Eagle's Glory

After the meeting was over, Edmond Dantès followed the Marquis de Treville in a carriage and returned along the way he had come.

Because he drank too much alcohol, his mind was a little dull now, so he opened the car window, breathed in the steamy air outside, and finally woke up a little bit.

"General, what do you think of my performance?"

"You are very successful, powerful, and contagious." The Marquis de Treville gave him the answer he most wanted to hear, "Count, it seems that you don't have to worry about your ability, you are indeed worthy The mission entrusted by His Majesty."

"Thank you..." Edmond Dantès heaved a sigh of relief.

He had just come out of the cell and restarted his life, and he didn't have complete confidence in himself, but when he got the approval of the majestic general, he finally understood that he was not as bad as he feared.

I am someone who can do great things, as long as His Majesty continues to give me trust and opportunities, then I will be able to make impressive achievements and eventually become an indispensable person, which will also prove that his life is not Meaningless.

Edmond Dantès, a name that was once dusty in the dungeon, will eventually shine brightly one day.

On that day, whether it is his friend or his enemy, he can get a corresponding return from him.

No doubt it will take some time, but he can afford to wait.

Edmond Dantès knew that his journey and mission this time were coming to an end.

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In the next few days, Edmond Dantès continued to sell the gems he brought, while learning swordsmanship from Agnes.

Although swinging the sword and step practice again and again brought him severe physical pain, Edmond Dantès endured it with impressive willpower, and his progress was very fast, and he soon became as As Agnes said, "I can put on an airs".

While Agnes was relieved, she also admired his perseverance and savvy—of course, she was also a little bit sorry that the Earl started studying too late.

The day before Edmond Dantès left, Agnes came to the Marquis de Treville's house again.

Edmond Dantès thought she wanted to take him to class again, so he offered to say goodbye.

"Miss Agnes, I'm very sorry that I can't go with you today, because I will be leaving early tomorrow morning, and I must regain my strength so as not to delay my business."

Yes, his first trip to Paris is coming to an end, and then he will bring the cash he got from selling jewelry everywhere, as well as those young people who volunteered to go to Monte Cristo to serve His Majesty, to go to His Majesty to enrich his life. The power to contribute to his career.

This is his duty and his mission.

"Are you leaving tomorrow...then I wish you the best of luck." Agnes was not surprised, but accepted the reality with a calm attitude.

Then, she quickly changed the topic, "However, I won't come to you to practice today, but I have other things."

"Anything else?" Edmond Dantès was a little surprised.

"Have you forgotten?" Agnes smiled, "You said before that in order to prevent Tanglar from becoming suspicious, it is best for you to meet my father and let my father leave an impression on you..."

"Oh! I see." Edmond Dantès suddenly realized.

"My brother and his wife are going to hold a banquet tonight, and my father will also be there. I think it would be best for you to make an appearance at that time. On the one hand, seeing him on a formal occasion can deepen his impression; on the other hand There are quite a lot of guests, and he won't ask you the bottom line, what do you think?" Agnes asked again with a smile.

Of course Edmond Dantès had no objection and immediately agreed. "I also think this arrangement is the most ideal."

Unexpectedly, although Agnes looks carefree, she is actually quite careful.

"Okay, that's it!" Agnes nodded, "Remember, because you are about ten years younger than my teacher, I will arrange for you to be my teacher's cousin... Are you familiar with Tuscany and Florence?"

"It's familiar." Edmond Dantès nodded. "However, it's hard to blind people."

When he was a sailor back then, he had been to these places many times, but he didn't know much about them. As for the local high society, he had nothing to do with them.

If you just talk about customs and customs, you can get away with it, but it is obviously too unrealistic to deceive everyone by temporarily forging a whole set of genealogy.

"Then how about this? When you ask about your family situation, you make an unpredictable and profound expression. If someone else did this, it might arouse suspicion, but it is not surprising that the master's cousin did this. After all, an expert will always It’s kind of mysterious!” Agnes giggled, “It’s up to you to improvise, but I don’t think you’ll have any problems.”

"I'll try my best." Edmond Dantès couldn't help laughing.

"Okay, then I'll go back first." Agnes was relieved, "By the way, Mr. Earl, you are indeed very good. If you persist like this, I think you will indeed become an excellent swordsman in the future."

"Didn't you say that I am too old, even if I start learning now, I won't achieve much?" Edmund was stunned.

"To be able to achieve the achievements I admire, at least you have to be a master for a while. Even if you can't make it, you don't have to regret it, because the vast majority of people can't make it." Agnes raised her head proudly He laughed, "But even if you can't become a master, you can still step on the shoulders of most people. So... applaud yourself, sir, I congratulate you."

After she finished speaking, she gently raised her skirt to salute, and then left without looking back.

So, in the evening, Edmond Dantès took his rented carriage to the residence of the Duke of Nordleyn.

Compared to the House of Treville, which clearly showed signs of decay, the Nordlion family was at a time of prosperity. The Duke was favored by His Majesty the King, served as a court advisor, and was a member of the House of Peers. It is also quite impressive.

So this time when their family held a banquet, it was naturally full of guests.

Although at first seeing Edmond Dantès arriving in a rented carriage, the concierge obviously showed disdain, but when he handed over the invitation from Agnes and declared his identity, the other party's eyes immediately changed. It changed, and it was communicated immediately, so he entered the mansion smoothly.

Afterwards, he was taken all the way to the Duke's study, obviously his fake identity won him respect.

When he came to the study, he found the Duke sitting in an armchair, and Agnes happened to be beside him.

Agnes winked at him with a grin, suggesting it wasn't a coincidence, she was there to smooth things over for him.

"Nice to meet you, Your Excellency the Duke." Edmond Dantès saluted the Duke respectfully.

The duke looked to be in his mid-fifties and his hair was greying, but it was still carefully brushed into curls and even dusted and powdered, as was the custom of bygone eras.

He didn't look well, he was rather pale, but he managed to pull himself together and flashed a formulaic smile.

"Mr. the Count of Monte Cristo, I heard that you are the master's cousin?"

"Yes." Edmond Dantès nodded coldly, showing no pride at all, "But we haven't been in touch for quite a long time, and this time I came to Paris just for travel."

"Of course the master has the temper of a master, we just need to understand." The Duke smiled, "Then you also study swordsmanship?"

"It's not proficient, just understand a little bit." Edmund replied with his head held high.

And his expression and temperament easily make people believe that he is indeed extraordinary.

After this period of experience, Edmond Dantès has built confidence in himself.

Not long ago, he was talking and laughing in front of a group of princes, so how could he be afraid of a former exiled nobleman?

"It's a pity that I haven't seen the master's performance for a long time, and Agnes misses her very much." The Duke looked at his daughter and smiled dotingly, "I think you don't mind giving my daughter some pointers." Bar?"

"If given the chance, I would, it's an honor."

Under Agnes' playful gaze, Edmond Dantès answered boldly. "You have a wonderful daughter and I have heard my cousin praise her talent many times."

"Thank you! You're just a wild child..." The Duke couldn't help laughing.

Next, the Duke chatted with Edmond Dantès, Edmond responded calmly, and Agnes next to him interrupted from time to time to smooth things over for Edmond Dantès or change the subject.

Soon, the duke's audience time was over.

"I'm sorry, I have to go to receive other guests." The Duke got up and said goodbye to Edmond Dantès, "You don't mind?"

"Of course I don't mind. In fact, it is my great honor that you can spare so much time to summon me, a foreigner, alone, Your Excellency." Edmond Dantès replied modestly.

"I heard that you are still a traveler?" The Duke thought for a while, and then asked again.

"Yes, my hobby is to see the customs and customs around the world. I have been to many places so far, but this is my first time in Paris." Edmond Dantès felt something and immediately introduced the topic, " However, Paris is really to my liking, and I fell in love with it at the first sight... It’s a pity that the cost is too high, and I plan to have the opportunity to come back several times in the future to experience the dreamlike life here.”

"I think, as long as you are willing to spend money, you will be able to find all the pleasures in the world here." The Duke replied with a smile, "Then, if you are free in the future, you can visit us a few times, and I will be happy to entertain you .”

Ah, it's done!

Even better than expected.

When the Duke said this, it meant that he recognized the Count of Monte Cristo as a friend he could keep in touch with—that is to say, Edmond Dantès had achieved his goal.

Edmund sneaked a glance at Agnes, and she quietly gave a thumbs up as a congratulatory gesture.

"Okay, let's get out of here, the people in the living room are still waiting for me." The Duke nodded apologetically, and then left the study with the other two.

They came to the living room along the corridor, and at the same time, almost everyone's eyes were focused on this side.

Edmond Dantès knew that this was the first appearance of the "Count of Monte Cristo" in Parisian society, and the people present would remember the man who stood next to the Duke.

With unparalleled perseverance, he controlled his emotions, allowing himself to face all this with incomparable indifference, as if he was used to such scenes.

While talking with the Duke, he quietly observed the people present.

The guests at the banquet, a group of men and women were all dressed in fine clothes, wearing medals or jewels, the jewels were so dazzling that he could hardly distinguish faces.

And at this moment, his heart suddenly jumped.

He saw a face in the crowd—and it was facing them at the same time, so he could see it all.

He will never forget that face.

Fernan... There was a roar in his heart.

After so many years, apart from getting older, he still has nothing to do, and he is still so vicious.

Humph, scumbag, I've found you!

However, he didn't move.

It's not the time yet... He tried hard to avert his gaze.

But at this moment, Fernand looked at the Duke himself with eager eyes, as if a devout believer looked at his own god, and then walked towards them quickly.

Edmond Dantès did not fall into his eyes at all, and had been ignored by him—of course, even if he saw it, he would not recognize this well-dressed, reserved and indifferent foreign nobleman, who was the one whom he was Write a letter to report, entrap the hapless love rival who is waiting to die in the prison.

"Who is he?" he couldn't help asking the Duke in a low voice.

"Oh! He's the Count of Morcerf, a difficult guest, or... a flea that's snobbish and arty." The Duke curled his lips, then smiled bitterly, and then shrugged again, "Of course, the tragedy is that I still have to pull myself together to entertain him, because he's always over the top."

After he finished speaking, he smiled apologetically, and then took the initiative to greet the officer in military uniform and medals, and chatted with him in a cordial and friendly manner.

The Count of Monte Cristo stood where he was, watching Fernand quietly and unobtrusively—or rather, the Count of Morcerf.

And Earl Morcerf was talking enthusiastically with the Duke, and his flattering appearance made people feel blocked.

Why did the Duke treat him so strangely, even though he was contemptuous in his heart, he still entertained him warmly?

If it was Edmond Dantès in the past, he might be at a loss; but now that he has begun to participate in the internal struggle of the French upper class, he has a little outline in his mind.

This is the epitome of the Bourbon dynasty's efforts to win over a new generation of officers and generals.

Fernan is a despicable person. Not only he knows this kind of thing, even the Duke or others know about it, but this is not important. What is important is that he is a new generation of officer in the army, and his position is biased towards the dynasty. enough.

For the Bourbons, the history of France from 1789 to 1815 marked a tragic and devastating period.

In addition to the continuous falling of heads on the guillotine, during these 26 years, the soldiers no longer served the royal family of Bourbon, nor did they rely on the favor of the royal family for promotion. It is unfamiliar, and this also means that even if the dynasty is restored, its ruling foundation will become precarious-after all, a regime that cannot control the barrel of a gun is doomed to not live long.

During the rule of the republic and the imperial government, the French army obtained dazzling honors and wealth by relying on foreign wars and plunders. These honors and wealth also fostered arrogance and ambition. Unknowingly, the army itself became a closed The community of interests affects the country in their own way. They can accept submission to the emperor, because the emperor has given them a lot of rewards and led them to victory. His prestige is enough to overwhelm them and deter them.

But when the Bourbons regained the throne with the help of foreign bayonets, things were different. For more than 20 years, the army has become a whole. Even if they drove away Napoleon, they still found that they could not fully control the French army. The Bourbon royal family is in exile, and they have made no contribution to the country or the nation, so it is impossible for them to have such prestige and let the army tame themselves.

Obviously, if the Restoration Dynasty forcibly eradicates all the "remnants of the Great Revolution" and eliminates all the generals promoted by Napoleon, then those marshals and generals will never swallow their anger. They will rise up and resist. Can cut another one.

It is precisely because of this reality that King Louis XVIII decided to temporarily compromise, instead of seeking to completely clean up the generation of generals who grew up in the era of the Great Revolution, and instead seeking to cooperate with them to jointly control the army.

While continuing to use high-ranking officials and rich salaries to attract these generals to work for them, they carefully controlled the scope and intensity of liquidation within the army, for fear of angering this terrifying beast and overthrowing their own rule.

Under the lure of the king, the marshals of Emperor Napoleon also split due to personal choices. Marshals such as Udino, Marmont, and Saint-Cyr chose to accept the high-ranking officials of the Bourbon royal family and continued to serve the dynasty. Marshals such as Davout and Suchet chose to live in seclusion and engage in soft confrontation in a non-violent and non-cooperative manner. For the Bourbon royal family, they only need to get the services of some senior generals, and it is enough to stabilize the domestic situation for them.

While winning over the marshals and generals of the imperial era, the king also started another preparation. He began to vigorously support the children of the old nobles and civilian officers who were willing to be loyal to the royal family, and strive to create a new generation of officers who have received the favor of the royal family. Come and regain control of the military in hopes of going back to a bygone era.

From the perspective of the royal family, Napoleon's marshals will eventually grow old over time, and will eventually be slowly replaced by a new generation and a newer generation of generals. In the end, they will be able to use peaceful means to eliminate the last reef left to the dynasty during the Great Revolution era.

It was precisely for this reason that Count Marcerf entered the eyes of the royal family.

Since even his colleagues know that there is a problem with his aristocratic pedigree, wouldn't the Wang family know about it?But at this time there is no need to care about this.

From the perspective of the royal family, Count Morcerf is obsessed with fame and wealth, and has certain abilities, so he is a general worthy of training and win over. As for his aristocratic pedigree, what is important?

The nobles of the dynasty around the royal family, of course, also understand the royal family's intentions, so they must also cooperate.

Those high nobles who prided themselves on their former glory not only disdain the character and blood of the Earl of Morcerf, but also treat them with superficial respect for political gain - the Earl of Morcerf is not the only one who has been treated in this way The officer, in fact he is the epitome of a crowd.

Under the watchful eyes of Edmond Dantès, Earl Morcerf was smiling and proud.

Yes, if there is no accident, he will be promoted step by step in the future, and his fortune will be prosperous. With these favors, he will climb to a higher position all the way and become a big man admired by everyone.

However, one day, I will let him fall heavily to the ground, the higher he climbs, the harder the fall, and he will lose everything!

Edmond Dantès said in his heart with great determination.

Next, his eyes wandered around beside Count Morcerf, but he couldn't find the figure that was lingering in his heart.

Mercedes did not attend, perhaps because she did not like and was not used to such occasions.

This is a good thing.

She still retained the innocence and tenderness of that year, which was the only comfort he got during this night.

Farewell, my enemies, farewell, Mercedes.

But I will be back.