Paris in September is the best time of the year. The bright sunshine shrouds the French capital. Many young men and women are sitting under the shade of trees on the lush green land, and some women are holding small sunshades.
Take an umbrella and take a leisurely stroll in the park.
The two women were walking in the park with sweet smiles. They were chatting as they walked. Occasionally, when they met passers-by, they would always stand on the roadside and take off their hats to greet them.
"your Highness!"
They are all princesses!
The Spanish princess, however, is the kind who has lost her throne. As the granddaughter of Spanish King Joseph Napoleon, Julie Charlotte Bonaparte has long lost the glory of yesterday. In fact, even her maternal grandfather is nothing more than
He has only been King of Spain for a few years.
"Princess……"
Charlotte, who was only fifteen years old next to her mother, said a little depressed.
"What kind of princess is a princess without a kingdom?"
"Charlotte, this is a title! Your grandmother inherited it from her father, and I inherited it from her!"
"A title is just a title."
Charlotte blinked her beautiful eyes, looked at the young people in the park, and said softly.
"It's just a useless title. At most, it means marrying a senile rich man with the title of princess in exchange for a lifetime of food and clothing."
Julie is also helpless about her daughter's complaints. This is a fact, even if the current emperor of the French Empire is Louis Napoleon, he cannot change all this.
The Bonaparte family has long since declined.
As for the Joseph Bonaparte family, they only have titles, nothing more.
People came in and out of the park from time to time, and soon the mother and daughter walked out of the park. At the intersection of the park, there was a newsboy waving the newspaper in his hand and shouting loudly.
"Read the newspaper, read the newspaper, businessmen from Argentina, Peru and other countries are resisting the products of America Company!"
"Read the newspaper, Britain announced that it will freeze the American company's warship contract..."
The newsboy's shout made Charlotte stunned for a moment, and then she waved to the newsboy.
"Dear lady, would you like a newspaper?"
"Bring me a newspaper."
Even as a woman, Charlotte was also very concerned about politics. On the way home, Julie saw her daughter looking intently at the newspaper and asked curiously.
"What news is it that makes you so fascinated?"
"Mom, it's news about America."
Looking up, Charlotte's eyes were filled with some kind of desire.
"You know what? America is a great place. You were born there, before we were allowed to return to France!"
Julie is no stranger to the United States. She lived in exile in New Jersey with her father for many years, and Charlotte was also born in Philadelphia, the United States.
"Mom, I'm talking about America, South America..."
Charlotte closed the newspaper and smiled.
"Maybe, and I mean maybe, I think, I have a better choice!"
What?
Looking at her daughter in confusion, Julie's eyes were full of doubts. What was she talking about?
Fifteen years old is the age when girls like to fantasize most. Maybe Charlotte likes fantasy, but she likes adventure more. In the next few days, she kept rummaging through newspapers, information, and even specially found
Use the map to find the location of Nanhua.
The only thing that made her a little dissatisfied was that there were no direct passenger ships to Nanhua. There were no direct passenger ships from France or the United Kingdom.
But soon, she found a solution to the problem!
…
The Port of Marseille. Since 1832, the port throughput of Marseille has been second only to London and Liverpool in the United Kingdom. As the third largest port in the world, the Port of Marseille has merchant ships from various countries moored at its berths. This morning, a carriage drove to the pier
, after the carriage stopped, Charlotte jumped out of the carriage, followed only by a maid.
"Your Highness, you shouldn't have run away from home!"
"It's not like running away from home."
Charlotte said solemnly.
"I am doing it for my future and the future of my family,"
As she spoke, she pointed to the merchant ships in the distance.
"Judy, look, the flag on that ship is the "Flag of the Phoenix."
The phoenix is the phoenix and the redbird. It is the flag of South China, and the ship moored at the berth is the ship of the American Company's expedition team - the "New Hope", which left South China on May 1, 1863.
It’s been three years now!
For three years and four months, Zuo Zongtang has been leading an inspection team to visit various European and American countries, including the United States, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, German countries and Russia. They even went to Turkey. In the past three years, Zuo Zongtang has been investigating the world.
Zuo Zongtang has a new understanding. It is precisely because of this that the trip has been delayed from the first two years to three years. Now it is delayed again in France. It is not because of Zuo Zongtang's relationship, but because the company asked Schneider
-The 80-ton steam hammer ordered by Le Queseau is about to be completed, so the company temporarily decided to use the "New Hope" to bring the world's largest steam hammer back to Nanhua.
Zuo Zongtang did not miss this opportunity. He conducted another inspection of France, such as the inspection of French rural governance.
Today, when he and several attendants returned to the port in a carriage and were about to board the ship, they never expected to meet a woman at the pier who wanted to board the ship but was rejected by the crew.
The one who was rejected was none other than Charlotte. She got the information from the newspaper - the ship of the American Company's expedition team was in Marseille, so she came here.
"Hello, miss, may I help you?"
Zuo Zongtang walked over and asked.
"Sir, you must be Mr. Zuo they mentioned."
Without the need for introduction, Charlotte could guess from the respectful attitude of the crew that the identity of the other party must be extraordinary.
"I am Zuo Zongtang. May I ask, Miss..."
Before Zuo Zongtang finished speaking, Charlotte nodded and said.
"That's good,"
Charlotte said.
“I am Charlotte Clark Bonaparte, and my mother is Julie Charlotte Bonaparte, Princess of Canino and Musignano of Spain. I hope to take your ship to South China!
"
When he revealed his identity, he looked a little arrogant. Although he only had a title, sometimes just this title was enough.
What!
Fortunately, Zuo Zongtang had been in Europe for three years and four months and was no stranger to European countries - Bonaparte!
Who is familiar with Napoleon Bonaparte?
The current French Emperor is his nephew, also from the Bonaparte family. The girl in front of him also has the surname Bonaparte.
In terms of the Qing Dynasty, the girl in front of me was a relative of the emperor, and she was Princess.
Princesses of Canino and Musignano of Spain?
Zuo Zongtang, who had inspected Spain before, had a little knowledge of Spanish history. This princess... was the type of exile.
Joseph Bonaparte was King of Spain for only a few years before he was overthrown by the Spaniards, but...according to European tradition, he was still the heir to the Spanish throne.
In an instant, after figuring out the identity of the other party, Zuo Zongtang made a decision. Like all European gentlemen, he took off his hat, bowed his head slightly and saluted.