Eagle’s Glory

Chapter 190 77, Davout

With the arrival of midsummer, Monte Cristo Island has also become hotter, and the people on the island are also busy working hard for themselves and the monarch they are loyal to.

While remaining calm, Aigron achieved full control over his subordinates and established his own authority. Under his arrangement, the entire organization performed its duties and ran at full speed in an orderly manner.

It was on this day that his cousin Charlie asked to see him.

"Your Majesty, there is something I need you to decide on." Charlie went straight to the point. "It's the news from the smugglers."

Since his cousin Louis had fled to Greece, it was now Charlie's responsibility to deal with the smugglers.

"What's the matter?" Aigron asked.

"There was a young man who wanted to sneak into the island. He ran to Marseille and sneakily found a smuggler. He said he was going to Monte Cristo Island, which aroused the suspicion of the people above him. As soon as he got to the smuggling ship, he took him He was detained." Charlie reported to him in detail. "He resisted vigorously, and then loudly said that he was the nephew of Marshal Davout. Although the people on the ship were doubtful, their leader had a good relationship with us, so His life was not endangered, he was just tied up and brought here.”

"Davout's nephew?" Aiglon was a little surprised.

Marshal Davout was famous at that time, and he was certainly well known. After the establishment of the Bourbon dynasty, the marshal chose to live in seclusion, and did not flatter the King of Bourbon for the sake of glory and wealth like some of his former colleagues. He even threatened a bloody battle in Paris and asked the coalition forces to promise not to liquidate generals loyal to Napoleon.

However, in the final days of the empire, he also fell out with Emperor Napoleon.

After the defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon fled back to Paris in embarrassment. He accepted the order of Fouche, who was the chairman of the provisional government of Paris, and went to the Elysee Palace where Napoleon temporarily lived at the time, asking him to leave Paris immediately to avoid causing further destruction to this great city.

Although Napoleon was furious at Davout's request, he still left Paris silently.

After that, when talking about Davout, he said a lot of complaints.

Of course, Aigron was not angry about this. After all, everyone was involuntarily at that time, so why would there be any need to watch Paris burn together? Marshal Davout was already loyal enough when he came over to serve Napoleon during the Hundred Days Dynasty.

But after all these twists and turns, Marshal Davout seemed to have lost interest in political disputes, and was no longer willing to get involved in the disputes between the Bonaparte family and the Bourbon family, preferring to choose a peaceful life in his later years.

In 1823, Marshal Davout died, and his son Napoleon-Louis Davout inherited his estate, as well as titles such as Duke of Auerstedt and Prince of Ekmere. Although this duke has the name "Napoleon\

,"But he also lost interest in the business of the Bonaparte family, preferring to stay in his manor and live a peaceful life.

When Aiglon escaped from Vienna and began to call for supporters, Napoleon-Louis Davout did not respond at all, so in Aiglon's view, the Davout family seemed to have distanced itself from him.

He is not angry, after all, everyone has his own ambitions, and no one is naturally destined to be loyal to him. It's just that he doesn't plan to do anything more for the Davout family.

So when he heard the news, he was a little surprised.

"Can you confirm the authenticity?" Aigron asked.

"This is quite simple. This young man calls himself Andre Davout. I have asked people who know him to identify him. The results will be available soon." Charlie replied.

After a pause, he added, "If it's true, I think it's a good thing."

A good thing indeed.

Although a nephew and a biological son are not the same thing at all, the surname Davout always brings back too many memories for people, and Aiglon doesn't mind having one more Davout among his men.

Soon, Michel Ney, Duke of Elchingen, who was sent to identify him, came to Aiglon.

"Your Majesty, it is true. He is indeed Davout's nephew." He reported the result respectfully, "I have seen him many times in Paris. This young man is very enthusiastic about the empire and is eager to serve Bonaparte like his uncle. The family has made great contributions. I have always thought that if given the opportunity, he would definitely join your service."

"Then why didn't he come with you before?" Aigron asked with some confusion.

"I'm not sure about this. We lost contact and had no contact with each other for a while." Michel Ney shook his head, "However, I can assure you that he is a straightforward and enthusiastic young man. Someone who can be considered a friend. And he is loyal to the Bonaparte family and loyal to the Empire, and I think he will be a good one of us in every way."

Dare to say this, it seems that there should be no problem. Agron thought.

However, he suddenly felt a little bit dumbfounded.

On November 16, 1812, Emperor Napoleon's ill-fated Russian expedition came to an end and he began his tragic retreat. He was then continuously pursued by the Russian army and suffered heavy losses. During the Battle of Krasnoye, as the French troops were dispersed in various residential areas to rest and recuperate, the rearguard was divided and surrounded by the Russian troops. Ney's army at the end was almost completely wiped out. The emperor accused Davout of failing to rescue him in time and dismissed him. , was not used again until 1813 during the German campaign.

Because of this experience, Marshal Davout had strong opinions on Napoleon's handling of the situation and also criticized Ney.

Unexpectedly, more than ten years later, Ney's son would vouch for Davout's nephew in front of him. It's really interesting to think about it.

With the passing of the older generation, all the grievances and grievances of the past have disappeared with the wind, and the new generation will work hard for the cause of the new generation, and there is no need to care about the troubles of those parents anymore.

To put it into detail, they are relatives of the same empire elders, but their positions are closer.

"Alois, since you said that, then I have no other opinion." Aigron raised his hand and patted the young man on the shoulder, "Okay, I believe in Andre Davout's loyalty , I will receive him immediately."

Soon, the young man was brought to Aigron.

He is of medium build and looks to be in his early twenties. He has short hair and a vigorous and vigorous forehead. His body is not big and big, but he is also quite strong. His gestures and gestures have the characteristics of young people. The blood is strong.

Because he was tied up and bumped all the way at sea, he looked a little tired at this time, but even so, his gray eyes still showed endless energy and courage.

After seeing the young man, he suddenly stood up straight, and then looked at the young man excitedly, with a mixture of joy and sorrow on his face. "His Majesty!!"

Aiglon walked up to him and extended his hand to him cordially.

"I'm sorry for making your trip so unpleasant, Andre."

"Your Majesty..." Andre Davout seemed not to know what to say for a moment. He just repeated the title and then held the young man's hand tightly. "I finally came to you..."

"Andre, are you here on behalf of yourself or your family?" Aigron asked the most important question first.

"I'm very sorry... Your Majesty." Andre's face suddenly darkened, and then he shook his head in embarrassment, "My cousin is still young and not very interested in politics, so he didn't give me any instructions."

Napoleon-Louis Davout, the successor of Marshal Davout, was born in 1811, the same year as Aiglon, so Andre's remarks made sense.

But the main reason is definitely not age.

Of course Aigron doesn't mind this problem either. "It's okay, I understand."

"Your Majesty, please allow me to serve you!" Andre Davout said loudly to Aigron. "Although I am not a direct descendant of the marshal, I enjoy this glorious surname. I beg you to let me continue this glory. …”

"Of course I allow it, Andre." Aiglon smiled and nodded, "Your name is enough for me to recruit you, not to mention the Duke of Elchingen to guarantee your loyalty—— But, Andre, I want to know, why are you coming here now? Haven’t you heard from the Marquis of Treville before? What’s holding you back for so long?”

"I'm sorry... Your Majesty, I should have rushed here as quickly as possible and stood under your flag to serve you loyally." Andre Davout looked guilty, lowering his head and not daring to look at the young man. , "However, some unexpected events happened before, which caused me to temporarily lose contact with the outside world. In the end, I had to temporarily leave Paris and live in seclusion in the countryside... This also caused me to cut off contact with the outside world. When I returned to When I arrived in Paris, it was already too late. I managed to find out your whereabouts from the Marquis de Treville, and then rushed to you without any hesitation. Please forgive me for the delay and let me help you. Be loyal, Your Majesty!"

"So Andre, can you tell me what made you suddenly feel discouraged and run into seclusion in the countryside?" Aigron asked with interest, "I'm not doubting you, but I'm really curious. After all, There are few things that would make a young man in his prime willing to bid farewell to the prosperity of Paris and run away to live in isolation.”

Although he said that he was not cross-examining, in fact, of course he was.

After all, even with Davout's surname, it was impossible for him to place complete trust in him from the beginning.

"I...I..." To Egeron's expectation, Andre Davout suddenly blushed, with a look of shame and regret on his face.

After hesitating for a while, he finally gave up and told the truth to Aigron, "Under the instigation of my friends, I challenged a famous swordsman, but unfortunately I failed, and I failed miserably. I was very ashamed at the time. , so I said goodbye to my friends and ran to the countryside, wanting to train myself again and wait until I became stronger before challenging. However, when I returned to Paris, I heard from the Marquis of Treville that you were gathering your subordinates... …So I put down my obsession and ran over immediately without stopping.”

"You are so young, it is common for you to fail. Since the opponent is a well-known swordsman, it will not be shameful for you to lose. Why do you have to react so much?" Aigron was still a little confused.

"Because...because..." Andre Davout lowered his head, "That person is a girl, and she is younger than me. Although she is famous, I initially thought that everyone looked at her as a girl. For the sake of her, I coaxed her to let her get some fame. So I was full of confidence at the time and said some big words in front of my friends. In the end... I was defeated by her in public, although no one was in front of her. Laugh at me, but I...I am really ashamed. I left Paris in a carriage that day and went to the countryside to practice hard, hoping to restore my reputation."

That's it...Aiglon finally understood.

He tried not to smile.

"The girl you are talking about, is her name Agnes? She is the Miss Agnes de Nordlien."

Andre Davout suddenly opened his eyes in shock, looking at the young man in disbelief.

"Your Majesty! Why do you know her?"

After a pause, he suddenly realized that the daughter-in-law of the Marquis of Treville is Miss Agnes' biological sister, so it is not surprising that His Majesty has heard of her name.

"Did you hear about her from the Marquis de Treville?" he asked again.

"Yes, it's true. As for why? I don't know, it's probably fate. Anyway, I just know her." Aigron laughed. He didn't intend to tell the other party about his experience in Switzerland. "And not only do I know her, I've fought against her."

"You actually fought before..." Andre Davout was surprised again, "Then what was the result?"

"It's just a game, so we don't have a clear winner, but I think if we really have to fight hard - I can beat her, but of course it won't be easy." Aigron raised his head and answered arrogantly.

Andre Davout didn't ask any more questions, but his eyes flickered a little, and he was obviously doubtful of Aigron's words.

It seems that Agnes has left an indelible psychological shadow on him.

Perhaps for this arrogant young man, losing to a girl was too much to bear.

He remembered that Agnes seemed to have complained in front of him. Many people challenged her, but she lost and lost face, making it difficult to get off the stage - it seems that Andre was one of them.

Although he had never witnessed it with his own eyes, he could imagine how energetic Agnes was and how brilliant she was in the minds of these people.

Of course, this question is not important right now.

The important thing is that his doubts have been completely solved. Andre Davout's explanation made him believe in the other party's loyalty, that is to say - he can be absorbed into his subordinates and let him work for him like everyone else. serve.

"Okay, Andre, let's find a place for you to rest first - you have worked really hard on this journey." Aigron smiled, "Since you are serving me now, please remember to keep Being in good health so that you can be ready to fulfill the tasks I have given you is one of your highest priorities.”

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty." Andre Davout bowed to thank Aigron, and then suddenly implored him, "Besides, can I have the audacity to ask you for an honor? I just talked to Aloy After talking to Si, I learned that you conferred the title of knight on all of us as knights of your order... Can you grant me such an honor?"

"No problem, Andre, this is what you deserve in exchange for your loyalty." Aigron agreed without hesitation. "I will choose a time to announce my decision, and from then on you will be one of the honorary knights."

"Your Majesty! Thank you for granting me such an honor...I will do my best to serve you." After Andre received Aiglon's guarantee, he was so excited that he almost cried.

This kind of enthusiasm makes Aigron a little embarrassed.

"You have served me well, and I owe you all the thanks I deserve."

With his comfort, Andre Davout finally recovered from his excitement.

"By the way, if I don't have anything to do with you, you will challenge Agnes after you return to Paris as planned, right?" Agron suddenly remembered something, so he asked again, "What do you think about the current situation?" Are you sure about yourself?"

Andre Davout lowered his eyes in embarrassment, and then shook his head in embarrassment.

"Honestly... I'm not sure at all. It can even be said that the best I can do is make myself lose less ugly. But even so, I want to challenge and prove that I can restore the lost dignity, and this time I will bring I challenge her with the utmost respect so that I can make amends for the slight I have shown her."

"You are really a serious person." Aigron couldn't help but nodded approvingly, "Even if you lose, you still deserve the title of knight. But Andre, I advise you not to get hung up on this meaningless spirit. The battle is over, your will and courage should be used in a broader world."

"I respectfully follow your instructions, Your Majesty." Andre Davout bowed his head respectfully and accepted his order. "I had no one to be loyal to before. All I could do was to find my own honor in bravery and ruthlessness. , but it’s different now. I should use my blood to be loyal to you. I have also found the honor that truly belongs to me... So those things in the past are not worth mentioning to me now, and I will never do it again. You must ask for trouble."

His eyes and tone were so sincere that Aiglon was moved in his heart.

The world is so wonderful, there is filth, but there is also beauty, so it is both despised and worthy of nostalgia.

"Don't worry, since you are already under my command, your hatred is mine. If one day we can return to France, I will defeat Miss Agnes and let you all breathe a sigh of relief." Aigron took With a little joking, he said half-jokingly, "I want to let that proud lady know that it's not that there are no people in France, it's just that she was lucky enough not to meet me."

"Then I am looking forward to that day with great anticipation! Witness with my own eyes that you have regained the dignity of our French youth." André Davout also laughed, jokingly.

Then Andre Davout suddenly had an idea.

"Your Majesty, Miss Agnes is a rose with thorns, she looks gorgeous and dazzling, but once she gets close, her hands will be pricked, so she can only be seen from a distance, so we fear and hate her, but we also have With incomparable respect and admiration. After all, at a young age and as a woman, talent and hard work are indispensable to reach such a level, and she is enough to be our role model... I am afraid that only you can subdue her."

"I didn't become emperor to subjugate her." Aigron was a little dumbfounded.

After a moment, he made his expression serious again, "Of course, if she is willing, there is definitely a place for her in our knights-"

"I don't think anyone will be dissatisfied." Andre Davout not only had no objection, but nodded with deep understanding.