Eagle’s Glory

When the news of "Duke Reichstedt accidentally fell off his horse while hunting" reached the Prime Minister's residence in Vienna, it was already noon.

Prince Metternich, who had just finished lunch, heard the news in amazement, interrupted his nap, and instructed the people around him to call the police chief and his assistants.

After giving the order, he sat back at his desk and looked at the bright clear sky outside the window.

"God always surprises us."

After a long while, he let out a sigh that he didn't know whether it was regret or joy.

Soon the police chief and his assistant, Mr. Friedrich von Genz, arrived at his office.

Friedrich von Genz is a middle-aged man with deep eyes and a melancholy expression on his face.

He was Metternich's confidant and a diplomat and writer who is now well known in Europe.

He was born in Prussia, and his ancestors were Huguenots who were expelled from France. In his early years, he was a liberal and staunchly opposed to the Bourbons' autocratic monarchy in France and Spain, but when the Revolution was launched, he, like the British philosopher Burke, rose firmly against France and the Revolution.

In his view, the most beautiful order in the world is not the new one, but the old one—an old feudal system in which each class takes its place, each running the society in its own right.

Therefore, he believes that the rebellion of the third class, which destroyed all order in France, must ultimately be responsible for the bloodshed in Europe.

"In less than six weeks, they have violated these three basic conditions. The representatives of the third estate have not received the slightest authority; they have shamefully trampled on the rights of the other estates, declaring themselves to constitute the National Assembly alone." This is what he said in his own words. mentioned in the writings.

After the baptism of the whole era of the Great Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, the liberal ideals he once had in his youth are long dead. He and Metternich agree that this is an era when the essence of tradition is declining, and the politicians' The only function is to try to maintain the existence of the beautiful tradition and the old system before it completely dies, and leave the rest to future generations to solve by themselves.

Just because he knew that his career would inevitably become an empty talk, he was often dominated by despair, and his life was only the body, and the rest was only the cynicism of chasing fame and beauty.

Even so, he was still an excellent diplomat. Since 1812, Genz has maintained close contact with all major events on the European continent. He is Metternich's closest assistant, close friend and adviser. The two cooperated Very happy until he died.

After both came to the office, the Prime Minister cut to the chase.

"Just now I received news that Duke Leichstedt was injured when he fell off a horse while hunting on the outskirts of Schönbrunn Palace. His life and death are unknown."

Both of them were a little surprised, but they both regained their composure very quickly.

"You have to block the news. Although this matter will soon spread throughout the country and even all of Europe, at least the initiative should be on us, and it is up to me to decide how to release the news." The prince ordered the police chief, "In addition, Lai If the Duke of Histtedt does have an accident, there will be a commotion, so you have to be prepared. In particular, be careful not to allow anyone to spread rumours and focus hatred on Austria.”

"Yes." The police chief accepted the order.

After giving the order, Prince Metternich resumed his usual calm.

"If he really died like this, it might be a relief for everyone, including himself." After a moment of silence, Prince Metternich said glumly, "For someone like him, continue The current situation may not necessarily make life very happy.”

"Then what do you mean...?" The police chief seemed to understand what he meant. "We just don't care, let's watch him see God sooner rather than later?"

"Stupid!" Metternich glared at his subordinates, "We can't afford the notoriety of murdering him, we must do our best. Send him the best doctor! Let God decide the rest, if God decides to go sooner To relieve suffering for all, then we will do His will."

"Yes, I understand." The police chief bowed his head and obeyed.

"In the worst case scenario, the King of France will be so happy that he jumps out of bed, and the name that haunts him will soon disappear completely." The elder brother is dead ahead, and even his nephew Louis XVII and Napoleon and his son can't survive him!"

"There are other heirs of the Bonaparte family," replied M. Gentz ​​in a low voice.

"But there is only one heir to Napoleon. If he dies, it means that Napoleon is extinct. No one in the Bonaparte family can have his appeal." Prince Metternich shook his head.

Although they all knew that Napoleon had illegitimate sons, in the spectrum of orthodoxy, they did not exist.

"The Duke of Enghien is also the only son of Prince Condé, but Napoleon shot him without hesitation... Maybe this is retribution." Gentz ​​shrugged and sneered.

There was another silence in the room, and they recalled the past events that were dusty in history.

In 1804, in retaliation for the attempted assassination of the royalists, Napoleon sent the gendarmerie to capture the Duke of Enghien in exile in Baden back to France and then directly execute him. Although the current Prince Condé is still alive, he has no other heirs or brothers. , so the Kongdai family, which once had a glorious history, is doomed to extinction.

"The Bourbon family is not qualified to be happy too early. Even if the Bonaparte family temporarily withdraws, they still have a vicious enemy lying in the heart of France... Your Royal Highness, the envoy of the Duke of Orleans came to Vienna yesterday, and I was just about to report to you. ." Mr. Gentz ​​shrugged, "Don't forget, the Orleans family has no shortage of heirs."

"Oh, the French!" His Royal Highness sneered full of sarcasm.

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"Duke Reichstedt's fall from a horse" is like a pebble thrown into a lake, causing an uproar in Schönbrunn Palace and Vienna. There are whispers about this incident everywhere, some people are sad and some people are secretly happy .

Only in the center of the storm, everything was calm.

Agron was lying in his room at this moment, indulging in the deep darkness.

He was hurriedly carried back, and before he lost consciousness, he only remembered Sophie hugging him tightly, tears falling on his cheeks and arms like raindrops.

Seeing her so heartbroken, Aegron only felt the pain in his body lighten a little, then he felt as if his body was floating on the water, and then he fainted.

Even in the 21st century, there are still many famous people who have fallen from horses and died or were seriously injured, but he did not expect that when he came to this world, he would suffer such bad luck.

Maybe this child was doomed from birth.

But... this is definitely not the result he wants to accept.

No... definitely can't fall here... I'm not free yet... I still have too much to do...

I can't outlive the original owner of this body, I can't be the laughing stock of myself and others!

After I don't know how long, with anger and unwillingness, the boy finally tenaciously regained his consciousness.

There was silence all around, as if nothing could be heard.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."

"Your Majesty...please wake up..."

The soft call slowly gathered in his ears.

What Your Majesty...Is Emperor Franz here now?

No, no, as if speaking to me.

What am I, Your Majesty? ! My empire is long gone!

The current of consciousness stimulated his brain, and he slowly opened his eyes.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

The voice became louder and louder, and the tone became more rapid, full of excitement and happiness.

Am I dreaming?

The blurry vision slowly focused, and then he realized that he was not dreaming.

A girl in a black maid costume and a white apron crouched beside her.

She looks a little older than herself, with a petite stature, and her facial features are quite delicate. The golden hair on her head pours down from the white turban, and her blue eyes are full of tears, looking at herself all the time.

Pretty is pretty pretty, but... what the **** is going on here?

Aigron looked around and found himself lying on the bed in his room, with no one around.

Judging from the darkness outside the window, it should be early morning now.

"Who are you...?" He asked in a low voice, ignoring the pain in his body.

"Your Majesty... God bless you, you finally woke up..." Seeing Aegron regaining consciousness, the maid's cry became stronger and stronger, thankful for his awakening.

"Who the **** are you! Answer me." Aegron became impatient.

At this time, he suddenly discovered another anomaly.

The maid spoke not the usual German in the Habsburg court, but French.

"are you French…?"

"Your Majesty... Please let me take a moment..." The maid took a few breaths, and then finally regained her composure, "I am the maid who accompanied Princess Sophie, and I came with her from Bavaria... Today she is because of I'm worried, so I'm here to take care of you."

"So you're a Bavarian?" Aigron finally understood a little bit.

"No, Your Majesty, I'm French." The maid shook her head gently, "My father was an officer who served in the Imperial Army, and he died in 1815... I fled to Bavaria with my relatives, your righteousness Brother took us in and took care of us to grow up, it's a pity that a good person like him passed away early..."

That is to say, she was an orphan of an imperial officer and was taken in by Eugène de Beauharnet, and then came to Schönbrunn Palace as a maid with Princess Sophie, who was married to the Austrian court.

Because his thoughts were too complicated, he had a headache.

"Why call me Your Majesty?" To distract his attention, he asked a question that seemed pointless.

"Because you are Your Majesty... You are the one destined to inherit the empire!" The maid replied in a natural tone, "Besides you, there is no one I need allegiance to."

This answer made Aegron both surprised and at a loss.

"Empire, where do I still have an empire..." He smiled wryly.

"No, as long as you are alive, there will be an empire, and we will have it!" The maid comforted him anxiously, "Your Majesty, I ask you not to lose heart, God will take care of you after all!"

Aegron could hear that her excitement came from the heart.

This thought is a little moving.

"Then what's your name?" Agron asked again.

"My name is Chanel, Your Majesty." The maid stood up, bowed to him, and replied respectfully. "Chanel-Noel. I have waited for a long time since I came here, and today I finally got the chance... Your Majesty, please let me do my best for you!"