made, I should go and serve your wife, shouldn't I?"

Have you really started to check the accounts? By the way, look at me...... No, looking at me is the main purpose, Charlotte didn't care so much about the accounts, otherwise she wouldn't have told me publicly in person.

After thinking about it, Charles wanted to say something, but he couldn't put it into words.

In the end, he could only whisper, "Then please don't embarrass me, she is very respectful to you." ”

"Of course, I said I wouldn't beat her again." Agnes smiled and emphasized, "If she's interested." ”