Eagle's Glory

Then, she grabbed her sweetheart's hand.

"No matter what, we owe her something. I think we should be more gentle with her." The Duke replied in a low voice, and then grabbed the hand of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager.

"Based on what we have done, so what if we are gentle with her? She will definitely hate it." Her Majesty the Empress Dowager threw herself into the Duke's arms, and then closed her eyes contentedly, "However, if you must If there is hatred, then let her only hate me... I will be stricter, you go and treat her better, in this case, at least she will agree that she is your wife."

After enjoying the tenderness for a long time, she opened her eyes again, and then looked at her beloved provocatively.

"Okay, let's leave her alone, we are the only ones here... Eggron, the snow and ice outside have melted, let us melt together!"

Then, she hugged the young man recklessly, and under the reflection of the fire in the fireplace, the shadows and soft hums of the two merged together.　　

221, heavy responsibility on shoulders

Under Aigron's deliberate arrangement, he took his fiancée Teresa to inspect the cemetery he built on the outskirts of Messolonghi.

The mausoleum will be used as a burial for all of his fallen soldiers, and to commemorate all those who died in the cause of the Greek War of Independence - Lord Byron was among them.

Of course, the core of the entire cemetery is to remember (or brag about) his personal achievements.

He is not a person who likes to boast, but right now, his biggest capital is his own fame, so of course he will not let go of any opportunity to show off.

Furthermore, in terms of his merits, it is not a wild bragging.

After seeing all his arrangements, Teresa was very happy, she almost wished to open her heart in front of her sweetheart, and they were so close, which meant that the previous little turmoil disappeared.

However, Aigron also knew that now was not the time to lie down and celebrate, he still had too many important things to do.

Just in the afternoon after returning from inspection at the cemetery site, he called his confidant, the Count of Monte Cristo, to himself.

"Your Majesty, what are your orders?" The Count of Monte Cristo saluted respectfully upon seeing Aigron.

"Edmund, what do you think of the current situation of the whole army?" Aigron got straight to the point.

"As far as I can see, the morale is high, and the physical strength and energy have been fully rested and recovered." Edmond Dantès replied immediately.

He vaguely understood that when His Majesty asked himself this question, it meant that the short period of peace was coming to an end.

"Very well, it seems that we have had enough rest." Aigron nodded with satisfaction. "Then, let's start a new march."

Then, he clenched his fist and swung it hard, as if demonstrating, "We have dealt heavy blows to our enemies in a row, but they still control a large area. So we should take advantage of their chaos , Continue to strike hard!"

"Like other colleagues, I am always ready to do everything for you. Wherever you point, we will march there!" Edmund Dantès gave a timely compliment.

Seeing that the Count of Monte Cristo was so obedient, Aigron couldn't help laughing.

Then, he expressed his thoughts.

"I'm going to march northward and wipe out the remnants of the enemy all the way. I can march as far as I can, until Ioannina."

"I understand." Edmond Dantès nodded. In essence, he didn't care where His Majesty wanted to march, he would follow to the end anyway.

However, a flash of inspiration soon appeared in his mind——

Ioannina?

He seemed to have a strong impression of this place in his mind.

He soon understood that the bandit leader Isaac Valleolo he had recruited before was from Ioannina—and he was the former Pasha of that place.

Therefore, if you march towards Ioannina, Isaac Valleolo and his former bandit men can be the best guides.

Even better, in order to attract people's hearts, when His Majesty first came to Greece, he rewarded Isaac Valleolo as a member of the Knights of Fontainebleau, which means that the other party will definitely not work hard.

Edmond Dantès understood it instantly.

"Okay, Your Majesty! I will go and have a good talk with Isaac Valleolo. I think he will be very happy to lead us into his former hometown."

"I believe so too." Eggron nodded slightly.

In fact, apart from having a guide who is familiar with the local conditions, his decision has a deeper intention.

Right now, after cleaning up western Greece and controlling Messolonghi, if he wants to continue marching, there are only two roads before him-either go north all the way to Albania, or go east all the way to continue to liberate Greece, until Bulgaria.

It is true that the latter is better from the perspective of propaganda and practical significance, but there is another unexpected factor that has to be taken into account-the Russian Empire is about to march.

The Russian Empire is now gathering along the banks of the Danube. If it marches, this seemingly indestructible steam roller will roll all the way to the southwest along Romania and Bulgaria. run into...

Although both sides are fighting against the Ottoman Empire, this is certainly not a meeting of allies.

Although based on the information he has received so far, it seems that the tsar has not issued an order such as "the Duke of Reichstedt must be eliminated", but the heart of defense is indispensable, and the Bonaparte family and the Romanov family have a deep hatred Like the sea, if the two armies bump into each other rashly, there may be a "misfire", and the huge army of the Russian Empire may easily destroy his weak legion.

Therefore, he can only choose to march northward, while continuing to gain victories to increase his reputation and consolidate and expand the occupied area; while carefully keeping a distance from the Russian Imperial Army, and then find a way to use the checks and balances among the great powers to rely on them to control the Russian Empire. Fear of expansion has pulled Russian troops back from the Balkans and the city of Istanbul.

Aigron knew that it seemed that he was winning continuously and had a bright future, but in fact he was still walking a tightrope. His capital was too small, and he would never allow it to be easily squandered by gambling.

Fortunately, this young man has remained calm, not dazzled by the victory, and can still make rational judgments.

Of course, Aigron didn't need to explain all these thoughts to Edmund Dantès, the other party was just an executor, and he made all the decisions on strategic issues by himself.

"Your Majesty..." Edmund Dantès seemed to have thought of something while Egron was meditating.

"What's wrong?" Aegron asked.

"Excuse me, is there any living relatives of Ioannina Ali Pasha who was executed?" Edmund Dantès asked cautiously, "I mean, if there is one, we can let This kinsman cooperates with us in carrying his banner, which makes our task easier."

Edmund Dantès thought that his thinking was very logical—after all, although Pasha was defeated and decapitated, only 1822 years had passed since his defeat in 5. There must still be many old ministries in the Ioannina area, and they will also have a certain appeal among the people.

The Ioannina region is already considered Albania. The locals are quite different from the Greeks. It is difficult to touch them simply by playing the banner of "liberating Greece".

Therefore, if one of Pasha's relatives can be found as a puppet, and then his banner will be used, it will surely be able to further gain the support of the local people, and it will also be conducive to their march.

However, to Edmund's surprise, what he thought was logical, His Majesty showed a strange expression, as if he had heard something absurd.

"Your Majesty... Did I say something wrong?" Edmund Dantès asked boldly.

Is this fate?

A strange sense of pleasure made Aegron couldn't help laughing.

"No, no, you didn't say anything wrong, I think it makes sense, Edmund - your question enlightens me." Aigron shook his head slightly, "But, reality will have A little difficult. Because as far as I know, the Pasha himself and his three sons have been executed by the Sultan's order, and their relatives have been captured in Istanbul as slaves-this is the Sultan's usual practice for traitors How to do it. Now, his only surviving immediate family member is only one granddaughter..."

"And was left in Istanbul!" Edmund Dantès understood instantly.

Then he was a little disappointed, because if it was just a granddaughter, her appeal would be much smaller—and she was in Istanbul. If she used her banner, she would be beheaded by the Sultan immediately...

"Well, Your Majesty, it seems that my idea is difficult to realize." He smiled sheepishly.

However, the young man seemed to add something meaningful.

"Her name is Haidee. If I remember correctly, she should be about ten years old now."

Edmond Dantès was stunned. He didn't understand why His Majesty knew such details, and he didn't understand why His Majesty specifically mentioned this point.

Since his own vision could no longer be realized, what's the point of paying attention to that little girl?

"What... what do you mean?" He asked again boldly.

"Edmund, I think you have come up with a very good idea, which is very valuable." Aigron suddenly laughed again, and then said softly, "Although we will face some obstacles in order to realize it, it is not impossible accomplish--"

After a pause for a while, he didn't hold back anymore, "We have friends in Istanbul now, we can use these friends to buy Miss Haidee as soon as possible, and then transport her to our side—"

"After she is transported to us, we can use her banner to recover Ioannina!" Edmund Dantès shouted excitedly.

"And you are the best person to carry out this task—" Aigron looked at Edmund Dantès with piercing eyes as if he had made up his mind.

Then he deliberately lowered his voice, "In this case, Edmund, I won't hide it from you. My so-called 'friend in Istanbul' is actually the ambassador of Austria. I think that if he comes forward to spend money to buy a humble If you are a young girl slave... no one will pay attention, right? The Sultan would be happy to be a favor."

Egron is not guessing randomly, because in the original book "The Count of Monte Cristo", Edmund Dantès, who has become a great merchant, paid a sum of money to buy Haidee.

Now, he intends to realize this historical reincarnation again on this historical line that has already diverged.

This not only has his practical needs, but also a bad taste that belongs only to him.

Then, Aigron clenched his fists, and the originally relaxed atmosphere suddenly became tense.

"Since we are determined to act, we must act quickly! The sooner the better! Edmund, I just want to have a private contact with the Austrian ambassador. You go to Istanbul and bring that Miss Haidee back to me—— "

Although Edmund Dantès was a little startled, he soon realized it.

His Majesty approved his plan and asked him to carry it out - this is trust in himself as always, and he must not live up to his trust.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" He agreed loudly, "I will bring her back safely!"

"Then, I'll leave it to you." Aigron stretched out his hand, and then patted the other person's shoulder, "Once she comes to me, I will make her the Grand Duchess of Ioannina, and you will be Her guardian. Then we march on Ioannina in her name!"

"I understand!" Edmund Dantès was also excited.

There is no doubt that if you bring this little girl to your side, whether His Majesty will make her the Grand Duchess of Ioannina or something else, she will be just a puppet without any self-determination. Ability—His Majesty will not allow her to make her own claims.

However, this also means that His Majesty will blatantly bestow upon a great nobleman with "real land".

Since His Majesty came to Monte Cristo Island, he has conferred many noble titles. Edmond Dantès himself has been favored and became the Earl of Monte Cristo, and his friend Andre Davout has also become Le Marquis of Bando.

However, these titles are currently only available among Bonaparte supporters. In other European countries, the "Count of Monte Cristo" or other titles are currently not recognized at all, and there is no actual jurisdiction.

This is like issuing a currency that is only circulated internally. Although the name is not inappropriate, it is always a bit weak.

But if a Grand Duchess of Ioannina can be canonized and finally established... the situation will be very different, which means that His Majesty will become a real benefactor, a lord above a lord.

If he canonize it indiscriminately, it will be difficult to be recognized by everyone, but if it is the granddaughter of the late Ioannina Ali Pasha—the only remaining blood in his life—it seems that it is not impossible according to the principle of inheritance .

Of course, things will not be so easy, and if you want to turn it into reality, you will inevitably face huge resistance, but since there is hope—after all, for the disputes between the great powers, a mere Ioannina is basically Without the balance, the one they are most worried about now is the Tsar.

Yes, that's how it should be!

For a moment, Edmond Dantès was ecstatic.

He is more excited and full of anticipation than His Majesty.

He was very happy that His Majesty had inferred the suggestion he put forward, and unexpectedly came up with such a plan with a brainstorm.

This means that he has made another contribution.

But now is not the time to be proud, he must fulfill His Majesty's wish and get things done.

"Haidee..." he repeated the name.

I don't know why, although he has never seen this child before, nor has he had any interaction with her, but at this moment, he has a strange sense of familiarity in his heart.

"When can you leave?" Aegron's question interrupted his thoughts.

"If you need it, I'll be there right away." Edmond Dantès replied quickly.

"No, you don't need to be so anxious..." Aigron smiled and waved his hands, "You should prepare, leave tomorrow, I will write a letter to Mr. Ambassador with Teresa, and you will go there as the messenger .”

After finishing speaking, he reached out and patted the other person's shoulder again.

It is self-evident that the heavy responsibility is on the shoulders.　　

222, enter

After discussing with Edmund Dantès, Aigron revised his strategic plan and set a strategy of "buying Haiidee, and then using her as a puppet and banner to take the opportunity to march into Ioannina".

This means that they must use the time as soon as possible to get Haide in their hands before marching into Ioannina and playing the banner of Haiide, lest she be chopped off by the angry sultan.

In Aigron's heart, he has another hidden worry-that is the Russian Empire.

Since he came to Greece and raised his banner, the Russian Empire has been ready to leave the feat of liberating Greece in the hands of the tsar. For this reason, they have been concentrating their troops on the border of the Danube and the Caucasus. , I know in my heart that their march is already an imminent problem.

That being the case, when Aigron considers the issue next, he must take the major factor of the Russian Empire into his field of vision.

Before the Russian Empire ended up in person, he had won enough victories and prestige for himself, and he didn't dare to expect such good luck for himself.

Of course Aigron would not know, because of the delay brought by the distance, his news has lagged behind reality-in fact, at the time of his secret talks with Edmund Dantès, the Russian Empire was already marching on the Balkans up.

And Pushkin, a genius poet recognized by the upper class of the empire, was also in this army at this time, following the tide-like imperial army, and personally experiencing the upcoming historical event.

Originally, there was no need for this prestigious poet to participate in military operations. He could have continued to stay in Huangcun to enjoy the extravagant court life and gain the superficial respect of the Tsar.

But Pushkin, who was already tired of the boring life in the court, sincerely asked the Tsar to grant him the honor of participating in the war. With his sincerity, His Majesty the Tsar finally granted the poet's request.

So, next, he was assigned to the Izmailovo Guards Regiment, and as a member of this elite force, he was transferred to the assembly point along the Danube River.

According to the plan, after the war, their force will cross Wallachia and Bulgaria with the large force, and head straight for Adrianople, the gateway to Constantinople.

According to the court's prediction, if they are lucky enough, they will continue to march all the way to the glorious Roman capital; if they are not lucky enough, the Tsar has to stop the march under the pressure of European powers, at least they will also hit the Turks hard. A brilliant victory - and once again the tsar was the savior of Europe.

After the bloody Decembrist scandal at the time of his succession, the Tsar desperately needed to earn himself such an aura, in order to show his subjects, and Europe as a whole, the legitimacy of his throne.

Pushkin had already heard about the thoughts of the upper echelons of the empire, but at this time he didn't care about these "state affairs". His whole mind had already been put on the various experiences of serving in the front line and his reverie about the future.

On this late autumn morning, Pushkin rode his horse and headed southwest in the warm sunshine, and the Russian army was also advancing in a slightly hectic manner on this not-so-wide road.

Not far away is the sparkling Danube, as long as they cross there, they will enter the Balkan Peninsula and start their glorious expedition.

The leader of the parade arrived and couldn't see the end. The surrounding woods had been dyed orange red or dim yellow by late autumn, swaying in the wind, just like those ladies waving handkerchiefs to see them off. He looked around Go, in the wilderness of Ukraine, there are all kinds of hats worn by officers and soldiers everywhere, and the bayonets are like a jungle, shining with sharp cold light.

The strict formation made this army seem to be integrated into a whole, like the footprints of giants, unstoppably pressing towards the crumbling Turkey.