"If this effort is taken seriously by your country, then ...... We will also hope that your country will cherish our efforts......"

When Charles heard this, the prince and the foreign secretary each looked at each other, and their faces finally became solemn.

At this moment, this young man, who seems to have been slipping all along, finally penetrated the bottom of the hint for the first time.

In the silence, Palmerston turned to look at Prime Minister Russell, who was still expressionless, and then emphasized to him again in English, especially what Charles had hidden beneath his seemingly prosaic clichés.

"Is that what he said?"

After several such questions, Prime Minister Russell finally nodded in understanding.

Then, looking at Charles, he asked in English.

"Excuse me, then, Monsieur de Treville, what kind of sincerity and effort does Monsieur de Bonaparte want to make to preserve order and peace in Europe?"

Although he understood his question, Charles still pretended to be confused, and then looked at Paul Bilot, who was sitting next to him, as if waiting for him to translate the Prime Minister's words to him.

It wasn't until Charles swept him away with a look of anticipation and threat that Paul Birot woke up from his initial shock.

Yes, he understands it, but he wants to ask me to translate it in a serious way!

It is ten times harder to translate to someone who can understand than to someone who can't.

If you don't understand it, then even if there is a little discrepancy in the meaning, the other party will not care; But if the other party can understand the other person's meaning at all. That's where the translation comes to a special test – he compares the speeches between two people and then sees if he's qualified to be an assistant.

Let alone. Just opposite, a British foreign secretary who is fluent in French is watching him.

Oh, my God. Is this luck or torture?

"Your Excellency the Prime Minister is asking how much Your Excellency the President intends to do for the sake of order and peace in Europe." After a few moments, Paul Bilaut forcibly suppressed his uneasiness and slowly explained to Charles in French.

Until this moment, he was absolutely difficult to accept, just in this seemingly casual chance meeting, the top figures of the two countries had already talked about such a deep topic.

Hearing his words, Charles nodded slightly, not knowing whether he was satisfied with his cooperation with this drama. I was still satisfied with the translation that he had grasped the main idea.

"The sincerity of His Excellency the President can of course be guaranteed by the strength of France." Charles replied carefully, while fixing on Palmerston's old but still charming face, "He is willing to use the strength of France to support the efforts of the peace-loving powers to maintain the established order in Europe." ”

"One qiē strength?" Palmerston frowned, then glanced at Charles with a slight suspicion, "Do I think that this includes the military strength of France?" Including its entire army and navy - ? ”

Although this sentence may seem redundant, Charles can certainly hear the implicit question—Bonaparte and you. Can you speak for France completely? And, will you be able to completely control every move of the French army?

"It has to be." After a moment of silence, Charles replied categorically. "His Excellency the President entered the Élysée Palace with 10 million votes, in terms of legitimacy and representativeness. Is there anyone in Europe today who represents a country better than him? He bears the expectations of the people of the whole country, and naturally has the right to command the sword of the nation. Moreover, our military pursues honor. They are willing to follow the banner of the president to maintain peace and order in Europe. ”

"I heard that when you were in the War Department, you were involved in a lot of personnel reform within the Army?" Palmerston was unimpressed by Charles' cliché. "Well, I believe. No one in France knows the power of the opposition in the army better than you......"

"I found no opposition in the army." Charles interrupted.

"Huh?" Feeling a little surprised, Palmerston looked at Charles in astonishment, almost as if he were about to lose his smile.

This is indeed a lie—if there were no opposition, why would Louis-Bonaparte and his faithful assistant have to go to such great lengths to reorganize and purge the entire army command? So many people have been sent to the border and even to North Africa, what are they not in the opposition?

"We have no opposition in France." With a resolute attitude, Charles looked at Palmerston steadfastly, "There may be those who disagree with us on certain matters, but they will not oppose such fundamental questions on matters of importance, in the honour and interests of the country—they are as happy as we are to preserve the honour of the country and the army itself." Perhaps some will question some of our actions, but they will never resist the call of the Motherland when it is needed. In the tradition of the Army, they will bravely plunge into any struggle with courage and perseverance – no matter how great the risks involved, even at the cost of their lives. ”

Palmerston listened to Charles without saying a word, and then translated his words to the Prime Minister again.

Paul Bilot, next to Charles, was completely stunned at this point.

This is not an empty talk preaching friendship and peace, it is more like a declaration of war.

The question is, who exactly is this for?

Mr. Tréville's declaration of force could have been seen as a threat to his face on other occasions, but on this occasion it was not quite like it, and he could not understand it.

"That is, your country can use all its military strength to maintain the already shaky peace in Europe?" Prime Minister Russell asked again, "As long as the president and your country get the credit they deserve?" ”

Paul Bilot translated the Prime Minister's question to Charles in a slightly trembling tone.

By this time he had understood that this was a very serious meeting, though he did not yet understand what it was about.

Even a few hours ago, he could never have imagined that he would have the opportunity to be a participant and witness to such an important conversation.

"Yes. We love peace, and we also chase honor......" After listening to the young man's translation. Charles immediately nodded again, "There are hundreds of thousands of soldiers in our country who are eager to win honor for their country. And we can use these hundreds of thousands of soldiers at any time to serve the maintenance of peace in Europe, and this is our sincerity. If the price of maintaining peace is blood and suffering, if the defense of Europe requires a crusade against evil sinners...... Then we will summon up the courage to take a risk and participate in the sacred cause of defending Europe. ”

"Maybe there's too much sincerity...... Too much? Palmerston still looked unmoved, instead raising an eyebrow. Sir, France has already pursued an honor once in my lifetime. I have to say that it was a brilliant honor. ”

He had understood the conditions that Louis Bonaparte had made through the young man.

Louis Bonaparte wanted to be emperor and rebuild the empire, France wanted to get its rightful place in Europe, and as long as he received these "due honors", he could participate in the European order that had been confirmed and maintained for many years as a defender and not a destroyer, and if necessary, he could even help England in his crusade against "European sinners".

But, in the eyes of the British, whoever stirred up the continental balance was the sinner of Europe. The fact that Britain wanted to crusade against a country at this time did not mean that they wanted to give France some kind of dominance.

So. Here's the real key question - what kind of honor did Napoleon's nephew want in Europe?

"It goes without saying that the honor was so glorious that some people still cherish it." Charles readily admits this. But soon the conversation changed, "However, the imaginary career will still be shattered by reality after all." France has acknowledged reality and is happy to find in it a dignified place that still belongs to it. The president has already learned enough lessons from his uncle. I also understood that empires have boundaries after all, and that we should and must live in peace with our neighbors - we do not want to be at war all over Europe. We just want to enjoy the hard-won peace. ”

"If Monsieur Bonaparte is sensible, then I must admit that an empire is better than a republic." Palmerston smiled kindly. "So many years of history have proven that the monarchy is always superior to the rule of the mob."

It was the first time he had acknowledged, on behalf of Great Britain, that Louis Bonaparte had the freedom to coup d'état and even to proclaim himself emperor in the near future, provided that he faced reality as he had pledged and was willing to keep peace with the peace-loving powers.

After receiving such a reassurance, Charles seemed very excited and bowed to him again.

"Thank you very much for that, sir."

However, he was scolding in his heart, Britain wanted to come up with such a "false" recognition in exchange for France's "real" promise, it was too cunning, but he could only thank him in person. "But...... In the eyes of many people, it is not a commendable honor to just exchange for an admission that will come. ”

"What kind of honor are you going to have?" Palmerston asked rhetorically, "Honor is good, but if you pursue it too much, I am afraid it will be very harmful......"

"We just need some understanding and understanding from you...... Charles replied stiffly.

"France is already on its own in North Africa, and it seems that it doesn't seem to have my consent." Palmerston immediately blocked his path.

"If it's only North Africa, I wouldn't have to think about going back, sir." Charles shrugged his shoulders with a little distress, "If I had agreed to these conditions here, I would have been arrested for treason the moment I set foot on French soil." ”

"You can offer asylum with me, I'd be happy to keep you in England for a few more years." Palmerston replied in a stern tone.

"Poof......" Charles finally laughed at his humor.

After laughing for a while, Charles finally shook his head.

"Well, sir, then I'll have to tell you what the president has told you directly." (To be continued......)