Prince Talleyrand's words seemed to be "from the bottom of his heart", but they did not make Theresa feel better.
Just when she seemed to have an absolute advantage and a sure chance of victory, Prince Talleyrand suddenly jumped out and stopped her from driving Maria back to her hometown, abruptly turning the situation back around.
Theresa did not believe Talleyrand's reason for "using Princess Maria to win over and divide the German princes" from the bottom of her heart. However, as a veteran who has been in the political arena for decades, Prince Talleyrand's words
, but it has its own weight. Even if Teresa wants to refute, she lacks the confidence.
What's more, as a princess from Germany, it was naturally difficult for her to refute Talleyrand on German issues.
Now, Talleyrand's showdown left her with only two choices - either she could calm down and let the matter die down; or she must face Talleyrand and have him dismissed from office.
And in fact, the latter is not an option.
She could not replace Talleyrand as prime minister, and no one around her was qualified to covet the position.
However, she was completely unwilling to let her cease her activities.
After planning carefully for so long, Maria was finally caught in a trap, and she was charged with a crime that could never be evaded. He was about to drive this hateful woman away... but was blocked at the last step.
, I wonder who can endure this feeling calmly?
"You want to have fun, so you have to use me as a victim?" Driven by this unwillingness, Theresa faced Talleyrand and asked, "Your Excellency Prime Minister, we are not fools, so the matter is
Now don't use such empty words to deal with me... I just want to ask you, apart from her identity, what else is worthy of being valued by Princess Maria? How much contribution can she bring to France?
?Can you even compare to me?"
Faced with Theresa's question, Talleyrand just smiled and said nothing, and this reaction was itself an answer.
"Haha...it's really ridiculous. You all treat me with respect and call me Her Majesty the Queen, but what's the result? When I really want to act like the Queen, you come out to undermine me, and you are the one who helps me the most.
Disgusting people are coming to undermine me!" Seeing Talleyrand dodge, Theresa's anger became even more intense, "Did I do something wrong? I have worked so hard to meet your expectations, and yet I still have to be punished.
You are jealous and despised by you... Do you think that I was born to be this queen? If it were not for His Highness, whoever wants to take this position can take it!"
Prince Talleyrand still didn't respond, because he knew that Teresa now looked more like a young woman with injured pride than the Queen of the Empire.
It was precisely because she knew that all her efforts were in vain, and because Talleyrand was attacking her Habsburg background both inside and outside of her words, that she was so hurt and said such inappropriate and angry words.
In other words, she knew in her heart that she had lost this round, but she was unwilling to admit defeat.
Talleyrand had experienced similar scenes many times in his long life, so he knew very well how to deal with them.
"Your Majesty the Queen, please don't be so depressed. In fact, you have done a good job so far. You have tried hard to play your role, be close to the people, frugal, dignified, and manage the palace in an orderly manner. We all appreciate these efforts.
In my eyes, considering your age, being able to do these things at the same time is already very admirable... I can responsibly say that you have done better than the queens I have witnessed before, and the people will love you sooner or later.
"Yes." He comforted Teresa with gentle words, "If there is anything you haven't done well, it is that you are still a little impulsive, and for trivial matters, you have intensified conflicts and put the country at risk for no reason. In fact,
, as long as you analyze it from a rational level, you can see that His Majesty has great trust in you, your position is extremely solid, and everything that has happened will not affect the above facts. In this case, why should you
What about other trivial matters? No matter how much trouble Princess Maria makes, you are still the queen of the empire, and she still has to bow to you... She cannot erode the power in your hands. On the contrary, you have always lowered your status to compete with her, but instead
It will overshadow you.”
Teresa was suddenly speechless.
It wasn't that she was convinced by Talleyrand, but that she knew that the two people's personalities and worldviews were so different.
For Talleyrand, politics and power were his life, and everything else was just a "bonus" for these two things. He lived a dissolute life and even had an illegitimate child as a monk.
But he never really loved anyone.
But for Theresa, it was a completely different matter.
So what if Maria bows down to her? Is this the reason why she is angry? Is she fighting over the status of two people?
To her, there is always only one most important thing.
Seeing Theresa's expression, Talleyrand knew that she had not listened to his advice, but this was expected and he was not surprised.
"In short, Your Majesty the Queen, I have told you everything that needs to be said. For the sake of the empire, Her Royal Highness Maria cannot be deported back to the country by you. This is something I cannot compromise on." So, he continued calmly,
"Of course, it is undeniable that Her Royal Highness Maria has also committed many mistakes. The most intolerable one is that she was disrespectful to you, so she needs to be punished for this - I have already told her that she must face you face to face
Apologize and ask for forgiveness for my previous offense to you..."
Teresa's response to this was just a sneer.
Now that the matter has reached this point, the two of them have irresolvable hatred. What is the meaning of the so-called "apology"?
"Do you have any other opinions about this solution?" After a moment of silence, Talleyrand asked Theresa again.
"Does it still matter whether I have an opinion or not? Did you give me other choices?" Teresa asked coldly.
Talleyrand did not continue, but immediately concluded the matter. "Well, let's do this... Your Majesty, I am really old, and I really don't have any extra energy to continue to waste on this matter."
"Wait a minute!" Teresa suddenly raised her voice, interrupting Talleyrand.
Talleyrand looked at Theresa in confusion, wondering what other options she had.
"Now that it's come to this, please call my husband back. I want him to decide all this by himself." Teresa replied decisively, "Since he has got what he wants, then
Stop hiding behind an old man, come out and face your wife honestly...as long as he still has the guts."
Here it comes, here it comes... Talleyrand smiled to himself.
To be honest, he wasn't worried about Aigron at all. After all, after saving Maria, he had completed his mission, and the next thing was not his responsibility.
He even wished that the young majesty would be disgraced in front of his angry wife, so that he would have more fun.
Of course, having fun is having fun, and the balance between the court and the government, as well as the stability of the political order, are what he values more, so he is not happy to see the husband and wife quarreling upside down.
So he made a last-ditch effort.
"Your Majesty the Queen, all of this is a decision I made out of the diplomatic interests of the empire, not because of your majesty's coercion..."
"I know!" Teresa interrupted him impatiently again, "Now that the official business of the empire is over, old Prime Minister, can I fulfill your wish? What's left now is ours.
It’s a family matter, do you still want to interfere?”
Talleyrand observed and pondered, and after confirming that Theresa was not completely out of control, he stopped insisting.
So, he bowed to Theresa and resigned, then dragged his crippled limp out of Theresa's reception room.
After he left, Teresa did not leave, but continued to sit in her seat, as if in a daze.
It wasn't until a long time later that a familiar figure appeared in front of her, and her eyes became sharp again.
"As you wish, Your Majesty, Maria is saved...she can stay here, and I will hand over her so-called evidence of guilt to Prince Talleyrand for him to deal with - now, you should be satisfied, right?"
Although Teresa's tone was calm and there was no hint of happiness or anger, from the obviously unfamiliar terms of address such as 'Your Majesty' and 'You', Agron could feel her mood at the moment.
He really had no excuse.
Although it was Prince Talleyrand who jumped out to save Maria, anyone with a normal IQ could see that he was the one who instigated Talleyrand behind the scenes. His excuse for lying now is nothing more than letting Theresa
His anger only increased, which was meaningless.
However, no matter what, since it was Talleyrand who jumped out to block the gun, it at least gave an extra "buffer" between the two people, and Aiglon at least had some excuses to find.
"We should respect Prince Talleyrand's foresight. After all, he has proven himself with actual achievements." So, he answered his wife calmly in a calm tone, "As for me, of course I am not satisfied with the whole incident.
But I’m not dissatisfied with you, Teresa, you did nothing wrong, it was Maria who caused trouble for all of us, and she should indeed bear some price for it - she will apologize to you."
"But who cares about her apology?" Teresa interrupted her husband directly, "Can what she did to me be wiped out with just a few apologies?"
"But hasn't she suffered enough humiliation?" Aiglon asked, "What other princess, or even any noble lady, has been treated like her? If the whole time really spreads, although she is ruined, don't you still
How can I have any face? Both of you will become a laughing stock... So, Teresa, what else can I do in this situation? I am not only trying to protect her, but also trying to protect you!"
Teresa was speechless for a moment.
She also knew that, at least in this matter, she had gone too far.
Lifting the hem of a country's princess's skirt to "examine" her body is certainly a severe humiliation for her and satisfies her desire for revenge, but it is also completely inconsistent with the dignity that a queen should have. If Maria fights to the death, she will lose this
If the incident comes out, not only will he lose face, but the French court will also lose face.
The most important thing is that the results of the "examination" just proved Maria's chastity, which made her position even weaker, and the accusation of filthy court was out of the question.
"Does she think she can hold me hostage like this?" After a moment of silence, Teresa asked, "Even if everything is revealed to the world, I am indecency at most, but she is a definite thief, and she will let the whole
The whole family will be embarrassed by it, she will never dare to——"
"But why does it have to come to this?" Aigron asked bitterly, "Teresa, you want to spread everything out and say, okay, then I will spread it out - you hate Maria so much
, do you really just hate her for being mean-mouthed and provoking you? Or do you hate something else? For example, you hate her for seducing me?"
Theresa did not answer, but the answer was naturally self-evident.
"Then, the current facts prove that your suspicion is wrong. Could it be that I have been doubted by you for no reason, and in the end, all the fault can be blamed on me?" Aigron continued to ask. "Or, is she going to do it?
To bear the heaviest price for a mistake she did not commit? Teresa, do you really think this is reasonable?"
Under Aigron's questioning, Teresa felt a little embarrassed.
Indeed, no matter how you say it, since Maria is still a virgin now, it proves that what she said about "having a happy relationship with her husband" is just fabrication. Since this has not happened, then she has gone too far in making such an effort.
The clear crime of "stealing state secrets" has been strongly denied by Prince Talleyrand.
The hidden crime of "seducing her husband" has also been denied by the results of the "physical examination".
When she stepped out of the emotional circle and looked back, Teresa was shocked to find that the only crime that could be convicted of Maria at the moment was "stealing her own fan."
And this crime is of no use at all.
Although his fan is very valuable and can be punished with a heavy sentence in ordinary civil cases, in the eyes of the royal family, what does this kind of "small object" mean? Who would think that his "punishment" of Maria is reasonable?
.
When she looked back, she realized that she was now the one with insufficient confidence...and this was even more difficult for Teresa to accept.
In any case, she has completely calmed down now, and she knows that she can no longer get what she wants, both in public and private matters - although it is still difficult for her to accept it emotionally.
"So, according to you, am I just making trouble out of nothing?" Teresa asked Agron.
"Of course not, Teresa... I know I was wrong. I didn't have a good sense of proportion, which allowed her to do whatever she wanted... You just had enough of her, so you just fought back. I know it's not easy for you." Egger.
Long replied, and then sincerely apologized to her, "I'm sorry, Teresa..."
"Your Highness..." Tears secretly appeared in Theresa's eyes, obviously with mixed feelings, "Why do I always fall in love with you? You are so hateful, but you are so cute."