Ever since the unexpected encounter at Schönbrunn Palace that day, although Duke Leichstadt acted as usual on the outside, in his heart he was extremely attracted to the young woman named Charlotte de Treville.
Of course, this was not because he fell in love at first sight after seeing the beautiful woman, but an extremely strong sense of familiarity in his heart, a sense of familiarity that he should not have had, which aroused his interest and wanted to find out what was going on.
.
So, quietly, he began to secretly collect information about this young lady.
After all, he was the Prime Minister of the Empire who had been in power for many years. When he wanted to seriously investigate a person, it was as simple as having him at his fingertips. Soon, he got detailed information about her.
As she said, she was the granddaughter of General Victor de Treville. Although this general came from a well-known aristocratic family, he had no title to inherit because he was the second son. However, in 1805, he
The German exile returned to France, served the Duke's father, and made many military exploits. The emperor Long Yan, who had always liked the aristocracy, was delighted, and finally made him a marquis——
Perhaps it is for this reason that the Marquis was grateful to the Bonaparte family. Even after the fall of Emperor Napoleon, he persisted in his position and still openly sided with the Bonaparte family, thus becoming Bonaparte's greatest influence in France.
One of the most famous and powerful supporters in the country.
Aiglon even received a letter from the Marquis during the Revolution of 1830 and the collapse of the Bourbon dynasty. In the letter, the Marquis earnestly requested him to return to France and lead them to take the opportunity to seize French power. In the blink of an eye, he
Twenty years have passed, and thinking about it now feels like a lifetime ago.
Obviously, when my grandfather wrote this letter, Miss Charlotte was only two or three years old at most. It was impossible for her to participate in the family business, or even to understand the entanglement between Bonaparte and Bourbon, but twenty
Years later, she became a trusted confidant of President Bonaparte and a backbone adviser of the Bonaparte family. This can be regarded as a family inheritance.
According to the information received by the Duke, when President Louis Bonaparte returned to France, Charlotte and her grandfather were the first people to greet him, and they immediately joined his army and campaigned for him during the past two years.
President, in the political process of usurping power from many positions, the grandfather and grandson made many suggestions, which can be described as "outstanding achievements".
At this moment, the Marquis of Treville has been appointed to an important position in the army to help the president control the army, so only Xia Lu came to join the delegation.
If I go back, my grandfather and grandson will be doing their best to assist me now... The Duke thought with some emotion.
Although everything has passed, and although he will not regret his life choice because of this, it is impossible not to feel a little sad when he gives up the "treasure" he once owned.
However, this meaningless emotion did not last long, and the Duke quickly returned his attention to reality.
After careful analysis of the intelligence, he confirmed that Xia Lu had never been in front of him before, and he had obviously never been to France - so, as she said, the two people had never met before.
That's strange. Why did I feel familiar before, as if I had known her for many years?
The Duke asked himself, but could not find the answer.
Could this be fate? He felt a little unbelievable, but in this situation, it seemed to be the only reliable answer - even if it seemed unreliable at all.
If you think about it carefully, Miss Xia Lu's life experience is really pitiful.
According to the information, her mother passed away when she was young, and her father disappeared because of the heavy blow. She and her younger sister were left alone to depend on each other. The family also fell into ruin due to political reasons, which can be said to be quite miserable.
However, under such adversity, she did not choose to give up on herself. Instead, she worked hard to learn various etiquette and knowledge since she was a child, and grew into the generalist she is today. At the same time, she also single-handedly took care of her younger sister.
With such a performance, it is definitely not an exaggeration to say that she is a "hero among women", or even more exaggerated, calling her a "dragon and phoenix among men".
——For comparison, isn’t this my experience?
He was born into a noble family, but his father died in a foreign land, his mother was indifferent and distant, and he was even imprisoned. He was called a Duke but was actually a prisoner in the palace.
In this kind of adversity, although he was cynical, he did not give up on himself. Instead, he worked hard to learn and grow while looking for any opportunity to change the environment. In the end, he did it. Not only did he change the fate of the prisoners, he even "turned against the guests" and became a
became the true master of this country.
And she did it. After decades of waiting, she now took advantage of the turning point of fate to jump to the highest stage of power in France - it can be expected that under her single-handed control, the Treville family
It will surely thrive again in the future.
Living in adversity but full of hope, observing etiquette but being cynical, armed with sharp weapons ready to be used when the time comes, and finally making a comeback...this is the answer of two people to their fate.
So, just because our experiences and temperaments are so similar, I felt very familiar at the first moment?
The Duke finally found a "correct" answer to his doubts.
Although this answer is not perfect, it is obviously the most reasonable explanation at the moment, and at least the Duke accepts it.
Just because he accepted this answer, the Duke felt even more fond of Xia Lu in his heart - this good feeling did not come from the desire between men and women, but from a kind of sympathy deep in the soul, a kind of elders.
Appreciation and love for juniors who are similar to oneself.
If there is a chance in the future, give her some help, the Duke thought.
Although he will not go to France, he is the emperor's only heir after all. It would be too easy for him to cause trouble for President Louis Bonaparte, so his words in front of the president must have some weight, whoever he wants to help
The supporters of the Bonaparte family are naturally very simple.
She has entered the inner circle of power at such a young age. She really has her own style. I really want to see where her upper limit is. If she can become the first female prime minister of France or the controller of the palace in the future, she will definitely be very good.
Interesting... thought the Duke.
This thought was hidden deeply in the Duke's heart. At the moment, he only found it interesting. However, quietly, this inconspicuous moment affected the fate of two countries, two families, and hundreds of millions of people.
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Under the order of Queen Mother Sophie, the French delegation received a very warm reception. Accompanied by a dedicated person, they visited Schönbrunn Palace and various attractions in Vienna, and were also played by the best orchestra.
I had a good appreciation of the music and art that Austria is proud of.
In this "home away from home" atmosphere, "Franco-Austria goodwill" has also become a hot topic of public opinion throughout Europe. Some people are happy and happy, while others are dissatisfied, but they all understand that the Bonaparte family's "
"Comeback" has become a definite reality, and there may even be a sudden emergence of a "family alliance" across the two major Catholic countries of France and Austria. This alarming scenario has also left countries in various countries scratching their heads. They must consider how to advance in advance.
response.
The public opinion storm did not affect the joyful atmosphere in Vienna at this moment. As usual, the Emperor and His Majesty the Empress Dowager held a grand ball at Schönbrunn Palace. Austrian elites from all walks of life "came out in full force" to warmly welcome the French delegation from afar.
The French, led by Prince Jerome Bonaparte, also tried their best to use their charm to please these Austrians.
Amidst the melodious and gentle waltz music, pairs of men and women formed dance partners and danced gracefully on the wide dance floor. The ladies and girls in costumes were as dazzling and colorful as butterflies wearing flowers.
Looking at this luxurious and spacious palace.
However, in this cheerful and enthusiastic atmosphere, the Imperial Prime Minister Duke Lechstadt sat aside with a calm face and did not participate in it. He just quietly admired the graceful dancing of the pairs of dance partners.
He is actually very good at dancing, but as he gets older, he doesn't like such noisy and lively activities, so he gradually stops participating in them, and people who know his habits will not disturb him.
However, today's situation is somewhat surprising.
A well-dressed blonde woman walked up to him step by step with soft but rhythmic steps. In order to facilitate dancing, she wore a strapless skirt, and her large dazzling white skin seemed to reflect the light of the crystal chandelier.
Huaguang.
Under the Duke's gaze, she bent her knees slightly, and then spoke to the Duke.
"Your Majesty, may I take the liberty of inviting you to dance with me?"
Although this was a request and she was very polite, her expression was neither humble nor joking. On the contrary, she seemed a bit aggressive.
Is this challenging me? Why?
The Duke did not react for a moment.
"Why did you think of inviting me?" He then asked doubtfully.
"If you want to hear a clear reason, then I would say that I would like to take the opportunity to shake hands and dance with His Majesty the King of Rome, as an honor that I will never forget until my death -" Xia Lu smiled, and then spoke unhurriedly
Answer, "But if you want to hear the reason behind the scenes, then I will say that I want to explain the situation to you alone... After all, I heard that you are investigating me secretly, and I feel that as your servant, there is something wrong with me
I would just like to explain it clearly to you in person, so as not to trouble you - maybe there might be some subtle misunderstanding...?"
Although her words were modest and tactful, the Duke could feel her proud pride in every detail.
Indeed...it seems like, just like me back then.
Maybe others looked at me that way back then.
Not bad, not bad, very beautiful. I should have been the same way back then...
You are obviously just starting out, but you dare to stand up to me, interesting, interesting, hahahaha...
The Duke's soul, which had gradually died due to busy official duties over the years, felt some joy and pride for the first time in a long time.
"You are worrying too much. There is no misunderstanding between us, and I have no ill will towards you at all." Then, the Duke also smiled lightly, "However, I appreciate your courage and pride, just as I appreciate my
I am the same - so, I accept your invitation."
Then, he shook his head again, "No, in front of such a beautiful and lovely lady, how can I have the nerve to accept her invitation? I should be the one to invite you -"
Then, under the surprised gazes of everyone around him, he stood up from his seat and gestured slightly.
Xia Lu understood his hint, so she stretched out her hand to him. He first kissed her slender hand, and then pulled this woman, who was a generation younger than him, to the dance floor together.
During this short journey, he felt the surprised gazes coming from all directions, including the stern questioning glances from Sophie, but at the moment he didn't care.
Whoever likes to misunderstand, just misunderstand. It's not a big deal anyway. Just be happy at this time.
Just because this was His Excellency the Prime Minister, no one dared to stop him. Just like cavalry rushing in, the two of them passed through the crowded crowd and arrived at the center of the dance floor in a blink of an eye.
This small interlude did not change the flow of the entire dance. Soon, the musicians began to play the next dance music.
Amidst the accompaniment of this music, although the age difference between the two people is not small, their figures are extremely agile and they dance gracefully under the gaze of everyone.
Xia Lu was a little surprised by the development of things, but in any case, now was indeed a good opportunity for two people to be "alone". She wanted to understand why the King of Rome, whom she had never met before, was so interested in her——
She even thought that if it was the worst possible scenario, then she would fight to the death.
However, it was not her who asked the question first, but the Duke, and it was a question that Xia Lu had never thought of.
"Miss Xia Lu, are you good at swordsmanship? Who taught you?"
Although it was a question, he used a affirmative tone, "From your footsteps just now, as well as your alert expression and movements, I can detect it——"
Although it was unexpected, since the Duke had already made it clear, Xia Lu was not going to quibble, "Yes, Your Majesty... I have learned swordsmanship since I was a child. As for my master, I am sorry that it is difficult for me to tell..."
As she spoke, she was secretly frightened, as she seemed to be missing another "trump card."
And she immediately thought that the Duke was probably also very good at swordsmanship, otherwise he would not have such observation ability, and suddenly she felt a little more wary.
However, the Duke didn't pay attention to her reservations, he just nodded slightly, without stopping at all, and the two of them continued to whisper while dancing.
"It's really not easy. You have to learn knowledge, practice swordsmanship, and take care of your sister at the same time... Miss Xia Lu, you will definitely make a difference."
"So why do you want to investigate me privately?" Xia Lu asked with a wry smile, "Your Majesty, I have already said... I really don't know you..."
"So, now, you have the honor to meet me." The Duke replied with a smile of admiration and pride. "Miss Xia Lu, I will let you realize your dream in life - no matter what dream it is."