The clouds of war loomed over the Paraguayan skies, and even Mrs. Lynch, who had no direct connection with the war, could not sleep all night for fear of her haughty lover.

Elisa Lynch had six children with López Jr.,

The eldest son, Juan Francisco López Lynchi, was killed by Brazilian soldiers during the Paraguayan War to protect his father.

The second son, Collina López Lynchi, and the youngest son, Miguel López Lynchi, died of illness because they were weak and underage.

Of the remaining three surviving children, the third son, Federico López Lynch (born in 1860), was a playboy who, by virtue of his illustrious background, ran amok in the Asunción region and was not liked by his father, López Jr.

The fourth son, Carlos López Lynch (born in 1861), was an obedient and well-behaved good boy, he followed his father's advice and entered the army to serve, but after all, he was still only a newly married Dananhai, if his father had an accident in the war, without his father to stand in front of him to protect him from the wind and rain, how could he suppress those arrogant generals and officials.

Neither son grew up to support the power of the López family, and the younger daughter, Leopoldo López Lynchi (born 1862), was again a spoiled princess with a temperament, Elisa?? Lynch couldn't imagine how they could survive in Paraguay without the protection of their lover.

Filled with worries about her lover and unpredictable fear of her future, Elisa?? Lynch tossed and turned in bed for a long time, and finally decided to be a wife (although López Jr. never had an official wedding to her). He did his best to persuade López Jr. to cancel his decision to lead the army in person.

Under the watchful eye of the maid, tidy up and put on your clothes and jewelry, and walk through the long corridor, Elisa?? Lynch came to the central hall and saw little López sitting on one side of the hall, bowing his head to deal with government affairs.

"My dear, stop dealing with those boring government affairs, I have a big matter to discuss with you."

"In two days, I will follow the Guards to the front, there are many things to deal with in the government and the army, and when I am done with today's work, I will discuss and solve your problems."

Little López treats his officers and officials cruelly and harshly, but when he gets along with his lover and children, he is patient and tolerant like an ordinary husband and father.

"No, Francisco, that's what I'm going to say to you, please, Francisco, for the sake of my love affair with the children, stay in Asunción in peace, and don't bother with the damned rebellion on the front!"

Mrs. Lynch looked excited, grabbed little López's right hand, and pleaded sincerely: "My dear, your health has not been very good for the past two years, and now it has been raining heavily outside, if you are on the way to lead the army to fight, your condition worsens, what should I do with our children!"

Please, is it okay not to go to the front? The Kingdom of Paraguay, with so many brave and warlike generals, and they commanding soldiers in Mato Grosso, could not solve the problem of Indian rebellion? ”

"Not the same, Elisa, what if, Harold?? Peterson (commander of the 2nd Division of the Paraguayan Army) was able to resolve the Indian rebellion in a timely manner. I would also not have made the decision to go to the front in person. ”

Little Lopez stood up and walked around the ornately decorated white jade desk, walked to Mrs. Lynch's side, and reassured: "My body has almost recovered, and I will take Dr. Doug with me on this trip, and there will be no problems on the way." ”

Little López saw the deep worry in Mrs. Lynch's eyes, and after patiently reassuring the other party a few times, continued: "The rebellion of the Indians is only a small problem, and when I and the Guards of the Kingdom arrive in Mato Grosso do Sul, I believe that the rebellion will be resolved soon, and you and the children do not need to worry about my physical safety, and you and the children will stay in the palace safely, and when I return, Elisa, I promise you that I will make up a formal wedding for you." ”

"Francisco, what you say is true?"

Suddenly hearing a message that she had never dreamed of hearing, Mrs. Lynch could not believe it for a moment.

"Yes, Elisa, I promise you that after returning from the front, by the end of this year at the latest, I will definitely give you a grand wedding, and I will make you the queen of all Paraguayan people, and I will make you the happiest woman in Paraguay."

López Jr. made a solemn promise: "Our children, Carlos will be made the crown prince of the Kingdom of Paraguay, and Federico and Leopoldo will also become the princes and princesses of the Kingdom of Paraguay." ”

Unexpected surprise filled his eyes, and the initial anxiety caused by the fear of his lover's safety was quickly filled with happiness after hearing the promise of little López.

The surprise was mixed with happiness, coupled with the fact that she had just seen Lopez Jr.'s energetic and free movement, Mrs. Lynch's worry about López Jr.'s physical condition was much lower.

"Honey, you must protect your body, if, I mean, the probability is very low, if you feel unwell, you must return to Asunción immediately!"

"Rest assured, I assure you that if I have any problems with my health, I will return to Asunción immediately."

repeatedly made reassurances and sent away the chattering lover, the body that little López was holding strongly, as if he had suffered a heavy blow from the disease, and in the next moment, it suddenly became serious.

The ruddy face became pale, and if you looked closely, you could see a hint of puffiness, and the straight back had to bend slightly downward because of the pain in the body.

The hands of the green muscles were on the desk, but they still couldn't stop twitching and trembling.

The guards who were close to Lopez Jr. noticed his abnormality and quickly took out the medicine prepared by Dr. Doug and helped Lopez Jr. drink it.

After drinking the medicine and sitting on the chair for more than 20 minutes, when the sweat on his head evaporated and disappeared, Xiao López's pale face slowly returned to normal.

Little López is old, born in 1827, he has just passed his 62nd birthday this year, his black hair has become gray, and the original half of the white appearance on his face has also been polished by the years, showing more yellow characteristics.

The years have corrupted little López's body, but it has not been able to extinguish his fanatical and stubborn spirit! Dragged just a little recovered body. Little López leaned on a baton and walked over to a huge portrait of a human body on the wall.

The figure in the portrait is the French Emperor Napoleon, the younger López admired Napoleon very much, and always regarded him as his idol, so when he visited Europe as the state representative of Paraguay in his early years, he bought this portrait with a lot of money, and then brought it back to Paraguay and hung it in his place where he often lived.

From the outbreak of the Paraguayan War to the invasion of the Urmaita Fortress, the portrait of Emperor Napoleon accompanied the little López through the most difficult period, recalling the arduous defensive battle of the Ummeta Fortress, when many officers, generals and even the little López himself fell into despair, it was the portrait of Napoleon that gave the little López the faith to stick to, encouraged him to persevere, and then finally waited for the Chinese labor rebel led by Li Mingyuan to enter the battle! Won!

At the end of May 1889, in the late autumn of this flood and heavy rain,

López Jr. can look back with satisfaction on the long journey that has come over the past 62 years.

He led the weak Paraguay to win the attack of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

He crushed the British challenge to his country's independence, and struck down and arrested many traitors who secretly sought to subvert his regime.

And just as López Jr. thinks he has achieved,

There is no less unfinished business left behind, and the vast land is plentiful and eager for people to cultivate it.

The ignorant and ignorant Paraguayan people are unable to grasp their great ideas and raise their minds to a level predetermined by a mysterious fate.

López Jr. has always cherished lofty career ideals;

Even if he used intimidation, force suppression, violent detention and other means to drive the people, it was for the strength and rise of the country.

Regardless of the real facts and truths, Lopez Jr. thinks so anyway and never doubted it. He can't let the lofty ideals of little López fall because of his serious illness, he has to lead the army and people of Paraguay to quell the hateful Indian rebellion, defeat the external enemy, and win the final victory for the Kingdom of Paraguay! Remove obstacles for the next generation of the López family and leave Carlos with a strong empire! Just like his father did to pave the way for him to take power in Paraguay.

In order to quell the Indian rebellion, López Jr. made intensive arrangements, and the next morning, Mariano, the commander of the first regiment of the Paraguayan Guards, who was scheduled to leave, was in full swing. Colonel Alonso, Lieutenant Colonel Mandeeli, commander of the cavalry battalion, Major Calires, commander of the artillery battalion, Major Belgorod, commander of the engineer battalion, and the remaining units of the Paraguayan Guard, the 1st Brigade of the Paraguayan Army, and other key officers and government officials gathered in the central hall of the palace.

"Tomorrow morning, the 1st Guards Regiment, the Cavalry Battalion, the Engineer Battalion and other units will set out for the front line to quell the rebellion, and the remaining units of the Guards and the 1st Brigade of the Army will be taken over by Carlos.

Jose?? Count de Cod, General Enrique, after I leave Asunción, I hope that you will assist Carlos in the affairs of the rear and the garrison of Asunción. ”

Prime Minister López Jr. named Lieutenant General Enrique, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Paraguay and Commander of the Guards.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The two straightened up and answered loudly.

"The arrest and interrogation of the traitors in the city will continue after I leave Asunción!

Carlos, I'll leave this matter to you! After the meeting, Mariano?? Colonel Alonso will follow my instructions and hand over the work to you. ”

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will do as you instruct."

Carlos, as the illegitimate son of López Jr., was brought to the central hall for the first time and was given the power to manage and deal with the traitors in the Asunción garrison.

This fancy of my father is undoubtedly to cultivate him as the heir of the kingdom, so even if last night, I received my father's decision to promise to make myself the heir from my mother in advance, and I really heard the news that the power was in hand, Carlos?? López still can't help but feel all kinds of excitement and excitement in his heart.

The López family is not an orthodox European royal family, and does not overly value the tradition of succession, and his father López Jr. did not rely on the identity of the eldest son before taking over the power of his grandfather, but the importance of the old López and the power in his hands, as long as he has power in his hands, even if his brother has the advantage of succession, it is impossible to shake his position.

López Jr. took Carlos to the central hall in person, and gave his son the power to manage the affairs of Asunción on his behalf, and also had a kind of paving the way for his son, hinting to everyone that he intended to make Carlos his heir.

After the son's appointment was successfully approved, and none of the officials and officers present raised objections, Lope Jr. then began to deploy the follow-up arrangements.

"The rebellion within the kingdom and the rampant treason are inseparable from the infiltration and agitation of the Han side! The surveillance of the Han Legation must be further strengthened, and there must be no turmoil in the rear caused by the intervention of the Han side after I leave! ”

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, the Guards will once again transfer a company of troops to the surveillance and investigation of the Han Legation!"

The commander of the Guards stated himself.

"The hateful Han Orientals are the leaders who cause the turmoil in the kingdom, and many stupid and ignorant citizens have only developed the shameful act of plotting to betray the country after listening to the bewitchment of the Han people! For these idiots! Death and the grave are their most important destinations! ”

López Jr. was so stubborn that he blamed the failure of the Paraguayan government's governance on the Han side.

After his rebuke of the Han kingdom was published, he deliberately showed his leniency and mercy: "Foolish traitors are not worthy of forgiveness, but those women and children who have been implicated by their foolish actions, if it is found that they have not participated in the shameful plans of their husbands and fathers, relieve them of their guilt and, after a period of detention, let them out." ”

"Those poor women and children will surely thank Your Majesty for his kindness and forgiveness."

Little López's performance ended, and the officials and officers in the hall cooperated in a timely manner.

"They are also nationals of Paraguay, and as their monarch, it is my responsibility to guide them on the right path."

López Jr. positioned himself as the dominant and controlling of Paraguay's subjects, and with a simple word of understatement, the fate of thousands or even tens of thousands of women and children was determined.

Ending the topic of dealing with the rebels, López Jr. turned his attention to the rebellion in the state of Sulto Grosso.

"The number of Indian rebel forces in Mato Grosso do Sul and in the area of the western Chaco plain has exceeded 10,000 people. General Peterson and his 2nd Division's more than 8,000 soldiers suffered serious attrition due to heavy rain, disease, battle losses and other factors, according to the latest information from Lieutenant General Harold Peterson. The number of soldiers still in combat capability of the Second Division dropped to 5,000, and heavy rains and flooding blocked the supply and communication channels between the Second Division and the Third Division stationed in Puerto Casado.

In view of the current situation in Mato Grosso do Sul, I decided to transfer the main forces of the navy to form a transport and supply fleet, first connecting the water passages along the Concepción and Puerto Casado, and then changing the land route to enter the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, where I would merge with the troops of the Second Division to replenish their ammunition and supplies. ”

"Your Majesty, due to the heavy rain, the waters of the Paraguay River are windy and turbulent, and the transport fleet is driving on the water, and it is likely that there will be an accident due to bad weather."

Commander of the Paraguayan Naval Fleet, who actually undertook the task of defending the water routes in the Paraguayan basin. Jose?? Major General Falcon reminded in a loud voice.

"More than 80% of the Kingdom's important mineral resources are located in the newly recovered southern regions of Mato Grosso do Sul and Goiás, and although the natural weather is bad, if the situation in Mato Grosso do Sul continues to be turbulent or spreads to the southern part of Goiás, the losses suffered by the Royal Government will be multiplied, and the situation in Mato Grosso do Sul must be effectively contained within two months!

The supply of ammunition and supplies to the front-line troops must also be restored as soon as possible.

A little bad weather isn't a big deal! According to the predetermined plan, assemble the transport fleet and set off tomorrow! ”

López Jr. clarified the urgency of quelling the Indian rebellion and immediately issued a mandatory departure order to the naval transport fleet.