In the past, the Metternich mansion was always brightly lit and full of the grandeur of the imperial capital, but recently, the mansion, which once enjoyed the world's attention and glory, has quietly withdrawn from its former prosperity, there are no new parties, no new laughter, the usual routine banquets have been canceled, and the younger generation of children have been sternly warned by their parents not to participate in celebratory activities, and even invite friends to the house.

The house, which had never seen night, was now as silent as a deserted garden, and everyone was careful, the servants were worried, the Metternich were worried, and the outsiders, who were not able to get close to the family.

However, after many days of thanksgiving, the Metternich finally welcomed a new guest.

Despite the fact that it was already night, and it was so dark that it was impossible to see the road under his feet, Franz insisted that the servants would not light up the garden lights, and stood at the dark gate waiting for the guests. It was a world away from the situation he had had received with the Jericho siblings, when the Metternich Mansion was so splendid that he could have imagined that one day they would have to be careful about lighting up.

A carriage stopped silently in front of the door, and although the light was dim, Franz recognized the coat of arms on the carriage immediately. He told the servants to go back to the house, inform the Marquis of Metternich, and at the same time tell the others to open the door and welcome the guests in.

The coachman stepped out of the carriage and opened the door for the owner, and a white robe slowly floated out of the carriage, and with a light step, the appearance of the guest slowly appeared in front of Franz. The white felt hat looked a little funny, and if it had been a few days ago, wearing such a hat would have been hot and sweaty. Compared with the strange hat, the white and flowing robe is a good expression of Hadrian's traditional elegance, elegant and peaceful, looking more like a scholar than a diplomat or politician who makes a career out of intrigue.

"Omaidadu. The guest, dressed in Hadrian's traditional attire, smiled as he approached Franz, who folded his hands to his chest and saluted him in the ancient Polis manner, "It was a pleasure to meet you, Monsieur Metternich." ”

Franz also smiled professionally and returned the same courtesy. As a diplomat, even if he did not work in a ministry dedicated to Hadrian's empire, Franz knew some of the etiquette commonly used by this ancient and arrogant people. "Omaidadu" is their greeting, but it is generally not used for people who meet for the first time, it has both the meaning of respect and the meaning of nostalgia.

Franz had never been to Hadrian's empire, and since he had no chance of dealing with the Hadrians, they had met for the first time, so naturally there was nothing old to talk about with this guest. After thinking about it for a moment, thinking that the other party deliberately wore the traditional costume of the Hadrians, Franz probably knew the other party's intentions.

Is he alluding to Hadrian's position? And he also uses "Omaidadu" instead of "Haqadadu", which must also be an indirect expression.

Secretly speculating about the other party's meaning, Franz still maintained a kind smile on his face, although because of the dim light, neither side could not look at each other's expressions.

"Grandfather is already waiting inside," Franz opened his arms and made a "please" gesture, "but he is not very well, so please bear with me." ”

"I've heard about the Marquis of Metternich before. The guest restrained his smile and changed to a somber color, "I hope Your Excellency the Marquis can take care of yourself, he is an indispensable and important person in your country!"

This sentence fell to Franz's ears and sounded more or less sarcastic. The Marquis of Metternich had been placed in the idle post of Minister of the Seals for many years, but the other party used this sentence to ridicule, which made Franz feel a little angry in his heart. However, he remained silent on the surface, and although this sentence sounded uncomfortable, Franz also figured out some key points from it.

It seems that these Hadrians are still the same as before, wanting to show their superiority and fear of offending others...... They should still be holding grudges about the shame their grandfather gave them ten years ago, but even if they have the opportunity now, they only dare to taunt from the side, and dare not say it directly.

"Thank you for your kindness, my grandfather and I will be grateful. Franz smiled slightly, but gritted his teeth in his heart, "Please come with me." ”

Franz led Hadrian's guests all the way through the hall to the bedroom of the Marquis de Metternich. Since the return of that cabinet meeting, the old marquis's health has become more and more deteriorating, and these days, the Marquis of Metternich has been lying in bed, and his spirit has deteriorated, and he is always alone looking at the ceiling and losing his mind for no reason.

Regarding the old marquis's physical condition, the entire Metternich family is worried, after all, the glory and wealth of the Metternich family are now supported by the old marquis alone. Therefore, for the health of the Marquis of Metternich, they hired a doctor, and all kinds of expensive medicines were used, but the Marquis was not well, he was always sick, and the worst thing was that even the Marquis himself seemed to have lost hope of recovery, and since these days, he has become more and more depressed, and he is no longer heroic when he coerced Hadrian to sign the "Treaty of Stromboley".

When Franz knocked on the door, Hadrian's guests were presented with such an old man who was almost dying. The Marquis of Metternich was lying on his bed, and when he saw the guest coming, his grey eyes shone slightly, but the light was fleeting.

"Your Excellency the Marquis," the guest took the initiative to take the hand of the Marquis of Metternich, although for the Hadrians, the Marquis of Metternich must have been remembered in their annals as a very bad image, but in all fairness, he was indeed an outstanding figure of the times, so even if the guests were from the position of the Hadrians, they were willing to offer true respect on this occasion, "Please take care of your health, no matter what, the body is the most important thing!"

The Marquis nodded weakly, then he looked at his grandson and said weakly, "Take that pillow and raise it a little higher, I can't lie down like this and talk to Minister Pomeles." ”

Franz immediately took the pillow that the marquis had asked for from the sofa beside him, put it on his grandfather's back, and let the old marquis lean on the soft pillow and half-sit up.

"Mr. Minister, please take a seat. Franz moved a chair and invited Minister Pomeles to sit down. After thanking him, the minister sat down and looked at each other face to face with the Marquis of Metternich.

The Marquis of Metternich half-squinted, and the Hadrian in front of him had a clean face and no beard, which was also the face of an adult man who paid attention to the national standard of elegance. Because he was dressed in Hadrian's traditional attire, Minister Pomeles was very conspicuous, and when he was at the door just now, even if there was no light around, his white clothes could make people see him in the dark.

The Marquis of Metternich remembered the situation in his Hadrian capital of Isconding ten years ago, when the old marquis faced with Hadrian's diplomats in such a costume, holding his head high to show his arrogance, and trembling under the intimidation of the Cyliar Empire and the Marquis of Metternich. And now, I saw this dress again, but the situation was reversed, those Hadrian diplomats wore it because they no longer had any national position other than clothes, and today Minister Pomeles wears this dress because they no longer need the traditional national position except clothes.

However, he probably also has some meaning to be angry about what happened back then. The old marquis thought to himself that he was not secretly angry in his heart like Franz, after all, he was an experienced old diplomat, and would not make such a childish mistake.

"It's really hard for you to come to see me," the old marquis sighed, and behaved very embarrassed, "It is said that the Duke of Fu is not as good as the incumbent Earl, and now that he has resigned from the post of Minister of the Seal, those former friends have completely forgotten about me." ”

Minister Pomeles smiled slightly, he naturally would not take the marquis's words seriously, with the remaining power of the Metternich family for many years, there should be many people who want to test the truth of the marquis at this time, and now the appearance of the Metternich family is completely because they have been thanking guests during this time, not because no one has come to visit the Marquis of Metternich.

"Don't worry too much, your country has encountered a lot of things during this time, your friends are in high positions, naturally they are not idle, and after a while, they will naturally come. ”

Franz, who was standing on one side, turned his eyes sideways and glanced vaguely at Minister Pomeles. Isn't the chaos in the empire all caused by you Hadrians?" he thought to himself.

"I hope so—" the old marquis sighed again, and seemed not fully confident in it, "alas—if it weren't for this old bone, how could I lie idly in this hospital bed when my country was in danger!"

Minister Pomeles still had a smile on his face, but he did frown in his heart. If you're still alive, how can I come to you? He thought in his heart that the Hadrian Empire hated and feared the Marquis of Metternich, and every time he thought of the scene when the Marquis humiliated the entire empire in the palace of kings in Iscontine, Hadrians were so angry that their teeth itched, but there was nothing they could do.

"If you are not in good health now, you should naturally take care of your illness and not hurt your body because of too much worry. Minister Pomeles said with a look of concern, "However, I am deeply admired for your concern for the country, and I would like to ask you for a little favor without any expense." ”

As Minister Pomeles changed his words, Metternich knew that the key was coming.

"We know that since the Silesian War ten years ago, your country has regarded Hadrian as our greatest rival on the continent, but it seems to me that this is completely unnecessary. Minister Pomeles spoke as if it were true, and there seemed to be a real emotion between his eyebrows, but because his expression was so similar, the Marquis of Metternich did not believe him, "Hadrian and Cyliar are both pillars of the Orthodox Church, and we should join hands against the heretics of Mahdia, and the brotherly wall is completely undermining our own strength." At present, Mahdia has invaded the Kingdom of Leon, and His Majesty the Emperor of our country is also very worried about the difficulties of the religion, if it were not for the fact that the empire is too far away from the Badajoz Peninsula to be beyond the reach of the whip, we will immediately send troops to defend the religion. ”

Franz, who was standing on one side, turned his head and pouted, the words of Minister Pomeles were so false that he could not listen to them anymore. However, although the other party's hypocrisy is very disgusting, the meaning revealed in his words is still what the current Siruel Empire wants to hear.

"If your country is willing to assist us in supporting the Kingdom of Leon, it is truly grateful. The Marquis of Metternich lowered his eyes, looking a little tired, "So, what are the plans of your country?"

"I know that even if I say this, your country must still have some doubts, especially now that the situation in Silesia is so tense. Minister Pomeles smiled slightly, but this smile was not the same as his previous smile, and no longer had the air of a scholar, but seemed to be a little sinister, destroying the elegance of the temperament, "Therefore, we are willing to sit down and settle the question of Silesia, so that your country can send troops to the Badjos Peninsula without worry." ”

After talking about it for a long time, did he still not want to send troops? Franz's face gradually turned cold, and now his sense of these Hadrians was getting worse and worse.

"Let's talk about it. The Marquis of Metternich had his eyes half-closed, as if he was between sleep and awakening.

"The royal family of the Kingdom of Silesia and the royal family of the Kingdom of Pannonia are of the same lineage, although the blood relationship is a little thin now, but after all, they all have the blood of King Midletus I of Pannonia. The current king of Silesia has no suitable heirs, so we thought that a prince from Pannonia could marry the only princess of Silesia and inherit the crown. ”

The Marquis of Metternich listened quietly, it was no joke. Although the Giang family once controlled the Pannonian crown, but because the Pannonian branch of the Giang is too unsuccessful, this kingdom has been separated from the Cyrulian Empire for hundreds of years, and the bloodline of Middlelets I mentioned by the Minister of Pomeles is purely derived from the maternal lineage of the two royal families, and with the inheritance of the past dynasties, this blood has been so thin that it can not be considered, and the Pannonian royal family has never regarded the Giang family as their relatives, and has been moving closer to the Hadrian Empire for many years. If the Pannonian royal family won the throne of the Kingdom of Silesia, it would mean that Silesia, like Pannonia, would become a vassal of Hadrian, and it would be difficult for the Cyrian Empire to find a chance to control Silesia for at least a few decades.

The Marquis of Metternich lowered his head, his eyes gradually closed, as if he were about to fall asleep.