Flowers, Swords and France

In the cool breeze of autumn, Charles moved away from the Palace of Fontainebleau, where he had lived for a long time, and then took a carriage on his way home to Paris.

His wife Charlotte was also with him, but because the two had a quarrel before, her attitude was very bad along the way. She refused to talk to Charles with a straight face. Looking at her angry look, Charles I knew, as he had done for years, that she was expecting him to apologize, relent, and do what she wanted.

But Ciel didn't want to apologize this time and gave in.

First, he didn't want to let himself be threatened, especially by Charlotte; second, he really couldn't bear to let Matilda leave his side and go to a place like Spain to suffer.

So he remained silent, with a straight face like Charlotte, sitting and watching the green mountains and green water outside the window quickly retreating next to the speeding wheels.

After this oppressive silence lasted for a long time, Charlotte finally couldn't bear it anymore amid the dull sound of horse hooves.

"Charle, have you forgotten the promise you made to me when we got married? You said you would love me." She stared at her husband, seemingly dissatisfied.

"I still love you now, even more than we did before." Charles replied softly, "But these are two different things. You can't ask me to do something I don't want to do."

"If you loved me as much as I love you, you would be willing to do it, wouldn't you?" Charlotte asked, "I've done it for you!"

"Yes, thank you." Ciel shrugged, "But this is not the reason for you to force others to do something difficult as a test of loyalty. This is a boring approach."

"Forcing others to make things difficult? Is what I propose harmful to anyone? Is this thing going to hurt someone?" Charlotte was obviously furious and looked at Charles with hatred, "No, I can't see it. There is such a prospect when she comes out - unless it is you, you still miss her, you still miss her in your heart, and you want to renew the old relationship! "

Because Charlotte stabbed his thoughts so directly, Ciel was a little embarrassed for a moment, because he did think so - of course, this was absolutely unacceptable.

"No need to say any more of your baseless words. I think you are using something that has never happened to make excuses, and making us quarrel over such a trivial matter for no reason."

"For no reason? I think this is well-founded, sir." Charlotte couldn't help but sneered, "Didn't she make it clear to me? She won't threaten her because of me - ha , God knows how my reasonable and reasonable request turned into a threat - instead If you change your mind, she will stay away from us unless you drive her away personally, but you are unwilling to do so, and you don't even want to make a superficial gesture! Sir, it's already obvious, isn't it? ? Am I being unreasonable or unreasonable?”

Under Charlotte's sharp questioning, Ciel felt at a loss for words for a moment.

Indeed, as a wife, she did have the right to make such a request, and her attitude was a bit rough.

However, he could not give in, because it meant that Matilda would be driven away innocently... and now he has promised Matilda that he will never give in.

"Okay, I will consider your request, Charlotte." Charles sighed softly, and then grabbed his wife's hand, "I will talk to the earl. If he wants to take his daughter there, then Take it, but I can't force them to do such a thing. Okay, you should be satisfied now, right? Let's not argue about such trivial matters anymore... Let it go. I just want to go home and have a good rest. one time."

However, Charlotte did not stop because of her husband's words. On the contrary, she looked directly at her husband, her eyes full of disappointment.

"What's wrong?" Charles couldn't help but frowned.

"Charle, we have known each other for more than 20 years, and we have been married for almost two years, so I know you well enough. I know clearly what is a promise and what is perfunctory." Charlotte pursed her lips. He opened his lips and widened his eyes, "If I was still doubtful before, now I am very sure that you can't forget your old love for her! You would rather quarrel with me than accommodate me. You would rather be with her for her sake." I argued and refused to do what I was told!”

"Hell, why do we have to argue about this kind of thing!" Charles finally became impatient, "Well, whatever you think, all in all, this matter is over for me, and I don't want to fight anymore. It's a waste of time and energy, and I don't want to push anyone into trouble and ruin my relationship with my friends, so let's not talk about this anymore, that's it!"

After he spoke so sternly, Charlotte kept looking at him, her expression getting uglier and uglier, but in the end she said nothing.

The two of them were speechless along the way, and followed the carriage back home.

Charles, who had been living in Fontainebleau recently, certainly felt a sense of intimacy after returning to his mansion, but Charlotte next to him still had a straight face, obviously angry with him, so his mood It's really not getting better.

When she heard that the master and his wife were back, the nanny immediately took Clovis out.

Clovis has now learned to walk, but his steps are still a little staggering. He looks very cute when he is wobbly. Because he is well-nourished, he is strong and fleshy, with short golden hair and blue hair. The eyes are just like a little rag doll.

After seeing his parents, Clovis suddenly showed a smile on his face, and then walked towards him crookedly.

"Good son, come here!" Seeing his son's cute appearance, Charles couldn't help feeling happy. He leaned down and opened his arms, planning to wait for his son to fall into his arms.

However, what made him quite embarrassed was that his son ignored him, threw himself directly into the arms of Charlotte next to him, and then called his unaccompanied mother with a happy smile.

When Aiko fell into her side, Charlotte finally showed a smile on her face. She hugged and kissed her son, making Clovis giggle.

Seeing the mother and son so happy, Charles was both happy and jealous. He unknowingly moved closer to the mother and son, and then stretched out his hand to tease his son.

But just when his hand was about to touch his son, Charlotte suddenly turned around, causing Charles's hand to fall. As a result, Charles could only stretch out his hand and look at his wife in embarrassment.

"You... don't have to go to this extent, right?" Charles couldn't help complaining, "Even if you are angry with me, can't I still touch my son?!"

"Do you regard yourself as a father and a husband?" Charlotte replied with great dissatisfaction, "You are not at home most of the time, and you are not with your son when you are at home. You only tease him a few times when you have a whim. You see your son almost doesn’t recognize you anymore, how do you still want to be a good father?”

"Aren't I usually too busy? Also, since you think I don't get along too much with my child, you should let me stay with him for a while longer? What do you mean by being like this now?" Xia Er was furious for a moment, "Xia Er Lott, let’s quarrel, but you can’t use children as tools.”

"Who said I used my child as a tool? It's because you don't do a good job as a father and husband!" Charlotte said angrily, "Since you don't value us so much, why do we have to obey you?"

"Who asked you to obey me? I just want you to behave as usual!" Charles finally couldn't help it, he almost yelled, scaring the people around him into panic, "Really, Charlotte, Your mood has been very abnormal these past two days.”

Then, he walked directly in front of Charlotte, and then stretched out his hands to hug his son. However, unexpectedly, at this moment, perhaps because the way he roared just now was a bit scary, Clovis was so frightened that he started crying. , as a result, Ciel didn't know what to do for a while and froze in place.

"Is this how you want to be a good father?" Charlotte was so angry that she shouted directly at him, "If you really think you can do whatever you want, then you are wrong. What I told you before... Have you forgotten?"

Looking at his crying son and his wife who was weeping, Charles suddenly felt some compassion. After all, he did feel guilty in his heart.

And what's the point of continuing to argue like this?

"Let's stop arguing, Charlotte." Finally, he sighed, "What's the point of continuing to argue like this?"

After he slowed down his tone, Charlotte trembled slightly and almost cried.

"If you...if you don't want us to quarrel anymore, then you know what to do!"

Then, she turned around, hugged her still crying son and left.

Charles stared blankly at Charlotte's leaving figure. The baby's cries gradually faded away, and in his ears, he felt a mixed taste.

The servants next to them were all dumbfounded. The husband and wife were usually very affectionate. Although they quarreled occasionally, they almost never quarreled. It was very rare to have such a heated argument today. For a moment, they were all guessing. What happened.

Ciel soon felt their prying eyes. He turned to look at them, and then scolded them directly, "Go and prepare dinner for me!"

He had not eaten since leaving Fontainebleau, and after the bumpy journey and such heated discussions, his hunger was unbearable.

Under his roar, the servants backed away in panic and immediately prepared a new dinner for him. However, Charles ate this dinner alone. Neither Charlotte nor his son came to eat. This was obviously intentional. She wanted to show off to him, so Ciel felt very depressed.

The blow to him continued. After dinner, Charles wanted to go to the bedroom to see his wife and son, but he was rejected. Charlotte locked the door and refused to open it no matter how he called. It seems that he has made up his mind to teach him a lesson this time.

In any era, women like to play the Cold War game! He couldn't help but lament in his heart.

Read the original text in Liu#9@书/吧!

However, despite suffering such a heavy blow, he still did not intend to surrender to his wife.

In order to stop others from seeing his joke, Ciel had to leave from the door of the bedroom, and then simply came to the study. There is also a place to sleep in the study, and he plans to rest here for the next few days.

That night, Charles took out the official documents that needed him to deal with urgently, and then wrote furiously at the desk as usual. When he felt a little tired after writing late at night, he copied it aside, but soon discovered that , the steaming hot coffee that was always there was no longer there today.

He was stunned for a moment, then sighed, and reluctantly cheered up and continued to devote himself to the paperwork in order to kill the depression in his heart.

In this way, the cold war between the Treville couple lasted for several days. During these days, Charles went to work in the ministry during the day and lived alone in the study at night. The couple met and did not speak to each other all day long.

The storm caused by the quarrel between the two people was not limited to one corner of the mansion. On one afternoon, Charles's grandfather, the old Marshal Treville, came to Charles's mansion.

As soon as he heard the news of his grandfather's visit, Charles hurriedly went to entertain him, and Charlotte also attended with his son. However, Charlotte still didn't say a word to him. She just accompanied the old man and teased her great-grandson with a smile on her face.

After Charles and Charlotte got married, the Marquis of Treville rarely came to visit and did not like to disturb the lives of the younger generations. However, since the birth of his great-grandson, his visits have become significantly more frequent, and Clovis Si was so fond of him that he sometimes even took his great-grandson directly back to his home, only to return it to Charlotte a few days later.

However, although Marshal Treville still teased his great-grandson today, he obviously had other things on his mind. Therefore, after the meal, he allowed Charlotte to take Clovis away. Suddenly, only the grandfather and grandson were left in the restaurant. personal.

"Boy, why did you fall out with your wife?" After Charlotte left, the old man who had been smiling suddenly became serious, and then asked Charles in a rather vulgar tone, "You Tell me what's going on?"

"Actually, it's just for some trivial matters..." Charles was forced to have no choice, so he told his grandfather the origin and process of the dispute between him and Charlotte - but he was in the Palace of Fontainebleau. Of course, the absurd incident with Matilda was completely ignored by him.

"What? Why is it this woman again!" Upon hearing Charles' explanation, Marshal Treville was obviously a little angry. "Have you lost your mind? Are you going to have a falling out with your wife over the past?"

"That's because Charlotte's tone is too strong and tough, and I don't like to be treated like this." Ciel explained in a low voice.

"Didn't she say it kindly at first?" However, the old man did not accept his explanation at all, "But what about you? You tried to shirk it in every possible way and then refused! How can you make people not angry like this?"

Then, he stared at Charles, "Okay, tell me, if I ask you to do what Charlotte said, drive that lady away from your eyes and drive her to any corner - you Will you do it?”

"I won't, Grandpa." Charles replied decisively, "I promised her that I won't let anyone threaten her because of me."

"How stupid!" The old man said with a deep voice, "Charles, now you are a minister of the empire, why are you still so unreasonable! As a noble, as a descendant of our Treville family ancestors, you can be ridiculous, you You can be debauched, but you can't love, do you understand? For us, sex is human nature, and there is nothing wrong with pursuing happiness, but love is something unseemly! Acting on impulse - and you, you are now a negative example!"

"I...I don't understand how it will hinder me if I fulfill my promise." Charles replied in a low voice, "Matilda will not harm my future no matter where she is, right? In other words, as long as she is here, If you help me, I will be more able to exert my power - after all, I rely on their help as a family now."

"Don't you understand? I think you don't understand on purpose." The old man glanced at him, "Whether it is for interests or for feelings, you should coax your wife well, right? Don't forget, her hands are It holds a lot of things you depend on.”

"That's just on the surface. I don't rely on her." Ciel remained unmoved. "I am the minister of the empire, and I also selected the people below. Unless I agree with Charlotte's orders, she will not act." Even her brother and father listen to me more? Grandpa, I accommodate her because I like her, not because I am afraid of falling out with her. "

"You've actually come to this point?" Marshal Treville was shocked. "You don't really want to break up with Charlotte, do you?"

"No, of course I don't want to. She is my wife and Clovis's mother. Why would I want to break up with her?" Charles shook his head, "But I don't want to surrender, especially in a situation like this. under threat."

"Do you just want this situation to continue?" Marshal Treville frowned, "Char, in fact, as long as you make a little concession, that lady is so important to you. ”

"No matter what you say, I will never drive Charlotte away just because of her unreasonable whim." Charles said to his grandfather in a rare tough tone, "This is not just an emotional issue, You don’t know Matilda, she is a really nice person and we should not treat her in a rude manner…”

"You only thought about how sorry you were for that girl, but didn't you think about Charlotte? What you did was so sorry for her, it was crazy! You shouldn't be bound by feelings, understand?!" Because his grandson rarely contradicted himself, The old man looked at Charles angrily, and even his hair trembled slightly, "I don't understand what's so good about that girl that deserves your infatuation?"

"I'm sorry for Charlotte for so many things, but this is just one thing!" Charles finally couldn't help but burst out, almost like shouting, "Let me tell you, I had an affair with De-Bo Baron Wang's daughter is still pregnant. She will give birth to a child next year... I also played with Mary, even if I had been with her a while ago. She hangs out with her and plans to give her a surprise like this... You see, is this bad enough, grandpa? I have become a heinous bastard! But isn't this what you taught me, even Mary? You pushed me with one hand! So I think you have no reason to accuse me, right? "

Perhaps it was because he had never been able to talk to others, but Charles suddenly said what was in his heart in one breath. He almost shouted out because of his excitement.

As he narrated this, the old man's expression became more and more surprised, and finally he looked at Charles in shock.

After Ciel finished speaking, he kept blinking, not believing everything he heard. However, after studying Ciel for a long time, he confirmed that these words were true, and finally accepted this shocking fact.

He kept looking at Ciel as if recognizing his grandson for the first time.

Then, his expression slowly turned calm again, and there was even an invisible smile, and he nodded slightly.

"Well done, Ciel." (~^~)