With the passage of time, an unbearable winter, under the call of the spring breeze, the earth regained its vitality.

This spring breeze not only made everything begin to recover, but also restored the vitality of the city of Paris, people who used to stay in the house began to come out to move, and the dignitaries who went to winter outside also returned to the nest, the whole city began to become busy again, and the heart of modern civilization is beating at a speed that mortals cannot catch up.

In some inconspicuous corner of the metropolis, the renewed passion seems to have not been infected, the doors of the gray building are closed, and there is a bleak outside, as if time has stood still.

However, in contrast to the lifeless exterior, the interior of the building is very elaborately furnished, with lavish ornaments everywhere, and even the windows are covered with tassels. Although the doors and windows were closed, the light inside was very bright, and the chandeliers everywhere were brightly lit. Each hall and room has been meticulously decorated, and the interior also houses a study, library, dining room, and recreation room.

Yes, it was set up in a way that elaborately mimicked the form of a club for the British.

However, despite its extravagant décor, the club is rarely entered, and it is an intimate reception and communication, which was almost never intended to make a profit from it in the first place - or rather, in a more high-end way.

At this time, in the billiards room on the second floor of the club, two young people were competing with each other with clubs, both of them were wearing vests, one looked serious with a black tie, and the other was wearing a blue bow tie. The look is rather frivolous. And there was a group of people standing nearby, as if they were their followers.

A new round begins. A young man picks up the club and lays it flat with a blow that contains power and skill, and the ball quickly scatters in all directions. Seeing that his blow was so perfect that Albert de Foua-Glay let out a small cheer, he looked at his rival and friend.

"It's a lot rusty, it seems that you're really busy with entertainment, Charles."

"Albert, you know, I haven't played billiards for almost a year." Charles shrugged his shoulders and then swung his own shot, "There are so many big things waiting for me." ”

"Haha, I knew you would answer me like that," Albert laughed, "and our Chancellor has a very fulfilling life, with all his heart for the country, and the big things in Europe, and finally going home and changing the diapers of the children!" If you get busy all day, I think I'm going to age much faster than I do. ”

"I never changed my son's diaper. Albert. Charles shook his head. But you're right, I do feel a lot older in the last year or two......"

In the previous winter, Louis Bonaparte ascended the throne and established an empire for the emperor, becoming a true emperor in the name of the word. Soon he reshuffled his cabinet and combined the Ministry of Railways with other transport ministries to become a Ministry of Transport. In charge of the country's railways, highways and water transport, the former Minister of Railways, Count de Dielion, resigned. And his henchman, Charles de Treville, was appointed Minister of Transport.

At the age of twenty-five to become a minister, he is enough to be envied. However, few people have been critical of the appointment, as the young man has a proven track record and has already made a name for himself in Europe and abroad. What's more, he was still notoriously ruthless and never polite to political opponents, so the appointment was completed quietly.

The Ministry of Communications still uses the old office of the Ministry of Railways as its own office, and Shire, as a minister, also returned to the Ministry of Railways amid the cheers of his old subordinates.

Because the structure here was originally created by himself, and the previous minister has always obeyed him, so after Charles's return, he did not carry out much purge, and soon took the department into his own hands and implemented the authority of the minister.

Soon after this, he issued an order to set aside funds from the ministry's budget to rent apartments in secluded places and transform them into English-style clubs for the use of the ministry's officials and citizens.

Although his demands were somewhat impersonal and suspected of violating the law, they were carried out without any complaint - in this era, most finance officials had some kind of instinct and knew how to extract a sufficient amount of money from the state budget to meet their own needs or those of their superiors. Moreover, the Ministry of Railways was originally a department with huge investment and debt, and a casual pull from it would allow the minister and his cronies to enjoy the most favorable conditions - not to mention, these officials themselves could become guests of the department.

The finance officials made a financial project under other names, transferred the money to a private account, and then purchased a mansion for private use, and then spent a lot of money to renovate it, and finally turned it into one of the most extravagant private clubs in Paris, and the officials of the Ministry of Railways were thus treated a step above the other departments, and Charles did not mind getting the best treatment for his men, as long as they were able to carry out Charles's intentions and carry out every order without hesitation.

Today, Charles is here with a few of his henchmen, but he's not just here to relax.

"Albert, in fact, I think you should also take care of it, find yourself a wife and have a few children, it's not so scary." Charles suddenly persuaded his friend again, "You see I'm not okay now." ”

"Okay, don't persuade me, what's there to say about this kind of thing?" Albert didn't listen to him, just continued to swing and hit, "I'm still young, it's not time to get married, and I'm not like you, and my family doesn't expect me to pass on this surname, so I'll just play with some more thoughts, and then I'll see ......"

"Well, I can't force you if you think so." Charles gave up on his thoughts.

At this time, a handsome young man in a formal suit suddenly walked next to him and leaned into his ear.

"Your Excellency, those people have already arrived."

"Gaston, tell them to wait until I'm done with this set." Charles waved his hand unhurriedly and continued the game with Albert.

"Yes, Your Excellency." The young man nodded, then stepped aside.

"Gaston, why don't you go and receive them." Then Albert smiled and said to the young man, "You are still young, you need to know more people, they are the ones you need to know—"

"I think I'd better listen to your advice here, and I don't need it there now." The young man replied very seriously.

This very Sven-looking young man was the Duke of Gaston Louis de Choisell Plasland, the grandson of Marshal Aulas Sebastiani, a good friend of Marshal Treville, who had been under his grandfather's guardianship for several years because his parents had died unexpectedly.

However, just last year, the Marshal died tragically, and at his request to Marshal Treville, the Trevills became his and his brother's new protectors. So, the twenty-year-old duke, who had now become Charles's personal secretary, had recently been taken by Charles as he had recently graduated from school, and had been taught him many of his affairs.

Like any young man of his age, he was a little pretentious, and liked to express his ingenuity in various ways. However, most of the time, such efforts by young people are not destined to work. However, after years of education, he also has a good upbringing and demeanor, as well as a calm and cautious manners, which correspondingly dilutes some of the sharp edges and corners, and at the same time he is not lacking in enthusiasm for learning.

After a few months of observation, Charles has come to know him more or less well, he is a very intelligent and enthusiastic young man, he is very grateful to the Tréville family for their protection and support, so he is determined to repay the favor of the family with his performance, and prove that he is worthy of such attention. At the same time, he is also smarter, quick-witted, and outspoken.

However, not only does he have advantages, but his shortcomings are also very obvious, that is, he is sometimes impatient, and because of his family background and titles, he is somewhat above-minded, except for Charles and Albert and other people who are also from old families, he respects three points, he is always a little arrogant to others. However, most young people have such common problems, and he is not so demanding, no one is perfect, and he does not need to be perfect.

Under the watchful eyes of the others, the minister and his important assistants finished the game of billiards as if no one was around, and then asked the attendants next to him to put away their clubs and put on their coats again.

"I guess they can't wait." Albert shrugged.

"And that's exactly what I'm trying to get." Charles only smiled, "I have countless budgets and projects in my hands, and I should be in charge, and I should make them understand that." ”

"If anyone doesn't understand, then they're going to suffer a lot, right?" Albert asked rhetorically.

The two men said as they walked towards the hall where the visitors had gathered, surrounded by a large crowd.

"Of course." Charles said categorically, then he waved his hand at Gaston.

"Your Excellency?" Gaston walked up to him.

"Gaston, excuse me, you come to take the minutes of the meeting today, and no one is allowed to approach."

"Yes, Your Excellency!" Gaston replied without hesitation. (To be continued.) )