Flowers, Swords and France

"Then, we will continue to help Ciel in the future.,"

After hearing Albert's words, Lucien couldn't help but look at the young man again, trying to see something from his smile.

No matter how insensitive he was to political matters, Lucien could tell that there was something in his words.

"Albert, what do you mean?" He flickered his eyes uneasily, "Could it be... is there some conflict between the President and Charles?"

He didn't quite believe it, because in his opinion, Charles and his grandfather had always served the Bonaparte family wholeheartedly, and the president also loved the Treville family very much, so there should be a very close relationship between them. That's right.

"Oh, of course that's not what I meant." Albert shook his head, but the smile on his face remained unchanged. "But who can figure out what an emperor will think about in the future?"

Lucien was silent for a while, not knowing how to answer.

That's right, no matter how close they seem to be, relationships between politicians often break down. Is there any reason to conclude that Louis Bonaparte and the Treville family will continue to be close in the future?

After this question was placed in front of him, Lucien's mind suddenly became confused. If this is really the case, what should he do?

After thinking for a long time, as if he had made up his mind, he finally raised his head and looked at Albert again.

"Okay, Albert, I understand what's going on. As you said, if Charles has a falling out with the president, I will leave with him. I will not continue to be loyal to him in a lowly manner. Because I My allegiance is not to the Bonaparte family or to a certain emperor, but to my own principles and my friendship. Charles helped me start my own career again, and I am grateful to him and will remember this. "

"But will your wife agree? The young lady of the Dilion family will not let you squander your future like this?" Albert still smiled and asked, "You love your wife very much? What if she objects to it? What will you do then?"

"This is my own decision." Lucien replied very seriously, "I listen to her on most things, and I am happy to listen to her; but there are some things I can only make my own decisions, and I will ask her to forgive me. and are willing to make any compensation for this..."

As he spoke, Albert studied Lucien's face. As if to confirm his sincerity. After hearing this, he burst out laughing. "My friend, you are such an honest person, so easy to take seriously! I was just talking about it for fun, and it's not really like this. Why are you saying it so seriously? If Julie knew about it, wouldn't she have to scold me? Die? Okay, don’t take it seriously, just take it as a joke.”

However. Although he said it was 'just a joke', the way he looked at Lucien at this moment was completely different. It was the way he rarely looked at a true friend.

Then he looked up again. Looking at the wilderness in the distance, his expression seemed thoughtful.

"Friend, I have known Charles for many years. We have always been good friends - at least in my opinion, he is my best friend. A friend worthy of everything. He never abandoned me when I was down. . Now that I accidentally fell into danger, he immediately stepped forward to rescue me without saying a word... Because of this, I will do everything I can for him, no matter what. Yes, from many years ago From the beginning, I felt that he was capable of great things, and now everything has proven to be true as I expected... So, I am very happy that I can help him, and I am also very happy... that there are other friends who can also help him. Xi'an, you know, there are definitely not many people who can be regarded as friends between the two of us... So I am very grateful for your statement just now. Really, I am very happy that Charles has another good friend. "

Although his tone was very plain, Lucien could certainly hear the extremely rare sincerity in it.

"I'm honored." He also tried hard to suppress his excitement and answered in a tone as calm as possible.

Then, the two hands held each other tightly.

"Okay, let's talk about something interesting?" As if he felt a little embarrassed to reveal such true feelings, Albert deliberately spoke again in a more frivolous tone, "Are you always so embarrassed? "

"Okay, then you can tell me something?" Lucien laughed in agreement, "But you have to say it beforehand. I basically don't know anything about your 'interesting' things. Maybe I can't take it. The last crop…”

"You may not be able to deal with other things, but I dare say you will be able to understand this..." Albert's smile had a strange narrowness in it, "It would be better to say that I can only find you. Only then can we ask clearly.”

"What's going on?" Lucien was a little confused.

"Hmm...this matter...actually I don't know what to say..." Albert suddenly seemed a little evasive, "So, in our department...in private...someone secretly spread rumors..."

"What are the rumors about?" Lucien was still a little confused.

"Ha, what should I say?" Albert was still hesitant, but he made up his mind after a moment, "That's right, I heard rumors that Charles and our minister-that is, your father-in-law Dilion The second daughter of the earl, she has a close relationship, well, that kind of... very close relationship."

Among the top officials in Albert's department, there has always been a certain

After hearing what Albert said intermittently, Lucien first opened his eyes in surprise, and after a moment, his face turned slightly red from embarrassment.

After all, he didn't have many years of experience in the social scene, so he didn't know how to answer this kind of thing with the kind of half-covered joking that is unique to people.

But the lack of an answer was an answer in itself - he was indeed not a very good liar.

"Ah, it turns out it's true..." Albert blinked, but he didn't look particularly surprised.

To be honest, it was because Charles had never told him about his secret relationship with Matilda before. So he didn't know the whole story of their hookup, and to be honest, he was the same as other officials in the ministry. There is a secret suspicion that Charles has made a political deal with the minister.

Now that he saw Lucien's embarrassed look, he knew that all this was unspoken.

hehe. I see... Ciel kept it a secret.

Ciel really knows how to play! He is usually very serious and plays so many tricks quietly... However, it seems that he likes to play the kind of people who are of noble birth and have a reserved attitude... I can pay attention to introduce two to him in the future.

This was the first thought that ran through his mind.

In the social world, it is impolite and even inappropriate to pry into other people's private affairs, but Albert didn't care, and at the same time he didn't feel that his friend had done anything bad.

However, this was not the case with Lucien.

"Albert, promise me. Don't spread this matter, okay? After all, this is related to Matilda's reputation." He directly acquiesced to Albert's question, "Julie also knows about Matilda, she I’m very worried about my sister.”

"Oh, of course, where did you think it was? Why did I spread the word?" Albert smiled and waved his hand, "Don't worry, this is about the reputation of my boss and my good friend. I know the rules."

"That's good..." Lucien breathed a sigh of relief, then seemed a little hesitant. "But, it's not good for Charles and Matilda to always be like this? After all...after all, he has to get married."

"If they both have no objections, what's wrong?" Albert still looked nonchalant, "It's not like you don't know. Marrying Miss Treville is not an easy job. , How can we bear not to let Charles relax? Although I haven't seen much of Matilda, she is a smart and talented woman. Since she has made such a decision, we are even less qualified to intervene. . No? Just let them continue to interact."

Of course Albert would not know, just from his few words. Charlotte will hate him for the rest of her life - of course, even if she knows, he doesn't really care.

While they were still chatting, Albert suddenly felt something unusual moving in the distance.

Then, he immediately focused his attention and looked at the withered grass in the distance.

He soon discovered that it was a wild boar. It looked like it was out looking for food, and its figure had been very thin due to the winter.

Forget it, it can also be used as a suitable target.

He picked up his gun and took aim at the prey.

"Bang!"

……………………

While the two men were chatting away, one of the central figures in their conversation was not in much of this leisurely mood.

At this time, Matilda was staying in her bedroom decorated like a study, working nervously and seriously.

While she was looking at the documents next to her, she kept writing letters on the paper. She was doing two jobs at the same time, but she didn't seem to be uncomfortable at all. The handwriting was still very beautiful.

It wasn't exactly fun work, but she had gotten used to it over the years. She worked as a secretary for her grandfather back then, and now she is doing the same job for her father, and she is doing as well as ever.

Precisely because she has contributed so much to the family over the years, she also enjoys the right to do her own thing at home to a certain extent. Even though she was slightly doubtful, her parents never restricted her private behavior - this was the preferential treatment she had earned with her own hard work and brain power, and it was also a right she had earned herself.

Although she used this right in a strange way, it was her freedom after all.

I don't know how long it took, but when the sun was almost rising to the top of the sky, her hard work finally came to an end.

After she relaxed, she breathed a long sigh of relief, then stretched inconspicuously, and adjusted her glasses again.

The eldest lady, who had always been reserved and indifferent in front of others, suddenly assumed such a lazy and unreserved look. If the servants at home saw it, they would be shocked and speechless.

Read the original text in Liu#9@书/吧!

After resting for a while, Matilda reorganized these files, and then sat with the other party's files that she had processed in recent days. Looking at the tall pile of paper, Matilda suddenly felt an indescribable sense of accomplishment in her heart.

It's time to treat yourself. Be sure to have a good time.

Then, she suddenly had great expectations for her private meeting with Ciel in a while.

The kind of happiness two people get from having a secret tryst. For the first time in her life, she tasted an overwhelming and unrestrained pleasure. It is precisely because her daily life is so strict and self-disciplined that she becomes so addicted to this kind of tryst. Have fun doing it.

As if thinking of something strange, patches of red clouds suddenly appeared on Matilda's face, and her eyes seemed to change. No longer clear.

After all, she is actually just a young woman.

Just when Matilda was still immersed in that endless and even embarrassing reverie, there was a sudden knock on the bedroom door.

As if she was electrocuted, Matilda immediately resumed her upright sitting posture on the chair, and then the smile on her face disappeared instantly.

"Who is it?" she asked in as cold a tone as possible.

Then, she got news from the servant about the visit of the Marquis Marie de Léoland.

……………………

"Mary, why did you think of running over to me today? What happened?"

After arriving in the reception room. Matilda asked Mary directly.

Her tone was polite, but it also implied distance, and she obviously didn't have much favorable impression of the other party.

But it’s no wonder. To be honest, although Matilda thanked Mary for informing her, she was still a little bit upset about her throwing herself at Charles, so it was understandable that she would receive him with such polite indifference. .

"It's not a good thing, Matilda." Mary, who was sitting on the chair, nodded slightly to Matilda. "But thank you for still accepting me."

"I'm somewhat mentally prepared for this. You don't seem to have said anything good to me..." Matilda smiled bitterly. "Tell me, what bad news do you want to tell me this time? Does that old gentleman have any bad ideas again?"

However, to her surprise, Mary's expression was a little strange today. He seemed to have something on his mind and was not unhappy because of her attitude.

"Matilda, don't be angry. Now is really not the time." Mary sighed softly, frowning. His face was also very pale, and it was obvious that he had really lacked sleep recently. "Put our affairs aside for now. I have a very serious matter that I want to discuss with you. I have been hesitating for the past few days and don't know what to do. Finally, I decided to come to you to discuss it first... So please listen to me?"

Seeing the other party express this, Matilda's expression couldn't help but become serious.

"Well, tell me, what is it?"

Mary still looked hesitant and hesitated several times, but in the end, she finally made up her mind.

“You must have heard about Laura’s brother’s murder case?”

"Well, I know." Matilda nodded, "Actually, very few people don't know it now? There are so many reports in newspapers now that it's almost turned into a novel... I want to read something else. It’s all difficult.”

Then, she reached out and made a helpless gesture towards the pile of newspapers on the table in the living room.

These were newspapers that the family subscribed to, and Matilda would read a few summaries every day in order to understand the public opinion of various political factions. The recent death of Baron de Beauvain's son is obviously the most sensational news. It has been occupying the headlines of newspapers for several days in a row. Now everyone is talking about it. Everyone can't agree on it, and they have obviously regarded it as the biggest after-dinner incident. pastime.

For the sake of sales, those newspapers have been reporting on the latest developments in the police investigation. However, from Matilda's point of view, these reports can only prove that there is actually little progress in the investigation.

Because it rained that day and the murder happened in the middle of the night, there were not many witnesses. The police spent a lot of effort to investigate and found that on the day of the murder, a short man wearing heavy black clothes was walking on the street where the mansion was located. Testimony from nearby patrollers.

This man was quickly regarded as an important clue, and the police were frantically searching for him. Even the baron himself wrote a large reward in the newspaper, hoping to catch him.

Unfortunately, this clue is too vague, so although many people are very tempted by the reward, the man in black has not been caught until now.

"Lola is very lucky, isn't she?" Mary suddenly laughed, but there was not much joy in this smile, but something indescribably weird, "Unknowingly, she became the sole heir to hundreds of millions of fortunes. "

Matilda frowned. She didn't like the name. "She is indeed...well, quite lucky."

"Yes, you are really lucky." Mary still had that strange smile on her face, "She was so conceited before, and I'm afraid she will be even more arrogant in the future? Matilda, I'm afraid she has always had a big opinion against you... "

"What exactly do you want to say?" Matilda interrupted her directly.

"What I want to say is very simple." Mary raised her head and looked at Matilda, "Do you believe in the luck of fate? Or do you believe more in the miracles brought about by hard work?"

"Um?"

"I drank wine that night and stayed in the art gallery. Then I found a small room to rest - no one saw me. I have stayed there for several years and I am very familiar with it." Mary frowned, But his tone was very calm, "Then, in the middle of the night, I heard a very light noise... so I ran to the window, and guess what I saw?"

"What?" Matilda asked back.

"Then, I saw a man in black clothes slip out of the back door." Mary answered in a trembling tone. "It flashed by and then melted into the darkness." (To be continued..)