Eagle's Glory

"What are you going to do with him?" Aigron was noncommittal.

"I don't know... I don't know yet." Edmond Dantès shook his head, "But I think it will always be a terrible thing in the world."

"Okay, I promise you." Eggron nodded calmly.　　

143, wish fulfilled

Early autumn has always been the most popular season. It is neither hot nor cold and the temperature is suitable. Nature can properly show people its beautiful scenery at this time.

Huangcun, located on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, is also ushering in its most picturesque days at this moment.

Under the mild and pleasant sunshine, those well-built palaces and sculptures show the majesty and demeanor of the imperial family, and the lush green trees around them also leave their elegant reflections in the pond.

However, compared to those days in the past, the atmosphere in Huangcun at this time is much more tense, and the beautiful scenery is also somewhat eclipsed by the lack of spectators.

Although the imperial government has not officially announced it, there have always been no secrets in this court—all the courtiers and officers of the Imperial Guard already knew that the Russian Empire was about to go to war with Turkey, and everything in this court was already revolving around the upcoming war. Turned by the coming war.

Those ambitious generals and young officers are busy opening their joints everywhere so that they can squeeze into the troops scheduled to march into the Balkans, make contributions in the future, and make their future prospects more brilliant—some young people who are too hot-blooded People are even planning the triumphal ceremony after marching into Constantinople.

Because of this, most people naturally have no intention to appreciate the picturesque beauty of Huangcun.

Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin.The poet who received the most attention and praise from all walks of life in the empire was coming to the Catherine Palace, where His Majesty the Tsar lived, to meet with His Majesty Tsar Nicholas I.

Guided by his attendants, Pushkin came to His Majesty's resplendent reception room. At this time, His Majesty was sitting behind his desk, calmly looking at the young poet who was only three years younger than himself.

"Alexander Sergeyevich, do you have any poems to share with us today?" He nodded slightly to show his kindness.

Perhaps because he valued the reputation of the poet, the Tsar was very polite to Pushkin. He not only had a pleasant face when he met him, but also tolerated the disrespectful remarks against the imperial family and the government that came out of his mouth from time to time on weekdays.

But in his heart, only God knows how much respect he has for this poet. His Majesty the Tsar is gloomy, and his emotions and anger are not visible. With polite indifference.

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry, I haven't written any poems recently." Pushkin lowered his head slightly ashamed, "Because of the recent restless enthusiasm, I find it difficult to concentrate on sitting. Writing poems at the table, I can't even calm down and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Huangcun."

"Oh? What makes our best poet so restless?" His Majesty smiled slightly. "Is it some lovely lady here?"

"No...Your Majesty." Pushkin shook his head hastily, "It is a feeling that is more intense than love, and that is love for the motherland."

When he saw the young tsar for the first time, he was a little overwhelmed, but as he spent more and more days in Huangcun, the chances of meeting His Majesty increased day by day. By now, he was already used to it. Standing in front of His Majesty and talking freely, you will no longer feel embarrassed.

However, even so, His Majesty the Tsar is the Tsar after all, the most authoritative person in the empire, and he never regards His Majesty as a friend in his heart, and he will always maintain a proper sense of distance when communicating.

"Love for the motherland? That's really great." His Majesty the Tsar raised his eyebrows, "Then how do you want to express this love?"

"There is no more appropriate way of expressing it than going through life and death for it." Pushkin answered in an interface.

Then, he hesitated for a moment, then made up his mind and said, "I have heard some rumors recently. People say that the empire is about to go to war with the Turks."

Although he still had some reservations about his words, Pushkin knew that this was a solid fact.

Not long ago, he learned about this rumor from his good friend Boris Volkonsky. After a period of fermentation, it has almost become an open secret inside the palace. I heard this rumor in my mouth—that is to say, this war against the Turks is destined to break out soon.

"The palace is always full of gossip and gossip." The Tsar's expression didn't change, but his eyes became a little more severe, "Alexander, I think that with your usual personality, you shouldn't be concerned about all kinds of gossip. The interest is right, the decisions of the imperial government should not be judged by those outsiders, and they should not even make irresponsible remarks."

Pushkin knew that his majesty was upset by mentioning this matter.

However, he did not intend to back down from this, but continued on.

"Your Majesty, you are right. I am a poet, not an official. I should not make irresponsible remarks about government affairs. But please understand that I am also a nobleman of the Russian Empire, and I cannot be needed in my motherland." Stand by and watch while you serve."

"It sounds like you want to be part of it?" the Tsar asked back.

This rhetorical question also means that he admits that the war with the Turks is indeed about to break out.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I was only 1812 years old in 13, and I was not qualified to participate in that holy war and serve the country; but in 1827, I was already 28 years old. I used enough physical and mental strength to dedicate To the motherland." Pushkin raised his head and looked at His Majesty sitting upright with a sincere gaze, "With my most sincere emotions, I implore you not to refuse my request and let me act with the army."

The Tsar didn't answer right away, and looked at Pushkin as if gauging the strength of his resolve.

"As far as I know, you have no military experience." After a while, the Tsar finally spoke again. "Even if you act with the army, it will not bring any help to the imperial army, and it will be quite dangerous to yourself, isn't it?"

What the tsar said was true. Although Pushkin had received a complete elite education like other noble children in Russia since he was a child, he was exiled by the former emperor Alexander I at a young age, thrown into Ukraine to serve, and was later called back to his hometown. He did not become an Imperial officer like his peers.

"Yes, I do not have any experience in the army, but I have a passion, and I am willing to take risks for the motherland..." Pushkin replied generously, "Being an officer may require skills, but to be a soldier, you only need to learn how to carry a gun. And just obey the password, I can still do it... Your Majesty! I implore you to fulfill my wish, even if it is just as a soldier, and give me the opportunity to participate in this expedition."

While speaking, Pushkin waved his hands, his expression and body were full of passion, obviously he was already immersed in his spiritual world.

This enthusiasm also slightly infected the tsar who was accustomed to indifference.

He sighed softly. "Come on, let the best poet in our country be a big soldier, no one will do this kind of business..."

After hearing this sentence, Pushkin thought that His Majesty rejected his request, so he hurriedly wanted to continue his impassioned speech, and then the Tsar raised a finger to stop him.

"However, your enthusiasm is very touching. If I refuse again, I'm afraid I will lose the magnanimity that the emperor should have..." His Majesty lowered his eyes slightly, as if thinking about something, "Then Well, I will satisfy you, you can use your expertise to act as a clerical worker in a regiment."

After he finished speaking, he lightly tapped the table with his finger, and the solid walnut desk immediately made a light "dong" sound. "However, we have something to say first-Alexander Sergeyevich, all of this is what you asked for. If you behave negligently and break your promise at that time, then I will not lend you money..."

The sudden joy made Pushkin's heart beat wildly, and he managed to restrain himself so that he would not lose his composure in front of His Majesty.

For him, His Majesty's approval means that his wish is fulfilled, it means that he can get rid of the flashy and dull atmosphere of Huangcun, go to a strange foreign land, express his nature, and seek long-awaited inspiration.

And if he was lucky, he might even meet Napoleon's son, and see who this young man who tried to shake the world at such a young age was.

This must be a very interesting experience for poets who love fantasy.

"Thank you for your magnanimity, Your Majesty... I will always be grateful to you." He immediately bowed to His Majesty the Tsar, and then said gratefully, "Please rest assured that I will do my best to complete the tasks entrusted to me by you and the motherland. task."

"Well, let's see how you behave then." His Majesty the Tsar returned to his usual indifference, and just nodded slightly.

Then, he seemed to think of something, and looked at Pushkin again, "By the way, you are so active in the war. Could it be that you are interested in Duke Reichstedt?"

For a moment, Pushkin's original joy was diluted a lot by this sharp gaze, and he suddenly became nervous.

How should I respond?he thought.

He knew that he was not good at lying. If he lied forcibly, His Majesty would be able to easily see it, which would lower his evaluation.

So, after hesitating for a moment, he decided to tell the truth——

"I'm really interested in him. After all, I can't even write poetry at his age, but he can make waves on the European stage... Putting aside prejudices and moral judgments, I think he is really an interesting character. If If there is a chance to meet, I would be happy to have a drink with him."

After saying this, he immediately changed the subject, "Of course, this interest will never surpass my love for Mother Russia... In order to defend Russia, I dare to raise my sword even to Napoleon himself, let alone his son Now, you don't have to worry about what I will do to the country.

Having said that, he spread his hands calmly, "Furthermore, I have neither state secrets nor a lot of wealth, and I have nothing to show for it except my blood and love for the motherland. Sold it to someone else."

The last sentence made the Tsar quite satisfied--it is true, even if Pushkin wanted to sell the country, what would he have to sell?

"Poets are poets, their ideas are always so strange..." he muttered under his breath.

After thinking about it, maybe his motivation is not pure, but it can still satisfy him.

So the Tsar looked back at Pushkin. "Well, since you've already mentioned this, I really can't bear to refuse...Alexander Sergeyevich, I allow you to become a member of the expeditionary force, and you can go."

After speaking, he returned his gaze to his desk.

Of course Pushkin was well informed, so he didn't say another word, and immediately saluted and bid farewell to His Majesty the Tsar, then turned and left.

For him, the purpose has been achieved.

After leaving Yekaterin Palace, Pushkin came to the woods and sat on a bench by the pond, quietly admiring the beautiful scenery around him and calming down his mood.

And at this moment, he found that someone was approaching him, and then sat directly next to him.

"Alexander Sergeyevich..." the visitor greeted him with a smile, "you look happy?"

Pushkin looked up and found that it was his friend Boris Volkonsky who had come.

"Boris Petronovich, you came just in time!" He immediately shouted cheerfully, sharing his joy with one of his few friends in Huangcun, "I just met His Majesty, and then I asked him to go out with the army, although he was a little dissatisfied, but finally agreed..."

"Really? Congratulations, my friend." Boris Volkonsky nodded with a smile. "Then let me tell you by the way, I will also be an officer in the expeditionary force. If we are lucky, we may even be in the same force."

"It would be great if that's the case." Pushkin looked at his friend sincerely, "Boris, I wish you success and success in your career."

"I also hope that you will be able to write magnificent and immortal poems for our great expedition..." Boris Volkonsky also replied with a big smile.

Then, he blinked at Pushkin suddenly, and then lowered his voice, "If necessary, I can accommodate you so that you can see the poor Duke of Reichstedt and fulfill a wish." .”

Pushkin knew that this guy was not just talking casually. After all, he was from a famous family, and his elders had a lot of connections in the army. With his help, he should be able to easily leave the team for a short time to meet that interesting young man.

Yeah... everything is ready.

Pushkin raised his head leisurely, looked at the blue and white sky, breathed the fresh and pleasant air in the Huangcun forest, and then heaved a long sigh.

"Hopefully don't let me down in the end."　　

144, Rongsheng

While Pushkin was looking forward to sharing the joy with his friends, in remote Austria, several unremarkable carriages galloped along the country lanes, and finally stopped at the outskirts of a small castle.

This castle is of ordinary style, because of its secluded location and its simple appearance, it looks like a monastery.

Beside it, a small river flows through it, and some stones are scattered in the river. The water waves beat on these stones, scattered into fringes, and sparkling ripples under the sunlight.Water lilies and rushes started from the river bank like exquisite tapestry, adorning both banks, and then gradually spread all the way around the castle, adding a bit of loneliness to it.

This scenic castle belongs to the property of the Austrian government and was assigned to the Ministry of War for use, while the Army opened it up as a Les Invalides for soldiers wounded and homeless during the war.

In the silence, the door of the carriage was opened, and then, Grand Duke Karl and several aides around him walked down.

After getting off the carriage, the Grand Duke did not approach the castle immediately, but looked at the building and the surrounding scenery from a distance, and then couldn't help frowning.

As the commander-in-chief of the army in the past, even though he has retired now, he still visits the old subordinates everywhere. Naturally, he has visited this Les Invalides many times, gathering with disabled veterans, and trying his best to satisfy their needs. Daily needs.

Every time he came here, his mood was quite complicated, and just last year, at about this time today, he brought that young man here.

A year has passed, and the scenery here is still pleasant, but my mood has never returned to the past.

In retrospect, I took him to visit the Invalides, and took him to toast with the veterans. His demeanor and performance at that time not only earned the respect of the veterans here, but also secretly recognized him.

That young man was not only smart and handsome, but what was rare was that even in unfamiliar situations, he was able to deal with it gracefully without losing his usual demeanor.

From then on, he prepared to carefully train this future son-in-law, using his prestige to support him, and make him a pillar of the next generation of the empire.

Who would have thought that within a few months, he would repay his expectations in that way!

It would be nice if you didn't bother with so many things!Thinking of this, he couldn't help cursing inwardly.

Recently, everything about that young man has become a bleeding wound in his heart, and every time he thinks about it, he can't help being angry.

It doesn't make any sense to just sulk secretly, he came here on purpose today, not for the sake of seeing things and thinking about others.

Grand Duke Karl took a few deep breaths, calmed down, and then came to the castle with his entourage.

Just like every time he came to inspect before, the administrators in the castle had already prepared to welcome him long ago.

Captain Ferdinand Hench, who served as the dean of the Invalids, took the lead and came to the Grand Duke, saluting a military salute smartly.

"Your Highness, welcome to come!"

Although the limbs are intact, the captain has a shocking scar on his face. This scar spreads from the back of the head covered by brown hair to the corner of the mouth. It looks really scary.

However, all those present had been in the army for many years and were used to seeing all kinds of horrific scenes in the world, so no one felt uncomfortable.

The serious injury did not destroy Captain Henchy's natural sense of humor, and he smiled almost every day - even if his smile was a little hideous because of the scar.

"Long time no see, Hench." Archduke Karl nodded coldly to the other party. "Is everything okay here?"

"Thanks to you, we are all fine together... If there is any problem, everyone is a little flustered." The captain replied with a smile, "I can't even play poker now. I still have to live like this for decades, and I find it difficult.”

Grand Duke Karl was noncommittal, just looking around, as if he was observing the operation of the facilities here and the mental state of the veterans.

"It's been a year since I came here last time..." After a while, the Grand Duke seemed to be quite satisfied with the situation here, so he looked back again, and then heaved a long sigh. "I've had too many worries these days, so I'm only able to take the time to come here today. If you need help, just tell me."

Captain Hench had also been observing the Grand Duke's expression, and he answered quickly at this time. "For us, it is our greatest honor to have you here. Who can ask you to do more? We only hope that you can recover from the shadow as soon as possible."

After a while, he whispered again, "Are you so upset because coming here reminds you of Duke Reichstedt? You brought him here last time..."

Archduke Karl did not answer, but glanced at the other party, and this sharp glance made the captain suddenly silent, and he dared not speak again.

The awkward silence didn't last long, Archduke Karl frowned, and then said coldly. "You remember him?"

"That's natural! There are not many noble people who are willing to come to us, how could we not remember? What's more, he is the son of that man." Captain Hench replied.

Then, he dared not speak any more.

The last time Archduke Karl brought the Duke of Reichstedt with him, he was surprised and saw that the Grand Duke wanted to get closer to the young man and them, and then he heard from the people around the Grand Duke that Reichstedt Duke Tate is about to become the grand duke's son-in-law... Surprised, he couldn't help thinking that this was a good thing, so he secretly blessed the boy.

Whoever imagined it, things turned out like this in the end...

Even though they were in such a remote place and the flow of information was poor, they had heard about the explosive incident even so.

Naturally, they were all very shocked and disappointed. No one knew how poor Princess Teresa should deal with herself?

But now that it has happened, what can they do?

He sympathized with the grand duke in his heart, but he didn't dare to say it out loud, so he could only smile awkwardly.

Of course, Grand Duke Karl could see what the major was thinking. He was glad that the major knew how to measure, but the more he was sympathized with by the major, the more depressed and anxious he felt.

"You seem to be very well informed." Grand Duke Karl smiled coldly, "Then do you know what he is doing now?"

"I know, he seems to have gone to Greece, as if he wanted to raise the flag of rebellion and help the locals win independence or something... Hey! This is really a child's trick! Your Highness looked so old that day, I didn't expect that he was still a little young Human blood and blindness," replied Captain Henchy, shrugging his shoulders. "Don't get me wrong, we didn't deliberately inquire about these news, it's just that the outside world has already spread it, even if our side is isolated from the world, there will always be some rumors..."