While Aiglon was holding a grand burial ceremony, few people remembered that there was another person who "should" be present but did not show up.
Although no one ever mentioned it publicly, everyone knew that Count Alexander Walewski was the illegitimate son of Emperor Napoleon.
Although being an illegitimate son means that he does not have the status of a member of the Bonaparte family, Aiglon has always admired and put his half-brother in high regard, allowing him to serve as an official in the Empire's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Therefore,
, whether it is because of the government position he holds or because of blood ties, it seems that he should be given an inconspicuous position and let him and other officials welcome the return of the emperor.
However, he did not attend, and few people remembered that he should have attended.
This is not to say that he has fallen out of favor, but that at this moment, he is performing an important diplomatic mission for Aiglon - as a special envoy of the French government, he has returned to his former "homeland" Poland.
At this time, Poland was still continuing its resistance to Russian rule that began last year.
After occupying Warsaw, the rebel army quickly swept through the entire Poland in a raging prairie fire, and caused heavy losses to the unprepared Russian army several times. After 1831, due to repeated setbacks, His Majesty the Tsar became angry and decided to mobilize more troops.
A large army came to suppress it.
At this critical moment of life and death, the Poles asked for help from all parties. On the one hand, they tried to seduce the Austrian emperor with the Polish crown, and on the other hand, they hoped to use their "old feelings" to invite the French emperor to take action. However, these futile diplomatic efforts did not receive any response.
In any case, all countries adopted a calm and indifferent attitude towards the rebellious Poles, just waiting for them to fend for themselves.
On the one hand, the Vienna System after 1815 decided to use "legitimacy" as the basis for international relations, which means respecting the existing boundaries of each country and allowing a country to do its own thing within its own borders - currently, Poland is
It was part of the vast territory of the Russian Empire, and the tsar had reason to do whatever he wanted there.
On the other hand, Russia seemed so formidable at this time. Its huge and almost inexhaustible legions made every monarch tremble with fear. No one wanted to jump out and fight Russia for Poland at this time.
Therefore, no matter how just the reasons for the Poles to resist the Tsar, they could only receive cold looks from the people around them. Its resistance this time was destined to end in failure.
Of course, it would not be wrong to say that everyone turned a blind eye. At least the French Emperor publicly expressed his sympathy for the just cause of the Polish people in his parliamentary speech.
In addition to verbal sympathy, he also said that out of the traditional and simple feelings of the French people, he provided some humanitarian aid to Poland in order to alleviate the suffering of people affected by the war.
After making this speech that angered the Tsar, Eggron selected Count Alexander Walewski as his special envoy to go to Poland. On the one hand, he represented him to express condolences to the Polish people in the war, and on the other hand, he was responsible for coordinating the peace process.
Distribute subsequent aid supplies to the French people, and use a diplomatic capacity to rescue some elites who are willing to evacuate Poland and live in exile in France, so as to continue France's influence in Poland in the future.
After accepting the mission, Alexander set off quickly. After a period of bumps, he quietly arrived in Warsaw, which he had been away from for a long time.
The reason why he acted so quickly was certainly because of the emperor's orders, but more importantly, it was because Alexander was also concerned about Poland at this time.
Undoubtedly, after taking refuge with his younger brother and rising rapidly within the French government, he will definitely establish his new social relations in France in the future and become a French aristocrat through and through. But at least at this moment, Val, who is just 21 years old,
Count Levski is still 90% Polish.
As the illegitimate son of Emperor Napoleon and his Polish mistress, he grew up in Poland. He almost never met the emperor himself, and never had the opportunity to set foot on French territory (after returning to France, the emperor married Princess Louisa. In order not to let Queen Louisa
Unhappy, he refused to see the Polish mother and son again), Poland was the hometown where he really grew up and received education, and where all his friends lived.
Now, how could he not feel helpless and sad knowing that Poland would be caught in the flames of war and be ravaged and devastated by the iron hoof of the Russian Empire?
After he came to Warsaw, out of respect for the French Empire, he received high courtesy from the Polish Provisional Government. He attended banquets held by celebrities from all walks of life almost every now and then. Everything in Warsaw was running as usual, as if he had just left.
Same as ever.
But he knew in his heart that it was just the calm before the storm. Although everything seemed to be business as usual in Warsaw, anyone with the ability to observe the current situation could clearly feel that a war related to the fate of the Polish nation seemed to be about to break out - and in the end
What's worse is that there is no chance of winning.
Because of this, even if he received courtesy, he could not find any joy in "returning home in fine clothes" in Warsaw, only a helpless feeling of watching the end of the world coming.
What made him even more helpless was the chaos in Poland's political situation at this time.
Although "revolution" is theoretically the common vision of the Polish people, and although all Poles hate the rule of the Tsar, in the final analysis, a country must have different classes, and each class and each person will hold their own opinions because of their own positions.
Different political opinions, even in the current situation of the enemy.
On January 25, 1831, after a period of debate and under the pressure of the Warsaw uprising military and civilians, the newly established Polish National Assembly deposed Nicholas I, declared independence from Russia, and officially started the War of Independence.
On February 8, the Parliament announced that Poland would maintain a hereditary constitutional monarchy, and only the existing Parliament had the power to elect a new king.
However, within the parliament, there are serious differences over the "future" issue. Some people believe that the revolutionary situation is now excellent and they should take this opportunity to launch a "people's war" to completely get rid of Russian rule; others are much pessimistic about the current situation.
, believes that confrontation with the Russian Empire is purely an attempt to defeat a stone, so we should use the current bargaining chip to renegotiate with the Tsar and let Nicholas I and other powerful countries modify the terms of the Treaty of Vienna involving Poland, as long as Poland can obtain more
Autonomy, even if it is nominally restored to the rule of the tsar.
The two factions refused to give in to each other. The radicals reviled the conservatives as traitors, and the conservatives denounced the radicals as fools. They criticized each other endlessly. The parliament was in chaos, and similar debates spread in Warsaw and even throughout Poland, making this new country
Falling into a quagmire of helplessness.
Jan Zygmunt Skrzynecki, the commander-in-chief of the Polish rebel army appointed by the parliament after the revolution, was also a pessimist. He believed that while all European countries were standing by and watching, his soldiers were overly enthusiastic but undertrained, and
The amount raised was far from meeting the demand, let alone confronting the huge army that the Russian Empire was about to assemble, so he was unwilling to take aggressive and aggressive actions, preferring to wait for the results of the negotiations.
More than two months have passed since February, and the two sides are still confronting each other. Although the Russian Empire's legions are gathering towards the Vistula River near Warsaw, due to the severe winter and lack of supplies, they have not launched a large-scale offensive.
Facing each other across the river.
Although the fierce fighting has not yet happened, everyone knows that the soldiers of the Russian Empire will roll towards Warsaw, just like the Doomsday Judgment in the Bible.
But even if he was discouraged, in this calm and desperate atmosphere, Count Alexander Walewski was still working hard on his work.
On the one hand, he used his status as a special envoy to meet celebrities from all walks of life to convey the French Emperor's sympathy for Poland, and secretly expressed his willingness to facilitate anyone who wanted to go into exile;
On the other hand, he used his connections to start handing over donations from France to the provisional government and the rebel army.
In theory, these donations are "private donations", and most of them are indeed only relief supplies such as food and medicine, but there are also some arms and ordnance among them.
For Aigron and the French government, although they do not want to end up personally, the more fierce the resistance of the Poles, the more losses they will bring to the Russian Empire. This is of course a very good thing to see.
Of course, in order to avoid uncontrollable accidents, he also carefully controlled the boundaries. On the one hand, these donated weapons can express the pro-Polish attitude of the French government and the French people. On the other hand, the scale of this "donation" is not large and will not
Drive the tsar mad and make him angrily declare France.
During his days in Warsaw, Alexander lived with a split personality. On the one hand, he actively performed his tasks, and on the other hand, he passively and helplessly waited for Poland to fall again.
Today, on this warm spring day, he performed his work as usual and wrote a detailed daily report in the hotel room where he stayed.
Then, his servant came over and handed him a note from the visitor.
Alexander did not find it strange. After all, because of his special status, since he came to Warsaw, there has been an endless stream of people who want to visit him.
He took the note and glanced at it briefly, and then his originally casual attitude suddenly became serious.
Then he immediately ordered his servant to bring the unexpected guest to him.
Soon, a tall young man with short blond hair and light brown eyes strode up to him. This young man looked strong and strong, but surprisingly he looked quite gentle. He also wore a
Wearing glasses and a tuxedo, he looks like a university assistant.
"Anthony! Long time no see!" After seeing this young man, Alexander enthusiastically extended his hand to him and shook it tightly. "How are you lately?"
This man is Alexander's boyhood friend, named Anthony Kowalski. He is not a nobleman, but the son of a university professor. He has received a good education since he was a child, is enthusiastic and determined, and can almost be said to be a friend to his friends.
All requests are answered.
Alexander met him after going to school in Warsaw, and quickly became a good friend with him, and they had a deep friendship.
He also helped Alexander when he chose to flee into exile in France to avoid military service for the Tsar.
He did this because he was also a staunch Polish nationalist and deeply hated the Tsarist rule.
Since arriving in Warsaw, Alexander also immediately tried to find his friend to reunite with, but he didn't expect that he was not at home. He spent a long time and couldn't find him. Today, he finally met him when he took the initiative to visit.
Seeing his friend finally made Alexander feel excited for a long time. After all, his emotions had been suppressed for too long and he was eager to get some stimulation.
"It's great...I finally saw you. I was worried that something happened to you..." He smiled and said hello to his friend, almost incoherently.
"I'm fine, nothing's wrong...but you, something seems to be wrong." A smile appeared on Anthony's face, "You have become a big shot now...my friend."
There was only a little teasing in his smile, without any jealousy or ridicule, but Alexander still lowered his head in embarrassment.
"I just have better luck..."
After all, as a young man with great ambition, he felt a little embarrassed that he was only relying on his "bloodline" to achieve success.
"I have long thought that you have this ability." Anthony interrupted him, "It's just a pity that you didn't use your talents in Poland... and now is the time when Poland needs the services of his sons and daughters the most."
"So you joined the rebel army?" Alexander asked, but he was actually asking in the affirmative.
"Yes, of course...how could I be absent? I have been here since the first day." Anthony nodded immediately.
Then he asked Alexander, "So, what about you? Are you here to help us?"
"I..." Facing his friend's gaze, Alexander suddenly felt a little ashamed. He couldn't help but look away. "I am here as a special envoy of France. I cannot get involved in this fight."
"So, you are now Bonaparte, not a Pole, right?" Anthony asked.
"No, I am not a member of the Bonaparte family, but I am valued by His Majesty the Emperor. I am regarded by him as a confidant and even half a family member... I am very grateful to him." Alexander replied hoarsely, "I would like to ask
You, if I regard myself simply as a Pole, what can I have? Well, the title of a count, but at the same time I have to bear the mark of being an illegitimate child. No one really cares about me. I am a fringe outside of politics.
Man...what does this kind of life mean to me?
But standing on the French side, the situation is completely different. I will be taken seriously by others and rise to the top. I have already seen my glorious future... So, at this moment, no matter what I think in my heart, I can only stand on the side of France.
On the side of the Nabal family, and with all my talents and abilities, I serve His Majesty the Emperor."
After listening to his explanation, Anthony sighed.
Then, he patted his friend on the shoulder.
"Well, brother, I really can't blame you, at least you are not on the side of the Tsar! We can still be friends."