Eagle's Glory

"Prepare some small gifts for our future guests." Madam answered naturally.

Then, she laughed narrowly again, "It's better to be more spacious, maybe the next time we meet, there won't be two people coming to our place."　　

120, Conference of Sparta

At Aiglon's behest, Edmund Dantès formally proposed to their ally Panos Kolokotronis that Aigron and his father, the current head of the Greek government, Theodoros- Kolokotronis meeting.

His proposal hit the opponent's arms, so he was quickly agreed.

According to Aigron's opinion, the meeting place of the two people was determined to be Sparta-on the one hand, it showed respect for him, and on the other hand, choosing this place did not damage the face of both parties.

So, after everything was settled, Aigron took his guards, bid farewell to Teresa, and embarked on the road to the meeting.

From the port of Mesone where he was temporarily stationed to the place where they met, it was a total of tens of kilometers away, so Aigron and his party rested on the road for a night, and did not arrive at his destination until the next afternoon. Came to the ruins of this Spartan city.

Egron was not in a hurry to meet his allies. On the contrary, after coming to Sparta, what he was most interested in was admiring the ruins of the ancient Spartan city-state here.

He rode on a white horse, and a group of guards followed him. This mighty team, along the country road, led by a guide, passed through a dense olive grove, and came to the into the ruins.

Aigron looked around, and there was not a single intact building in front of his eyes, only a masonry foundation and walls. This was the last remnant of the ancient Spartan city-state in the world.

There is no tourist around, everything is so quiet, as if he came to a wild place.

Aigron dismounted, and then walked silently among the ruins, and this once famous city-state in history only had such a little broken wall left.

He has read history, of course he knows how brilliant the Spartans are - they fought Athens for decades in the Peloponnesian War for supremacy, and finally defeated this terrible and stubborn enemy, Eventually established his own rule over the whole of Greece.

However, this kind of rule is not firm, and the power of the Spartans has also been exhausted in decades of wars. With the rise of Thebes, the short-lived hegemony of the Spartans has also disappeared in just a few decades. It was gone.

The ancient city-state of Sparta has long been destroyed, and the ancestors who once lived in this city-state have disappeared, and even the people who live in this land now may not be their descendants—even if it is, the glory of the ancestors , They also have no impression.

Of course, Egron also knows that Sparta's conquest and victory are mixed with too much oppression and slaughter. It relies on the enslavement of the Hilo people for generations to maintain its existence. Evil abounds, even tyrannical evil outweighs splendor.

But after 2000 years of history, these splendor and crimes have been turned into dust of history.

Compared with those city-states or countries that died silently without leaving any traces, the Spartans were lucky to be able to leave a strong mark in history.

In the cool afternoon breeze, Aigron walked to the south side of the ruins, which is the ruins of an ancient theater.

In those past years, the citizens of Sparta gathered here to watch dramas and celebrate, and I don’t know how many exciting speeches were published here.

He looked up, savoring the last echoes of those histories in the breeze.

All the past has passed, and the present and the future are created by him.

He didn't know how he could make history, but he had to.

"His Majesty!"

Just as he was meditating, a call came from behind him.

Aigron turned his head and looked at his assistant Edmund Dantès.

"He's here," Edmond Dantès told him respectfully.

"Well, let's meet here." Aigron nodded.

"Okay." Edmond Dantès immediately took the order and left.

Soon, Aigron saw a group of people walking towards him through the olive grove.

As the distance approached, Aigron could quickly see the appearance of this group of people.

The leader was a middle-aged man with a big beard. He was dressed in civilian clothes, his expression was serious but not nervous, his steps were strong and vigorous, and he had the unique vigilance of a soldier.

And next to him was Panos Kolokotronis, and the two of them happened to be looking at him at the moment.

Panos whispered a few words to the middle-aged man, and it was obvious that this was his father, Theodoros Kolokotronis.

Aigron didn't hesitate any more, he waved his hand gently to give instructions, and then took the lead, leading his own people towards the other side as well.

The two groups of people approached quickly, until finally they looked at each other with a distance of more than ten steps.

In this way, they met next to the ruins of the ancient theater of Sparta.

There is no doubt that this is a historic moment—Aigron had already considered the historical significance when he proposed the meeting, but when he was really at this moment, Aigron found that everything seemed so natural, The flow of time at this moment is no different from the previous moment, and there is no halo or natural vision to add luster to this moment.

But he himself knows that the path he is taking now is completely contrary to the original context of history, and he has opened up another branch in this long river of time.

Cruising down this tributary, he didn't know where he would be taken, maybe the next moment he would be smashed to pieces by the stormy waves, and then this tributary merged into the original mainstream again.

He can only rely on the little outline left to him by the original historical line as the stars in the sky to guide himself, and carefully keep himself from sinking the ship.

But no matter what, the taste of making history is indeed so wonderful that he can't help but be eager to try and do more in the future.

After a brief absence, Aigron bowed slightly to salute the middle-aged man opposite him with his most serious expression.

"Dear Mr. Kolokotronis, I have admired your reputation for a long time, and I am finally honored to meet you today. I hope to learn from you, so that I can share some of your courage and strategies." Iger Say hello to the other party in a rumbling voice, "May your great cause succeed as soon as possible."

Although he pays great attention to the issue of status and is unwilling to let himself lose his dignity, but in terms of age, Aegron is two rounds younger than the other party, and he can be regarded as a junior, so he behaved very humbly and respected the other party in a decent manner.

Theozolos Kolokotronis did not understand French, but his son was by his side and quickly translated the young man's words for him—and even if he couldn't understand these words, Aegron's body language Among them, he can also feel the respect of the other party.

At the beginning, when the two sides were secretly discussing cooperation, he slightly underestimated the young man because of his age; but after he landed, the young man's tough performance made him worry that the other party was a young man with a young heart.

However, judging from the performance of the first meeting, he was able to bend and stretch, and he was not a blindly arrogant playboy, which also made him feel relieved.

"Dear Your Excellency Bonaparte, I have been very curious about you since I heard the news about you." He also nodded to the young man, "In various European countries, there are many people who talk about our independent cause. We have never lacked spiritual support, but there are very few people who are really willing to support us with practical actions, and even risk their lives to help us, and you have proved the purity of your wishes with your practical actions. A righteous deed will surely be approved by God, and I am glad to have your help."

After a pause, he added another sentence.

"I also wish you success in your great endeavor."

He spoke Greek, which Aigron could not understand, but Edmund Dantès next to him translated for him.

Both sides paid tribute to each other and said what the other side wanted to hear, which was equivalent to expressing their cooperative attitude.

And that's a good start.

Aigron and Theozolos-Kolokotronis each took a few steps forward, and then held hands facing each other, while the two translators followed behind them, and the others stood Stay in place so as not to affect the talks between the leaders of the two sides.

Since the meeting, people on both sides have been deliberately restraining themselves, so as not to show any guard and hostility.

Although the two sides have some small disputes because of their respective interests, these disputes mainly focus on etiquette and status. On the whole, their goals are the same, and they both need the cooperation of each other, so each other There is no need to feel like an enemy.

While shaking hands, Theozolos Kolokotronis had been looking at the young man as if curious.

After a moment, he spoke again.

"I used to serve in the British army. Of course, this does not mean that I have any hostility towards Napoleon. In fact, I admire him as much as anyone with ambition. He has made achievements that we can't even imagine, although In the end, fate made him fail, but even after 1000 years, people will still sing his name." He looked at Aigron and said, "When he died on the desert island, I thought everything about him was gone. It's over, I'll never hear the name Bonaparte again in my life, but I didn't expect that fate would bring me such a wonderful experience—"

"Fate always surprises people in unexpected places, sir." Eggron replied calmly.

His calm made the middle-aged man feel more and more interesting.

If the Napoleon dynasty continues, this young man, as the only heir, will undisputedly inherit the throne after the death of Napoleon I, and continue to rule the huge empire on behalf of the Bonaparte family.

He couldn't help feeling a little strange when he thought that if it weren't for some accidental accidents, he would be in front of an emperor who ruled half of Europe.

"No matter what you were before or what you are now, in short, we are fighting for the same great cause now. We fight side by side and share weal and woe." After a while, he spoke again. "I'm not a writer, and I can't express my gratitude with eloquence, but I can guarantee that if you join us to free our suffering nation from the shackles because of your arrival, then we will pay you the highest respect, our Children and grandchildren will forever remember your contribution to us..."

After speaking, he opened his arms and faced the young man.

Of course Aigron understood what he meant, and he didn't pretend to be a gesture, but also opened his arms and hugged the middle-aged man cordially.

This is a necessary display, and the leaders of both sides confirm the sincerity of cooperation with each other with intimate body movements.

"Very strong body, much stronger than expected." After hugging, he said approvingly.

"I've always paid great attention to training myself," Aigron replied.

"A young man full of vigor is really enviable." Theozolos-Kolokotronis sighed, and then he looked at the ruined walls on the ruins of Sparta next to him. "But here, there is only the lingering sunset. Our sun has already set, and it hasn't risen for 2000 years."

Then, he spread his hands, "It used to be very brilliant here, spreading the prestige of Greece to the whole world we know, but it's a pity... now it has nothing, just like our poor country, only those piles of old papers , so that people can get a glimpse of the wisdom of the ancestors back then—the sad thing is that even those wisdoms are no longer passed on in this land, but have gone to other places to take root! We have nothing left .”

After finishing these depressing exclamations, he suddenly raised his voice again, "Yes, we may never be able to restore Greece's position in ancient history. We are already a weak nation, ruled by the Romans and the Turks, They have not been able to find their own destination for 2000 years, but even a weak nation has the right to fight for itself. Even if this kind of struggle fails in the end, it also has the right to choose how to perish. We hope that it is not in the harsh slavery and Perishing in tyranny, but perishing in struggle, if I need to shed my blood for this kind of struggle, then I am willing to shed my blood, and the blood of my son, my grandchildren!"

Aigron listened quietly to the other party's words, even without Edmund Dantès' translation, he could still feel the passionate power from it.

It was this enthusiasm that caused the man in front of him to rise up and lead the rebel army to defeat the Turkish army time and time again.

Although the purpose of the two people is not the same, Aigron is still very willing to recognize and respect this kind of heroism.

"Your love for the motherland is worthy of my admiration." He looked at each other enthusiastically, and then saluted each other, "Now that you have awakened from the lethargy of 2000 years, the dawn will surely come. I assure you, if you The dawn will require my blood to be shed, and I will lead my men to shed blood and sacrifice! God testifies, I will give you victory and freedom—"　　

121. Borrowing

"As God bears witness, I offer you victory and liberty—"

After listening to the translation, Theozolos-Kolokotronis seemed deeply moved.

"I don't know how much useful knowledge you absorbed when you were raised and educated by the Austrians, but I have at least seen that you have been cultivated with wit and tenacity. As far as my experience is concerned, these Quality is a must for a great career, and they cannot be taught, they can only be learned by yourself. I admire you, when I was as young as you, I didn't even know what I wanted to do, let alone Say you really did it! If you have the courage, then you will leave your name in history. As for the end result? That is the will of God. I think as long as you leave a mark vigorously, it will be It's a hero."

Of course he knew that when this young man came to Greece, he would definitely not, as he himself said, to eradicate the strong and help the weak out of righteousness, but that was not important, the important thing was that he dared to do it, and that he really He pulled a team over.

To have such courage and determination at such a young age is already admirable in itself.

At his age, it is easy to recall his original appearance in front of young people, but when facing this young man, he faintly felt a little ashamed.

Just look at what kind of history he will create in the future. If he can really bring independence to Greece, then why not bless him on the throne in the future?

The way a person fights for himself is always admirable.

But for now, do your own thing first.

"Compared to being a hero, I would rather be a winner." Egron replied, "The demise of a hero may be tragic, but it means that he has achieved nothing; the victory may not be too glorious, but at least the winner is writing history. The one side—survival is the greatest justice. I am the best example. Napoleon was famous all over the world, but he failed, and the price was to die on a desert island. I was so tired that I had to be imprisoned for more than ten years. No matter how glorious the fame is, how much does it mean to me? In order to prevent my descendants from suffering the same disaster, I would rather do what I should do.”

"Your words also make sense." Theozolos Kolokotronis nodded, agreeing with the young man's opinion, "We are now fighting to survive, and if we fail again, I am afraid that we will have nothing—so, I would like to ask you, to what extent are you willing to support us?"

Aigron knew that with his question, the conversation between the two of them had officially entered the topic.

During the first pleasantries when they met, the two of them flattered each other while exchanging their views on life.

Although this beginning is not too friendly, at least it is friendly enough. Aigron believes that he has left a good impression on the other party - at least the other party will not see him as a brat, but as a An ally equal in intellect and strategy.

"What kind of support do you need most now?" He didn't make any promises at the first time, but inquired about the price of the other party.

"To tell you the truth, we lack everything now." Theozolos Kolokotronis replied with a wry smile, "We lack soldiers, we lack clothing, we lack weapons, but in the final analysis what we lack most is money. It was originally a poor country, and the continuous wars have destroyed our already poor and weak economy. Now we have lost most of our land... Simply put, we have gone bankrupt, just because there are still people who are willing to sacrifice for the nation. That's why we barely survived. However, there is a limit to this kind of sacrifice and endurance, and I believe we are close to the limit."

Theozolos very frankly exposed the predicament he was facing, because he knew that these situations could be seen with a little analysis, and there was no point in concealing them, so it was better to spread them out.

"I understand your current predicament, and I am very willing to help you." Aigron replied with a smile, "I think you already know that when I first came to Greece, I have already shown everyone what I have. Huge wealth."

"Ah, I know, Panos reported it to me from the very beginning." Theozolos nodded calmly, "I'm glad our friend has a lot of money, but in the end, it's all yours The money has not been transferred to our accounts, so our current crisis remains the same, just a little more hope."

"So how much do you want?" Aigron asked straightforwardly without going around in circles.

"In terms of conversion, we immediately need 300 million francs or equivalent in property to cover our most urgent expenses." Theozolos was obviously prepared for this question, and immediately answered the boy's question, "and then It needs continuous financial support, if possible, it is best to give us 100 million francs every month, if we can get this fund, everything will go much smoother.”

After finishing speaking, he immediately stared at the young man, waiting for his answer.

Egron listened quietly to the other party's request without any expression change.

"It's a lot of money," he replied calmly. "I can afford to pay, at least for a while, fortunately."

He is telling the truth. The wealth he unearthed on Monte Cristo Island is estimated to be about 4000 million francs in the novel by Alexandre Dumas. At this rate of consumption, it can even last three years ago—and he is sure that it will take about one year. There can be a fundamental turning point.

One year, plus the initial investment, that is 500 million francs, one-third of the property he currently owns.

He is not a person who is stingy with property, 500 million francs is a dazzling figure for anyone, enough for a person and his children and grandchildren for several generations of rich life, but for him For him, that's just a number - besides, he still has 500 million at his disposal, which is huge enough.

It's just... He paid 500 million, what does he want to get?

"You mean, do you agree with my proposal?" Theodoros pressed.

"Wait." Aigron waved his hand to stop the other party's words. "I think there is a premise that I must explain. Although I have always promised to help you, I never said that all this is free, right?"

"I know." Theodoros nodded.

"So, what can I gain from this?" Aigron asked the other party, "I know you will thank me, and maybe even leave my nation in your history books, so that children will praise me a hundred years later... But I am a more practical person, and I don't think these prices are enough to exchange for a wealth of more than ten million francs. I don't know if you agree with me?"

Aegron's question was a bit sharp, but Theozoros was not angry, because he knew that these were the truth.

"Of course, I agree with you. Reputation is very important, but it is not enough to exchange for such a huge wealth." He nodded calmly, and then continued, "We will not treat your money as a donation, but as a donation." An investment, and if we ever become independent, we will find a way to repay the money—”

"How to repay it?" Aigron asked again.

It's not that he intentionally made things difficult for the other party, but that he knew that Greece had already run out of money during the war of independence for many years. Even if it succeeded in independence, it must be a small and poor country, and its finances must be very difficult. Slowly collecting more than 1000 million francs of property in the finances to repay it to myself is almost like a fool's dream.

Under Aegron's aggressive gaze, Theozolos knew that he would not be able to pass this test without showing some real sincerity.

He decided to come up with the conditions in his heart in order to get the cooperation of the other party.

"We have a lot of silver mines in Mycenae." He didn't hesitate anymore, and said directly to the young man, "If we recover the country, these silver mines will become our source of income. I plan to set up a special organization to manage these mines." The silver mine, and you can send a special person to participate in this management organization, and extract a certain percentage of the income from the silver mine as our repayment, what do you think of this condition?"

Finally came up with the real thing.

After listening to his words, Aigron couldn't help laughing.