Eagle's Glory

However, the cardinal didn't answer right away, but kept looking at Cardinal Fish, as if he was weighing something.

"I have a nephew who is just in his early 20s. He is a smart and ambitious young man." Cardinal Vittorio Esposito suddenly changed the subject, and then continued in a calm tone, "He hopes to create a big career, but like other peers, he suffers from no chance to show himself..."

Although the cardinal's words sounded a little out of his head, but to the old man Joseph Fish who was also in the church, this was a clear hint.

——In Italy, when a cardinal said "I have a nephew" with such a serious and inscrutable expression, he often really meant "I have an illegitimate child".

Therefore, his true meaning was clearly revealed—he hoped that his illegitimate son would be "supported" by Aigron.

This is indeed not a wild asking price, but a reasonable follow-up cooperation condition.

"The angel told me, write it down. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." Cardinal Joseph Fish recited a scripture to give a clear answer.

Now it was time to announce the good news to his nephew and grandson, so he withdrew with a contented expression and disappeared into the crowd.　　

165, Grandmother's gift

After the meeting with Cardinal Vittorio Esposito, the old man Joseph Fish was full of joy and excitement, and hurried back to the residence of himself and his sister.

His older sister is, of course, the former Empress Dowager Letizia Bonaparte of the French Empire.

Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, although she once rose to fame because of her son, she was known for being low-key and simple back then, and there was almost no record of being domineering. After her son fell into the dust, she became more humble and chose to come to Rome She lived in seclusion and never appeared in the public eye again.

She bought a palace not far from St. Peter's Church, named it Bonaparte Palace, and then lived in seclusion here, bathed in the light of God, and prepared to spend the last days of her life quietly.

If history develops on its normal track, this old lady will indeed get her wish and return to the embrace of God in a corner forgotten by the world. However, with the rampage of a young man, her originally peaceful life has changed. It began to be full of unpredictable waves.

For this grandson who was under house arrest in Austria at a young age, she was of course full of concern, especially after learning of Napoleon's death in 1821, she was even more concerned about this helpless child. There was no chance to see him, so she couldn't help crying.

But no matter how painful she was, she had no choice but to watch the world collapse.

It never occurred to her that, in the volatile world, a few years later, after a series of dramatic events, she would be able to see her grandson again.

Although the two of them only saw each other once, for this old woman, this was already the greatest relief in her life.This handsome and talented young man is enough to meet all the expectations in her heart.

As far as her heart is concerned, since her grandson finally regained his freedom, he should find a place to hide his name and live a good life, so as not to be contaminated by the disputes in the world, so as not to be swallowed up by bad luck again; Different thoughts—or, rather, the same ambition flowing through his veins.

It was obvious that the situation was hopeless and everything was irreparable, but he insisted on making another breakthrough, to shake the obstacle like a copper wall and iron wall, even if his head was broken and bloody.

Although she disapproved in her heart, Letizia had no choice but to agree with her grandson's stubborn will.

Not only did she agree, she also opened her purse and sponsored a large sum of money to her grandson——

Although it appears to be a "sponsorship", it is actually a gift. She doesn't expect her grandson's career to be successful at all, but she just sees him being so persistent, so she donates generously in order not to make him sad. It makes no difference when a grandmother gives her grandson pocket money to buy things.

She doesn't regret money at all-for an old woman like her whose life is at the end, what's the point of keeping more money in her hands?

But she was very worried about the safety of her grandson. She wondered whether God would still protect the new generation of the Bonaparte family from the ravages of war.

So since saying goodbye to Aigron, she has been worried and scared almost every day, and sometimes even has nightmares, dreaming that she has received bad news from Greece.

Fortunately, at least so far, everything is going well, and all she has received is good news.

After Aiglon's temporary victory, Teresa specially wrote letters to Letizia and Cardinal Joseph Fish in Rome under the guidance of Father Faria. On the one hand, it is urging them to contact the Holy See and let the Pope come forward to fulfill his promise.

Under the joy, the two siblings naturally did not dare to neglect, and immediately started activities, and today is the day when the Pope preaches publicly. If the plan does not go wrong, His Majesty the Pope will be watched by thousands of people What an honor it is for this pious old lady to publicly commend Egron...

Since getting up in the morning, Letizia has been waiting nervously and anxiously, for fear that things will change.

When her younger brother, Cardinal Fish, came back, she questioned him immediately.

"Everything is going well." The old cardinal replied with a smile, "His Majesty's speech was even more eager than I expected. It can be seen that he is very satisfied with Aigron's actions. A warrior is a role model for everyone."

"Thank God!" the old woman finally felt relieved.

Then, she said, "Aigron did a very right thing. Since His Majesty the Pope is satisfied with him, God must be very satisfied too. No wonder... no wonder he can be so smooth, it turns out that God blesses him !"

The elderly siblings looked at each other with smiles and thanked the Pope and God for his generosity.

Although she was once the empress dowager of the empire, she still worships God devoutly like most ordinary Italian women, and loves her family very much.

For Napoleon, the second son, she was extremely proud of his achievements, but she was also saddened by the disputes between him, his family and the church.

At the beginning of the emperor's ascension to the throne, he had always paid great attention to win over the church, and the relationship with the church had a honeymoon period. However, as time passed, the emperor's tendency to be self-centered became stronger and stronger, and the conflict with the church became more and more intense. In the end, In a rage, the emperor sent someone to arrest the pope and take him to France.

Although Letizia was very dissatisfied with this, there was nothing she could do. Every time Napoleon quarreled with his brothers and had conflicts with the church, she could only weep silently. Apart from crying and persuading her son not to go his own way, there was almost nothing he could do. Can't do it.

In her mind, the ruin of the empire and the imminent failure of her son's achievements must be the punishment for her son's disrespect for God.

She hoped that the same historical lessons would not be repeated in her grandson, and she hoped that Egron would follow God's will, respect the church and the pope, and maintain orthodox Christian beliefs.

So she is very satisfied with what Aigron is doing now-isn't the liberation of Christians the thing God most wants to see?Even His Majesty the Pope is full of praise for it!

If there is any regret, there is only one thing left.

"Teresa mentioned in my letter...after the end of the Greek war, she and Egron plan to hold a wedding there." Letizia's smile became solemn again, "For such an important event , I want to attend no matter what, I was helpless before, the Austrian government would not invite me, but this time is different... I have the opportunity to attend the wedding, bless them personally, and witness their sacred union, please follow Cardinal Esposito explain, let him understand my feelings."

"Okay." Cardinal Joseph Fish nodded, "It's not difficult, the cardinal is very optimistic about Aigron now, and he intends to let his 'nephew' get some credit, even if he never From this perspective, he is also willing to fulfill this wish for you."

This is also true. Although the Church of Rome fell out with Napoleon himself, she had a very good impression of Letizia, otherwise she would not have been allowed to live in seclusion in Rome after the fall of the empire.

Although Letizia didn't have the chance to attend any important ceremony in Rome, but she has a good relationship with the church's high-level officials. In addition, Aigron's status and status are rising, so they will acquiesce in this matter.

"Teresa kept telling me to take care of my health in the letter... What a good boy." Letizia laughed again, "Also, if I just ran over empty-handed to bless them, it would be really inappropriate... Joseph, what is the best gift we should give her?"

Since meeting Teresa, Letizia has been extremely satisfied with Teresa. She feels that a good girl like Teresa is really the best match for her grandson—in her heart, as long as she can see her grandson Marry Princess Teresa, and then see their child born, then she will have no regrets in her life.

Letizia's question made the Cardinal have a hard time.

"This is a difficult problem... Although Her Highness the Princess will be very grateful if you send jewelry, but she has been used to seeing these things since she was a child; if you send other things, it may be difficult to impress her in terms of value."

"Then what do you think, how about giving this place to her?" Letizia asked. "Is that enough to express my love for her?"

"What?" The cardinal was stunned for a moment, and then he understood what his sister meant. "You mean...give her the mansion? What are you going to do then?"

"I don't mean to give it to her directly, but to designate my current property to be kept and used by her." Letizia replied, "In the future, she will represent me in the whole family."

After being stunned for a moment, Cardinal Joseph Fish probably understood his sister's intentions.

Although the empire has collapsed and Emperor Napoleon has passed away, the other children and grandchildren of the old lady are still alive. Her eldest son Joseph Bonaparte is still living in the United States, the third son Lucien stays in Rome, the fourth son Louis is in Florence, and the youngest son Jerome also settled in Italy. Although the family is fragmented, it still exists. Among these children and grandchildren, how to deal with the property in her hands has become the last issue she needs to consider.

Logically speaking, the eldest son Joseph should inherit her legacy, or the children and grandchildren should share it equally, but whether it is she or others, they all know very well that Eggron is the only reasonable heir of the entire family, and he should have a unique wealth. Inheritance rights, since Letizia's wealth was obtained from Emperor Napoleon back then, of course it can only be inherited by him in the future.

So Letizia's move is nothing more than confirming this fact, and unambiguously transferring the identity of the family mistress to Teresa who will become Aigron's wife in the future-the future combination of Aigron and Theresa will also It means that this family has a new master.

On the one hand, it is because of Teresa's humble and benevolent character, which is very popular with her grandmother; but more importantly, it places Letizia's expectations. She hopes Teresa can do better than her. This once glorious family continues to flourish.

"Okay, I understand." Cardinal Fish nodded, "I will start to arrange, and I think Princess Teresa will definitely understand your intentions, and thank you for your great love for her."

As a princess, Teresa certainly doesn't need to care about these money gifts, but Letizia's move is enough to show her respect and blessings, and she will definitely feel it.

"Tell Teresa, I am old, and the family will be handed over to her in the future. She will have the same right as me to warn and restrain the members of this family. Whether it is an elder or a peer, if what they do What she does is not good for the interests of the family, she can reprimand them as much as I do—we are a big family, but the backbone can only be Aigron and her, and the others just act according to their will."

When she said this, Letizia lowered her voice and seemed to be touched, "Also, let her always stay awake, act in accordance with God's norms for the world, and restrain Egron from doing stupid things—— Smart people are more likely to be pretentious and get carried away. I have seen how a genius destroys his career... What I didn't do at the time, I hope she can do it in the future."

Just because he was a witness of the previous era, after hearing what his sister said, Cardinal Fish also heaved a long sigh.

When His Majesty the Emperor single-handedly conquered Europe, everyone around him could only kneel down beside him in admiration and carry out his will. , the habit of self-importance.

The grandmother doesn't know how much Aigron will achieve in the future, but what she fears most is that her grandson will make the same mistakes and cause the same tragedy.

History has shown that the more amazing the achievements, the more tragic the final decline and fall.

She couldn't control her son back then, and now she doesn't have much restraint on her grandson, so she can only pin her hopes on Teresa. She hopes that Teresa can play a restraining role, so that Eggron will not be overwhelmed by superstition. ability to do things that go beyond the bounds.

It is indeed difficult, but Teresa followed Aigron to start a business from the very beginning, and her influence is not the same as that of Queen Josephine or Queen Louisa back then. She hopes Teresa can do this.

"Joseph, if possible, I'd rather they live in seclusion and live a good life, but God has another will, what can I do?" The old woman's wrinkled face seemed to be about to cry, It seems to be remembering something.

"Many years ago, when I married into this family, we had almost nothing but a few farmlands in Corsica; and later, my children and grandchildren owned at one point half of Europe... Even if I am defeated now, I still have many ashes left over from the past in my hands. This is our family property and the capital for my descendants to settle down in the future. I am already old, and the drama that belongs to me is almost over. Leave this family to her to guard... I am convinced that Teresa will do better than me, and when I touch her hand and kiss her face, I am sure of it. God Will definitely bless her and Eggron!"　　

166, prepare for a rainy day

While His Majesty the Pope publicly praised the Duke of Reichstedt as a "model Christian" in his sermon, there was also a couple of detached status in Vienna, thousands of miles away, who secretly rejoiced for the young man's success .

After the war came to an end, the Archduke Karl and his wife received a personal letter from their daughter Teresa, and shortly thereafter, they received a report written by Major Hench. The two letters were enough for them to piece together the entire military operation. The outline also allows them to know the development of the situation well.

Because of this, they know that at least for the time being, there is no need to worry about the safety of their daughter and future son-in-law.

Just in the afternoon, Archduke Karl was in the study, facing a simple map, drawing with his fingers, and replaying the entire battlefield on paper, as if he had personally experienced the entire combat history of the Duke of Reichstedt in his mind.

For him who has bid farewell to his military career, this is very good entertainment.

"My dear, you have been sketching on this drawing for a while." Grand Princess Henrietta couldn't stand it anymore, so she couldn't help asking, "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to figure out what he did." Archduke Karl replied indifferently.

"Then you should be very happy, after all he won." Madam asked with a smile.

"Winning is winning, but he exposed a lot of flaws - after the initial victory, he acted slowly and hesitated, giving the enemy a chance and time to coordinate their actions, and only made a decision after being reminded at the end; and His on-the-spot command ability also needs to be improved, and he is really ashamed of the education he received in the palace." Archduke Karl said his judgment casually, "If there is any advantage, it is that he is bold enough, dares to work hard, and at the same time knows His own shortcomings, he is willing to listen to advice, and trusts his subordinates enough. Of course, having these advantages is not enough. When facing a strong opponent, he may be difficult to parry—fortunately, he is facing the Turks, but temporarily You can get away with it.”

"You are too harsh on His Highness, and you are judging him by the standards of those veterans." Madam didn't take it seriously at all, "Thinking that he is just a child now, what are ordinary princes and grandchildren doing at his age? I’m afraid he doesn’t understand anything? He’s been able to do so many amazing things during this period of time, which is already very remarkable.”

Madam's rebuttal left Grand Duke Karl speechless for a moment, because it was indeed true.

"It's a pity because he has such a talent." In the end, he could only say with a little regret, "If he stays here, and Metternich and I teach him and support him, he will be able to To be the pillar of the empire's future..."

"Being a pillar of the empire is not as attractive as being the emperor of the empire? There is nothing he can do if he doesn't want to be here." Madam sighed, "It would be best if he is willing to stay in Austria, and we can see him and Trey from time to time. Sarah..."

The couple looked at each other, feeling a little regretful to each other.

However, moaning and sighing did not solve the problem, and they regained their spirits.

"Teresa said in the letter that she hoped that we could help her find out what the Austrian government is doing." After a while, the madam asked again, "Do you have any clues?"

"How could I know Metternich's thoughts?" Archduke Karl asked back, "A few days ago, someone came to me to inquire about Teresa, but I strongly rejected it."

When Teresa disappeared at first, the social circles didn't pay much attention to it. People speculated that she might not be able to bear the blow of being abandoned by her fiancé, so she hid for a while; as time went by, Princess Teresa did not show up in the In front of everyone, the Duke of Leichstadt made big news one after another, and people began to have doubts. The rumors that "Her Royal Highness Princess Teresa has left Austria and followed her fiancé" also spread like wildfire. In the salons and drawing-rooms—

Although the Grand Duke and his wife are still insisting that their daughter is only traveling abroad to relax, people who have already become suspicious are less and less convinced—after all, no matter in any European capital or scenic spot, there is no news about the princess. The news of His Highness, even if it is a secret trip, she and her entourage can't be completely silent.

Now it is obvious that this news is about to be hidden.

"People nowadays are so boring, they always want to spy on other people's affairs! When they laughed at Teresa, the way they chattered and gloated was really annoying." Madam was a little annoyed, and then she frowned again, "Since In this way, why don't we just make things clear? Anyway, we can't hide it."

Archduke Karl looked at his wife, shocked by her audacity.

"How to pick it out?" He asked in a low voice.

"Just tell the truth - she insisted on going to accompany her because she was worried about the safety of her fiancé, but we had no choice but to agree." The wife replied, and then asked her husband, "I don't understand why this is wrong. By the way, does she embarrass us by marrying His Highness?"

"How can things be so simple...?" Archduke Karl couldn't help laughing bitterly. "It's not a personal issue, it's a political issue - if I admit that Teresa is on his side, then how do I convince people that I was forced to and that I wasn't behind the scenes? Some people even suspect that even his escape was deliberately arranged by me!"

"Anyone who believes in such a lurid conspiracy is either a lunatic or a fool. What reason do you have for doing this?" Madam was furious.

"Unfortunately... there is no shortage of these two types of people in the government. These mediocre fools are full of imagination only in this kind of place." Archduke Karl shrugged, "So, admitting all this is very simple, But it’s not so easy to live with all the consequences.”

"Then what should we do?" Madam asked a little uneasy, "Should we continue to pretend that we have nothing to do with it? Even if this is not the solution... After all, Teresa's affairs will be exposed to the world sooner or later, isn't it? Can she still marry under a false name?"

"I don't mean that, I mean that we need to proclaim the truth to the world skillfully." Archduke Karl shook his head, and then expressed his thoughts, "First of all, I will ask Metternich to clarify the empire. Whether he intends to deprive the title of Duke of Reichstedt, and whether the court cancels the marriage contract between the two parties. If Metternich admits that the imperial government has no such intention, then it is tantamount to publicly acknowledging that the marriage contract is indeed valid. At that time, I will mention Trey Sha wants to visit her fiancé and use him to silence the world."

"Of course it would be best if he said that, but what if he directly said that the engagement is invalid?" Madam was still a little worried.

"Then His Majesty the Emperor will have to weigh the fate of the royal family's reputation." The Grand Duke spread his hands, "In that case, I will meet His Majesty directly and tell him Teresa values ​​reputation and she will never allow herself to be treated like this, so She insisted on the engagement; and I would tell him that Louisa and Metternich were responsible for my disgrace—after all, they were the ones who made me decide to accept the bastard. Son-in-law. So, I insist that they apologize to Teresa and me."

Madam's eyes widened.

Of course she knew that doing so would be tantamount to a showdown with the court. His Majesty the Emperor must either give in or take the strongest measures in response.

Even as Yudi, it seems a bit bold to do so.

"Do you really want to do this?" Now it was her turn to hesitate, "How about we see if there is any other way?"

"Perhaps we can drag the time, but in the end, a showdown may be inevitable." Archduke Karl sighed, "Don't worry, even in the worst case, I don't believe that anyone dares to order me to be arrested. "

Although it was dangerous on the surface, he actually knew it in his heart—he had been secretly observing the attitude of the court and the government these days, trying to figure out what the emperor and Metternich thought.

He didn't know what the intentions of the monarch and ministers were, but from the fact that the imperial government hadn't made any moves for so long, it was obvious that they did not plan to sever all ties with Duke Reichstedt.

Moreover, Princess Sophie reappeared in the public eye, and it can be seen that they were not overwhelmed by anger, but were trying to repair the damage that had been done.

So as long as he has a showdown, Metternich will also have to express his position and let the derailed marriage return to the 'normal' track.

Teresa's wayward behavior certainly brought trouble to herself, but it also made it impossible for His Majesty the Emperor and Metternich to escape - soon, the whole of Europe will know that Teresa is by that young man's side, don't they? Can you turn a blind eye?

They couldn't afford it just like themselves, so at the last moment, they had to give an answer so that everyone could end up decently.

Either admit the facts that have happened, or completely fall out with himself, he believes that the Prime Minister of the Empire will make a reasonable choice.

Seeing her husband's calm and composed appearance, the Grand Duchess gradually felt relieved.

It seems that the Grand Duke actually didn't say anything on the surface, but he had already considered all the issues in his heart.

He has indeed reached the limit of what his father can do, and no one can accuse him of anything.

"My dear, we will always stand by one side, no matter what we have to face." After a moment of silence, she said to her husband, "No matter what plans your Majesty and Metternich have, in short, Teresa's marriage is no longer for them Doubt again, we don’t need their blessings, but at least they should admit their previous choices—we can’t treat our respective reputations like a joke, can we?”

"Believe me, Metternich will only be more troubled than us now." A sneer suddenly appeared on the corner of Grand Duke Karl's mouth, and then he whispered, "The Russian Empire's march to Turkey has become imminent and inevitable. Realistic."