July 30, 1861

Paris, the shining city of this century, has entered the height of summer. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

The weather is as hot as ever, and the breeze in the regular streets and squares does not bring coolness, but makes pedestrians sweat even more, and only the shade of the lush trees on the side of the road can feel the coolness, and the leaves are shining green in the sunlight, welcoming guests from all over the world.

Because of the scorching heat, there are few pedestrians in the city during the day, and everyone wants to huddle in their houses and workplaces, but at night, the city reveals its true face, full of noisy balls and theaters, prodigal children drink everywhere, and in the extravagant nightclubs, countless dancers dressed in bewitching costumes dance, and everywhere is a scene of extravagance, and everyone takes the time to enjoy themselves, as if tomorrow is the end of the world.

This extravagant spectacle, from one end of the city to the other, from the center to the suburbs, from the imperial palace to almost every resident's home, the empire, which had come out of the previous economic crisis, returned to its usual glitz and glamour, indulging in the drunkenness of flowers.

And in the midst of this bustling area, the residence of the Duke of Kersund, located on the outskirts, is a little abrupt, and the mansions next to it are all brightly lit and busy, but it is sparsely lit and dimly lit, hidden in the quiet darkness.

This is not the usual sight.

In normal years, in the summer, the Duke's Mansion is filled with sparkling guests and hosts almost all-night feasts, where celebrities can be entertained by the Duchess of Charlotte and drink and delight to cool off. This banquet has always been regarded as one of the best gatherings in Parisian social circles, where the most famous personalities and ambassadors of the great powers come in turn to compliment their hosts and make other useful acquaintances.

This year, however, the situation is very different, and there has been no banquet in the Duke's Palace, and it has never been the same as before.

However, it is not surprising that at the beginning of this month, His Excellency Charles de Treville, Duke of Kerson, who was once so powerful and almost in the limelight that he was called Vice-Emperor in the public opinion circles, was dismissed from his posts as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State by His Majesty the Emperor.

And the dimming of the duke's career and political energy naturally inevitably made his originally grand and luxurious mansion suddenly dim.

Although in order to appease the Duke, His Majesty the Emperor dismissed him from his post and appointed him Governor in Algeria, giving him full authority over all military and political officials in the French colonies in North Africa, but in the eyes of others, this was a proof that His Majesty the Emperor was completely prepared to abandon the Duke.

In the past, the duke did not fall out with the emperor, nor was he dismissed by His Majesty the Emperor and sent to the capital, but at that time he was sent to Vienna as an ambassador, after all, he was still in the territory of neighboring European countries, and he could be called up at any time, and he did rise again when the empire's economy was in turmoil, and was entrusted with important tasks by His Majesty the Emperor.

But this time is different, he was directly driven out of the European continent, even if he can go to Algeria to be a closed emperor, the authority is unparalleled, but French politics and European trends are no longer related to him, which also means that His Majesty the Emperor has made up his mind to expel him from the court, Paris has closed the door to him, as long as His Majesty is still there, he can only stay in North Africa in the future.

Before the establishment of the dynasty, the duke was already an important figure in the Bonaparte party; His Majesty the Emperor was able to return to France and put an end to the Republic, and the Duke also made a great effort; Even the strong rule of the empire has been able to maintain until now, thanks to the duke's service over the years, and there is no doubt that he is a great contributor to the dynasty.

The emperor's merciless disposition made people secretly complain about the emperor's approach, and for a while, the public opinion circles were full of sympathetic voices against the duke's opposition, and those republicans who attacked the duke the most stalwart also gloated and said, "The tyrant himself has cut off his most powerful arm, and the empire is about to end!" But the great political upheaval caused by the Duke's departure had fallen silent after a period of uproar, and now, the social circles, accustomed to oblivion, seldom talked about the Duke anymore, and everyone was silent, glad or uneasy, looking at the Duke's sumptuous mansion with joy or unease, waiting for the grand farewell banquet of his departure.

Few people can know what the Duke is thinking about in the darkness of this dim and magnificent mansion.

And in the living room of the mansion, a group of people were also gathering at this time.

However, unlike the usual banquets, these people did not talk and laugh loudly at this time, but sat at a long table, and everyone looked serious and even a little gloomy, and there was no such joy as a party.

The crystal chandelier hanging high in the center of the hall, which could have illuminated the entire hall as if it were daytime, was now dim because only a quarter of the candlestick was deliberately lit, and everyone's expressions were even more gloomy.

The Duke and Lady sit upright on the throne, and the others also sit separately, and the whole scene is like a tribute to "The Last Supper", and the atmosphere is somewhat oppressive in the silence.

And in this gloomy air, the Duke himself seemed completely calm and calm.

Unhurriedly, he raised his right hand, picked up the bottle next to him, and poured himself a glass of wine.

Under everyone's gaze, he unhurriedly picked up the wine glass and poured most of the scarlet wine in the glass in one gulp, as if he was participating in a normal banquet at the moment.

"Charles!" Mrs. Charlotte seemed to be a little overwhelmed, and she grabbed Charles' hand. "Let's tell everyone something!"

And just as Madame spoke, everyone's expressions changed slightly, showing the tension and anticipation contained in their calm.

"Don't worry, dear." Charles smiled and nodded at his wife, then tilted his head back and drank the contents of his glass.

Then he turned his gaze back to the guests with different faces.

"Actually, there is not much to say, gentlemen, His Majesty the Emperor has asked me to go to Algeria, as his subordinate, I am supposed to serve the Empire, so I will go and faithfully perform my duty...... "and after I am gone, I hope that you will continue to serve the country as before." ”

Really listen to His Majesty and go to North Africa quietly?

Many people had such thoughts in their hearts, and their faces involuntarily showed a little disappointment.

"Charles, you can't just walk away." His friend, Albert de Foa-Gray, a wealthy businessman, was a little anxious, and hurriedly advised him, "As soon as you leave this time, there will be no place for you in the country, and those who have long been eyeing you will definitely try their best to eat the inheritance you left behind...... Do you want to see your career threatened like this? ”

He was almost the same age as the Duke, and had always been fond of spending and drinking, and dressed in a very ostentatious way even on occasions like today, but his friendship with Charles was so sincere that he admonished him almost unreservedly.

"Yes, Charles, your majesty's character is well known, and once he has made up his mind, he will never stop just here." Another good friend, the Count of Lucien de le Fréel, spoke. "So, I think you should have planned ahead...... You have to do something about it, too. ”

Because he had come here in secret, he did not wear his usual military uniform today, but his sitting posture still showed the air of a soldier, and he was indeed a very successful soldier, because he was first made a baron and then an earl in the wars against Russia and Austria, and was a shining star in the imperial army.

However, the reason why he is so prosperous is naturally because of the support of the Tréville family, and he is also grateful to the Duke and the Duke's grandfather, the late Marshal Trevier, so he can't help but cheer up Charles at such a critical moment.

"That's ingratitude! Shameless ingratitude! A female voice suddenly rang out, so loud that the cups on the table trembled slightly. Mr...... You can't just leave it at that, we have to fight to the end! ”

This is the Duke's sister, Madame de Treville, who has always sponsored various public welfare works and is also very fond of art, and is a patron of many artists, so she is also famous in the country. However, she has always shown a gentle image, but at this moment, she seems to be gritting her teeth, which shows how much resentment has accumulated in her heart.

Compared with the others, she felt more empathy for the blow suffered by the Duke, so she hated His Majesty the Emperor more and more, and vowed countless times in her heart to make him pay, and she absolutely did not want to see her brother depressed and lose the power in his hands.

"Yes, sir, we must not sit still!" The young Duke of Gaston de Choiseul Plasland, a long-time follower of the Duke, also spoke loudly, "It is better to fight vigorously than to admit defeat like this!" ”

Then the other people present also spoke, urging the Duke not to be depressed like this, and not to leave Europe, and to accept such an appointment rather than leave the center of power.

And just as they were speaking, a slight smile appeared on the duke's face, and the wine glass in his hand shook gently.

Of course, he will not stop there, let alone sit idly by, watching himself being driven to North Africa, watching his inheritance being eaten up like this.

To a certain extent, what he said before was actually testing his own party members to see if they had the determination to do a vote.

He was very satisfied with the results, which made him happy that his efforts to cultivate his power over the years had not been in vain.

However, it is not surprising that they are the core pawns or collaborators of the Tréville family, and they are the agents and executors that Charles has carefully cultivated in the political, military and business circles over the years, and their interests are tightly tied to the interests of the Trevill family, and if the big tree of the Trevier family falls, they will definitely not be able to keep the interests they have now.

Whether it is emotionally or from the perspective of their own interests, of course, they all hope that they can make a comeback again, no matter what means.

Just like when he was driven to Austria two years ago.

And Charles naturally thinks the same way, and his methods are destined to be even more intense than that time.

"I can empathize with your feelings." After they had spoken, Charles calmly looked up. "Yes, you are right, sometimes we can back down in order to unite others, but we can't just back down, in order to protect our vested interests, we must show determination, even if we fight to the end......"

His voice was not loud, but it drowned out the words of everyone else.

"There is no doubt that Your Majesty is afraid of our strength, so he intends to let me leave France, and this places higher demands on us." Charles continued, "First of all, you must continue to be firmly united, defend what we have, and secretly connect and prepare accordingly when I leave France. ”

"Can you not leave France? You can resign and not take over. Albert hesitated and asked, "If you're not there, I'm afraid everyone won't be able to coordinate ......."

"I have to go, I don't know how many spies and military police are watching me right now, if I don't go, we will be even more difficult to move forward." Charles shook his head and denied his opinion, "On the contrary, in order to reassure Your Majesty, Charlotte and I will go to North Africa as soon as possible, only then will you have enough room to act." ”

Then, suddenly, he raised his hand and pointed at his sister. "And in my absence, you must obey her commands, without any hesitation."

"......" The others looked at each other, looking a little puzzled.

Although Ms. Tréville had served her brother's cause all these years, and her mind and determination were seen by others, it was a little unsettling to have a woman in charge at such a critical time.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to remind you that what we need most is unity, no matter what! Unite! You must not be defeated by others because they are acting individually! Madame Tréville is my own sister, and no one can question her status, and she is the most justifiable ruler of everyone, so that you will not have to fight for leadership at this time. "Besides, since none of you could have imagined it, and your Majesty couldn't have imagined that after I was gone, there would be someone else who would be able to gather all our strength to fight for victory...... Besides, even if I go to North Africa, I can still give you instructions through her, and you don't have to worry. ”

After Charles's explanation, the others finally relented a little.

At this moment, Fran suddenly stood up and looked at her brother with affection.

"Sir, I am terrified of the great duty you have entrusted to me, and I am afraid that I have betrayed your trust. But in times like these, there is no way for me to excuse myself, so I will summon up my courage and do what you have taught me, so that you can come back safely, in order to defend our family, in order to ...... For the sake of our future, I ...... I will give 1,000% of my efforts and efforts, I believe that as long as you help me, then our cause will definitely be successful, I will dedicate the undoubted victory to you, you will return triumphant! ”

Her words were full of affection and fearlessness, so that everyone present was deeply moved.

That's right, after the Duchess and Duchess are gone, who else is worthy to lead everyone? Regardless of her actual ability, at least the risk of internal strife can be eliminated, which is already more valuable than anything else.

Not only them, but also Charles, who was so touched that he unconsciously stood up and took his sister's hand.

"Yes, I believe in you, no one trusts you more than I do, so let it go...... We will win, we must win! ”

They just looked at each other, as if for a moment they had forgotten the existence of the others.

Suddenly, a soft cough was heard next to Charles.

The two siblings reacted at this time, and Charles nodded at Fran slightly in embarrassment, "Okay, I'll leave everything to you." ”

Then he looked back at the others, and after being stimulated, he was now in high spirits, and therefore spoke much louder.

"It is clear that this is indeed a matter of life and death for us, and we have the right to defend ourselves by all means, and we must fight for victory by any means! If all else fails, then, unfortunately, when necessary, we will have to resort to military means. ”

Military coup?

In an instant, almost everyone's faces changed slightly, and the air became more and more tense.

Strangely enough, however, none of them offered a rebuttal, not even the slightest whisper, but rather some of them even seemed relieved, for they saw that the Duke had finally made up his mind.

If the Duke does not have the courage and determination to fight to the death, he will disappoint these people, and some people will even choose to change the court directly, because this is already a broken ship destined to sink.

And when he decided to have a showdown, the situation was different, because the Trévilles were indeed very prestigious, and had wide support in all walks of life, even not inferior to the Bonapartes.

"We are a close union, and I have always been careful to share the benefits with you, and I am glad that you have all grown into indispensable talents...... But if we're done, none of you will be left alone. Charles continued to sound the alarm bells for them, "So, if we win, it's not just a victory for the Trevilles, it's a victory for you, and if we win, you'll be prosperous for generations, and I can guarantee that." Of course...... If it fails......"

Charles raised his hand, as if joking, and made a gesture to wipe his neck.

No one will misunderstand what he meant.

And they all know that since it has been said that this is the case, no one is allowed to regret or hesitate.

"If the military needs to intervene, you can trust me absolutely." Count Lucien de Lefrere spoke, "and I have a group of friends who have died, and they have all been boon by the marshal and you, and we can expect them to behave. ”

"The commander of the city of Paris, General de Réval, has always been a good friend of ours, and I have great trust in him." Charles added, not at all aware of the danger of his words, "The commanders of the various garrison divisions in the provinces have our sympathizers and supporters, and of course there are opponents, but this is not particularly important, for they are of little use if anything happens to Paris. The Guards, on the other hand, were a bit more troublesome, as they included officers who were extremely loyal to the royal family, and they were well armed, so we had to plan and act before we could paralyze those supporters at the right time. ”

"So, what about the Navy?" Someone asked hesitantly.

"The navy will be neutral, they will not be involved in such a struggle, so they will not favor anyone...... But that's good enough for us. Charles replied immediately.

In this way, this group of people investigated the past division by division, filtered the supporters and potential opponents of the entire army, and they were pleased to find that although there were not many die-hard supporters, most of them were just in a wait-and-see state, as long as the coup d'état was successful at the first time, then the wait-and-see faction would never risk their lives, after all, France had changed two dynasties, two empires and two republics in the 19th century.

This result made them doubly happy and excited, and they suddenly found that their path was not blocked, as long as they crossed the current obstacles, then ...... Everything is going to change dramatically.

"The fact that the empire doesn't have as many supporters as I think is a joy and a pity, at least I'm a little sorry for it." Charles shrugged his shoulders with a wry smile, then stood up again, leaving his work. "However, in any case, although the situation is now ostensibly not in our favor, as long as we are united, we can win everything......"

He paced as he spoke, and walked in front of a middle-aged man, "You said yes, right?" August? ”

This is Auguste Lovell, who had lived in poverty many years ago, but later made a fortune by taking refuge with Charles and becoming a supplier to the Ministry of Railways, and then was reused by Charles, and became a wealthy man along the way and one of the Duke's agents in the business world.

After many years of development, he now seems to be a lot fatter, and he no longer has the toughness and handsomeness of the past.

"Yes, Your Excellency, we ...... We will be closely united behind you until everything is won! The middle-aged man immediately stood up and nodded to Charles again and again, "Sir, don't worry, we will hit wherever you point!" ”

"Well said." Charles nodded, as if approving, but he suddenly changed his words, "Then why did you contact His Royal Highness?" Is it to help me find out the news? ”

The middle-aged man's eyes widened, only to find that the Duke had been watching him.

And the duke's words caused a commotion.

"Your Excellency......" He wanted to defend himself, but under the Duke's gaze, he suddenly seemed to lose his courage.

"I'm disappointed and a little regretful." The Duke looked at the middle-aged man gently, and the smile on his face was also very kind, "It's really a pity. ”

His warm smile, when it was imprinted in the eyes of the middle-aged man at this time, looked so terrifying.

His legs shook involuntarily as he met the Duke's gaze, and then he pushed forward with all his might, then turned and ran backwards, almost unimaginably as fast as his fat body could be.

He gasped violently for fear and nervousness, but his steps were fast, looking at the hidden door, and he only thought about escaping.

However, just as he walked to the door, an oncoming umbrella bone was directly pressed against his chest, stopping him in his tracks.

The intense pain caused the middle-aged man to involuntarily fall to the ground, gasping loudly, and lost the ability to move for a moment.

"Phew, you traitor, you still want to run?" Agnes looked down at him coldly, her eyes full of disdain.

Out of that old-fashioned value, she really despises such people who betray their Lords and seek glory.

"No one has ever been able to live well after betraying me." Charles, who had been standing there watching the other party flee, said unhurriedly, "Never. ”

Of course, he didn't just say it to the other person.

………………………………………………

It was already evening, the stars were shining, and the secret gathering at the palace of the Duke of Kerson was over, and the guests took advantage of the night to leave the mansion one by one, escorted by a special person.

The Duke himself did not send them, but went to his garden, admiring the evening flower garden and looking at the stars.

In the distance, a few men were quietly digging holes at the edge of the garden, as if to add new nourishment to the flowers, and the sound of the soo was heard incessantly, but it did not spoil the Duke's mood.

"What a beautiful night...... "the duke sighed, "but it is a pity that it will soon be lost." ”

"You'll be back and see it soon." Fran replied in a low voice, her gaze resting on the darkness where the voice came from, "Is it okay for this person to deal with this?" ”

"On the way home, he disappeared, which is really a pity, and I am also very anxious, after all, he is a good friend of mine." Charles smiled and shrugged, "His family will call the police, and I will also instruct the police to find out the truth as soon as possible......"

"Yes, you are the Duke of the Empire, and it is impossible for the police to be unscrupulous when they visit." Fran seemed to understand something.

"Just let them check slowly, anyway, when they find out, everything should be over. Your Majesty will be pleased, and he will use this case as a lever to control me, and when I disobey him, he will use it as a sword to stab me. Charles said with interest, "Haha, doesn't he like to see me make a fool of myself?" I'll keep him satisfied. ”

"I'll ...... too," said Fran hatefully, "I'll let him go in the most unbearable way possible." ”

"Don't get so excited, it will affect your judgment." Charles looked at her, "Remember, to unite those who support us to the greatest extent and isolate those who oppose us, now is the right time, Your Majesty can't change much." ”

"I'll do as you ask." Fran hugged the Duke, then sniffed the scent of flowers from the end of her nose, "But you seem to have a lot of confidence in Her Majesty?" ”

"Yes, I think that sooner or later, Her Majesty will support us, and she has only one way to support us." "It is also crucial for us to have her support," said the duke, "because it will make our coup look much gentler, at least not as bloody as it used to be." ”

This is his hole card, and it is also the most powerful pawn in his plan, and he does not say it to even the most trustworthy party members, but only to his sister. "On the chessboard, the queen can crush everything, as long as she is held in her hands, the others have nothing to fear."

"That'...... Will she really do what we want? Fran was still a little confused, "I don't doubt your judgment, but this kind of thing ...... It's so important, I ...... I can't be careless. ”

"She'll do it with us, if she wants to be the queen mother." Charles suddenly pouted and laughed, a smile that was witty, mocking, and even evil. "Think about it, what did she come to France in her youth to be the wife of a man about her father's age? It's not just for those glories. If it weren't for us, she would be gone. ”

"What?" Fran was even more confused.

"Your Majesty's health is getting worse and worse, and that's one of the reasons why he's in a hurry to deal with me." Charles told Fran another secret, "You see, now that he has no royal heir, won't she and Her Royal Highness the princess be in jeopardy?" To some extent, she is more anxious than us, and she will not spare any price for the sake of the queen and the future queen mother. ”

Under Charles's explanation, Fran finally came to her senses.

"Okay, I see...... Sir, I will do as you tell me and I will never let you down. ”

"Don't be so nervous." Charles stroked her hair lovingly, "Just take it easy, I'm confident in you and in us, and to this day, my strength is completely different from that of me, and no one can manipulate me, even though His Majesty still seems to think so." ”

"Yes, no one can control our fate...... We...... We'll be together forever. Fran looked up slightly.

She first saw her brother's smile, and then saw the starry sky behind him.

At this time, the processing over there has been completed, and the surrounding area is already dark, and everything is silent, only the brother and sister are snuggled together, and the stars are blessing it.

"I'm thrilled, sir...... You're willing to entrust everything to me. Fran closed her eyes slightly again, and then plunged headlong into his arms, "This is the greatest trust you have in me, I ...... I feel like I've been affirmed all my life, and at this moment, if ...... It would be nice if Grandpa could see it too! ”

When she mentioned her grandfather, Charles's heart suddenly tightened, and he looked up at the stars.

"He'll see, he'll be watching now."

"Yes, he must be watching!" Tears welled up in Fran's eyes, "We were able to make such an arrangement today, after all, wasn't it just him who paved the way for you back then?" Grandfather...... Grandpa's expectations for us, we must not live up, and he will definitely bless us. ”

Then, she looked at the deep starry sky with tears in her eyes, and shouted tremblingly.

"Grandpa, please bless us. We...... We won't let you down, and I'll take care of everything you've left behind. ”

"Yes, everything will be taken care of." Charles nodded, "This family will prosper in our hands, and everything he desires, we will achieve for him, and that's enough......"

He looked at the person in his arms fixedly, his eyes were crystal clear, shining with a light that was not inferior to starlight, and it also illuminated a delicate face that was not inferior to a girl.

"Wait until I get back."

Then, desperately, he lowered his head and kissed the bright red lips.