"It's unseemly!" King Philip complained to his "cousin Edgar".

The Bishop of Cambrai, who was still stranded in Italy, was not allowed to return to his seat because of his position, and Emperor Henry actually recognized the autonomous representatives of the local people as the host of the meeting, which was nothing but self-talk in Philip's eyes.

"My dear cousin, don't you know the habits of the Teutons? Trust me, toasting to a bunch of vendors is just the smallest thing we need to face next. ”

"I don't understand why I've come here at your behest - you should know that the Normans are flocking to Italy, clamoring like a fever to conquer Constantinople - and I can do many more important things at such a time than endure the arrogance of a Germanic emperor in this swampy bazaar."

Edgar had been fascinated by the town for a long time, and the real reason was that Cambrai was the headquarters of the Duke of Wellington's coalition occupation after the Battle of Waterloo. In his previous life, his army grew up under the influence of the magnificent Napoleonic Wars, and he was naturally familiar with this place that symbolized Britain's conquest of the French nation.

King Philip's grumbling continued until he officially entered Cambrai, where the king's "inferior" greetings the kings of France and England into their glorious cities, the fluttering banners and ribbons on their spears made the spectacle extraordinarily grand, and Edgar glanced at King Philip, whose intoxicated expression almost made him laugh out loud.

He remembered the memories of an English soldier he had read in his previous life, hundreds of years later in Cambrai, which by then belonged to the territory of France, and where its people had also welcomed a king.

The letter of the English soldier says: You must have seen in the newspapers the pomp of Louis XVIII entering Cambrai, a town to whom he was allegiant, how the people who loved him welcomed his king, how the best monarch wept for the suffering of his beloved people, how the castle was full of joys for the wisest of kings, and how the most devout Christian king entered without a single soldier...... But the newspapers will not report on the appearance of the 4th Division of our army and a brigade of the "Hanoverian Hussars" in red uniform, standing by half a mile from this "allegiance town" - if loyal French citizens dare to insult their king, we may be able to deal with everyone with bayonets on the spot. The people are well aware of this......

Edgar didn't know how sincere the people's welcome was at the moment, but at least they didn't need bayonets to threaten them. In his previous literature, medieval monarchs were ridiculous images of hens and ducks marching through the countryside, waiting for peasants to hand in eggs one by one, and the scene is at least more decent, although the horse manure along the way makes the streets smell unpleasant.

Emperor Henry came to greet the two kings on behalf of the former Archbishop of Milan, and it is perhaps for this reason that Madame Matilda, representing the Pope, was not present. King Philip quietly avoided the Roman priest's salute, dismounted, and entered with the King of England into the wreath-sprinkled hall.

"Holy Augustus crowned by God, Your Majesty Henriquez!" A sound accompanied by a swan-like trombone pierced through the stone pillars, and King Philip muttered, and Edgar glanced at Godfrey de Bouillon, a Boulogne man who seemed nervous.

A sharp-eyed young man appeared in front of Edgar from among the velvet-clad nobles, the other party was tall, with a thin face, lips as powerful as a knife, and a beard like Mars, the god of war in ancient sculptures, Edgar felt a familiar atmosphere, a kind of intimacy caused by a military temperament in him.

As Edgar expected, the only theme of such a diplomatic occasion was solemnity, and the other meaning was boredom, and he and Philip completed their duties like mime performers, and then handed over the real work to their respective men.

The nobles of the three parties had already begun negotiations on the subject of the meeting, and Edgar did not feel that he could discuss the complicated question of succession law with the Teuton-accented Emperor Henry, who was confirming another matter with the Bishop of Canterbury.

"The person next to the emperor is the former Archbishop of Ravenna?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. We had met once in Rome, and his attendant had just told me last evening that he wished to meet us alone. ”

Edgar groaned, what he had expected had happened, and then it was up to him to see how the negotiations would turn out, and he remembered that Madame Matilda, who had not been seen to-day, and perhaps she had already known something.

The King of England passed through a corridor and was guided by a squire to a door, and he pushed it open, and suddenly he smelled a strong smell of rosemary.

"I'm sorry......" he instinctively apologized, and by this time he could already see that it was a woman's bedroom.

"If it weren't for this crown, I would have almost taken His Majesty as an intruder." A noblewoman turned back from the dressing table, her long loose hair curled slightly, and Edgar could see through her shawl the curves covered in pale yellow silk.

"I'm really unwell, and besides, I don't like to be false with the enemy, so Your Majesty probably doesn't know me." Her expression was a little blurry, but Edgar could tell from the dim candlelight that the other person's makeup was very delicate, which was a little strange, as the woman was clearly dressed to rest.

"Venerable Tuscan lady, Madame Matilda of Canossa, are we now officially introduced?" If he couldn't see the other party's identity again, Edgar felt that he would be ridiculed.

"Your Majesty's requirements for formality are really not high." Matilda's voice seemed to have a hint of mockery.

In fact, this Italian noblewoman was also a little surprised at this time, in her imagination, the appearance of the king of England was a different picture: the barbarian king with long hair and beard, the uncivilized northern warrior was all her previous impressions, and the young monarch in front of her had blond hair hanging down to her shoulders, his beard was very neatly trimmed, and the edges of his white robe were embroidered with golden arabesques. This is perhaps the common perception of all those who first met the King of England - the 11th century people did not fully understand Edgar's 19th-century gentlemanly and military temperament, which was a special feeling of self-discipline and arrogance, which came from the elegant and self-satisfied formalism of the 18th-century high society, and the life of a gentleman was like a parade of guards cavalry, a way of life formed by high social expectations, which was at some times suitable to attract naïve maidens.

"Madame, if you wish, perhaps we can wait for you to get dressed more and give you a 'formal' introduction, though that would be a bit cruel to me." Edgar replied.

"Is Your Majesty flirting with me?" Madame Matilda's tone seemed slightly annoyed.

"It is the duty of a nobleman to please a noble lady, even at the risk of being misunderstood." Edgar replied half-truthfully, "But I think that this time Madame's enemies may not include me......"

She tucked her shawl in front of her, lightly bound the silk silk with her fingers, to avoid the embarrassment of the satin shirt continuing to be exposed, and then replied seriously: "Although I don't know if Your Majesty is trustworthy, I will definitely remember these words." ”