In the gloomy aisles of the castle, an old woman glared at Charles with wide eyes and stern attitude, while Charles, with a modest and docile smile on her face, showed no sign of flinching.

The sudden appearance of this Patterson lady not only gave him a great surprise, but more importantly, made him a little embarrassed all of a sudden.

Because he had already made up his mind, Charles refused to change his name to "Madame Bonaparte" no matter how insistent the other party was.

It's not that he doesn't talk about grace, it's just that this thing is too much of a headache.

That's right, it was because the emperor beat the mandarin duck that he forcibly broke up the couple and assigned Prince Jérôme to marry him, which caused this embarrassing fact, but now that the emperor is already dead, if Prince Jérôme really wants to reconcile with this ex-wife and recognize his son, what obstacles will there be?

The facts are clearly there,

As Louis Bonaparte's uncle and Napoleon's only surviving brother, Prince Jérôme Bonaparte would undoubtedly become one of the most prominent figures in the imperial family, and although he and his son Joseph Bonaparte were now at odds with each other, Charles had absolutely no intention of causing trouble for the prince.

He did get a big joke played by the Duke of Wellington, a joke that would get him in trouble.

I should have thought that Lady Elizabeth Patterson and the Duke of Wellington were married, and how could this reclusive old man not think of taking advantage of this opportunity to surprise me greatly?

This lady, in addition to being the ex-wife of Prince Jérôme-Bonaparte (and not recognized), at the same time, after the death of her brother. Widow Marianne Patterson, remarried to Richard Wellesley. The first Marquess of Wellesley, the eldest brother of Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington.

In addition, in addition to having an in-law relationship. After the disappearance of Napoleon's empire, she returned to Europe, where she was accepted into the aristocratic upper class, praised for her beauty and intelligence (and, of course, above all for her wealth), and was said to be well respected in British high society.

What's more, she has been used to seeing the world for so many years, and he can't deal with the past in that kind of drastic way.

"It seems that you won't change your words?" After a long silence. The lady asked again coldly.

"Please forgive me, ma'am." Charles sighed softly, "There are many issues on which I cannot make my own claims. ”

"Even if you do what you're supposed to do?" She defiantly replied.

"I think I know what I'm supposed to do." The charr still didn't budge.

"Good, good." The woman shrugged. "Well, since you're not sure you're following my request, I don't want to force you, but...... Could you please bear with me and listen to what I have to say? ”

Judging from her natural heroism, we can also see that the kind of American is not confined to small details.

"And what do you want to say?" Charles's heart finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's be honest. Sir, I have come to visit the Duke today precisely because I have received news that you are coming to visit here. A cold smile appeared on the old woman's face. That's right, you can understand that I'm here to find you. ”

Looks like that's the case.

Ay...... What bad luck...... How could such a thing be involved? Charles couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"It's really my pleasure." Although I feel very uncomfortable in my heart. But he still pretended to be interested in replying, "So. Let's talk more about it later......"

However, the lady seemed to have decided to make it clear to Charles. So she wasn't ready to agree to Charles's delay at all, she just waved her hand and made a 'you have to listen to me today' gesture.

"Why wait? It's good right now. Sir, if I had wanted to find you in public, I would have found a way to find you in London, and I waited until today to find an occasion where the two of us could speak clearly in private—that is to say, to give us, all of us, a decent chance. ”

After a pause, there was a slight threat in her tone, "That is, a chance to keep your master's dignity." ”

What does this woman want to do? Charles's heart sank.

"Actually, it's a simple matter," the lady continued, as Charles looked suspiciously, "I want you to send a message to your master, that my children and his family can no longer endure such dishonorable days, and that they want to use the surname they deserve. ”

Really...... Sure enough, that's the problem. Charles's heart sank again.

True, at this time, the Bonaparte family, in addition to its own branch on the European continent, also had a descendant in the United States.

Jérôme was a dissolute young man and a mess in the United States, and he had children with this lady, and their son was Jérôme Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born at Camberwell Manor in London, but grew up in the United States and lived with his mother. Because his parents' marriage was declared null and void by the French Emperor, he was not recognized as a member of the Bonaparte family after his birth, and the Emperor forbade him to use the surname "Bonaparte" - of course, his mother ignored the Emperor's impersonal order to continue to use the surname for her children.

And this Jérôme Napoleon Bonaparte also got married and had children in the United States, and passed on to future generations.

His eldest son, still named Jérôme Napoleon Bonaparte, was born in 1830 and attended West Point in 1848, graduating 11th in his class in 1852. After graduation he was appointed second lieutenant and served in the Texas Lancers Regiment.

And his youngest son, the second grandson of Mrs. Patterson, is even more famous.

Charles. Joseph. Bonaparte (1851-1921) was an American lawyer and political activist who graduated from Harvard University and Harvard Law School, and later served as an inspector at Harvard. He works as an attorney in Baltimore. Renowned in the urban and national reform movements.

Later, he entered politics. and served in the cabinet of President Theodore Roosevelt, serving as Secretary of the Navy and Attorney General. And while Attorney General, he established the Bureau of Investigation (which later evolved into the FBI).

That is, the grandson of the lady in front of him, a member of the Bonaparte family, is the founder of the FBI in the United States......

It may sound incredible, but it did happen in that history.

So, now, the branch of the Napoleonic family in the United States has three males, one father and two sons.

As an aside, it is precisely because of the existence of this legendary lineage. Impersonating the illegitimate children of the Bonaparte family has also become one of the special preferences of American crooks, as described in Mark Twain's novel Huckleberry. In The Adventures of Finn", there is a liar who claims to be like this......

"You mean that you intend to ask the president to acknowledge that your children and grandchildren are members of the Bonaparte family?" Charles took a deep breath before asking the other again.

"Yes, that's right." The Patterson lady nodded without hesitation, "Is there anything unreasonable about that?" My son is legally legitimate. All formalities for marriage were fulfilled at that time, and my grandson was also legally legitimate, so what reason did they have to be excluded from the Bonaparte family. So much so that you need to bear the stigma of being an illegitimate child? Let me tell you...... My eldest grandson, Jérôme Napoleon, has now graduated from West Point and is a professional soldier - he wants to be accepted as a full member of the Bonaparte family. At the same time served in the French army and contributed to the France of the Bonaparte family...... Isn't that what he deserves? ”

Charles finally got it.

Originally. Today, when the Bonaparte family is about to return to France, this lady wants to put pressure on Louis Bonaparte through him. Let him take his children and grandchildren into the Bonaparte family. In this way, let your children and grandchildren integrate into the ancient and closed aristocracy of the European continent.

It's a good idea, but it's a pity...... People have to face reality.

"May I remind you that His Majesty seems to have already given a ruling on this matter......" Charles was about to point out this fact, but he was interrupted again.

"That odious Napoleon is dead!" She raised her voice slightly and shouted, "And now you are serving another Bonaparte!" ”

"Even if it's another Bonaparte, his attitude won't necessarily be much different." With a slight sense of nervousness, Charles carefully pointed out the problem to her.

It is often said that a person becomes more and more stubborn as they get older, especially women. Now he finally understood that this was not a lie.

"Ma'am, I think you understand...... As a subordinate ......"

"Isn't it a servant?" Before Charles could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the woman opposite.

"Okay...... Then take your word for it. Charles sighed regretfully, "As a servant, I can't do everything I can to trouble my benefactor, and I'm not qualified to intervene in his family affairs. Not only will this cause him some unwarranted annoyance, but it will also cause me to break my obligations......"

"Is it also part of the obligation to get a father to deny his child?"

"I think the problem of children and fathers is their own problem." Charles's tone was respectful and a little mocking, "If the father doesn't want to pay attention to the child, then what can we do?" According to me, Ms. Patterson, you should not embarrass me here, but ...... Well, look for a more direct solution. ”

As soon as Charles said this, the lady's face, which was already tense, became even more ugly.

yes, that's true,

If the question of her child's status was to be solved, wouldn't it be better to find Louis Bonaparte himself? Or would it be better to simply go to the one who started it, Prince Jérôme?

But this is practically unlikely.

Emperor Napoleon did not like the marriage and felt that her family was too low, so he forcibly declared the marriage null and void, and then found a princess for his brother Jérôme as his official wife...... Louis Bonaparte, then, as the heir, could not dismiss his uncle's decision.

Whether the emperor does a good job or not, he must continue, at least for the time being, and he needs to assume the posture of continuation.

As for Prince Jérôme himself, it is even more impossible - if he really wanted to recognize these children and grandchildren, so many years after Napoleon's death, he would have recognized them long ago, so why bother waiting until now?

It was precisely because Charles's answer was to the point that the lady could only be speechless for a while.

"People often say that you are a clever and brilliant young man, and it seems to me that this is no more than that." It wasn't until a moment later that she spoke again, this time in a much more soothing tone, and it was clear that Charles had hit her a little harder, "Don't you want to find a few supporters in the Bonaparte family?" Sir, though I am not in France, and not very well-informed, I seem to have heard that you are not very popular among the Bonapartes...... If you could do this for us, wouldn't you be grateful to us? (To be continued......)