As Aiglon said, he raised a finger and shook it slightly.
His reply surprised Queen Ortense.
Then, she smiled bitterly, "Why, does our Majesty still want to imitate the church and collect tithes?"
"If you want to do big things, you will always need money, Madam." Aigron also replied with a wry smile, "You are family members. If you are not willing to contribute to this great cause, then how can our supporters have any reason to do so?"
What about giving up everything they have?”
Originally, Aigron planned to ask for more from his relatives, at least one-fifth, but now asking for one-tenth was the number he lowered after hesitation.
He didn't think this was a big deal. After all, without Napoleon, how could any of these relatives have a large amount of wealth? Napoleon's brothers and sisters had been driven out of Corsica at that time, and they were probably not even small landowners;
And weren’t Josephine and her two children almost like bereaved dogs at that time?
Everything they owned was obtained directly or indirectly from Napoleon.
Therefore, as the heir to the empire, he has the right to ask for sponsorship for the restoration of the empire.
But firstly, Queen Otangsi had a very happy conversation with him when they met for the first time, which made him feel the other's respect and love for him; secondly, now in front of his two cousins, he didn't
The good lion opened his mouth, so he temporarily lowered his requirements for her.
Of course, people can't have the same thoughts. Aiglon thinks it's less, but Hortense doesn't think so.
She hesitated visibly.
"Mom, we need your support." At this time, Charlie, who had been silent, also spoke, "We have done something that shocked the whole of Europe. Now we have no way out. Either we succeed or we die.
Being a rat in the gutter, I don’t want to be the latter... Please contribute to the great cause of the rejuvenation of our family. Your Majesty and we will never forget your help to us. When we succeed, we will definitely
I will repay your kindness ten times and a hundred times!"
Looking at Aiko's expectant eyes, Aotangsi was a little confused.
"Madam, I will not force you to make a decision. I just ask you as the heir and patriarch of the family to do your part for the cause of the entire family. This family has never treated you badly in the past. It made you a princess.
With the queen, you have lived a wealthy life that you didn't even dare to imagine when you were a child. Even if it fails, the embers you left behind allow you to live in seclusion here leisurely. I'm going too far - everything you have,
It's all given by this family, and accordingly you share weal and woe with this family." Aigron looked at the other party and persuaded seriously, "I have already decided since I escaped, and I will not unconditionally go to Yourong like my father.
To please the members of the family, I will only share family ties with those who are proven to love this family... Undoubtedly you can refuse my request, but your choice will determine our future relationship."
"So, what will be the consequences if I refuse?" Ortense asked.
"If you refuse, then I will still be grateful for your hospitality today, but from now on we will be passers-by. Regardless of whether I succeed or not, you can no longer speak to the outside world in the name of a member of the Bonaparte family. I will not admit that someone has abandoned our family.
People are still considered relatives." Aiglon replied flatly, "Of course, if you show due loyalty today, then I will treat you as my closest relative, and you have a share in the great cause of the empire. In other words
It is said that you have obtained the highest level of redemption rights with a very small investment. Maybe I can't let you become the Queen of the Netherlands again, but Paris will open its arms to you again, and everyone will kneel in front of you again, everything
It’s like the old days all over again!”
Aiglon's tone and expression were very contagious, but Queen Hortons just smiled bitterly in her heart. No matter how nice Aiglon's words were, what was the difference between them and a blank check?
She has stayed in Paris since the peak of the Revolution, in the eye of the storm in Europe and even the world. She has witnessed all the bloodshed and the miraculous rise of Napoleon. After experiencing so many storms, how could she easily
Are you so moved by a few words from a young man that you forget everything?
She has heard too much of the rhetoric of the members of the National Assembly!
But... looking at the earnest eyes of her son and nephew, she did not refuse in the end.
After all, if you break up with them all, what's the point of keeping all your money?
It's better to just follow their wishes and see what these kids can do. Even if they really accomplish nothing in the end, so what?
"Well, since you mentioned it this way, I have no reason to disagree." Her expression became solemn, and then she nodded slightly, looking at the young man with expectant eyes, "I
Your Majesty, I wish you success."
good sign!
On the first night after escaping, he got an investment. This good news made Aigron feel relieved.
It seems that my career is really auspicious.
"Thank you for your generosity." He bowed and thanked his aunt, "I will do my best to repay you. You have proved that you have lived up to his love-"
As he said this, he raised his hand and pointed to the portrait of Napoleon on the wall, "I promise you, I will love you as much as he does."
"Forcing me on a nervous fool like he did?" Queen Hortense glanced at him, but it was obvious that she was joking.
Then, she looked at her two sons.
"You two are now obsessed with ambition. In this case, I won't advise you. Anyway, you won't listen to anything I say. I just want to remind you - you are my last nostalgia in the world.
No matter what, save your own life first, otherwise I won’t know how to survive!”
"I will, mom." The two cousins agreed repeatedly.
But Queen Hortense just sighed in her heart.
She lowered her head and meditated silently, and finally let out a sigh of relief, "Your Majesty, most of the assets I own now are real estate and jewelry. I guess you don't need them. Can you give me some time to realize these things?"
"Absolutely, ma'am, I'm not in a hurry. You can handle it slowly in a way you think is appropriate, as long as it doesn't take too long." Aigron replied quickly.
"Aren't you afraid that I will secretly hide my assets and only pay you one-twentieth or even less?" Queen Ortense asked with a smile.
"If you want to do this, I can't help it." Aigron shrugged with a wry smile, "But I think you can't bear to deceive me."
"Oh, I really can't bear it when I see this look." Queen Ortense smiled and stretched out her hand to stroke his hair, "You are very good at stimulating women's sympathy. Have you ever been in Austria?
Are there any romantic debts?"
Although Hortense was just teasing, Aigron's heart skipped a beat, and he was speechless for a moment, and the smile on his face froze.
Seeing his reaction, Queen Hortons was a little strange at first, but then she thought of something.
"Oh, you are such a cruel child. You have made too many people sad now."
She kindly did not pursue the question, but took the initiative to change the subject, "I estimated that if the value of my residence is also included, my total wealth now is about three million francs. Alas,
This is all I have left from the ashes of the empire... For one-tenth, I will give you three hundred thousand - I hope this can bring you some help."
Personally speaking, three hundred thousand francs is definitely a lot of money, enough to allow ordinary people to live a worry-free life; but for the so-called restoration dream, this little money is not even a drop in the bucket.
It is impossible to maintain the operation of a large organization if it is used as activity funds.
But even so, Aigron was full of gratitude to Queen Hortense.
"I can't thank you enough... I will remember that you helped me when I needed it most."
"Give me some time, I will raise so much cash as soon as possible and hand it over to you personally." Queen Ortense hugged the young man gently again, "This is the last help I can give you."
Aigron also reached out and hugged her, thanking her for the help she gave him.
"Okay, we've been dragging it out for a long time again, and now I'm really sleepy..." After hugging for a while, Queen Ortense yawned, "I'm going to bed, and you guys should take a shower as well."
Then rest."
Then, she bowed and saluted Aigron, then turned and returned to her bedroom.
All the shock and emotion she experienced tonight were forgotten by her, and she soon fell asleep again.
Under the leadership of the maid, Aigron and others took a good wash, and then were taken to different rooms to sleep. Chanel also followed Aigron to the bedroom.
"Her Majesty the Queen is so elegant and kind!" After the maid left and only two people were left in the room, Chanel couldn't help but sigh, "Only after experiencing so many things like her can I be as cute as her.
"
Chanel seems to have been impressed by Queen Ortense and made no secret of her admiration for her.
"She is indeed much easier to talk to than I thought. I got the sponsorship from her without any effort, which is really surprising." Aigron also nodded, agreeing with the other person's view, "But if the empire hadn't ended at that time
, her view of me may not be the same as it is today..."
Chanel was about to ask why, but soon figured it out.
Napoleon married Hortense's mother Josephine, but Josephine was unable to give birth to a son. Napoleon thought it was because of his poor health, so he pinned his hope of giving birth to an heir on his younger brother Louis.
In order to achieve this goal, he married his adopted daughter Hortense and Louis, and the two soon gave birth to three sons one after another. However, the couple had a very bad relationship with each other. They were considered a pair of resentful couples, and they only stayed together because of political interests.
This is just a marriage.
But God always likes to joke. Later, Napoleon divorced Josephine and married a Habsburg princess. As a result, he soon gave birth to a son, so this son became the heir. Hortense's sons no longer enjoyed
The inheritance of the empire——
In other words, Ortense has been teased once in her entire life, and it is impossible to say that she has no resentment in her heart.
But now that the empire is over and the "right to inherit the throne" has become an illusion, there is nothing to complain about.
The grudges and grudges of the past have been burned by the fire, burned into phantoms and floating in the air, and there is no need to worry about them anymore.
fair enough.
"Your Majesty, are you unhappy now?" Looking at Aiglon's silent contemplation, Chanel couldn't help but ask. "Is it because Her Majesty the Queen just mentioned... mentioned that lady?"
Aiglon frowned and did not answer.
"If you feel guilty, you can write something to her." Chanel paused, then said cautiously, "Although she will definitely not be able to receive your personal letter, you can publish it in Austria under the name Memmingen.
She will definitely be able to see it in the newspaper..."
"Okay." Aigron interrupted her.
Then, he looked out the window, "I don't have the time to do this now, Chanel. You are not a man, so you can't understand my thoughts... Let me tell you, if I do nothing, I would like to disappear from the world.
Not to mention contacting her, only after I made a performance that satisfied myself did I feel that I had the face to contact her. Even though I felt guilty, I had to grit my teeth and endure it, otherwise I would have to run away from her.
What’s the point?”
When Chanel saw Aigron's answer, she could only sigh in her heart.
She had already experienced the pride and stubbornness in her little master's bones. Normally she would have kept silent, but this time she still had the courage to continue speaking.
"Your Majesty, although I have been at her command, she has never been my master. My loyalty has always belonged only to the Bonaparte family and has never changed. I have only served her once, and this relationship has long been
It's over. Now she is just a foreign lady to me. Although she has a noble status, she has nothing to do with me." Chanel looked at Aigron and said with enthusiasm, "But even so, I...
I am still very grateful to her because of her care for you. Although I did not see your farewell with my own eyes, I can imagine her sadness, so I beg you to give her news as soon as possible, even if you are safe.
It will make her feel a lot more at ease. I think she cares more about your safety than what great achievements you have accomplished."
"Stop talking!" Aiglon interrupted her again.
"Okay, I'll stop here." Chanel obeyed the order this time.
Then, she approached the young man.
Because she had just taken a bath, her whole body was completely renewed, her skin was white and translucent again, and it also carried the fragrance of essence. Even her golden hair shone in the candlelight because of the remaining water droplets.
"Your Majesty, if you feel lonely, I can also comfort you..." she said timidly. "As long as you order, I can obey your call at any time."
After she finished speaking, her face felt feverish and she didn't dare to stay any longer. She turned and left the room, leaving the young man stunned and dumbfounded.