His Excellency the Count of Grandet

This plan doesn't seem like a big deal.But in fact, before the French delegation left South Carolina, new problems emerged——

It was not an accident in France, nor was it obstructed by the Americans, but a genuine accident.

The cause of the matter is this.

After coming down from the Clay Manor on the mountainside, everyone separated towards their respective goals and took a carriage.And several people on Shire's side (including Victor, Ferdinand and others) unanimously agreed to go to Charleston first.

Charleston is a very old small town with charming seaside scenery, and the camellias are in full bloom in summer.Because of the early slave trade in its seaport, it became one of the wealthiest towns in the American South.

"This is really a beautiful and sinful city." After a group of people came out of the customs, Ferdinand whispered.

Because before they came, they saw the ships from India or Africa moored at the wharf, as well as the black slaves on the shore carrying heavy loads coming and going under the scorching sun; Shocking), so I couldn't help expressing my feelings.

If these words were heard by the manor owners, something would definitely happen, so Ferdinand's voice had been suppressed to the lowest level, and it sounded like he was muttering something.

He happened to be walking beside Shire, and Shire's ears were sharp, and his mood couldn't help but be a little complicated.

From his own point of view, of course he has to admit that he is against human trafficking.Likewise, he opposed wars of aggression and profiteering through the sale of marijuana and other drugs.

Sometimes, reality makes gray means inevitable; but if the methods mentioned above are used, human nature is completely black.

Charles thinks that making money is his greatest hobby, but his bottom line has not yet broken through to this level.

Some people may say that Shire should not sign purchase contracts with those big manor owners at this time, but should stand with the northern faction and force the southern faction to make concessions.

The idea is very good, but we must admit that this kind of general environment cannot be changed just by changing it.Think about it, what was the only civil war in American history for?Isn't it because of the intensification of contradictions brought about by the abolition of slavery?

Charles was not naive enough to think that a war could be avoided with his own strength.Even if butterfly wings can carry a tropical storm, it is far from that time now.

So Charles deliberately slowed down, letting himself and Ferdinand fall to the rear. "You are still too young," he said in an almost equally soft voice.

Counting the time, it has been almost two years since Ferdinand and Charles met for the first time, and the relationship is still good.In the past two years, the two have interacted the most in the past one or two months.But combined with what has happened, Ferdinand thinks he already has a general understanding of what kind of person Charles is.

Now, what Charles said sounded another meaning, another meaning that was completely opposite to what he had imagined?

"Do you think what I said is wrong?" Ferdinand asked, his voice was still not high, only the ending sound rose slightly.

Comparing his current reaction with his current age, it is impossible not to say that he is beyond ordinary maturity and stability.

"No, your thinking direction is different from mine." Charles replied, and at the same time began to feel that it was not a bad thing for them to bring Ferdinand this time. "Young, usually means, you still have enough time to do what you want to do."

Ferdinand was silent for a while.Although this explanation sounds okay, but young?Charles is only three years older than him. Is it really okay to say such old-fashioned words?

"Time means infinite possibilities; the result depends on your own thoughts and actions." Charles added, with the emphasis on "action".

Ferdinand stared deeply at Charles.

In other words, how to think is one thing, how to do it is another matter?And the result depends on how well he does it?

For example, now, he feels that it is very inhumane to arrest free people for imprisonment and trafficking, and it can even be said to be a crime.And if he doesn't want to see this, should he do something about it in the days to come?

"Will you act?" Ferdinand didn't say what he thought, but asked instead.

These words can be said to be thorny, but Ciel still smiled. "You must know that I am a merchant, and only a merchant, my lord duke."

For others to hear this, it would be a rejection, but Ferdinand discovered the hidden meaning.Charles will not interfere with this matter, because it is beyond his ability, and he does not want to cause more trouble to himself; but if there are other indirect conditions that can affect this matter, and that condition Charles If you can do what you can, then Shire won't mind saving the country with curves.

"Father is right, you are really smart." Ferdinand said this, with a bit of disgust in his tone, but the corners of his mouth raised uncontrollably. "No matter when it is, I can't make you suffer even a little bit!"

"If this is a compliment, then I will accept it bluntly, and please pass on my thanks to your father." When Charles said this, he took off his bowler hat and bowed slightly .

It was obvious that it was a pain in the ass, and Ferdinand pushed Charles, dumbfounded; it wasn't heavy at all, at best, it was enough for Charles' body to sway back——

If it was a normal development before, this moment is a moment of divine turning point, a moment of making history, and a moment that made Victor regret not being next to Charles in the past few seconds——

That's right, Shire was hit by a rotten peach blossom that fell from the sky!

Outside the customs is a short fork road, with coarse bags taller than a person stacked on both sides, and there are quite a few on the road.Because of this, the width is only wide enough for one carriage to pass; if there are two, one of them must let the other pass first.

Because of the bad road conditions, Charles and his party asked the coachman to park the carriage on the side of the road outside, and the men walked in by themselves.And when they came out, there happened to be a carriage trying to squeeze in regardless.

This of course didn't work out, so the people inside had to get out of the car.The carriage stopped right next to Charles and Ferdinand, Charles stepped back, and immediately—

"Ouch! You..."

There was a delicate voice pinching his nose.

Something is wrong!That was Charles' first reaction.With his strength just now, he didn't even touch anyone, but the startled sound from the other party was quite loud - women, especially women who can act, are no trouble at all!

After Shire turned around, this feeling became more obvious - because it was a woman with heavy makeup.Although well-dressed and old, he couldn't hide the smell of dust on his body.To make matters worse, judging by the language, the woman was also French.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, sorry, ma'am." Charles said politely, just wanting to make a quick decision.

The woman didn't finish half a sentence before, her eyes were glued to the two of them.Because, although Charles was not particularly well-dressed, it could be seen that his family was in a good position; with Ferdinand standing beside him, it was impossible for a duke to be shabby.

So maybe she wanted to complain before, but now it has turned into an over-the-top enthusiasm: "Ah, I didn't see you before, I should be the one to say sorry. But I didn't expect to hear French here, really Kindness—that's what people call fate, isn't it? In that case, you can call me Madame de Aubrion; if you don't mind, tell me what you call me?"

...Where did the woman come from, she is too familiar, right?

Charles and Ferdinand couldn't help but looked at each other.Ferdinand felt that this woman was a fake, and that she was likely to be closely related to a certain kind of special industry, no matter how bad she was, she was also a social butterfly.In addition to this same opinion, Charles also found the woman's last name somewhat familiar.

Where did I hear it?Where is it?

Seeing that the two were silent, Mrs. de Aubrion became more certain of her judgment. "Maybe I haven't introduced myself clearly yet," she said, her voice and attitude were two extremes compared with those at the beginning, and she was so sweet that she could ooze honey, "You probably have heard of the surname Aubreyon .Aubrion's ancestor is the family de Aubrion de Bish, there are marquis and lieutenant who can be hereditary; moreover, my husband is a close servant of Count Artois, and they have known each other since childhood!"

Are you really kidding me?

This was the common thought of Charles and Ferdinand.A woman who doesn't know where she came from, bragging in front of Ferdinand, a real duke, that she has a marquis title that can be hereditary?Moreover, [-]% of the captain and so on have already been dated, because it is basically impossible for the French to mix well in ports in the southern United States.

The combination of these two points was already amusing enough; what made them even more speechless was that they hadn't happened to be with Count Artois yet!

Are you really trying to build a relationship?Pulling hatred is more accurate, right?

Just when the two of them were speechless no matter how polite they were, the second person got out of the car.This is a very kind old man, life has left deep lines between his brows, it is Mr. de Aubrion.He didn't see the previous situation, only heard a few words, and thought it shouldn't be a big deal.

"Since you're all right, my dear, get out of the gentlemen's way."

M. de Aubrion did not even bother to look at Charles and Ferdinand when he said this.

Madame de Aubrion rolled her eyes several times at her husband's incomprehension.Didn't he see it?These two young men are the top of Parisian high society!So she just pretended she didn't hear it, but called out in multiple voices: "Mary? My dear daughter? What are you still doing in the car at this time?"

As soon as these words came out, Ferdinand's face immediately darkened.What a joke!Even if he didn't hold on to his duke status, he didn't fall to the point of picking a wild flower on the side of the road, right?Is this woman crazy about wanting to marry her daughter?

If Charles knew that Ferdinand thought so, he would definitely feel that Ferdinand had a clever plan.Thanks to the lady's virtue of hastily calling her daughter out, he had already remembered where he had heard the name Aubrion—

Miss de Aubrion is the wife of Richard in the original novel!

The author has something to say: Mrs. Aubrion: Charles, come and marry my daughter, or marry me!

Victor: Madame?

Victor: Huh.

Ferdinand: ...Why do you feel murderous?