Of course, the anger that Mary carefully hid would not be visible to Charles, but Charles also knew that she would never accept this order as easily as it seemed, so he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Pen, fun, and www.biquge.info

However, now he can't control this kind of apology, after all, he and Charlotte finally reached a consensus, and he doesn't want to have any more twists and turns.

And after seeing Mary off, he did not spare time, and specially rushed to visit the Duke of Treville's palace.

Although Charles's father-in-law, the Duke of Treville, and his cousin Philip are now idle at home, they are often away from home because they often spend time outside, but fortunately, Charles was notified in advance, so when he arrived in the afternoon, both the Duke of Treville and Philip were present.

"My child, it's been a long time since I've seen you." As soon as they met, the Duke of Treville hugged Charles warmly, "What, I am willing to come and see your father-in-law today?" It's amazing......"

Since marrying Charlotte, Charles has rarely visited the Duke's Palace without Charlotte present, so it would certainly seem abrupt for him to come alone today.

However, the duke could probably guess what the reason was, so he just teased his son-in-law by the way.

"Yes, Charles, it's rare to have a chance today, let's have a few drinks." Philip also walked up to his father's side and shook Charles' hand warmly, the compliment overflowing.

Since he was placed in the ministry by Charles to supervise the transportation of military and labor, he also had a place to live, so now he was bent on pleasing his sister-in-law, and his attitude was much better than before.

"Well, it's rare that I'm here alone today, without Charlotte by my side...... So let's have a few drinks. Charles smiled and nodded, hinting that he wanted to talk about something intimate.

"Good! Go to my study, I'll have the wine brought over! The Duke immediately understood, "It's time to take out the wine that has been treasured for so long, and taste it." ”

Led by the duke, they immediately came to the study.

After the appointment was made, the servant quickly brought the duke's treasured wine, and the duke himself poured wine for his son and son-in-law in the position of his master.

"Feel free, everyone, it's all a family, just drink to your heart's content!"

Then, he picked up the filled wine glass and poured himself a large sip.

Charles unhurriedly picked up the glass in front of him and took a casual sip.

"You're probably here for Charlotte, right?" The duke exhaled and then asked his son-in-law with a smile.

"yes, that's what I'm here for." Charles honestly admitted, "I have to say, Charlotte gave me a big surprise......"

"I'm surprised by that, too!" Perhaps in order to avoid causing a misunderstanding on the part of Charles, the Duke immediately explained, "Charlotte wrote to me two days ago to ask if I would like to be a councilmember, and I didn't know anything about it beforehand......"

He was afraid that Charles would think that he was secretly in cahoots with his daughter, so he first busily brushed himself off.

"Is that so......" Charles lowered his glass, and groaned.

To be honest, this did not surprise him, this father-in-law he knew, he had a good brain but a rather frivolous personality, not the type who would be careful to deal with someone, so he should have said the truth - Charlotte only informed him after making a decision.

"So, that's not your decision?" Seeing Charles's attitude, the Duke couldn't help but be a little stunned, "When I heard Charlotte's notice, I thought it was your decision!" That's why I agreed......"

"Yes, it wasn't my decision, it was Charlotte's decision, she informed me yesterday and told me to admit it as a fait accompli." Charles replied quietly, "Of course, I agreed......"

Hearing Charles say this, both father and son looked at each other in amazement, obviously very surprised.

"How...... Is this Charlotte's arbitrariness? This kid is really, so ignorant! The Duke immediately complained to Charlotte, and at the same time looked at Charles's expression cautiously, "Hey, child, I'm really sorry, I'm also responsible for this, I've spoiled Charlotte since I was a child, that's why she is so willful......"

Charles didn't answer, still groaning.

The Duke watched the Charles carefully, judging the son-in-law's opinion.

In his opinion, it is of course a great thing to be able to become a director of the Railway Federation with his current idle body, and he really doesn't want to give up if there is no reason to give up.

"Charles, don't worry, I don't think there's anything bad about Charlotte's decision, let a member of your own family assist you, no matter how you look at it, it's better than an outsider, right? Am I still bad for my daughter and son-in-law as a father? He immediately lobbied about Charles, for fear that he would change his decision, "I'm at this age, and all I think about is how to take care of future generations, how can I have any other ideas?" I absolutely listen to you! ”

And Philip hurriedly said good things for his father, promising that he would definitely follow Charles's will.

"I also think it's a good decision for her." After the Duke of Trevill had shown his loyalty so hard, Charles finally nodded, "I didn't want to work for you in the first place, after all, you are old...... But since you are so passionate, I am very happy, and I hope that you will be able to serve your country seriously in the future. ”

"Of course, Charles, I will do my best to serve my country!"

Charles' nod overjoyed the Duke, and he thanked himself as he poured himself another glass of wine and took another big sip.

"However, in order to make your work smoother, there is one thing I have to explain to you first." However, before he could finish his drink, Charles suddenly said again. "There are a lot of slippery heads in the federation, all of them are treacherous businessmen, and if you don't prepare in advance, I'm afraid your work will be greatly affected......

"Please confess, Charles." The Duke replied hurriedly.

"You can't afford to be in your position too much, but you want to make sure that people can't get out of you and deceive you – and that requires you to be familiar with the specific business issues. Considering that your experience is really not enough, I would like to equip you with an experienced and brainy person to assist you. Charles said in a seemingly consultative tone, "I think Mademoiselle de Léoland is a very suitable candidate, she used to be my grandfather's secretary, and she has worked in the federation for a while, she is very experienced, you can consult her as much as possible, if you encounter any difficult problems, please take advice from her first." ”

Because of his apologies for Mary, Charles specifically asked his father-in-law to listen to Mary more, and although he was only a suggestion on the surface, he believed that his father-in-law understood what it meant.

Sure enough, the Duke and Philip looked at each other again.

"So, you're trying to get me to take Mademoiselle de Léoland's seat?" After a moment, he cautiously asked, "Will this be ...... Will it make her feel guilty? ”

"Normally, anyone would be a little upset when they encounter such a situation, but Mary is a very knowledgeable person, she knows what is more important, and she is loyal to our family, so she will not let her emotions affect your work, please rest assured." Charles made a promise to Mary, "All I can advise you is to listen to her advice." ”

"I see......," the Duke nodded, "well, don't worry, I'll follow her advice." ”

The Duke has now seen that Charles and Charlotte have definitely disputed this matter, so 'listen to Miss Leolan's advice in everything' is the bottom line of Charles's concession, and of course he can only agree to this.

Seeing that his father-in-law was so easy to speak, Charles was also a little relieved, so he and the father and son opposite him continued to clink glasses, looking happy.

"My good son-in-law, what else do you have to explain to us?"

Seeing Charles behaving like this, the Duke naturally knew that he still had something to say, so after a few drinks, he asked Charles with a smile. "Now I can say it."

"I'm ashamed...... It's a bit hard to talk about. After a moment's hesitation, Charles lowered his head, "In the past two days, Charlotte and I have had an argument over something. ”

Sure enough, something happened.

The Duke knew it.

"Just quarrel over this? I'm so sorry for causing you so much trouble......"

"No, not for it, it's just an inducement." Charles shook his head, and then his face became even more embarrassed, "The real reason is ...... Charlotte, who felt that I was not as loyal as she would have liked, was so annoyed by that, she desperately wanted to ...... You want to see me in jail. ”

When Charles said this, the laughter and laughter of pushing the cup and changing the lamp were gone, and only a stunned dead silence remained between the duke and his son.

"And is there any basis for her suspicions?" After a long time, the Duke of Treville, who came to his senses, asked rhetorically. "Is she making a fuss, or are you really suspicious enough in some way?"

Charles had to hesitate, not knowing what to answer.

Seeing that this son-in-law suddenly hesitated, the Duke of Treville probably had a bottom in his heart.

My good daughter, you probably won't be able to keep your husband on a leash...... He couldn't help but lament for his daughter in his heart.

He had heard rumors before that Miss Léoland was Charles' mistress, and he had specifically asked his son-in-law for confirmation, but the other party avoided the issue at the time, and now it seems that the rumors should be true.

But lamenting lamentation, he is not very surprised, after all, everyone now says so, he himself is not debauched outside of marriage, compared to the average prodigal child, at least his cousin has a great future, and he also takes care of his family.

After all, isn't that the case with him himself?

"Charles, you can tell the truth in front of me, I am not only your father-in-law, but also your uncle!" He patted Charles on the shoulder, saying that he would never blame Charles for this, "You know my situation, you don't have to worry about me, just tell me what happened......"

"Well, some things do have some basis, but some things are just chasing after the wind." Charles was silent for a moment, then finally bowed his head and admitted, "But Charlotte's reaction was a bit overactive and unnecessary. ”

Now that he had been questioned to this point, Charles had no intention of hiding it from the Duke and his cousin, and he could admit Mary's affairs, and even other people's affairs—but he had to maintain a firm denial attitude in front of his father-in-law about his sister-in-law.

"This ...... That's true. The Duke sighed again, "Well, it's normal for Charlotte to react heavily, you know her personality, she's not that open-minded." ”

"If it's a quarrel, I'd accept it, and I'd rather be blamed by her...... But she was a little arrogant, and always used some unbearable ways to vent her grievances. As if he hadn't been surprised enough by the two of them, Charles continued to talk about the explosive topic. She threatened me with a break several times, which I thought was absolutely undesirable and would be an unbearable blow to anyone. ”

"What?" The Duke couldn't help but exclaim, "Did Charlotte threaten to break with you?" ”

"yes, and more than once. No way, Charlotte holds the old duke's inheritance, and our business is in her name, even the land of Giverny is hers, she stuck my neck, and I can't afford to break up. Charles smiled wryly, "But do you think it's normal and reasonable to threaten me into obeying her orders by threatening me?" There is no doubt that she has achieved her goal several times, but it has come at the cost of hurting the feelings of our couple. ”

"This ...... This ......" Duke is a bit of a linguistic, and obviously doesn't know how to say it.

After hesitating for a while, he could only sigh, "This is indeed a bit bad." ”

"Not only is it bad, but it's harmful." Charles suddenly raised his head and looked at the Duke and his son with blazing eyes, "So, I came here today just to ask the two of you, do you agree with Charlotte to solve the problem in this way?" ”

Although everything is business as usual on the surface, Charles thinks that Mary is right, and that he can't say yes every time Charlotte asks for something, and then threatens to break up.

The first time, he could be subservient and patient, the second time he could still be subservient and patient, but it was only three times, and if the third time was like this, then he really couldn't bear it anymore.

Although Charles appreciates Charlotte's love for him, it is a matter of principle, and he believes that he must do it - and must not be held hostage by anyone, not even his wife.

So, on the surface, he could submit to his wife and agree to her demands, but he had to prepare so that he would not be threatened again in the future.

Under Charles's forced gaze, the Duke lowered his gaze slightly, obviously a little uneasy. "Of course, it's not good...... I'm not very supportive. ”

Although Charlotte is his daughter, the Duke still values the family after all, he knows that Charles is now the best person in the family, but the other family members rely on the big tree, no matter from any point of view, he thinks that this son-in-law is the person he must defend, and he must not make a break rashly, it will not benefit anyone, especially the Duke family, who have lost too many political resources.

Charlotte would be emotional, but he couldn't, he had so many things to think about.

"If you don't support it, that's great." Charles nodded slightly, "So if you encounter a similar situation in the future, how do you want to choose a side?" ”

The son-in-law's questioning made him even more uncomfortable, and he subconsciously wanted to retreat, but he felt that there was nowhere to escape.

"Charles...... Is it going to get to that point? Finally, he asked.

"I'm the least person in the world who wants that scene to happen again...... But sometimes I have to plan ahead. Charles shook his head, "Don't worry, I'm not going to seek a break with Charlotte, but I have to prepare - it's for the good of all of us, isn't it?" ”

A little sweat broke out on the duke's head, and this question was indeed too embarrassing for this father.

He loves his daughter, but he also knows that being emotional is a taboo, and he knows that he shouldn't sit back and watch Charlotte get the family business to a situation where it can't end for the sake of being emotional, but if he has to clearly say that he is not on his daughter's side, he feels that he can't say it.

However, there is no room for regression, everyone is watching him and waiting for his statement.

And he knew that he could only give one answer.

After a long silence, he finally looked away, "If Charlotte were to break with you for this kind of thing, I would never support her, Charles." But...... I'm still going to ask you, as your cousin, don't make Charlotte too sad, she really loves you. ”

"I'm the most reluctant person in the world to have this happen." Charles emphasized again, "I want to grow old with Charlotte and start a branch of this family!" The only thing I pray for is to keep the worst from happening......"

"And can you be as loyal as she is?" The Duke asked rhetorically. "As far as I understand, that's all she asks for."

After a moment, he smiled bitterly again, "Forget it, I didn't ask this question, and there is no need to ask you to do things that we can't do." ”

There was too much helplessness and bitterness in this wry smile, obviously his father's feelings for his daughter made him too uncomfortable, "I won't say anything else, I promise you, if Charlotte asks to break with you, I don't think I will support her, just like my father said, you are the future leader of the Trevill family." ”

"I'll only listen to you, Charles." Philip, who was silent on the side, suddenly spoke, and immediately assured Charles, "No matter what she asks for or gives any reason, I will stand firmly by your side, and the fate of the Trevier family cannot be decided by the willfulness of a woman!" ”

Compared to his painful and tangled father, he is much more straightforward, although he is Charlotte's older brother, but he has always had a bad relationship with Charlotte's sister, and he almost did not hesitate to make a choice between brother and sister love and personal interests. This also made the duke's heart a little more painful.

After both father and son made their own statements, Charles finally relented.

There was no doubt that Charlotte's previous threats had terrified him, and that after giving in for a while, he had to find a solution to a similar situation in the future, and now he would be much easier to handle as long as both the Duke and Philip were on his side.

"I'm glad you're able to look at the big picture so well." After asking them to make a choice, Charles immediately comforted them, "As long as you remember today's promise, then I will make arrangements accordingly, and as long as I am in power, you will definitely not have any problems to worry about." ”

"That's great!" Philip was the happiest of them all, and no one was more than happy to see Charlotte unlucky.

But he soon realized that such schadenfreude was too inappropriate, so he immediately changed his expression. "It's too painful for us to make such a choice, but we have to act rationally, and sometimes we can't make some painful decisions."

"Let's have another drink." The Duke sighed, apparently not wanting to say anything more.

"Keep everything today a secret from Charlotte!" As he picked up his glass, Charles told the two of them again, "Unless the worst happens, please treat her the same way you did before, thank you!" ”