Eagle's Glory

"It doesn't matter, you are fighting for your cause, and a humble person like me is not worthy of your attention." The old man shook his head, and then sighed, "Actually, I have heard a lot about your deeds—— It's remote, but there's a post office and a newspaper, and we've had a lot of news about you since you escaped from Vienna. I don't know what's true and what's exaggerated, but I think if only part of it is true, you You are indeed the son of Emperor Napoleon, much better than those princes and grandchildren... Sometimes I even think, if the empire hadn't been destroyed, you might have become a beloved emperor and lead this poor country to heal Old wounds."

"Thank you for still being in the mood to praise me—" Aigron smiled, "It seems that you don't dislike me so much, so why are you so resolutely resisting working with me?"

"These are two different things." The old man shook his head, "You are not only the son of the emperor, you are also the child of the people of our country. After you were born, the whole country saluted and even our dilapidated town celebrated for you for three days. , we sincerely congratulate the emperor for having an heir, and even hope that you are an angel who came to the world with the blessing of God to eliminate disasters and wars for the motherland... and what happened to you afterwards aroused our sympathy. You were forced to take you to a foreign country , and was imprisoned, it is difficult for us emotionally to accept that you have been treated like this, and your ability to grow into such an outstanding young man has aggravated the regret in our hearts—”

Speaking of this, the old mayor suddenly changed the subject, "However, this kind of sympathy only represents regret, not anger. Our anger and our bones and blood have been squandered in those 30 to [-] years. Now we I just want a peaceful life, I just want to enjoy the peace that I have come so hard to get... Therefore, I personally think that you should not come back. If you return, what you will bring is not the blessing of an angel, but is destined to be another bloodbath. I don't want to see this, I've seen enough bloodshed..."

After listening to these words, Aigron understood the mentality of the other party.

He not only hated the disaster that the Bonaparte family brought to his family, but also pitied this helpless young man, the heir to the empire.

And on top of these feelings is the weariness and exhaustion of bloodshed and sacrifice.

This kind of boredom and exhaustion is not aimed at anyone, and it has nothing to do with likes or dislikes. If Aigron was sitting on the throne in the first place, he would also firmly oppose the return of the Bourbon royal family and adopt the same attitude.

Anyway, no more bloody reckoning, be it Bourbon or Bonaparte, just calm down.This kind of thinking has an overwhelming upper hand - because of this, he has such a resistance to Aigron who broke the status quo, and he is determined not to repeat the same mistakes again.

He didn't hate himself, he was just tired.

This kind of mentality is definitely not only in him. In comparison, the more people who sacrificed in the bloody storm, the more tired they are, and the less they want to toss around anymore-they don’t care about progress or reaction, dictatorship or democracy, republic or monarchy. Control, they just want peace.

Aigron can understand this mentality.

Yes, it is 1828 now, and only 1815 years have passed since the fall of the empire in 13. There are still too many people who experienced those disasters back then, and there are still too many people alive, and their pursuit of peace and tranquility is stronger than others.

After another 20 years, in 1848, the situation was different again. After a total of more than 30 years, most of those who witnessed the war and bloodshed were no longer alive—for example, the old mayor in front of him was alive. Less than that age-the new generation will forget the bloody disasters of the past, but will recall the glory of Emperor Napoleon.

So they would elect Napoleon III as president by an overwhelming plebiscite, and hail him by an equally overwhelming plebiscite as Emperor of the Second Reich.

In any case, one cannot expect the current French people to have the same mentality as the French people 20 years later. It is obviously impossible for his current approval rate to be as high as that of the "future"-Aigron once again kept this fact in mind.

Although this is the case, it does not mean that he cannot fight to change the situation.

Even if some people choose to stand on the sidelines and refuse to cooperate because they are tired, it doesn't matter, as long as he can win some supporters, and then seize the power at the right time, as long as the bystanders cannot be organized, or there is no better choice , then it will eventually acquiesce to reality.

"Okay, I understand your thoughts." Aigron made a gesture, indicating that he had made a decision, "I said, I won't force you, since you don't want to lean on me, I can also Accept. However, I can't allow you to interfere with my actions. Well, you stay here and don't go anywhere. When everything calms down, I will leave and your life will return to peace. I think as long as No one can blame you for not helping me."

The old man was a little surprised by Aigron's magnanimity, and he looked up at the handsome young man in front of him again, with puzzlement in his eyes, but also a little emotion and regret.

"Thank you for not killing me. I know it's useless for me to say this, but I advise you to leave France as soon as possible. The nearby garrisons will rush over soon. It will be dangerous if you are entangled by them." He whispered advice.

"Why do you need to care about my safety?" Aigron asked with a smile. "Wouldn't it be a good thing for you if I was arrested or shot directly like the Duke of Enghien? Then your peaceful old age would be more secure."

"It is indeed the case, but I don't want to see this kind of thing happen... I have seen enough tragedies, I don't want you to be a part of the tragedies, such a cute and powerful child, still at the age of the rising sun, It shouldn’t just fall in vain like this.” The old man smiled wryly, but there was no joy in this smile but too much bitterness, “On the other hand, if you die, the emperor’s inheritance will also be broken, and my two Didn’t the two sons die in vain? They were loyal to their country and finally shrouded in horse leather, and sacrificed their lives for France in the most glorious way. As a result, instead of being praised and remembered as heroes, they were regarded as imperial officers. It is painful enough to be rebellious, and it is hard to rest in heaven. How sad they would be if they saw that the emperor they had served to the death not only died in a foreign land, but also their only son. Even for their souls in heaven, I I also want to pray to God that you are safe."

Aigron knew that what he said was true, so his heart was sour and moved.

"If they were alive now, they would be very willing to stand up and serve me."

"Maybe." The old man shrugged. "But they are gone, just like the empire. This is the reality."

"They are gone, but their will, loyalty, bravery and dedication, as well as their desire for victory, are still in France, and there are too many people willing to emulate them—" Aigron made the final persuasion, "Didn't you just say that after your youngest son returned to his hometown, he could have lived peacefully with you, but after hearing the conscription order, he immediately packed up and rushed to the battlefield... If it is a passionate young man, Maybe this is just a moment of confusion, but he has served for many years and has become an officer, can he not see the situation clearly? Doesn't he know that the emperor's situation is in jeopardy, and the empire is very likely to be just a flash in the pan? He must know, but he still chooses Following the Emperor, who left without even saying goodbye to you, died generously."

A trace of pain flashed across the old man's face, because he knew that what Aigron said was true.

"As I said before, it is our family's fault to let their noble sacrifices be in vain, and even bear the infamy. We have lost to these bloody martyrs." Aigron looked at each other calmly, and then slowly Said, "But since it is a mistake, I should find a way to make up for it. Am I not making up for the mistake now? I want to reverse the right and wrong that have been reversed, let the heroic spirit rest in peace, and let the blood and sacrifices of the past get it Well deserved praise...isn't that bad? Think at last, if you were able to communicate with the spirits of the two sons, surely you would know how they would respond."

Under Aigron's scorching gaze and sharp words, the old man seemed to really feel something, and he put his hands on his chest to relieve the colic in his heart.

Then, he raised his head and glared at the young man in front of him.

"I only lost two sons, but France lost hundreds of thousands of fine young men!" the old man stared at him and shouted. "Glory? Dedication? What glory and dedication are worth the price? You fought for your own family, so why bother to hurt my heart with your son? You are too cruel... Also, you apologized to me just now... Heh , if you have to apologize for this, then you probably won't have time to do other things for several years!"

Aegron's expression froze again.

He really didn't expect that this old and weak mayor could be so eloquent—no, it's not so much that he knows how to debate, it's better to say that he has experienced the most terrible disaster and told it truthfully.

Bloody facts are always more powerful than any rhetoric.

"Well, I'm sorry, maybe the apology is really useless, but I'm still sorry." Aigron gave up and could only shrug his shoulders helplessly, he didn't want to waste time on this old man, "I only have one request now, please be here Stay and wait until it's all over—and, besides, I wish you good health for the rest of your life."

"Wait!" Just as Aigron was about to leave, the old man stopped him.

Aegron looked at the other party with some doubts.

"When you leave, go to my house first, there are some nice horses there, they are well taken care of, because I have nothing else to do, this is how I pass the time..." The old man smiled wryly After a while, "If it can help you, you can take a few horses and go. If you are lucky enough and they perform normally, then I believe that idlers will not be able to catch up with you."

Under Aigron's surprised gaze, the old man lowered his gaze, and then sighed again, "By the way, in return, I ask you to take away the medals left by my two sons, I am running out of time, anytime They will be buried in the ground, and their relics will no longer be taken care of after I die, and it may be their luck to be able to be delivered to you."

Eggron had mixed feelings.

Although he still refused to cooperate in the end, he still helped a little after all.

He knew that the old man did this not for himself, but for the two sons he would never forget in his heart.

"It will be my honor to keep them forever," he replied solemnly.　　

48. gift

"I will keep them forever, it will be my pleasure."

Seeing the young man made a solemn promise, the old man also felt a little relieved.

He himself knew that the King of Rome's time was precious and could not be delayed any longer, so he seized the time and stopped talking nonsense, and quickly told Eggron the location of his home and the location of the relics of his two sons.

After explaining all this, he also made a promise to Aigron, "Don't worry, although I don't want to participate in your career, I will act according to my conscience, and you can do what you want , I will stay here forever and will never cause you any trouble."

Although he only made a verbal promise, Egron certainly believed in the other party's promise, so he nodded to bid farewell to the other party again, and walked out of the room with André Davout.

André Davout still had the excitement and sentimentality just now, and he sighed softly.

"What a poor father! Who can blame him for anything?"

"Fathers like this are all over France." Eggron replied seriously, "I can't expect them to love me, and I can't even expect them to be as reasonable as this old mayor. If they blame me for their son's death, then I can only bear this resentment, because it is my duty as a king."

"I believe that most people will still forgive you and the Bonaparte family, Your Majesty." André Davout quickly comforted Aigron, "Everyone is mortal, and sacrificing one's life for one's country is the most supreme way of death. French people Following His Majesty until the last moment, and paying such a painful sacrifice, their enthusiasm and loyalty are really touching... Before the emperor died, he had no complaints against the people, and the people will definitely miss him forever. With our nation reaching this height—”

"Heh." Eggron just smiled.

André Davout was his loyal follower, so he naturally tended to look at problems from the perspective that was most beneficial to the Bonaparte family, without any objectivity at all.

This kind of comfort is nothing more than listening to it. If I really believe it, I am afraid that I will die a miserable death.

After a moment of silence, Aigron regained his spirits.

He swaggered and turned back into the lobby of the cafe.

At this time, although there were still as many people in the cafe as before, it was no longer as lively as before, but completely silent. Even the cups that were broken when they captured the mayor just now, no one picked up the pieces at this time. And the dark brown coffee liquid drew an ugly outline on the ground.

Everyone sat in their original positions, not daring to vent their breath, apparently fearing that they would encounter a sudden disaster; beside them, a few people brought by Aigron controlled the whole scene together, and they scanned around with their guns , vigilant for any minor anomalies.

After Aigron reappeared, their eyes immediately focused on him.

Among these gazes, there was curiosity and excitement, as well as a little bit of disgust and fear, but there was no such deep-rooted hatred.

As the old mayor said just now, the people of France really don't hate him—what reason is there to hate a child who was only three years old when he left his country and couldn't be responsible for anything?

Under everyone's gaze, Aigron walked unhurriedly to the center of the hall.

He knew that someone must be rushing to the barracks of the nearby fortress at this moment to inform them that "Duke Lechstadt has appeared." After receiving this news, the barracks will immediately mobilize urgently and come to arrest him. Own.

But the more he knew, the less he could show any cowardice, he had to show the calm demeanor that a king should have.

The old mayor's resolute refusal to cooperate undoubtedly gave him a cold head, but he was not discouraged at all. On the contrary, he recognized the reality more clearly, and the fluke mentality caused by past successes has long since disappeared. .

This handsome young man is now marching towards the throne. Today is a solid step for him to take on the road. He must walk steadily without any mistakes.

He looked around confidently, and then spoke in a loud voice.

"Gentlemen, I believe you have all heard my self-introduction just now-yes, I am the King of Rome, and I am back, to the country that gave birth to me, to the country that I was destined to rule, to Nation of care!"

There was no applause, only a series of surprised eyes, but Aigron was not surprised, he continued.

"You all know that I have been forced to leave this country since I was three years old. This is the bad luck that fate brought me. At that time, I was ignorant and incapable of self-reliance. Later, I was annoyed countless times. Why? I was not a little older at the time, why couldn't I understand what happened? If I could know and decide, then I would never leave, I would choose to fight, and fight with those people who still support the Bonaparte family , if everything is irreparable...then I choose to shed my blood and die like an heir to the throne. I would rather die in the mud pit of France like Louis XVII than live in a foreign court... ..."

Having said that, Egron seemed to be choked up, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Then he went on aloud, in a slightly trembling voice, "I think you all remember the Duke of Enghien, who, like me, went on dangerous adventures—but the difference is that the Duke of Enghien took part in the campaign against Napoleon. The emperor's despicable assassination, he himself only dared to stay in Germany; but I was different, I did not let my followers take risks alone, I came to this land myself! I want to kiss this land and feel its breath, I If I want to see my people, I will not hesitate even if I face the calamity of killing myself, because this is my natural responsibility, and this is the purpose I was entrusted by God to the world!"

After feeling a lot of emotion, Aigron looked at the crowd in the cafe again. They were old and young, and they looked rich and poor from their clothes, but at this moment, they were all caught by Aigron.

Just a little more effort will bring them along—Aggron thought.

"Has any of you ever served in the Emperor's army? Has any of you served for the House of Bonaparte?" asked Eggron.

No one answered, and some people looked at each other evasively, as if they couldn't figure out what this young man was thinking.

"If I remember correctly, France at that time was subject to national service. Except for the shameful deserters and a very small number of people who were exempted from military service, almost everyone had to serve the emperor-so there is no one here who has ever fought for the country. Warriors? Is this town a place where cowards gather together to keep warm?" Aegron curled his lips and sneered, "Ah, what a poor man I am, I just found the wrong place when I returned home!"

This is a very simple aggressive method, but it is usually quite practical.

There were some whispers in the crowd, and soon, three people walked out of the crowd.

"I served in the military," said a tall middle-aged man closest to Aigron.

The middle-aged man had a big beard, his clothes were shabby, covered with a lot of dust, and his hands were also covered with cracks. He seemed to be living a miserable life.

While speaking, he pulled off his clothes, revealing his shoulder, where there was a shocking wound.

"King of Rome, you can accuse me of anything, but you can't accuse me of being a coward. I worked for the emperor, and I was shot through the shoulder by a bullet! This injury still makes my hand involuntarily when I drink coffee. trembling—”

Aegron looked at the wound carefully, then nodded.

Aigron knew that the post-traumatic disorder suffered by the other party was definitely more than just "shaking hands while drinking coffee". The injury to his right arm would definitely affect his farm work-maybe this was the reason why his life was so miserable.

"I'm sorry, I made a mistake." Aigron apologized directly to the other party, and then bowed again, "I take back my accusation, I saw that standing in front of me is a warrior who once served the country... a man I must Admired hero. What is your name?"

"Jean-Pierre Angles," replied the middle-aged man. "An insignificant man."

Aigron asked the other party again, "Where did you get hurt?"

"Well, this wound was in Portugal in 1809." The middle-aged man replied with a wry smile, "But there is another wound on my stomach that happened earlier, it was left in Prussia in 1807-you may not believe it I was watching as a private from the bank of the Nemen when your father and the Tsar ran to meet on the raft!"

Although his words were unsubstantiated, Aigron and his men immediately believed his words from his demeanor and tone of voice.

"Please allow me to pay tribute to you!" Aigron immediately changed his attitude and said to the other party respectfully.

"You don't have to, I was just an ordinary soldier until the end, not qualified to be paid tribute by the king of Rome." The middle-aged man shook his head hastily.

"No, warriors have nothing to do with military rank. Even marshals may have cowards and traitors, and even the most ordinary soldiers will have the most noble courage." Aigron shook his head, and then solemnly thanked the other party, "Thank you for serving the country before. , Everything I have given for the emperor!"

The middle-aged man was flattered to be so respected by the young man. He was originally inspired by Aigron, but at this moment he was a little at a loss.

Standing in front of this luxuriously dressed and handsome young man, he instinctively felt a little embarrassed—especially, considering that he was the emperor's son and heir, that feeling of anxiety became even stronger.

"You don't seem to be having a good time," Aegron went on.

"Yes, it's not only bad, it's really poor." The middle-aged man quickly replied, "I didn't have much savings when I was in the army, and I didn't get any compensation after I was discharged, and I was injured... What else can I do? What? I can only curl up in my hometown, chatting with my fellow villagers every day, playing cards and dawdling..."

"How can they treat a man who has given everything for the country like this?" Aigron was angry half-heartedly and half-feignedly, "The Bourbon royal family did not take an inch of land, but left those brave warriors who fought bloody , How despicable! Seeing this ugly dynasty that turns black and white is still ravaging this beautiful country, it is really a shame to me!"

After being furious, Aigron finally calmed down, and then he turned his head to look at the other party, "What do you want now?"

"I just want to drink coffee, it would be better if there is some wine." The middle-aged man blurted out.

"You will have some, and there will be many." Aigron replied immediately, and then he gave André Davout a wink next to him.

Andre Davout understood it, and quickly took out a few gold coins from his pocket, and handed them to the other party.

"Please accept my gift, Mr. Anglers." Aigron said to the other party sincerely, "I owe you, and I should make some compensation."

What he gave to the other party were Napoleon gold coins-in the imperial era, Emperor Napoleon rectified the chaotic currency, and then issued new francs, and he also minted gold coins, one was worth 20 francs, and the other was worth 40 francs. The head portrait of Emperor Napoleon himself was printed, so it was directly called "Napoleon" and "Double Napoleon" among the people.

After the return of the Bourbon dynasty, they continued to use the currency system created by Emperor Napoleon, and naturally they also minted new gold coins with the heads of Kings Louis XVIII and Charles X—of course, the original ones that had already circulated in the market They did not take back the Napoleon gold coins, but let the people continue to use them.

The Bourbon dynasty tried to destroy all traces of the empire. However... Although the empire is extremely short, it has already left too deep a mark on French history, so that it cannot be erased even if it wants to.

When Egron returned to China this time, he naturally considered the need to "scatter coins", so he prepared a lot of gold coins that are circulating in France in advance - of course, out of political considerations, he only chose gold coins with Napoleon's head.

The golden brilliance instantly covered the middle-aged man's sight, so that he swallowed subconsciously.

It's no wonder he was so shocked, he hadn't seen such a large sum of money for a long, long time, and the poor life for so many years made him tortured.

"Please accept it." Seeing that he was still in a daze, Aigron couldn't help urging.

"Thank you, King of Rome."

The voice of the middle-aged man brought some crying, his voice trembled with his hands, and then he took the gold coins tremblingly.

The weight of these gold coins is heavy, and it is worth several hundred francs. If you save some money, it will be enough for him to spend more than a year in this remote town.

Aigron's gift instantly turned the dull atmosphere of the cafe into a commotion.

And this is exactly his purpose - he knew that France, where all the people were soldiers at that time, would inevitably leave many veterans, and there would definitely be veterans in the cafe. He wanted to find out these former soldiers and mobilize them. emotions, so that a breakthrough can be found.

"I'm sorry." After receiving the gold coins, the veteran apologized to him suddenly with tears in his voice, "Our hard work did not bring you victory, and we did not keep the empire you deserve...everything has come to naught."

"No, not yet." Eggron replied with a smile. "That's why I'm here!"