While Edmond Dantès was having a detailed conversation with the bandit leader Isaac Valleolo, thousands of miles away on the island of Monte Cristo, his master was also reading the report he had recently written.
Although Aiglon had high hopes for the Count of Monte Cristo's ability from the beginning, he was still very happy that he had made significant progress so quickly.
Just as Edmond Dantès hoped, Agron is very satisfied with his recent performance.
He has already given many rewards to the other party, and he will give more rewards in the future.
In a very happy mood, he took the letter and walked to Father Faria's room.
On the one hand, he wanted to make Father Faria happy; but on the other hand, he also wanted to discuss the next steps with the priest.
Since gaining the allegiance of the priest, Aigron has gradually regarded him as a think tank around him, and Father Faria has worked hard to dedicate his wisdom and experience in order to realize his life wishes and for the future glory and wealth of his adopted son.
, to help His Majesty analyze the situation and make plans.
"Good morning, Father." After meeting him, Aigron greeted him with a smile.
"Good morning, Your Majesty." Father Faria, half lying on the rocking chair, also greeted the young man with a smile.
Compared to the desolate look he had when he first arrived on the island, he was now much more energetic and his originally pale face was a little more rosy, although the years had inevitably left many marks on his face.
There are no traces of it, but it can be clearly seen that his eyes are bright and he has got rid of the death aura wrapped around his body.
It seems that Chanel took good care of him, and more importantly, she saw hope for his future life.
"This is the letter Edmund sent recently. Please take a look at it." Aigron said as he handed the letter to the other party.
"Thank you!" The priest thanked him first, then took the letter with his left hand that could still move, put it on the armrest with difficulty, and then read it carefully.
"Your Majesty, congratulations!" After reading, he raised his head with joy and looked at the young man with a smile. "Everything goes well."
"This is all Edmund's credit." Aigron still smiled, "According to the description in the letter, he has now found collaborators in the Egyptian army, and has also attracted a group of bandits who are willing to surrender to us. Now
I think it’s time for us to take the next step.”
"You are right." The priest agreed.
"Then do you have any opinions now?" Aigron asked.
"First of all, you have to give him some stronger support." Father Faria immediately replied. "He is recruiting collaborators there. Money is important, but the primary reliance is the direct force in his hands. If he cannot make others feel
Given his strength, it is impossible to seek refuge with him. And he has already stated in his letter that he hopes to receive support."
"I agree with this." Aigron nodded, "I will immediately send several reliable officers and some well-trained soldiers to arrive in Greece as an advance team and follow his orders. As his direct force, I will
I believe this will be helpful to him.”
"Edmund will not let you down." Father Faria smiled happily, "Then next, I think you'd better get in touch with the Greek independent government as soon as possible... And not in Edmund's name, but in your name.
In one’s own name.”
"Why?" Aiglon was a little confused, "I don't mind associating with them, but the current Greek government is weak and divided, and even their president is a Russian agent..."
"That's why you should take the initiative to contact them." Father Faria raised his voice, "Think about it, since you came in under the guise of volunteering to help Greece become independent, what if the Greek government knew nothing about it?
Isn't that strange? Besides, although they are now divided, in the eyes of the Greeks, this is their government after all, it is representative, and it is also the existence that you will have to deal with in the future. In this case, you might as well deal with them earlier
contact with."
"But what if they clearly refuse my help?" Aigron still has some concerns. "Don't forget, there are many Russian agents among them, and the Russians hate me. What if the Greek government clearly says they don't want me to help them?
, then wouldn’t I become the laughing stock of many people?”
This is indeed a stronghold in Aigron's heart.
He keeps saying that he wants to save Greece from the fire and organizes a volunteer army for this purpose. But if the Greek government publicly says that it has not invited him and does not need his help, revealing his intention to fish in troubled waters, then won't he end up in disgrace?
Therefore, he prefers to lead people to stand on Greek soil first to create a fait accompli. It is best to achieve some meritorious service before contacting the Greek government, so that they will not be able to drive him away again.
However, his opinion was rejected by Father Faria.
"Your Majesty, the danger you mentioned does exist, but you cannot stop doing it just because there is danger." Father Faria shook his head slightly, and then smiled slyly, "And I think that if the Greek government
Rejecting your aid might actually be a good thing for you."
"How do you say this?" Aigron was a little surprised.
"Don't forget, the current Greek government is the product of internal strife. They have a large group of enemies both internally and externally. It is only because of the current critical situation and the support of the great powers that they have temporarily maintained their position.
That's all." Father Faria patiently explained to him, "Their situation is very bad now, and your support at this time is nothing more than providing help in times of need. If they still refuse at this time, even a fool can see that they
The decision was made not from the interests of Greece, but from the interests of the Russian Empire..."
The priest's voice became lower and lower, and Aiglon understood Father Faria's hint.
Yes! You can do it! An idea flashed in his mind.
"Yes, if they reject me, then we will expose their true colors, angrily accuse them of being slaves of the Russian Empire, disregarding the safety of the nation, and rejecting precious assistance for their own selfish interests when Greece's survival is at stake. I
The more heroic they appear and the more achievements they make, the more shameful they become and will make their opponents more confident in overthrowing them!"
"You are right." The priest smiled and nodded, with a childish expression on his face, "In fact, you can make two preparations, contact the Greek government with one hand, and contact the opposition, those who were defeated in the internal strife, with the other
Rebel soldiers, I believe these people will never refuse to use your power to regain their great motherland."
"By the way, we will overthrow the current government that they hate." Aigron completed the rest of the priest's words, and then couldn't help laughing, "Hahahaha! You are right, if you want to play, play big."
He understood what the priest meant. If this situation really develops and the Greek government refuses his help, then he will simply support the local opposition in Greece, and then overthrow the current independent government in one fell swoop. In this precarious situation,
Those who lost in previous internal conflicts must have been filled with resentment.
He extended an olive branch. If these people were unwilling to accept it, then he would simply come to punish the traitors from outside and punish the traitors at home, and re-select a Greek government that suits his wishes.
When he thought of this, his heart was filled with excitement.
However, he also knows that all fantasies that seem full of color require careful practice in the end before they can be implemented on paper.
So he calmed down again.
"Well, let's do this. When I send the advance team there, I will also send my cousin there, let him contact the Greek government as a representative, and then let him contact the Greek opposition secretly." Aigron thought of it in an instant.
He came up with the idea, "My cousin is a clever guy. He has the ability to deal well with those people. It would be best to let him take charge."
"You can do it according to your own ideas. I think it's good." Father Faria nodded slightly, "But... I suggest you be nicer to his father."
As soon as he heard the priest mention the King of the Netherlands, Aigron's face suddenly fell.
Every time he thought about how his uncle actually ignored the interests of the family, refused to recognize his status as the patriarch and was unwilling to provide him with financial support, his heart was filled with sincere anger and disgust.
He did not get angry in front of the King of the Netherlands, but only made sarcastic remarks and ridiculed him a few times. He was already considered well-mannered.
"Your Majesty, I know what he did hurt you, and you hate him, which is reasonable. But no matter what, he is your uncle after all, and your attitude towards him will also be reflected in the eyes of others... You
You should not be too distant from him, lest your cousins worry about their status and affect their motivation to serve you." When he said this, the priest lowered his voice again, "Especially, after all, Prince Louis
He once sat on the throne, had many supporters around him, and now has many friends in the Netherlands, so he is still very useful to you."
What the priest said was indeed true. Prince Louis did have a pretty good reputation in the Netherlands and had extensive connections.
In 1806, he was sent by Napoleon to become the king of the Netherlands. In July of that year, King Louis of the Netherlands imitated Napoleon's practice of establishing the Legion of Honor and formed the "Ordre Royal del Union" (l'ordreroyal del'Union) to serve as his own local authority in the Netherlands.
Absorb the ruling elite and serve themselves,
During his several years of rule, he had been paying attention to maintaining the remaining economic sovereignty of the Netherlands, and even indulged in the smuggling of British goods. Although this was a shameful betrayal in Napoleon's eyes, the Dutch business class was very grateful for what he had done for the Netherlands.
everything.
It was precisely because the two brothers broke up early that Napoleon deposed Louis from the throne. In the eyes of the Dutch, this was another sacrifice he made for the Netherlands. Therefore, after the fall of the empire, many people in the upper class of the Netherlands still had good things to say about him.
.
For Aigron, this goodwill is also a resource that can be used.
Securities traders in Amsterdam could provide funds for his business, and maritime merchants in Rotterdam might also be able to facilitate his smuggling business.
In this sense, it is also valuable to treat Prince Louis well.
Sometimes you need to control the disgust in your heart.
"I understand." Thinking of this, Aigron nodded, "I will have a better attitude towards him. Although he is not willing to serve me, I can discuss cooperation with him. If he can contribute enough to me,
I don’t mind sharing a little bit of the profits with him, but I won’t give him a place in the Bonaparte family anymore.”
"This is your right, Your Majesty." Father Faria smiled slightly.
What he likes most about this young man is that although he is proud, he does not have the arrogant and bad temper of Prince Wang and Sun Gongzi. He can face the current situation calmly and pragmatically, even if he gets angry, he will not be swayed by temporary emotions, and he has a high level of understanding.
With a little help, you can listen to your opinions.
This trait requires years of cultivation, and it seems that the rough experiences in his early years gave him a lot of help.
When he thought of this, he found that he couldn't wait to see the prosperity of the Bonaparte family after they returned to the throne.
And this is exactly what he has been working hard for so far.
If that day comes, I will definitely leave a mark in the history books, just like Richelieu, Mazarin, Dubois, Fleury and other cardinals.
What an honor that would be...
The more he thought about it, the more he hoped that this young man would succeed, as he shouldered everyone's hopes.
If ordinary people bear such huge pressure, they will only be crushed, but great people will only use it as motivation and move towards their goals step by step with infinite energy.
"Your Majesty, I have one more thing to suggest to you solemnly," he said suddenly with a slight sigh.
"Huh? Please tell me." Aigron was a little strange.
"I am happy to see you fighting for the future of the family, but with all due respect, you have also neglected the most noble and important family obligations."
"Why do you say that?" Aigron was even more surprised. "I...did I do something wrong?"
"Your mistake is that you did nothing." Father Faria shook his head slightly, "Think about it, you have no brothers or sisters, and you are the only one in the royal family. What a dangerous situation it is?
If you are not careful, careerists will take advantage of the situation. Even if there are no careerists, if something unexpected happens to you, your subordinates will be confused and at a loss..."
"What do you want to say?" Aigron probably understood something in his heart.
In fact, they all knew that Napoleon had another illegitimate child, but of course this did not count.
"Your father only got you after he was 40 years old. This situation is intolerable to you. After all, he has several brothers to safeguard this career, but you do not." Father Faria relaxed.
In one breath, "Instead of risking life and death, you should spread the branches and leaves of the royal family as soon as possible and let the Bonaparte family multiply and grow. Only in this way can the future of the royal family be reliably guaranteed."
"..." Aigron was speechless.
"As your subject, I am not qualified to dictate your private life, but..." the priest hesitated for a moment. "You should perform your sacred duties as soon as possible. In fact, someone has already spread rumors secretly..."
"What rumors?" Aigron asked.
"They think you may...may have a hidden disease, or simply have no interest in women." The priest continued boldly, "Otherwise, the charming Miss Noelle is right next to you, why didn't you take action?
What? I can see that she...she is still perfect."
Aigron's face suddenly turned red.
If there is any rumor, it is obviously the old man who doubts it himself!
I really didn't expect that one day I would be suspected of being a womanizer... Damn it, he didn't think he had abnormal sexual interest, right?
Old man, you don’t know what I did in Austria before!
"You don't have to worry about this. I have always been a normal boy whose mind is filled with lust." He gritted his teeth and replied, "I just have too many things to do now and no time to be distracted."