Chapter 33 31

【estimate】 I now have a letter from Inmogene.Every night I doubt I've found it, and every morning I pull the suitcase out from under the bed, lift the lid, open the envelope, and touch the brittle paper.I'm pretty sure I'm on the verge of finding important clues, as long as I recognize them when I see them.Because there are signs everywhere, I just don't know what they mean. I emailed Pichard from the internet café in the village about the letters.There is no phone in the house, so I passed Mi Rui's cell phone number in case he wants to call me and can't find it. We stayed overnight in a farmhouse a few miles away with Mi Rui's friends. There were nine of us sitting around a long table and eating simple food, but there was a lot of wine.Later they went to chat in French by the fire; I listened absentmindedly, watching the flames, and spelling out the letters S︱O︱M︱M︱E in my notebook, as if a code could solve everything.At midnight, Mi Rui got up in front of the stove, casting a long shadow in front of her.

let's go.She said loudly: Let's go for a walk together. There was no moon outside, but there were many stars, and the Milky Way formed a white streak in the sky above us.We followed a gravel road through dense forest.Twenty minutes later, in the middle of the road, I saw a large wooden cross standing high on a stone base without any decorations or inscriptions.I found that this is our destination.They became more hyperactive after drinking, and some leaned on the base, gulping and drinking.Others sang and shouted into the dark forest.I asked everyone about the cross. What is this for?Who put it here?

They all looked at me with smiles on their faces, and if they knew the answer, they wouldn't tell me. On the way back to the house, I kept a good distance behind everyone, gulping straight down from the bottle, thinking about the letters.Seventeen letters in all, all postmarked from England, plus a note written over the counter at Albert's hospital.There was no mention of her pregnancy in any of the letters, and there was no hint of what might have happened to her afterwards. There might be another letter.I whispered: Maybe he burned the most important one. On the road ahead, there was a man who left the team, stood in the middle of the road, and turned to face me in the dark.It's Elaine.

Good night.How are you?you are quiet tonight I am fine.Just trying to clear things up. Elaine nodded, then lit a cigarette and walked with me.I held out the bottle and she took a sip. I heard you met Mi Rui at the bar.Who spoke first? I smile and shake my head sheepishly.Elaine smiled. I knew it must be her.Where are you from America? California. Elaine repeated the word, then exhaled smoke from her cigar. California.Mi Rui told me that we would run away together when we were seventeen.go to los angeles.To me, it's just a joke, but there's a real possibility she's doing that.

Elaine looked at me. We have been friends for a long time.Mi Rui with me.How much has she told you about her past? Said a little. Elaine walked forward, her eyes fixed on the ground. Did she tell you that she was just divorced six months ago? She didn't say when she got divorced. You must be wondering why you stay in that dirty old place and her family is so close do they live nearby? Elaine looked up at me.From the cross, if you continue to the other side of the forest, you will be at their house in ten minutes. She never told me they were here. Well, but they know you're here.Mi Rui asked me to give her the key to that house, so I must explain clearly.His family is concerned that she will be in trouble again.There are too many problems in her marriage.She manages to get back to school and does well, then suddenly goes back to Picardy early for no reason

Elaine smiled at me. For some reason, look, I don't know what's going on between the two of you, and maybe you don't either.Maybe Mi Rui too.Although she didn't say anything, she was actually very fragile.She's not ready to spend long periods of time with people she doesn't know well, but she won't listen to me, so I'd like to ask you to do something very simple.Be careful with her.You might have to be patient, once Mi Rui starts caring about something Elaine threw the cigarette on the road, then shook her head. This is her greatest strength.It is also the biggest disadvantage.

When we got back to the house, the others were already stretched out on the couch under blankets.The young farmer owner of the house looked at me and grinned. Not enough beds.Who wants to sleep outside? Mi Rui and I slept outdoors under a large metal shed, lying on haystacks neatly arranged in squares. The haystacks were four stories high. Slight breathing when turning over. are you warm enoughshe asked. I am fine. You can cover me with a blanket. No, I feel very warm. A gust of cold wind blows, stirring the dry leaves on the ground below.I fell asleep, and then woke up when I heard Mi Rui's voice.

Tristan.What do you think of Picardy? I'm so glad I'm here. Me too. I tighten the hood of my sleeping bag and watch my exhaled air turn into a spiral of moisture. When dawn breaks, the sky is a deep purple.Mi Rui had already sat up wrapped in a blanket, looking at the sun rising from the horizon. are we leavingOthers do not wake up until hours later.I want to clean the house today We drove back to the house and spent the morning clearing layers of mud on the floor.Mi Rui went upstairs to clean the floor of the room, and ran downstairs with a wooden box within a few minutes.She smiled triumphantly.

My grandpa's chess set.do you want to play We opened the chessboard and sat cross-legged by the fire to keep warm.The wooden chess pieces are all hand carved and painted.Both queens are missing, so we replace them with one-euro coins.Mi Rui picked up one of the coins and frowned. It's ugly.Francs look better.I really don't know who designed this garbage. Probably German. she laughed.We can't blame them for everything.It's not fair. Mi Rui chooses white chess.I watched her quickly arrange the chess pieces. I saw Elaine chatting with you last night. Mi Rui picked up a knight, frowned, and then put it back.She moves the soldiers in front of the king forward to start the round.

I hesitated.She said you weren't ready to spend time with me. Of course I wasn't ready.Mi Rui sighed.You know, I went out to dinner with Claire before I met you on the Friday.All I could talk about then was how happy I was to be by myself.With this little apartment and being able to go back to school, I know it doesn't seem like much, but even so, it's my own life I move the soldiers in front of the king.Mi Rui shook her head. Just after taking so long to learn to be alone.Now I know I'm going to forget about it again. Mi Rui moved the soldiers in front of the queen and was eaten by my soldiers obliquely in front.

Then Elaine was right. certainly not. Mi Rui shook her head, and moved the pawn in front of the bishop next to the queen one step forward.I took that pawn again, and then we played very fast, but I felt that I was not playing against her, but just reacting to her movements.Mi Rui looked up at me. Elaine thought I was unprepared for anything but just drawing pictures and hiding in my apartment all winter.But life is not like this.Because even if I'm prepared to meet you, are you prepared to meet me?Are you mentally prepared to meet those lawyers, or come on this investigative trip?Things never come at the right time, and we are never ready.We're either making excuses, or we're What is it? She laughs while moving the bishop to attack my king.General. After a few minutes, Mi Rui won the game.Although she tried to hide her joy, it was still very obvious. That's the Danish gambit opening. You didn't say that you play chess so well. Mi Rui shrugged.I didn't play badly, but I didn't play very well either.When we lived in the south, I had an old chess book and learned a few moves from it.I like the names of those moves.In chess, everything has a name. We set up the chessboard and play again, each moving the soldiers in front of the queen forward.I dispatched the bishop's soldiers, and Mi Rui moved the soldiers obliquely to solve my soldiers.she laughed. Queen's Gambit, I accept this. Halfway through our chess game, Mi Rui's cell phone rang.She looked at the number on the screen, then shrugged. I do not recognize Mi Rui picked up the phone.She said a few polite words in French and gave me the phone. It's the British lawyer.His French is better than yours. I hold the phone to my ear. I'm James.Pitcherd.Please apologize to your friend for my terrible French, I'm afraid I haven't practiced it for too long.I don't know if it's convenient for you to talk?I have some news. certainly. While in London I believe the terms of the Worthingham Trust were mentioned to you.As you may recall, it's these terms that prevent us from giving you specific details about the estate, especially figures for the total value. On the other side of the chessboard, Mi Rui looked at me.She smiled at me, tapping a black grid with her castle. I fear, continued Pitcherd, that without these numbers, you might say that you don't have sufficient motivation to go after what's yours.Honestly, I don't think it's fair that you don't know what you're getting.So I called a meeting of the trust administrators and we also agreed to disclose certain parts of the assets.Of course, this is also based on the confidentiality agreement you signed.You understand that all this is still strictly confidential.I guess you still can't get email there? not in this house It's okay, I can tell you on the phone.You are alone now, no one else can hear me, right? I got up and went into the kitchen. right.I mean, no one can hear it. great.I have to say that for legal reasons it is better not to disclose the value of the UK part of the trust assets.But I think it should be enough to tell you an overseas investment portfolio C.This portfolio contains some of the former assets of Mr. Risley, who, you will recall, was Walsingham's great-uncle and the original founder of the estate.The portfolio is mainly bonds and tangible assets, some of which are very special.Mr. Risley requested that certain parts be foreign treasury stocks, precious metals and the like.These assets are held offshore for tax considerations.Are you ready to listen to the content? alright. The first is holdings in various bonds.They typically repurchase these bonds with proceeds from the maturities of other bonds, although denominations can vary widely.Current words Swiss government bonds, due 2011: 32,452,950 Swiss francs.Japanese Government Revenue Bonds, due 2012: 874 million yen.Germany's 30-year government bond, cashed in 2016: 43 million Deutsche marks Why do they still write it as marks?Ah, here it is: 22,356,390 euros. Pitcher coughed slightly.and some specific tangible assets.Gold bars cast at Credit Suisse's PAMP Precious Metals (PAMP), each weighing one kilogram, total: 462 kilograms.British gold coins, mainly Edward VII coins from 1903 to 1909: 2,358 pieces.Pombo Precious Metals Platinum Bar: 3,825 troy ounces.A set of uncut diamonds purchased from De Beers in 1905 is currently insured for 63 million Swiss francs.Are you still listening? I sat in a chair at the kitchen table and listened absently to Pitcherd.One of the chairs has shorter legs so the chair wobbles. right. And some real estate.A villa outside Port-Vecchio in southern Corsica is estimated at 5.5 million euros.An olive farm with terraced houses in Sant Llorencdes Cardassar, in the east of Mallorca.Worth around eleven million euros.By the way, I've heard that the place is medieval and quite spectacular.But I have never been there.It is currently operated as a hotel. Mallorca? I guess Mr. Risley likes the Mediterranean.There is also a small estate in Kenya's Nyanza province, but its ownership has been fraught with controversy.Anyway, this one was taken out of the portfolio.Here comes the point.Of course, the total value of these assets varies widely.The last estimate in January put the total value of Portfolio C at CHF 122,046,468, plus thirty-two centimes to be more precise.Want me to convert to EUR, GBP or USD for you? Need not.It doesn't matter. Of course, this portfolio value is all an estimate.If a beneficiary turns up, there are significant tax and legal and administrative costs associated with distributing these assets.This will reduce the total by some, but there are still other assets.Did you think of any problems? should not. You can really look at it with a normal heart, can't you?It says a lot about your character to hear hundreds of millions of Swiss francs without batting an eye.Where are you in France? in Picardy.About forty miles northwest of Amiens, near the coast. Did you find anything important? Just the letters I told you about.I think it's the kids who keep them apart Mr. Campbell, interrupted Pitcherd, I have read your excerpts of those letters, which may support your theory, but they are only conjectures.We need clear evidence.It's September 10th now, you have to pay attention to the date.You may feel like a month is a lot, but I don't want you to panic when the deadline hits.Do you have a survey plan? I've been following leads.I know everything that happened before Emmaine came here in 1916.But I can't find out what happened afterwards. Does that matter?No matter how much evidence you find about Soames︱Miss Anderson, it may not prove who your grandmother's mother is. This is the best lead I have so far. Maybe, but you could also be headed in the wrong direction entirely.Unless you have a new research project, I suggest you go back to London and start over.Remember, you only need one piece of paper, and the right one will do.As long as it can be proved that Yin Mozhen.Soames︱Anderson is Charlotte.Grafton's mother.Nothing else matters. We say goodbye.I returned the phone to Mi Rui and sat down.She looked up at me from the chessboard. I beat you.I know every step you can take, no matter which step I take, I can win.So we don't have to download any more. Go ahead. Mi Rui shrugged.see you.Why is your lawyer calling? He is not my lawyer.He works for someone, but that's not me. OK, I understand.But what did he say? If I don't find something useful soon, I should go back to London. Mi Rui frowned.Did he just say that? I pick up a pawn and move two squares forward.I looked at Mi Rui on the other side of the chessboard. If I get property, I'll be rich. but you already know this Mi Rui picked up her car.Glossy ebony gleamed in the firelight. General.