Eagle's Glory

"Unfortunately, Your Highness. For the sake of profit, some things must be forced." Prime Minister Metternich replied coldly, "This is something that His Majesty has already decided. It is impossible to destroy the whole plan because of a child's sudden willfulness. This is impossible, and it cannot be tolerated—and you, my lord, your future is also closely related to this matter."

Before Aigron could answer, His Excellency the Prime Minister continued, "Young man, I can see that you are an absolute realist, just like me when I was young. You don't respect your mother, no Respect Your Majesty, not even God, you only respect yourself. That's fine, there's nothing wrong with it, people with ambition should do it - but it also means it's going to be very hard to trust you, just as I don't You're just as unsatisfied with being a court jester, and you'll want to climb up there if you get the chance, because I'd do the same..."

Prime Minister Metternich's words made Egron a little confused. Is this his admiration or guard against him?

Maybe both.

He listened quietly without saying a word.

"Because I judge others by myself, I know that there is only one choice, either to give enough conditions, or to give nothing at all. The middle road will only make you laugh and spurn—so Teresa is my sincerity, If you lose this sincerity in a foolish way, then nothing will be given to you, because you have been proven to have no sincerity to serve Austria." Prime Minister Metternich stared at the young man and said word by word, "I That's all I want to say, Your Highness, please don't continue to prevaricate us with an attitude that has nothing to do with you. You can hide it from His Majesty but not from me. The essence of the question is whether you are willing to be sincere. If you are not, you can do it now. You can say it, I promise I won't bother you again, and no one will bother you again."

"You mean that I have to agree." Aigron was not intimidated by the Prime Minister, but replied calmly.

"Smart people should speak directly." Prime Minister Metternich frowned slightly, "Your Highness, don't think that I am belittling you, on the contrary, I am respecting you, so I did not insult us with a bunch of boring rhetoric Two. If you are willing, I will have many opportunities to teach you experience in this way in the future, so that you can slowly grow into a person who can solve problems for the royal family. Best thing for you."

"Your respect is really unbearable." Aigron smiled slightly.

He could see that Prime Minister Metternich was in a very bad mood because his plan had been thwarted, and what he said later was very blunt and harsh by the standards of the court.

But he knew that at this moment, he especially couldn't break up the relationship between the two of them.

No matter how much dissatisfaction he has accumulated, now is not the time to mess everything up for a quick moment, and he must not give up the opportunity he has accumulated with great difficulty.

"Then what do you want me to do?" He asked calmly.

"It's all the same to me to change Grand Duke Karl's mind, or to change Theresa's mind," Chancellor Metternich replied immediately, "and as soon as possible."

"Can I get everything you promised for this?" Aigron asked seemingly uneasy.

"Yes." Metternich's tense face finally relaxed, "I'm training you now, Your Highness? You're already in class."

The dialogue between two people is very different from the usual mode of getting along with other people. Maybe this is the more real side of each.Agron thought.

In fact, he felt good about getting along with Metternich with the most realistic and utilitarian attitude like this. If he was made to flatter Metternich every day, it would be really disgusting.

However, His Excellency the Prime Minister never imagined that in fact, all the buttons of all this have always been in his own hands.

Changing Teresa's mind wasn't difficult, and he could control the pace of it.

As long as my plan is really realized, I no longer need to look at the old man's face in the future, instead I want to see how he has a headache when the time comes.

"I am very impressed with this lesson, Your Excellency." He bowed slightly to the old man, "How will you arrange for me specifically? Just tell me, for the bright future you promised, I will be very willing to work hard. "

"This seems like a smart man." Prime Minister Metternich finally laughed.

Then, he became serious again, "Tomorrow Grand Duke Karl will come to see you and take you to official activities, you remember to attend on time - I need you to behave better and make him agree with you more. Remember, The more you actively participate in this place, the more there is to offer you."

"I will do my best." Eggron nodded respectfully, "I know what is for my own good."

Metternich patted him on the shoulder lightly, as if to encourage him, but also to indicate that he could resign.

"Well, Your Highness, I sincerely wish you smooth sailing and a happy ending to a history that cannot be looked back."

Eggron saluted again, and then exited the room.

============================================

Sure enough, as the Prime Minister said, the next morning, Egron received a notice to meet Archduke Karl.

Unlike the military uniform and medals he wore when we first met, today the Grand Duke is only wearing a plain old military uniform.

As soon as they met, the Grand Duke looked at him again from beginning to end.

"Good morning, Your Highness." Aigron saluted him respectfully.

"Good morning." The Grand Duke replied dryly, then turned around, "Come with me."

So the two walked out of the room side by side, followed by Archduke Karl's entourage.

Archduke Karl's height was not very high, and Aigron was obviously taller than him when walking side by side, but even so, he still felt a little uncomfortable being around this battle-tested general.

"Your Highness, what event are you going to take me to?" Aegron asked cautiously as he walked.

"I'm going to take you to a nursing home for disabled soldiers." Archduke Karl answered him bluntly. "Although I have already quit the command ranks, I will find time to visit them every year. I think this is what I should do."

... This answer surprised Aigron, and he almost stopped in his tracks.

Soldiers are disabled because of fighting, and it seems that the only ones who have fought against Austria over the years are...

"Are you afraid?" Archduke Karl glanced at him, "That's right, the disabled people inside are all the work of your father and the French army."

"I'm not afraid, it's just a little accident." Aigron shook his head, "Why did you take me there?"

"Then what do you think I am for?" Archduke Karl asked impatiently. "If the Austrians want to forgive and accept a Napoleon, the only way is to start with them. If people who lost a leg toast to Napoleon's son, what else can others say?"

... Eggron was speechless for a moment.

It seems so.

If even the group of people who experienced the most pain back then didn't care about their own existence, then the others would be enough to keep their mouths shut, even if they wanted to say something sour, they could just keep it back.

So it seemed like an excellent step if he was going to make himself acceptable to the Austrians - although he never cared about it.

"Don't be afraid, soldiers are obedient to their duty to fight for the country. It can only be said that it is bad luck to be disabled or die in the war. The same is true for the French. There is nothing to resent. I will not let them treat you Speak badly." Perhaps thinking that Aigron had some scruples, the Grand Duke comforted him.

Then, he sighed, "However, if your father hadn't been so militaristic, a lot of people would have died in the end."

"Thank you." Aigron was not interested in arguing about historical issues, and he sincerely thanked the Grand Duke. "Although they may not want to hear my name, I will try to make them happy."

"You don't need to thank me, this is Teresa's idea." The Grand Duke sighed, seemingly helpless towards his daughter, "If Teresa didn't ask, how could I have so many troubles?"　　

68, visit

"If it wasn't for Teresa's request, why would I have so many things?"

This sigh expressed his father's helplessness.

"Teresa..." Aigron didn't know how to reply, "It's really considerate of others, I feel that I don't deserve her kindness, because I really have nothing to repay her."

"You really have nothing to repay, but Teresa is not a child who is greedy for these things, she just wants to be happy." The Grand Duke frowned, and then smiled bitterly, "Maybe I should reflect on it, I put her The teaching is so unique that she always does things that don't do her any good, and her mind is full of strange ideas."

"Instead, I think you should be proud of this." Aigron smiled, "I think Teresa is really living for herself, at least she knows what to do to make herself happy, some people may live a lifetime Do not know at all."

"I hope so." The Grand Duke shrugged.

Aigron could see that the Grand Duke was not angry with his daughter, on the contrary he was spoiled and proud, and his complaint was just a different kind of showing off - that's why he was so obedient to Teresa, even when she contradicted His Majesty the Emperor. No complaints.

While talking, the two got into the carriage, and then the carriage drove slowly towards the town on the outskirts of Vienna.

After about an hour or two, they came to the periphery 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.

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 finally couldn't help but let out a sigh.

"This place is a forgotten corner of the world, just like the people inside, no one will remember their existence until they disappear silently."

Aegron felt his melancholy for a moment.

"But at least judging from the results, their sacrifices are worthwhile." Aigron replied with a famous quote he had heard. "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away."

The Grand Duke turned his head and looked at him.

"I can't see that you are quite good at talking." Then, he nodded, and then felt a little lost, "Yes, it will wither day by day. Every time I come here, there will always be one or two people missing. Most of them are younger than me, and if they're healthy--"

Having said this, he stopped again.

He walked to the gate with the young man and a group of followers in silence.

The gatekeeper, obviously aware of his coming, saluted him and let them in at once.

Soon, several people inside came towards them.

The leader was a middle-aged man in an officer's uniform. He saluted the Grand Duke as soon as he met.

"Your Highness, welcome to come!"

After getting closer, Aigron discovered that although the other party's limbs looked intact, there was a shocking scar on his face. This scar spread from the back of his head covered with brown hair to the corner of his mouth. It was almost certain that he was stabbed by a saber at that time. Got a bad slash to the head and narrowly escaped - maybe that's why he's here.

"He is the person in charge here, Captain Ferdinand Hench." While Aigron was thinking, Archduke Karl suddenly explained to Aigron.

"Hello, Captain." Aigron nodded to the other party.

"This is..." Looking at the young man in front of him, Captain Hench was a little puzzled.

He was not sure about the identity of this young man, judging from his clothes and pomp, he must be a nobleman, but he must not be the son of the Grand Duke, because the son of the Grand Duke is currently young.

But looking at the territory of Austria, how many people can be treated like this by the Grand Duke?

"He is Duke Reichstedt," said Archduke Karl in a low voice.

"Lech...Lechstedt...Duke?" Captain Hench frowned and read out the awkward title.

After a while, he seemed to have come to his senses, and suddenly opened his eyes wide and stared at the young man.

"Napoleon's son?" He forgot the etiquette for a moment, pointed at the boy, and asked loudly.

"Yes." Grand Duke Karl nodded.

"Uh... this..." Captain Henchy seemed to be in a daze, and it was difficult for him to reply.

"Your Highness, what did you bring him here for? We don't take prisoners here." Then he asked.

This sentence made the Grand Duke and Aigron couldn't help laughing at the same time.

"Stop joking around!" After laughing for a while, the Grand Duke scolded the captain with a straight face, "I'll bring him over to participate in the event today and let him see it."

"We have a lot of useless people here, but there are few things worth seeing." The captain shrugged. "I'm afraid the Duke will be disappointed."

"You have the best knowledge." Archduke Karl replied, "For example, you, Hench, tell him about your military experience."

"I...I have nothing to say. My military career has been in the cavalry, that's all." The captain shook his head.

"You are too modest." Archduke Karl shook his head, and then explained to Eglon, "He is a very brave hussar officer. He took the lead and won awards many times. As a result, he was seriously injured in the Battle of Wagram and had to withdraw. active duty."

"There is nothing to mention about those false names, Your Highness, you must have taken lessons. In every battle, someone taught you how to deploy, how to mobilize, how many people died on paper, how many cannons and military flags were lost... ...I'm afraid you are more familiar with these things than I am, if you are willing to listen, I can tell you about my experience of being injured, you must not have a teacher to teach you this kind of thing." The captain looked at Aigron and said.

"Tell me, please," replied Eggron.

"In the last battle I fought, our army fought bravely and fought well. Unfortunately, we were at a disadvantage in the end. In order to save the situation, our superiors ordered us to charge. I did so and pointed at the French with my saber. I rushed over to the position of the French cavalry, and I was strangled with the French cavalry, and I got this damn knife..." The captain pointed to his head, and then flipped the hair on his forehead, only then did Eggron realize that he Half of the right ear is missing.

"While I was wounded, the goddamn horse I was riding was shot, and then we were thrown down, and the brute put me under it when it went down, and broke two ribs, but It also prevents me from being trampled by other horses, and I don’t get hit by one or two stray bullets, barely saving my life. Sometimes when I think about it, I think it would be easier for him to simply crush me to death.” The officer laughed. He smiled, this smile was particularly ferocious because of the shocking scar on his face, but his tone was relaxed and cheerful, as if he was talking about other people's affairs.

"I fell into a coma at the time, and when I woke up, it was already night, fuck it, I can't describe the environment I was in now, even if I talk to you tomorrow morning, it won't make you feel like me The experience - I smelled a terrible smell, tried to turn and was stuck in dead horses and corpses, I was uncomfortable but I couldn't move. I opened my eyes, but I couldn't see anything. The gunpowder of the air mixed with the flesh and blood The smell makes me think I'm losing my sense of smell, I know I'm dying, but I'm not scared, I just feel noisy, because all the dying guys around me are moaning, of course It took me a long time to realize that I was moaning too, but God, I really didn't feel it at that time...”

Although the captain's tone was very calm, Aigron could still feel his thrilling experience at that time. "Then what happened next?"

"Later I continued to be in a coma." The captain shrugged again, ""When I woke up again, I was in the military doctor's tent. Even the military doctor didn't expect that I could survive such an injury... I only found out afterwards, There were probably two or three survivors in our group.By the way, because our army has already retreated, the French soldiers picked me up when they were cleaning the battlefield. The bastard saved my life, but also took my pocket watch. It's a pity that I didn't see it again. I have met him, otherwise I really have to treat him to a few good meals. "

"And then?" Eggron asked.

"After that, there was nothing to say. I knew a little French and told the military doctor that I was an officer, so the military doctor saved me and left me in the prison camp. Later, when the two armies exchanged prisoners, they sent me back. , and I bid farewell to the front line because of my injuries.” Captain Hench looked at Aigron, then smiled again, “Your Highness, do you think I am complaining to you? No, of course not, compared to those unlucky bastards I It’s all luck, I’m just telling you that fighting a war may not be the same as what you saw in class, it will really bleed and kill people, and it is smelly and dirty.”

"...This is a very meaningful lesson, thank you." Aigron hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Okay, let's take a look inside. I don't think the people inside will dare to start eating lunch without waiting for me. We can't keep them waiting for too long." The Grand Duke gave another order.

"Yes, Your Highness." Captain Hench nodded, then turned around and led a group of people into the depths of the castle.

When passing through the corridor, Aigron saw another group of people walking on the grass in the castle—but some of those people were on crutches, some were in wheelchairs, and he even saw a one-armed man drawing.

The war is indeed over, but its majestic remnants still stand here 11 years later.

While he was watching the flowers, Captain Hench was also secretly asking an adjutant who was brought by Archduke Karl.

"What's going on today, why did the Grand Duke bring this... His Highness here?"

"The Grand Duke wants to bring him over to have a look and have dinner with the veterans." The adjutant replied. "So you tell the people here to be careful, don't run into His Highness, or you will be in bad luck."

"Of course not. Napoleon was not shot when he was captured. None of us are interested in dealing with his son." The captain shrugged. "But, why did the Grand Duke do this?"

The adjutant looked around, then lowered his voice, "It is said that he intends to marry His Highness Teresa, so the Grand Duke wants His Highness to have a good relationship with the people around him, so that no one will talk too much."

"Good guy... Isn't it enough for us to lose a princess? Isn't his father dead? Why do you have to do this?" The captain scratched his head, looking puzzled.

"If you talk nonsense again, be careful not to be thrown into the river." The officer glared at him, "You are not qualified to care about these things."

"Okay, okay, I understand." The captain smiled and nodded.

His mood is quite complicated.

When I first heard the news, I just felt incredible, but there was not much resentment in my heart.

After the initial shock, he felt that it was not unacceptable, and there was even a strange sense of harmony.

"It doesn't seem too bad. The children of the two commanders get married, isn't it a good match? Our relationship with France is not Rome and Carthage, and we will never communicate with each other." After a while, he said again. "Besides, isn't the duke the son of an Austrian woman?"