After Edmond Dantès brought Haidee safely back, Aigron was overjoyed.
Now, everything was ready, and all the conditions for him to realize his previous plan were ripe.
Haidee was the only living bloodline of the former Ali Pasha of Ioannina, which meant that she was the most qualified person to make a claim to the throne.
However, Haidee is only 10 years old and has already left her hometown, so there is no doubt that not many people in the local area will buy this account.
But to Aigron, this didn't matter at all, because he raised this banner just to march into Ioannina legitimately.
According to the news he has now received, the Russian Empire's army is overwhelming, pouring down like a torrent that breaks a dam, pressing towards Constantinople unstoppably.
The fact that the Tsar's troops were so sharp was bad news for Aiglon on the one hand, because the honor he had finally won began to fade, and people would see that the Tsar was the one who gave the Sudan the fatal blow; but on the other hand, On the one hand, this is also a good thing, because the Turks are now so overwhelmed that they are already in a hurry just to deal with the Tsar, and they no longer have extra energy to take care of themselves.
For the Sultan, if he had to choose between Greece and Constantinople, his choice would be the latter.
Therefore, this fight has reached the second half - the pressure faced by Egeron has become extremely small, and he can march forward boldly and expand the results.
He wanted to march into Ioannina and then find ways to expand the territory he captured - this was crucial to him.
He had never expected to compete for the throne after the independence of Greece, and according to the tacit agreement reached between him and Metternich, he could not do so.
Moreover, after Greece becomes independent, he is destined to leave this place, and in that case his influence will inevitably fade a lot, so he needs to seek a stable territory for his subordinates.
At this time, Ioannina is an excellent choice. First of all, this is a "no one's land". As long as you grab it, no one will fight for it. Secondly, he happens to have the sea. By being a figurehead, Dai avoided the suspicions that would arise from being a ruler in person.
In this way, with his order, his army began to regroup in Mesolonghion.
After this period of rest, the officers and soldiers at the top and bottom have regained their physical strength and spirit, and are full of fighting spirit again, and the troops lost in the fierce battle have gradually been replaced.
Aigron's next combat goals have been communicated to every soldier through the officers, and they are all gearing up and confident, ready to follow His Majesty to win a new victory.
However, this time, Aigron no longer plans to take the lead.
Ioannina's defense is empty, and the pressure he faces is not great. He does not need to personally hold the battle. He would rather stay in Mesolonghion where the news is smooth, so that he can contact all parties at any time, bargain, and prepare for the post-war layout. .
He plans to let Michel Ney lead the team first, with Edmond Dantès and Isaac Valleolo as the team.
Isaac Valleolo was the captain of Ali Pasha's personal guard. He was definitely the most well-known figure in the local area. As long as he stepped into the land of Ioannina, he would trumpet that Miss Haidee had returned. Greece, prepare to regain the family business.
When the general situation was decided and public opinion was mature, Aiglon took Haidee and the main force, entered Ioannina amidst cheers as a conqueror, and then turned it into his stronghold.
His overall plan had been well thought out and was immediately put into execution.
Soon, following his order, Michel Ney assembled a vanguard force under his personal command, numbering nearly three thousand people. They were assembled outside the city of Mesolonghion, ready to march at any time.
Before they set out, Aiglon held a brief departure ceremony.
Under the attention of the entire army, Aigron, dressed in military uniform, walked up to the line of officers, then took off his hat and waved to greet them.
"Warriors, I wish you all the best!"
Following his greetings, gun salutes rumbled, and the honor guard fired into the air to cheer up the advance army.
Aiglon walked past the officers, greeted them one by one, and finally came to the Count of Monte Cristo.
"Edmond... I'm really sorry. I've been pushing you around and not letting you rest for a few days." He smiled and said to Edmond Dantès, "I just sent you to Istanbul, and now I'm going to send you to Ioannina has gone."
"Your Majesty, since this is the idea I proposed, then I should find a way to realize it." Edmond Dantès replied enthusiastically, "Besides, you gave me various tasks based on your trust in me. Never let it down—"
"If everyone here was as loyal and courageous as you, would there be anything to worry about in our career?" Aigron said deeply moved.
Then, he waved, took a knighthood medal from the guard next to him, and hung it on Edmond Dantes' chest.
"This is in recognition of your previous contributions. You deserve it." Aigron made a gesture to indicate to Edmond Dantès not to be humble or refuse. "I even feel that it is not enough to reward you with it alone." ...So, when this mission is completed, I will grant you a higher honor, so that it is worthy of your outstanding contribution to us. Edmund... You have a share in my career, and I will Always remember this fact."
Aigron was not just talking about it. In fact, he had already decided that after Ioannina was pacified, he would officially declare the Count of Monte Cristo to be the nominal guardian of the Grand Duchess Ioannina, and then use the name of Haidee as the official guardian of the Grand Duchess Ioannina. He granted a small fiefdom in the future duchy so that his title would be worthy of its name.
In his hands, this once little sailor will become a real nobleman, a big shot that will go down in history.
In terms of reward, he has always been willing to spend his money, because he knows that loyalty is the most precious rarity and must be given its due reward.
Edmond Dantès was both happy and ashamed, and was speechless for a moment.
The young man in front of him had both saved his life and given him the gift of knowledge. How could he not repay the favor in a heartless manner?
"Your Majesty, your reputation will surely shock the whole of Ioannina. If anyone resists your will, we will eradicate him!" He replied in a trembling voice, "I am there, waiting for your arrival!"
"It's not just Ioannina -" Aigron raised his hand and pointed to the sky, "In the future, my reputation will be spread wherever the sky covers it."
Edmond Dantès couldn't help laughing, but he nodded heavily. "This is inevitable, Your Majesty!"
Next, he changed the topic again, "Your Majesty, please treat Haidee kindly. She is already pitiful enough..."
"Why, have you already started to perform your duties before I officially appointed you as her guardian?" Aigron asked with a smile, "Don't worry, she means a lot to us, and I don't want anything to happen to her. . As long as she is willing to be obedient and cooperate with us, she can have everything except power and live a happy and worry-free life."
Edmond Dantès felt relieved and said goodbye to Aiglon.
In this way, under the watch of Aigron, the advance team began to march towards Ioannina, and the Count of Monte Cristo also accompanied the army on the expedition to open up a new living space for His Majesty.
================================
At this time, in the city of Mesolongion, Teresa had been watching the movements of the army in the distance.
As the person closest to Aigron, she certainly knew all the details of His Highness's plan.
She knew even more that the most important part of this plan was sitting next to her.
She turned her gaze back and then looked at the young girl sitting next to her.
At this time, Haidee was looking at the French alphabet on the table in a daze, and there was a small plate next to her, and she had already finished the snacks in the plate.
Teresa smiled, then picked up the alphabet again, and then read it out to Haidee one by one again, and then urged Haidee to read it again after her.
Haidee read along with her obediently, but some syllables were obviously inaccurate, but Teresa was not in a hurry and still patiently corrected her and followed her patiently.
She is now preparing to teach Haidee French so that she can talk freely with His Highness and others in the future. Although her native language is German, Theresa has also learned French since she was a child and speaks it very proficiently, so for her, Professor Haidee had no difficulty.
For Theresa's identity, this was a bit aggrieved, as it meant that she took the initiative to work as a tutor.
It stands to reason that she is not the only one who can do this. She can find another professional tutor for Haidee. However, Teresa went to all the trouble and personally begged Agron to have Haidee and made her her own. student".
On the one hand, this is out of pity for Haidee, and she wants to let Haidee feel a little warmth in the world; on the other hand, this is also to let her pass the time.
But the more important reason is... she hopes to use this to leave an indelible influence on Haidee's heart, and then turn Haidee into her own friend——
Or comrades.
Yes, she just wants to expand her power and prestige.
After the previous confrontation, she had already seen that although the French people surrounding His Highness respected her greatly because of Aiglon's order, in their hearts, they still regarded themselves as "outsiders". ".
She knew that this was a fact, and that every foreign queen who was married to France in history would be treated this way, but she still felt aggrieved by it.
She had sacrificed so much for His Highness, and it could be said that she was sincere, but in the end, these people didn't appreciate it at all, and they still isolated her intentionally or unintentionally.
It’s just that they are ungrateful, they also deliberately picked up Agnes to cause trouble for themselves!
At the celebration banquet that night, she had already noticed that some people were deliberately lifting Agnes up to compete with her, and even deliberately making fun of herself.
How shameless and rebellious this is... That is to say, Teresa has good self-control, so she is not so angry that she loses her composure.
Although she had seen clearly in her heart, she did not make a fuss on the spot, because it was not only unseemly, but also meaningless, and would only increase everyone's dislike of her.
Besides, she didn't want to spoil the mood when everyone was happy.
So she could only choose to pretend that she was unaware of it, and treated Agnes with courtesy, minimizing the impact of the incident and not causing anything to make people laugh.
Fortunately, Miss Agnes didn't seem to know about this conspiracy, and she chose to give in very kindly, so that what Teresa was most worried about did not happen, but the anger in Teresa's heart did not dissipate.
In her opinion, whoever tries to alienate her relationship with His Highness is an unforgivable sinner.
She has made up her mind that she must show some color to these people in the future.
Moreover - if I still turn a deaf ear to such an obvious threat, wouldn't I have to be at the mercy of others in the future?
She loves His Highness and is willing to sacrifice for His Highness, but this does not mean that she, who is proud in her heart, is willing to be manipulated by a group of villains. She absolutely cannot stand this.
Since you can't get their respect and love no matter what, then let them be speechless.
To achieve your goal, it is not enough to say harsh words, you need practical actions.
She buried everything in her heart and then started to act quietly.
If she were an ordinary girl, she would probably be at a loss now. However, after all, she is a princess of the royal family, and her years of exposure and clever mind allow her to learn almost without a teacher.
Moreover, she has always been a person who is both stubborn and capable of execution. Once she makes up her mind, this seemingly innocent girl and her seemingly petite body can burst out with energy that even her parents are amazed by.
To expand your influence, you first need someone to help you, and Haidee is just such a God-given gift.
The future Grand Duchess Ioannina now respected her with great respect, and she was happy to make Haidee her best friend.
In this way, Teresa taught Haidee tirelessly with a gentle smile, and Haidee also studied seriously, and the two of them completely forgot about the passage of time.
Unconsciously, Chanel came in with a dinner plate and coffee.
"Your Highness, you have been talking for a long time. You should be tired now, right? Take a rest first," she suggested to Teresa with a smile.
"Thank you, Chanel." Teresa stopped her lecture, then picked up the coffee and took a sip to moisten her thirsty throat.
She didn't know how deeply Chanel was involved in that matter, nor how much she had deceived her, but judging from her performance that night, she was obviously more inclined to Agnes between herself and Agnes. Silk.
However, the two of them spent a lot of time together, and she also had some feelings for Chanel.
And she also believed that Chanel would never deliberately try to squeeze her out. All he wanted was to be loyal to His Highness.
From this standpoint, the two people actually stand together.
So she didn't have much hidden hostility towards Chanel.
"You should also take a break, Chanel. How about we drink coffee together and then give her a lecture later?" she suggested with a smile.
