Now that Teresa's approval has been obtained, Edgar's plan is more than half successful.
Although in theory, Aigron has higher decision-making power, generally speaking, as long as Theresa's decision does not violate the principles, Aigron will never refute his wife's face; besides, deciding who will draw the commemorative painting is a matter of
It's such a "little thing" that Aigron doesn't bother to pay attention to.
Precisely because she grasped the key, Alice directly appealed to Theresa, borrowing the empathy of being a woman, to make Theresa soften her heart. In the end, Theresa suppressed her dislike of Edgar,
agreed to her request.
That afternoon, Alice deliberately put aside her busy affairs and returned home, and then relayed the "good news" to her husband.
Seeing that his plan had taken a crucial step, Edgar was naturally overjoyed and expressed his gratitude to his wife repeatedly.
However, there was no joy on Alice's face, only unspeakable worry.
She did achieve her goal, but this "victory" also contained great risks, because she actually used her reputation in His Majesty's heart to guarantee her husband and get what Edgar wanted.
Errands.
From a rational point of view, it is absolutely undesirable to bet one's own reputation on someone with a frivolous personality and an inability to settle down like Edgar.
However, it is of course impossible for a person to act entirely based on reason in his life.
Faced with her husband's hope of "cheering up", Alice finally chose to take a risk. After all, as a wife and mother, she still had something that was difficult to let go of.
In order to make her husband understand the price he had paid and the importance of the matter, she sternly warned Edgar.
"Edgar, you have also seen that I did all the good things for you before Her Majesty the Queen. I took a risk... For the sake of the harmony of our family and the future of our children, I am willing to take the risk.
But you have to use all your talents to prove that I am indeed not under the influence of your majesty.
The more she spoke, the more bleak she became. She couldn't help but cast a resentful glance at her husband, "To be honest with you, I don't believe you at all...and it's not just Your Majesty. What other people think of you is also in your heart."
Are you clear? Do you think that the future heir of the Treville family should have such a bad reputation outside? Do you think that you can shoulder the heavy responsibility like this? You let us down in the past, but that is all in the past now
Now, you should be more angry now, right? Even if it's not for me, for my father and my daughter, I beg you to be serious and don't let us down again..."
Alice's words were so sincere and heartfelt that she burst into tears, and naturally they also touched Edgar.
Of course he knows what the outside world thinks of him, and he also knows what reputation his idle life has brought to him over the years. He also knows that when he was evading family obligations, it was his father and his wife who worked hard to revive their family.
He also helped him finish his share of the work.
When it comes to feeling guilty, of course he feels guilty.
However, many things do not mean that they will change if they feel guilty. Just like those primary school students who often regret and cry when they fail in an exam, but will return to the familiar messy life the next day. Edgar
The guilt only lasted for a few seconds, and he returned to himself.
After all, even his father's 20 years of scolding didn't wake him up. What can Alice's few plaintive words change?
Edgar de Treville had given up his efforts long ago and did not want to be bound by the shackles of his family. He only wanted to live for himself.
Therefore, he just acted like he was very touched, and then repeatedly assured his wife that he would definitely complete this job with 120% seriousness and would never miss a beat.
With his repeated assurances, Alice also believed him, or chose to believe him.
So, the couple quietly discussed the matter for a while, and Edgar also took the time to pack up his commonly used painting tools and daily necessities.
The next day, Alice brought Edgar to the palace and started her new job.
Now that she had Teresa's approval, and Alice's own special status in the court, she quickly found a room for her husband to serve as a studio - which was naturally Edgar's residence during this time.
Edgar did not hesitate. After settling in, he immediately started to devote himself to his work.
Although this is not his ambition, in order to cope with the errands, he must do his work seriously no matter what.
The creation of commemorative paintings is not difficult to say, but it is not easy to say simple.
For Edgar, who has been skilled in painting for more than ten years, painting figures is his basic skill. In addition, he was in Notre Dame at the time and witnessed the coronation of the two majesties, so he was asked to
"Recreating the scene at that time" is naturally easy.
However, the political needs of the empire were not just as simple as "recreating the scene". It needed to make the commemorative paintings vivid and vivid and contain full political metaphors, and it also needed to find ways to highlight the central characters without appearing too mundane.
Abrupt... In short, it means wanting and wanting at the same time - of course, this is also a manifestation of privilege.
Edgar had painted promotional posters for Aiglon, so he had some experience with this kind of commemorative paintings, but even so, he could not find the inspiration to write.
Fortunately, the imperial official is not in a hurry, and he still has some time to write slowly.
So, he unhurriedly took out all the painting tools in his suitcase, mixed some commonly used paints, and then randomly applied a few strokes on the canvas to find its condition.
Then, he put down the pen again and stood by the window to look around to kill time.
After he felt that time had passed long enough to prove that he was "trying to find inspiration," he opened the door of the temporary studio and called the guards again.
"Can you help me find someone to inform the Marquis of Lepanto?" He asked the guard in a good voice, "I am his friend and want to meet him."
Although Andre Davout, as the captain of His Majesty's guard, was not someone he could see easily, the guards also knew that Edgar was Lady Alice's husband, so he did not dare to neglect and soon had someone pass the news on.
Andre.
Not long after, Andre appeared at the door of this temporary studio.
"Edgar, long time no see!"
He had obviously already heard about Mrs. Alice's job for her husband, so he was not surprised at all when Edgar appeared here, and he warmly shook Edgar's hand as soon as they met.
The two of them had already had a friendship when they were in Greece, and Edgar is usually easy-going and funny. As long as you don't place any expectations on him, you will find that he is indeed very suitable for being a friend, so the two of them naturally became familiar with each other.
.
"I didn't expect that you would actually take the initiative to find a job. It seems that you finally cheered up." After a brief greeting, Andre smiled and joked to Edgar, "Maybe in a few years,
I will also call you Lord Treville!"
Why is everyone so surprised that I want to do some work? Edgar just felt ashamed.
"Well, I'm afraid you already know, right? Before I left, my father was worried about me and insisted that I do something for His Majesty. But I am neither a political person nor a financial person. In addition to being able to pick up a paintbrush,
What can I pick up? So I can only shamelessly ask His Majesty for this job..." Edgar said, while showing a helpless look, "As for politics, I don't have the ability, I think
Father should not force me."
He said it so reluctantly that Andre easily accepted it. After all, this was the Edgar he remembered.
"It's okay. As long as you serve His Majesty, it doesn't matter whether you do more or less. As long as you do your job well, Your Majesty will definitely be very happy." As he said this, he patted Edgar's shoulder gently.
, to express encouragement, "Actually, it's good to be like this now. Mrs. Alice and Miss Xia Lu stay with your majesties for a long time, which will inevitably affect your family feelings. Now that you come in to accompany them, you will also
Let your family be more harmonious."
"Who says it's not? I've been looking forward to this day for a long time." Edgar nodded repeatedly, and then warmly invited Andre, "It's rare for us to meet, let's have a drink together?"
"Isn't this... not good?" Andre hesitated. "Now is not the time to drink."
On the one hand, he has a heavy responsibility on his shoulders and does not want to get drunk during working hours. On the other hand, when Edgar mentions drinking, Andre thinks of the past that deceived him in the first place——
At that time, the Edgars and Agnes came to Switzerland to visit the Agrons, and they made an appointment to go swimming in the lake together. However, because they did not want Edgar to be an eyesore, Agron secretly instructed Andre to take Edgar away.
Drunk. Andre used herbs and spirits to force Edgar to the point where he couldn't wake up. In the end, Alice had no choice but to leave her husband and take her sister to the appointment together, making Aigron the only one to enjoy all the beauties.
Surrounded by good times.
Although Andre carried out His Majesty's order without hesitation, as an upright man, he still felt a little guilty in his heart, so when he heard Edgar mention drinking together again, he immediately felt guilty.
"It's rare for us to reminisce about old times together. How can we do it without having a couple of drinks?" Edgar refused to let go of the opportunity, so he continued to invite Andre, "I happen to need inspiration for painting, so you can help me.
Get busy."
Since Edgar's hospitality was hard to refuse, Andre couldn't refuse anymore, but he was still very resistant to drinking with Edgar, so he gave in.
"As for coffee, I can get you two cups. Drinking is really not an option."
"Okay! Let's do it then!" Edgar didn't care what he drank, as long as he could keep Andre here, so he immediately agreed.
Then, he pulled Andre into the temporary studio, and then took out coffee beans and a coffee pot from his luggage.
As a painter and a libertine, Edgar's life lacked alcohol and coffee, so he always had fine wine and a full set of coffee-making equipment with him. Since he was going to live in the palace for a while, he naturally brought them with him.
Come in.
While chatting with Andre, he used his slender hands to brew coffee methodically using a filter cup and a coffee pot.
Soon, two steaming cups of coffee were placed in front of the two of them.
Andre picked up one of the cups of coffee, and after it cooled down a little, he took a sip and then savored it carefully.
"Well! Edgar, this coffee is really good! You really know how to enjoy life..."
"That's right! These coffees are my favorite treasure. I only share them when I meet friends." Edgar replied with a smile. "Even in the palace, it is not easy to find treasures equal to it.
."
"Then it must be very expensive," Andre asked casually.
And this is exactly the question Edgar is waiting for.
"The market price is indeed very expensive, but I got them without spending a penny - because a close friend gave them to me." Edgar's face became a little more emotional.
"To be able to give you such a good thing for free is definitely not an ordinary friendship." Andre nodded, and then drank another coffee, "But I guess this friend is probably a lady?"
"Pfft hahahaha... I really can't hide it from you, Andre, you know me so well." Edgar laughed loudly at first, and then nodded briskly, "Yes, it was indeed given to me by a lady.
, I have a close friendship with her.”
"That's definitely not shallow." Andre replied with a pun, and then he asked, "Which lady is it?"
Edgar's heart suddenly beat wildly.
Although Andre must have felt that it was just a normal chat now, for Edgar, this was the last step of his careful induction.
As a result, his expression changed, and he suddenly looked a little sad and emotional.
"It's a bit sad to say this."
"Huh? How do you say that?" Andre was suddenly surprised, and then he seemed to understand something, "Oh, did something happen to that lady?"
"To tell you the truth, that lady is the prestigious Princess Kadiyan." Edgar sighed softly, and then answered Andre, "She was also one of the most popular ladies in the palace.
, so she gave me those precious gifts. Unfortunately, her power and wealth disappeared in the previous turmoil, and there is no news now. Maybe she went to live in seclusion somewhere..."
As he spoke, Edgar sighed sadly.
He knew that it was dangerous for him to test like this, and he might be noticed by the other party.
But on the other hand it's worth the risk.
On the one hand, Andre is His Majesty's most trusted guard captain, and must have the most access to confidential information; on the other hand, he is a person with a very decent personality, and he will definitely be reluctant to bully a down-and-out princess who poses no threat.
Feeling uneasy,
Therefore, as long as Princess Kadiyan is really kidnapped by His Majesty, Andre will definitely be shaken and reveal his flaws.
So, while pretending to drink coffee, he stared at Andre with the corner of his eye.
"..." Sure enough, after he mentioned Princess Kadiyang, Andre's face suddenly stiffened, and then his eyes immediately shifted to the coffee pot next to him, drinking coffee to cover himself up.