Eagle's Glory

In order to keep the remaining family business, the Sudan also had to make a painful decision, at the cost of recognizing the independence of Greece, in exchange for the help of the Western powers, so that his dynasty could survive.

The Turkish and Egyptian armies stationed in Athens and other areas were already exhausted after years of fighting in poor foreign countries. After the Duke of Reichstedt led the army to land, they were also desperate to conquer Greece, so they received the Sudanese After the Sultan's order, they breathed a sigh of relief, so they were also happy to cooperate with the Sultan's order.

To them, defending their homelands of Istanbul and Anatolia made far more sense than remaining in Greece.

Precisely because both parties already had a strong desire for peace, and powerful external intervention forces also supported peace, the negotiations between the Independent Army and the Turkish Army went quite smoothly, and it took almost no time to reach a basic agreement.

During the negotiation process, the Turkish army had begun to retreat because of their eagerness to return aid. By the time an initial agreement was reached, the Turks in the Athens area had been cleared, and the Greek Independence Army rushed out of the Peloponnese without hesitation. The Sabah Peninsula quickly took over Athens.

For them and for Greece, Athens means the whole country, and only it can become the capital of the new Greek kingdom in the future.

When the Independence Army entered Athens, the local residents greeted each other with flowers, and the entire peninsula rejoiced.

These major events are enough to be recorded in the annals of history, but for Aigron, these are all expected, so they are not worth paying more attention to.

And the issue he is most concerned about now is his wedding with Teresa.

Athens has been peacefully recovered by the rebels, which means that the ruins of the Parthenon have also fallen into their hands again, and Panos Kolokotronis has already promised him that he will do his best Work hard and help Eggron hold a grand wedding in order to repay his kindness and contributions to his side.

Eggron really hoped so.

Emotionally speaking, he owed Teresa too much, and he had to give the girl a grand wedding as an explanation; in terms of political considerations, he also hoped to use this wedding to declare Bonaparte's love. The family is officially back on track.

Although he is only 17 years old now, after he gets married and starts a family, he will be the head of the family and the leader of the whole family.

When this family was prominent in the past, almost everyone wore a crown, but now it has fallen into disrepair, and the members are scattered. Now, as the head of the new generation, he shoulders the responsibility of carrying forward the family and spreading its branches and leaves.

Teresa, as his legal wife, will work with him to restore their family to its former glory.

Because of this, after learning that Athens had been restored, he immediately took his fiancée to the local area, and then discussed the wedding with Panos and others who had just arrived in Athens.

Although Panos was busy at this time, he had to deal with endless problems, and he was almost too busy to touch the ground, but he did not forget his promise, and he just set aside some people from the stretched hands to assist Aegron and his men prepare for the wedding together.

And Teresa naturally paid more attention to this issue than Aigron. She paid attention to the negotiations between the two parties throughout the whole process, and asked almost every detail of the wedding, even the ceremony procedures at the wedding ceremony site, and the location of the guard of honor branch, She made arrangements for the course of action one by one according to her wish.

In order not to make the blind feel the elephant, of course she has to go to the Parthenon to do field surveys, and Aigron is naturally happy to accompany Teresa to visit the ruins, just like traveling.

Today is a good day. Although it is winter at this time, the clouds have cleared, the sky is clear, and the air has become particularly dry and refreshing. Boys and girls dressed in casual clothes, under the protection of the guards, walked up the steps of the Acropolis Go, step by step to the highest hill of the Acropolis.

The Parthenon, with its majestic and elegant figure, stands here quietly.

In the past, it used to be a symbol of Athens, enshrining the goddess Athena, and the embodiment of the devout beliefs of the Athenians. It witnessed the most glorious time of the city-state, and it was also the master of Athens' architectural and artistic achievements.

However, all glory will eventually come to an end. Athens finally failed in the decades-long war for hegemony with Sparta, and the glorious era of the city-state came to an end. After that, Athens and the whole of Greece inevitably declined. Then it was conquered by foreigners one by one, first the Macedonians, then the Romans, and finally the Turks, and the conquests again and again made the Athenians almost forget the glory they had 2000 years ago.

All the glory has become a passing cloud, and only this magnificent marble building stands alone. Even though it looks magnificent and beautiful, it is nothing but the last residue of the glorious era.

Moreover, because of the continuous years of war, the temple itself has also suffered great damage. The biggest damage came in 1687, when the Venetians and the Turks fought in Athens, and the Turkish defenders regarded the temple at the highest point of the Acropolis as a After that, the Venetian army bombarded the castle and detonated the explosives that the Turks had piled up in the temple, which eventually led to the martyrdom. Almost all the roof and walls of the temple were blown down, and the scarred temple officially became a temple. There were ruins.

The temple's devastation didn't stop there, and it became a favorite of adventurers and collectors of all kinds, and its remaining fine marble sculptures suffered another terrible catastrophe and were smuggled away Became a private collection.

Teresa walked up the steps with Aigron. Seeing the gravel and devastation on the hill, she couldn't help but feel a little sad.

For her, Athens is not so much an ancient city-state as it is a symbol of civilization and the birthplace of European culture. Seeing that it has been reduced to this state, how can it be possible not to feel pity?

"It's not long before the wedding, we need to hurry up and arrange some people to clean it up." She whispered to herself.

Although she knew that no matter how much she cleaned it up, it was impossible to restore this piece of ruined wall, but at least she had to clean it up a little bit, so as not to hurt the lively and festive atmosphere.

"Well, Panos and the others happen to have a group of Turkish prisoners who haven't been sent back yet, so let's send them here to clean up the gravel." Egron nodded in agreement.

Then, the two of them walked to the top of the Acropolis together, and at this time, the remains of the Parthenon Temple were also revealed in front of them in great detail.

Rather than saying that it is a large building, it is better to say that it is the only broken wall left - the top has collapsed, and there is nothing inside, only rows of columns and some reliefs and sculptures remain. Standing there silently.

But even so, after standing under these pillars and truly feeling the size of the temple, not only Teresa, but even Egron felt the impact of classical civilization-this is a building 300 years ago ah……

Subconsciously, the girl and the girl couldn't help looking around, as if they were looking for the once glorious scene of Athens among the ruins, but it was naturally impossible for them to find it.

Except for these pillars, there is nothing left, everything is in the past, and it will not be repeated.

Time can wear away everything, even the greatest emperors cannot escape the wear and tear of time, and will eventually become the dust of history; those countries that once prospered cannot escape the ravages of time, and eventually disappear into oblivion.

A great sense of loss suddenly left the unmarried couple speechless.

After a while, Teresa regained her spirits. She walked under the stone pillar, admiring the marble sculptures and reliefs on the stone wall, and fell in love with these exquisite works of art.

Her parents collected a large number of sculptures and portraits, so she also received art education since she was a child, so she knew how to appreciate the outline and posture of stone carvings.

"Your Highness... It's admirable to think about it. They are the ancestors of us a hundred generations ago, but they can produce such wonderful stone carving art, even our current artists are amazed...God knows them What ingenious thought and handwriting have there been!"

As she spoke, she suddenly noticed that some sculptures and reliefs had very obvious signs of damage. Some stone sculptures were even cut off by the roots, leaving only the bases in place.

"They've been looted!" Teresa said in amazement.

"It's not surprising, Teresa." Aigron replied calmly, "People are always coveting these art treasures, and it is considered lucky that there are so many left after more than 2000 years... ..."

Aigron's consolation did not make Teresa feel any better, and she looked at the destroyed marble sculptures with grief.

"My God, how could anyone destroy them! They are priceless works of art!"

"Many people are willing, such as Earl Elgin." Eggron shrugged. "More than 20 years ago, this old man, when he was the British ambassador to Istanbul, bribed the Turkish officials here, and then got permission to take away the stone carvings. He hired a group of craftsmen to combine some of the most exquisite sculptures here with The sculptures were all removed and brought back to England, many stone sculptures were destroyed, and some unfortunately sank to the bottom of the sea on the way... But he didn't care, he happily took them to decorate his manor in Scotland."

"Count Elgin is such a brazen, lawless bastard!" After hearing these words, Teresa turned pale with anger, and then cursed with righteous indignation, "He knows neither culture nor art, and only His pathetic greed... He doesn't understand that the Parthenon is only valuable in Athens, and its sculptures are also priceless treasures that belong only to Athens, a glorious testimony to the history of Greek civilization! He snatched the sculptures and got What is it? It's just a sad detritus of history... and the damage he caused is irreparable! Sad... so sad that these only remaining art treasures were not destroyed by savages, but were destroyed by a civilized country. The nobles are completely destroyed!"

Teresa is not so angry out of self-interest, she is sincerely angry that such a precious heritage of Greek civilization has been easily destroyed.

Because of her love of art and civilization, she knows how precious it is.

Seeing Teresa getting angry so rarely, Aigron was a little afraid to speak.

On this issue, the Bonaparte family is also relatively guilty, because while Napoleon was fighting everywhere, he also deliberately looted artworks everywhere, and plundered a lot of cultural relics from other countries—not to mention, the things he plundered from Egypt The obelisk still stands on the square in Paris...

But it's better not to say it at this time, so as not to pour cold water on Teresa.

Then, Aigron kept coaxing Teresa to be happy, and finally let Teresa recover from her anger.

"Your Highness, the damage suffered here is too serious, and it is impossible for us to restore it to its old appearance. All we can do is to repair and maintain it as much as possible, so that the few remaining remnants can stay here quietly, so that People remember the epic of Athens..." Teresa said solemnly to Aigron, "I hope it can be preserved forever! This is the responsibility of all of us."

"I agree with that too." Eggron nodded.

Then, Teresa went under the stone pillar again, and then raised her hand and gestured in front of her eyes, as if to estimate where to hang the tassels during the wedding.

And Aigron has always been by her side, discussing with her the arrangement of the wedding.

Maybe one day they too will have to turn into dust, but at least for now, they will have eternity.　　

245, mother-in-law

Because she regretted the dilapidated condition of the Parthenon Temple, Teresa, who was originally in high spirits, suddenly became depressed.

Egron was not surprised. After all, for every romantic who loves classical culture and art, the decline and destruction of such an art treasure as the Parthenon is definitely the most painful thing.

It is a pity that what has happened is destined to be irreversible, and now they can only stand on the ruins of the temple, lamenting the fall of a once glorious civilization.

Aigron didn't want to let sadness and grief dominate the atmosphere between the two of them, so he kept finding topics with Teresa, trying to make Teresa recover.

And Teresa also knew the young man's mind, so she also slowly adjusted her mentality.

For her, the lost Greek civilization is very important, but her fiancé and the future life of the two are even more important.

The Parthenon is a great historical relic, and it will be the venue where she and His Royal Highness got married. They will usher in the most important page of their lives under the witness of this magnificent building.

She knows that nothing lasts forever, even if she and His Highness create a great career in the future, it will only slowly disappear in the long river of history, just like those empires and civilizations before.

But, even so, at least the expectation, pain, joy and perseverance that I and His Highness have experienced through this long journey will be permanently engraved in each other's souls, and that is enough.

She and His Highness are still very young, and the time they will spend together with each other should normally be at least half a century. This period of time is not worth mentioning in history, but it is long enough for individuals, and she is satisfied. .

Yes, after the wedding ceremony, I will be officially united with His Highness, and only death can separate us...

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but look at the young man.

"Your Highness, will you give me a hug?"

"I can't ask for it." Aigron immediately hugged the girl tightly without any hesitation.

At this time, the two of them were in the center of the ruins of the temple. Originally, the statue of Athena was placed here-this statue was made of marble, with gold leaf on the outside, and enjoyed the devout worship of the Athenians... But now it has disappeared There was nothing there, only a boy and a girl embracing each other.

The winter sun quietly fell from the broken roof, passed through the tall stone pillars, and projected onto the two of them, making them seem to be covered with a halo.

Teresa slightly closed her eyes, enjoying the sunshine and the warmth brought by His Highness's embrace, and it took a long time before she broke free from her embrace again.

"Your Highness, you are right, we shouldn't worry about such unpleasant things, we should welcome that beautiful day happily." She said with a smile.

Then, she walked out of the temple again, and then stood on the top of the stone steps, and then looked at the city below the Acropolis.

The magnificent scene immediately made her feel relaxed and happy.

She raised her head slightly, then took a deep breath, then turned her head and looked at the young man with a sweet smile.

"Your Highness, I am not a perfect person. I am stubborn, proud, and sometimes a little childish... So please continue to tolerate me in the future, and I will work hard to be a good wife and mother."

"I wish for it!" Eggron repeated.

Then he took Teresa's right hand and kissed the back of it lightly. "It just so happens that I am also full of shortcomings, so we are just a good match."

People are not sages, and the so-called happy marriage is never two perfect people coming together, but two crippled people just put together as a whole, understanding and tolerant of each other, and supporting each other throughout their lives.

Aigron knew that he would not be a good husband. He had done things to Teresa before and would do them again in the future, but at this moment, he was willing to do his best to share the things he created with Teresa. , everything he has, because Teresa is his wife and the one who spends his life with him.

In this way, the two of them chatted with each other on the ruins of the temple, and enjoyed the great scenery of the ancient city of Athens. After a while, they reluctantly left the ruins in the evening.

In the next few days, they came to the ruins of the temple several times to discuss the details of the wedding together. A large group of people were also busy in order to satisfy the wishes of the two of them.

For this devastated land, although the two newlyweds are foreigners, this wedding seems to imply that it will get rid of the sinking of more than 2000 years and usher in long-term peace and its own Independent and newborn.

While they were busy, they received another piece of good news. Teresa's mother, Grand Princess Henrietta, Aigron's future mother-in-law, rushed to Athens at the invitation of her daughter Teresa, preparing to attend the next wedding.

Teresa was ecstatic when she heard the news, and Eggron was also very happy.

When he was in Austria before, he was favored by the grand duke and his wife, and when he visited their home, he received a very friendly reception from his wife, so he was full of respect for his wife in his heart.

After hearing the news, they immediately went to the port of Piraeus, which is a few kilometers southwest of Athens, to welcome Madam's arrival. Naturally, the Independence Army did not dare to neglect, and also prepared to welcome her with a very high standard. .

Because the Grand Duchess had obtained the permission of His Majesty the Emperor in advance, her trip this time was much smoother. She first went south to Venice, and then took a hired merchant ship and came all the way to the Balkan Peninsula under the cover of a warship.

However, the ceremony that was originally scheduled to be held was canceled at the strong request of the wife.

"Madam doesn't like being the center of everyone's attention." The servant who accompanied her gave a reason.

Only then did Eggron understand where Teresa's character came from, so he dismissed the planned welcome crowd and guard of honor, and instead greeted Madam with himself, Teresa and a few Austrians. 's arrival

The merchant ship gradually approached the port, and then moored at the anchorage. Under the eyes of everyone, the Grand Duchess appeared at the bow of the ship, and then walked down the gangway.

Perhaps because of her low-key personality, Madam dresses plainly and does not wear particularly expensive jewelry, but even so, she has a majestic and noble air. She is smiling and shows humility and gentleness in her gestures. Less charm.

Seeing her coming in front of him, the young unmarried couple who had already been waiting by the trestle bridge immediately went up to her, and the lady also smiled and nodded to her two juniors.

Teresa walked up to her mother, her eyes suddenly filled with tears, and she tried to say the welcome speech she had prepared but found herself unable to say anything.

"Mom..." In the end, she could only call out the most primitive address of this human being.

Hearing her daughter's call, the smile on Madam's face disappeared, and some tears appeared in her eyes, "Teresa..."

As she spoke, she opened her arms to her daughter.

Teresa immediately threw herself into her mother's arms to vent her missing and guilt towards her.

When mother and daughter meet, they are filled with emotion.

"Mom..." Teresa cried and apologized to her mother, "I'm sorry."

"It's too late to say I'm sorry now?" The Grand Duchess asked with a smile while stroking her daughter's hair gently, "It's not appropriate to say it anymore. You are about to get married, so you should be happier."

"I... I'm very happy, and I'm even happier to have you here!" Teresa quickly replied, "Thank you and Dad for tolerating my waywardness..."

"Silly girl, you are our daughter, what can we do if we don't tolerate you?" Madam asked back, "As long as your willfulness proves worthwhile in the end, it will not be in vain for our painstaking efforts."

After she finished speaking, she raised her head and looked at Aigron who was standing aside.

This subtle line of sight, which contained condemnation, scrutiny, expectation, and understanding, made Egron's face slightly hot.

Indeed, if there is anyone he feels most sorry for in this world, the Grand Duke and his wife must be among them—at the beginning they really valued themselves and planned to recruit themselves as son-in-laws, but he repaid them by escaping marriage, making Teresa Once became a laughing stock.

This was not enough. After she fled, Teresa went her own way again, torturing her parents' hearts, forcing them to agree to Teresa's willfulness, and paid a huge price to help her career... They owe too much.

Soon the wife will be his mother-in-law, and in Aigron's mind, this mother-in-law is much more important than his biological mother.

Because of this, Aigron, who has always been proud, couldn't help but bowed his head guiltyly, not daring to look at his wife again.

"Frantz, why, did you see that I am speechless? This is not like you." Madam spoke first.

Aigron could no longer dodge, he walked up to the madam bravely, and then hugged her passionately. "Mom... I love you."

Before meeting his mother-in-law, Aigron had already thought about how to avoid the previous grievances and make everyone happy as soon as possible?

In the end, after much deliberation, he came to a conclusion—such a simple emotional shock was obviously more effective than an apology.