Eagle’s Glory

Just as Princess Sophie watched the boy and girl dance on the dance floor, Metternich, the Prime Minister of the Austrian Empire, also watched the scene with great interest.

Contrary to Princess Sophie, Mr. Prime Minister is in a better mood now, and it is especially satisfying to see the plan he pushed for is steadily being implemented.

At his status and age, it is difficult for gold, silver, jewelry or beauties to impress this withered heart. Only the desire for power can make his body feel alive again.

The government in charge of him, the envoys of European countries, and even the members of the royal family, all act like pieces on a chessboard in the orbit they set. Work day by day and never get tired.

The son of Napoleon, the daughter of the Archduke Karl, they danced together, what a fine piece of chess!

While Prime Minister Metternich was enjoying the dance leisurely, he found a middle-aged man in a black tuxedo walking towards him, and he quickly recognized that this was Count Litvinsky, the ambassador of the Russian Empire. .

This tall man with a brown beard and a tough personality was even more aggressive at this time because he was unhappy.

"Mr. Ambassador, do you have any advice?" the Prime Minister asked knowingly.

"Your Excellency, although I don't know what you are doing, I feel that you are planning something very dangerous." Count Litvinsky said straight to the point, "If I am not mistaken, you are planning to match Napoleon's son and special Her Royal Highness Princess Leza?"

"I want to correct you in particular, he is not only the son of Napoleon, but also the grandson of His Majesty the Emperor of our country. He is a recognized member of the royal family - the Duke of Reichstedt." Prime Minister Metternich replied unhurriedly. , "It is precisely out of concern for his grandson that he hopes to find a marriage for His Royal Highness as soon as possible that will not disgrace his blood. Isn't this a very reasonable thing?"

The ambassador grinned and smiled slightly mockingly.

"I really didn't know that His Majesty the Emperor loves this Highness so much! Your Excellency, on behalf of the Empire, I ask you for an explanation - what do you plan to do with him?"

This guy is really in a hurry... The old man sneered in his heart.

"I understand, please pay attention to your attitude. The dignity of His Majesty the Emperor does not allow anyone to offend, Mr. Ambassador." Prime Minister Metternich looked at him coldly, "In addition, the life of our royal family members does not need to be Any foreign government reports."

Count Litvinsky was slightly embarrassed by the Prime Minister's reply.

"I'm sorry, Your Excellency, I made a blunder." He apologized first, but still refused to give up his purpose, "However, I think this is not just an internal affair of the royal family of your country, but a serious diplomatic matter. What do you plan to do? What to do with Napoleon's son should be a matter discussed by all the countries that suffered Napoleon's harm! Don't forget how much the Russian Empire paid for defeating that devil. Our country and our nation will not allow you to take this matter. joke."

The ambassador's attitude is very strong, and it is clear that he does not intend to make any concessions on this critical issue.

"You don't have to worry about this, our country was deeply affected at the time, and we will never ignore this problem." Prime Minister Metternich smiled slyly, "Our country was the main force in the fight against Napoleon, and sacrificed too much to destroy him. With a lot of manpower and material resources, of course I am not happy to repeat this nightmare again."

Austria is the country with the most troops annihilated by Napoleon. It's the "main force of anti-French". It's your turn? The ambassador sneered in his heart—of course, because of diplomatic decency, he certainly couldn't say it outright.

However, after hearing the Prime Minister's remarks, his originally nervous state of mind suddenly relaxed a lot. "Then can you tell me what today's arrangement means?"

"I have already said that as His Royal Highness is approaching adulthood, his marriage does need to be put on the agenda. Due to his special status, there are actually very few suitable people. Finally, after the discussion between His Majesty the Emperor and his mother, finally It was decided that His Royal Highness Teresa was the main candidate, and after some consideration, the Archduke did not particularly object to this." Metternich picked up all his responsibilities, "The next step is for you to see Here comes the scene. To be honest, I was a little surprised at first."

"That is to say, this is just to prepare for the marriage, and it does not mean that your country has any other plans?" The ambassador was skeptical.

"You can think so." Metternich nodded.

"Then what's your attitude towards this?" the ambassador still insisted.

"You ask me?" Metternich smiled slightly. "As a servant, how can I have any opinion on what the royal family does? And, as far as I'm concerned, even if this marriage is really allowed to happen. Really, there seems to be nothing wrong, since the Duke of Reichstedt is close to adulthood, isn't it natural to marry and have children in Austria in the future?"

"That is to say, are you planning to create a Bonaparte-Habsburg branch?" the ambassador asked again, keeping his eyes on the Prime Minister, not letting go of his slight facial movements, "Let the Bonaparte family be the king of this dynasty. An embellished gem on a scepter?"

"This is not something that I can decide. Your Majesty can decide." Prime Minister Metternich still maintained a kind smile, "But if God really has a will, I can only silently respect the choice of fate."

The ambassador stopped talking, he was silent for a moment, as if to chew on the real thoughts that Prime Minister Metternich had hidden under the diplomatic rhetoric.

"I'm very sorry for wasting your time." Then, the ambassador bowed to Metternich to resign, "Finally, please forgive my rudeness just now."

After he finished speaking, he turned around and left.

"These Russians are so impatient, they are reluctant to wait and ask again!" After the ambassador left, Mr. Gentz, a close assistant who had been standing beside him, finally spoke up.

"It's true that things have gone wrong for them recently, so it's normal for them to be more sensitive." Prime Minister Metternich replied with a smile. "The events of last winter have left their Tsar still in shock, and he must never want to hear the name Napoleon again."

Last winter, on December 26, 1825 (December 14 of the Russian calendar), taking advantage of the opportunity of the death of Tsar Alexander I and the pending decision of the new Tsar, a group of Russian officers, after a conspiracy, launched a military coup in Petersburg, announcing the overthrow. The tsarist government, and is preparing to convene a Constituent Assembly to establish a provisional government.

After the initial shock and anger, the new emperor Nicholas I regained his composure, and then sent a large number of troops to surround the insurgents in the Privy Council Square, and used artillery to force **** suppression.

After suppressing the mutiny, the tsar ordered the establishment of a "secret interrogation committee" to try those who participated in the uprising, and a large number of conspirators were exiled.

At this point, only nine months have passed since this **** incident, so the Russian Empire is still in the aftermath, and it is normal for the upper and lower nerves to be tense.

The more distressed the neighbors were, the happier Metternich was naturally.

"The French ambassador has just left," Mr. Gentz ​​reported in a low voice. "I think he is busy returning to Vienna to write his report."

"I think so, they will be terrified." Prime Minister Metternich laughed slyly, "sometimes I really worry about poor King Charles X, who has to deal with the Orleans and the Bonapartes at the same time. , if we hadn't left Napoleon's son here, how devastated he would have been!"

"Bourbon-Bonaparte-Bourbon." Mr. Gentz ​​repeated a few words like a spell. "It's time for Orleans to taste it."

"And then another Orleans-Bonaparte-Bourbon marquee?" Metternich couldn't help laughing. "Poor French! Others have moved the throne to the stage, but they have always been able to move the stage. Become a Throne!"

"Hahahaha..." Genz couldn't help laughing at this vile joke.

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Just as the Prime Minister was joking with his assistant, the dance music that had been suspended once again resounded through the hall with the band's performance.

The second dance is about to begin.

Agron walked unhurriedly to the center of the hall, and then Princess Teresa also came over.

The two looked at each other.

"Your Highness, do you feel better?" Aegron asked in a low voice.

"Yes, it's better." Princess Teresa nodded slightly, but there seemed to be some residual blush on her face.

"Just... was someone kidding you?" Aegron couldn't help but ask again.

"Indeed." Princess Teresa smiled bitterly, "Just think about it, in today's situation, there will always be some elders who will make fun of me, but I can't retaliate."

Then, she approached the young man's side, and looked up at his face slightly.

"Did you just drink?" she asked in a low voice.

"I drank a little." Aegron nodded, "But don't worry, this will not affect my next actions."

"It seems that you are not as calm as you seem." Teresa lowered her eyes slightly, "Are you still a little nervous?"

Now, there is nothing to be nervous about... Aegron thought.

Then, he was keenly aware that, except for himself and Teresa, the dance partners around him seemed to have changed.

But who cares about that?

The second dance is a waltz, the rhythm is quite brisk, the two first greet each other, and then hold hands again.

"Your Highnesses!"

Just as they were about to dance, a court attendant walked up to them and saluted them respectfully. "Your Majesty wants you to go see him before you dance this dance."

Aegron was a little puzzled, but naturally he complied with this will.

So, he followed Princess Teresa side by side to the throne in the center of the hall, and paid tribute to the supreme majesty of the empire.

"It's very beautiful." His Majesty the Emperor looked at the boy and girl under the steps, and then at the queen next to him, and made a brief and simple comment, "They're all beautiful, aren't they?"

Her Majesty the Queen nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Teresa." His Majesty turned his head again and looked at the girl under the throne.

"Your Majesty? What's your order?" Teresa's face was full of confusion.

"Isn't Franz embarrassing you tonight?" asked His Majesty the Emperor.

These seemingly simple and seemingly meaningful words made Her Royal Highness blushed again. "...His Royal Highness is very powerful. I'm just worried that because of my own affairs, he will be delayed tonight."

"It doesn't matter, I think he can't ask for it." His Majesty smiled and waved his hand, motioning them to go back. "Okay, don't disturb the entertainment of your young people, let's continue. I hope you are happy enough tonight."