After hearing Agnes's request, Charlotte was very upset, after all, she had never regarded the people there as her relatives. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

But for Agnes' sake, she finally decided to accede to the request. Still, she set the conditions.

"Mortgage ......?" Agnes froze.

She doesn't have any financial knowledge, but she still knows this, if she wants to borrow money from the bank, she has to mortgage, but where does she need any collateral to borrow money between relatives?

It seems that Charlotte is indeed very resentful of her family.

"He has lost a lot of money recently, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to come up with enough collateral at once." After thinking for a moment, she replied gloomily, "I heard that he has sold most of his real estate to make up for the shortfall......

"If I don't have collateral, I don't dare to lend him a large sum of money." Charlotte waved her hand to show that she couldn't do anything, "Even if I can agree, I can't say anything on Charles's side." ”

"Charlotte, so can't you be accommodating for my sake? If we can give enough collateral, then I don't need to intercede with you......" Agnes blinked nervously, "He promised me that as long as I fill the deficit and get through this difficult time, I can get the money back immediately." Can you just do me a favor? ”

At this time, she could no longer see that she was strong just now, but she looked a little cramped and uneasy, obviously in the face of money, no matter how powerful the swordsman was, she could only be at a loss.

Charlotte looked at Agnes like this, both distressed and annoyed, of course, this anger was not directed at Agnes.

"You've been deceived! He must have been in pain when he told you, right? I've seen this kind of routine a lot in the social arena, and the prodigals are tossing their mothers and sisters one after another, and they want to cheat money from them out of their conscience! He just saw that you were so easy to talk to, so he pretended to be cornered. Charlotte commented on Charles' uncle in a snarky tone, "He said that he would pay back the money if he got through the difficult time, which must also be a lie, how can such a person pay back?" If there is no collateral, he will definitely find a way to repay the debt. ”

Charlotte's words made Agnes a little speechless for a while.

In a sense, she also felt that Charlotte had a point, and her brother was afraid that he would actually do it.

However, she felt that she couldn't abandon her family, so she continued to talk about it.

"I'm not going to let him do that, Charlotte, you can trust me even if you don't trust him." She looked at Charlotte and said in a very sincere tone, "I can vouch for him, if he dares to play tricks, I won't have to do it myself, I'll make him suffer enough!" So, Charlotte, even if you help me this time......"

Charlotte could only sigh now.

She had understood, and it seemed that Agnes had made up her mind to help her family through this difficult time, and she had nothing but to. Moreover, if she wanted to deceive her, she couldn't do it, because she had helped her to check the accounts of the Giverny factory before, and she knew how much money she had in her hands, and she couldn't excuse it with "I can't mobilize the funds now".

Either agree or not, and she doesn't seem to have much choice for Agnes' face.

The Duke had no credit with her, but Agnes did, and, at any rate, she felt that she should be rewarded for Agnes' help.

"Hey, why do you want to help him do this?" Finally, she sighed.

"You know, I owe them so much." Agnes smiled wryly, "I've been very headstrong since I was a child, and Dad doesn't know how much he's worried about me." When I grew up, I didn't make him feel comfortable, for my own thoughts, I ran out of the country directly, and wandered outside for so many years, so that I was not by his side when he died......"

As she spoke, tears appeared in the corners of her eyes, and her voice was a little choked, "I'm not following my brother's orders, I just can't bear to see my heavenly father sad, if he sees our family fall to such a point, how sad should he be......"

If it were an ordinary person, I am afraid that I would have been unable to cry when I said this, but Agnes quickly regained her composure after a short period of pain, but her breathing was a little disordered, which shows her strong will.

"Hey...... Well, don't say it! However, Charlotte couldn't stand it anymore and waved her hand repeatedly, "Okay, I'll trust you once, you can let your brother come to me in a few days, and we'll take care of it." ”

Not long ago, Charlotte had discussed with Charles that she would withdraw some of the funds from the Giverny factory account to buy treasury bonds and save for her youngest son Lerouche and his future children. Now it seems that he can take out another part of these funds and secretly lend it to the uncle.

Although this is a risky loan, with Agnes as a guarantee, she is not too worried, not to mention that it really can't, and then her family will still have a way to force the debt with the duke - she doesn't believe that the family has any capital to fight against her family now.

In addition, she has another way to make sure that the other party can

"Thank you so much, Charlotte!" Agnes was overjoyed and grabbed Charlotte's hand, "I'll remember how you helped us!" ”

"Don't rush to thank you just yet." Charlotte shook her head, her expression becoming a little strange, "I don't have to ask him for anything as collateral, but he also has to prove in some way that he really wants to repay." ”

"What...... Meaning? Agnes was a little surprised.

"Selling something, to be precise, helping others sell something." Charlotte smiled strangely and lowered her voice, "Not a businessman, though, but a group of soldiers. ”

"Soldiers?!" Agnes became more and more confused, "How do the soldiers sell things?" What are they going to sell? ”

"Soldiers are much better than businessmen, they specialize in businesses that don't have capital." Charlotte replied in a low voice, "Who told them to have guns in their hands?" ”

"What they looted?" Agnes finally understood. "You mean they're going to sell the looted stuff?"

"yes, that's it." Unlike Agnes' shock, Charlotte was very calm, "You know, those who serve in the army don't have much culture, so what they loot can't be sold for a good price and can only be exploited by profiteers, so we want to help the soldiers get their due." After all, they were born and died...... Let's be honest, the soldiers in the garrisons of the various colonies now have such needs, and Charles's grandfather is now commanding the army,"

"Oh my God...... It's stolen goods! "Although Charlotte said it lightly, Agnes certainly saw the essence," Charlotte ...... That's not right, we shouldn't! The things they loot are all bloody, and if we ignore them and sell them, won't we also get blood ourselves? ”

"If no one knows, then our hands are white and flawless." Charlotte was not moved at all, "Besides...... Come to think of it, Agnes, isn't that what war is all about? What is there to be surprised and indignant about the soldiers who have been looting everywhere for many years? Think about it, if it weren't for these people, where would the collections of the British Museum and the Louvre come from? ”

"Even if no one knows, will our conscience not know?" Agnes couldn't help but ask aloud, "Charlotte, are you still short of this money?" Why bother yourself with blood in this way? Do you really not feel uneasy at all? ”

In the face of this cross-examination, Charlotte finally hesitated slightly, and finally shook her head.

"If we have to do it for the sake of money, of course not, but ...... We have other considerations, our family needs to use some means to maintain relations with the military. Agnes, sometimes we have to do something less glamorous......"

Agnes was right, of course, the Tréville family didn't value this little money, and they weren't interested in taking risks to earn it, but considering that it could attract a large number of officers, the situation was completely different. If you can win over a group of officers by assisting in the sale of stolen goods, then it will be very profitable to do so.

In particular, Marshal Trevier is already in his last years, and God knows how long he can live, in case he dies, the family will lose a bond within the army, so it is necessary to establish another solid bond while the old man is still alive.

These considerations were very practical, but they were not very glamorous, so the Charles couple only tacitly understood it, and even for Agnes, Charlotte could not explain it in detail.

Although Charlotte certainly didn't have a disturbed conscience, she also knew that this kind of thing was definitely not a glorious thing, and it was not easy to do it herself, so she was ready to look for an agent in secret, at least without blood on her own hands. And just as she was looking for a surrogate, Agnes approached her and told her about it, and she came up with the idea.

With Duke Nordrien selling the loot, Charlotte could keep an eye on his income, and pay a commission from it to the Tréville family as repayment, which she felt could have the best of both worlds - both to secure the loan and to reap Agnes' gratitude.

Agnes fell silent again, and she lowered her head, apparently not knowing what to do.

She can see now that Charlotte doesn't care about that kind of moral problem at all, although she values feelings, but she only has feelings in her heart, not morality. This Duchess lady has no one in her eyes except for the people she values, and she will not think that she has any obligations.

Because of this, she is even more reluctant to involve her family in this kind of thing.

"Charlotte, I'm not a child, and I know that a lot of things in the world are gray, maybe you have something you have to do...... But if you're going to do it, you can do it yourself, there's no need to pull someone else, right? After a long time, she finally spoke, "I ask you not to set such conditions for borrowing......

"Your brother wants to borrow our money to get through this, so isn't it reasonable for me to ask him to give him labor as a form of repayment?" Charlotte was a little surprised, "Do you think I'm making things difficult for your family?" Then you're wrong, and I'm thinking about him...... Think about it, if you agree to this condition to me, then he can have one more income channel, and won't he be able to take a lot of risks in the future? You don't want to come out and beg every time, do you? ”

"I'll only ask for him once." Agnes bit her lip, "Charlotte, I don't want this to happen to my family, so I can only refuse you for my brother." ”

She didn't dare to take this condition back and ask her brother, not because the conditions were too harsh, but because the conditions were too lenient, she knew that with her brother's temperament, she would definitely seize such an opportunity, after all, this could not only get a loan, but also get a huge income channel.

So she had to refuse herself.

"Hey...... You even refused such a condition? Don't you know, some people are afraid that they will break their heads! Charlotte looked at Agnes in astonishment, trying to make sure she meant it.

After a moment, she could only sigh, "Well, if you're not willing to do it, that's okay...... But in that case, I'll have to discuss the loan with Charles, after all, this is a lot of money. ”

"It's okay, just talk to Charles." Agnes nodded, "I hope he can help us for the sake of our years of getting along." ”

After a pause, she added, "If you have to have any collateral, then add one." How about I work for you and be your pawn until the loan is paid off? ”

"This ...... How does this work?! Charlotte was shocked, "You're our aunt, what a pawn, aren't you kidding?" ”

"Haven't I been sold to your family?" Agnes asked rhetorically, "Isn't it right to serve you?" When Charles caught me, my family didn't pay me a ransom, but took a large sum of money from Charles...... In that case, I am obligated to pay it back. ”

"We don't live in the Middle Ages, Agnes." After listening to it, Charlotte only felt a little crying and laughing.

Sometimes she really thinks that Agnes's way of thinking is ridiculously old, and she is still entangled in abstract morality in this era, and she actually refused such generous conditions, and she also surrendered herself to be a pawn.

"There are some things that others don't care about, but I care a lot." Agnes replied solemnly, "Well, if you're okay, then let's settle it first, and as long as Charles agrees, you can give the money to my brother." ”

"Okay......" Charlotte could only smile wryly and nodded.