Flowers, Swords and France

On the outskirts of Paris, there is an open space that was originally opened up by the government to build a park. However, due to the sudden revolution, it was abandoned. .Recently, it was converted into a shooting range for training by National Guard soldiers.

Charles arrived here today and started a day of training with his small army.

As usual, after completing the daily assembly and training, as soon as it was disbanded, Charles took several of his junior officers to a tavern on the roadside to drink to relieve the fatigue of the day, and then Just returned to the city.

These people were all invited by him through Lucien with a lot of money, and then through his cousin's relationship, he found Que'er and placed them one by one under his command. Fortunately, the National Guard has been internally purging and expanding its troops recently. It also made it easier for the uncle and nephew to get up and down.

While the bartender was serving the drinks, Charles looked at his subordinates again.

Their faces are different, some are oval-shaped and some are sharper, but their facial features are regular and expressive, perhaps due to the harmonious complexion, which is mainly red and brown, which is a sign of bravery and strength. His eyes are clear and sharp, and his forehead is broad and clean. He does not hide his thoughts and always looks at people head-on.

They are all about the same age, close to thirty, and their previous careers with guns have carved some wrinkles on their foreheads. Some people have two mustaches, while others have a full beard. Their faces are different, but they all reveal the same emotion, a slightly thoughtful but high-spirited look.

Perhaps it is because everyone on the battlefield, whether big or small, generals or soldiers, all have to struggle and constantly feel the same emotions and hardships of military life. As a result, these people have this same emotion.

Lucien faithfully fulfilled his promise to Charles and found him some good men who had been soldiers.

With the help of these people, Charles quickly took control of his company.

As usual, when a group of people get together to drink, the conversation quickly becomes taboo, especially if you have a guest like Ciel who can supply unlimited alcohol.

"Let's drink another drink to Mr. de Treville!" While drinking, one of them picked up the wine glass and shouted.

"Have a drink!"

When they learned that their employer this time turned out to be a boy from a well-known family like Treville, they were a little unfamiliar and restrained at first. It was only because of the high remuneration offered by Charles that they accepted Charles' employment one by one. But they soon discovered that Ciel was very gentle and humble in his treatment of others, and did not have any of the arrogance common among nobles. In addition, he was usually generous, so they soon no longer rejected Ciel.

When everyone was drunk, they joked with each other, and some people even told dirty jokes, causing the whole room to burst into laughter.

Seeing that it was getting late and it was almost time to break up, Charles decided to get down to business.

"My friends, I am joining the National Guard now only because of my uncle's invitation. Although these days are quite interesting, I can't stay here forever." After drinking, Charles suddenly raised his head. Come, look at his men, "Then what are your plans in the future?"

His question was like a basin of cold water, instantly causing the temperature at the table to drop a few degrees. Everyone looked at each other in confusion, not knowing how to answer.

"What's wrong?" As if he didn't see what they were thinking, Charles continued to ask, "Friends, haven't you thought about it? Do you want to stay here, or do you have other plans?"

"Oh, God! What's the plan?" Ellery, a young man with a reddish-brown mustache, replied loudly in a rough voice, "Just messing around!"

His answer was met with a roar of approval.

"But how long can you live like this?" Charles asked, "Don't you want to be like Lucien and join the army again?"

"Lucien has a bright future now." Michaux, a man with a beard, said dryly.

"He has found a good wife!" Ellery joked in a veteran-like rude tone, a little mocking and a little envious, but overall, he was mostly congratulations and blessings. "This will save me so many years of struggle in my life! Hey, let me tell you, you have to find yourself a good wife in this life, so that when the sacrament comes, there won't even be anyone watching. !”

His words caused another burst of laughter.

"Stop dreaming, fool. What's the use of you keep sweating? Who can make people look good? Forget about rough guys like us." Mi Xiu, who was next to him, replied with a smile. , and then poured himself another glass of wine. "I'd better think about how to save money and go home to find a bailiff or a daughter from a small farm! If I'm still lucky enough to survive until then."

In Lucien's circle of friends and acquaintances, the news that "this guy got lucky and married the daughter of a rich family" has spread like wildfire, but no one has thought about what happened to this guy who got lucky. With great luck, he actually married the daughter of a famous nobleman.

However, even though he got lucky, Lucien never turned against his former friends and often went to help them. Therefore, in the hearts of these friends, they were always grateful to Lucien.

"Even if you live to die of old age, you may not be able to save enough money for yourself, fool." Another person next to him laughed and mocked, as if he was mocking himself.

"Don't you want to go back to the army?" Charles asked, seemingly confused.

"Come on, who doesn't want to?" Mi Xiu replied, "But what if you go back? Be a soldier all your life. When you get old, others will pity you and reward you as a platoon leader and company commander? Bah! Who can live this life? Go down! What use is the army to us now? Soldiers are used to support officers, just like rich people rely on farmers. It's the same life. Now, is there even one colonel who is promoted from people like us? Come on, brother, you are an outsider. In the army, just like in society, one person can make a fortune. A hundred people fell. If we could bear it, not one or two of us would leave the army."

"Hey! It would be great if the emperor was still alive and still ruling this country!" Ellery suddenly sighed, and then poured himself a glass of wine. "He led us to fight and gave us so many opportunities for meritorious service and promotion! As a result, what happens now? These weak gentlemen on the stage will cry when they hear the name of the Tsar. How dare they take us there? Europe is in ruins? We are finished! This country is finished!”

"How about going back?"

Read the original text in Liu#9@书/吧!

"Go back? Go back to where? Go back and continue rolling in the mud? Who would have thought that someone had been there! When I was at home, I lived for almost twenty years, and every time I saw King Louis it was like a festival! From then on! I have never traveled far, and if I have to go forward and pass through several villages, I will have to spend all my money on it! Soldier, I was pulled out of the village for the first time. I don’t want to go back.” Mi Xiu sighed heavily, “Friend, you see, we have no way out, we can only live here one day at a time.” , let’s have a drink and chat. Come on, stop talking about these depressing things and have another drink!”

Yes, that's it.

They came from a very low background, had no cultural knowledge, and had no opportunity to learn various technical skills. They were not willing to work to death like a farmer or a worker, so in order to change their destiny, they risked their lives and joined the army, hoping to use Go through life and death in exchange for fame and wealth.

As a result, their dreams were quickly shattered by reality. After the fall of the Napoleonic Empire, more than thirty years have passed. France has never gone to war with any European country. There are few places where you can be promoted through meritorious service. Soldiers are just servants to officers from wealthy families. . Even if you decide to go to North Africa to drink wind and sand, your chances of getting ahead are slim.

In this case, they had to leave the army, take the experience they have honed over the years, and work as bodyguards and guards for wealthy families to earn a salary. He can only choose to extinguish his original ambition, be numb in alcohol and age prematurely, and finally live out his life.

Naturally, they looked up to the Emperor and the old imperial days, as every modern radical does. The old empire used its destruction to clear away all the bad impressions it left in people's minds, leaving only the good ones.

Because of its destruction, people gradually forgot about the frequent wars and hardships of life at that time. Instead, they recalled the glory and dreams of the old empire, as well as the living people who rose from abject poverty to wealth during the twenty years of chaos. Example - wasn't the Emperor Napoleon himself one of them? Aren't their thoughts the source of the Second Reich's aggressiveness - well, to put it nicely, its enterprising spirit?

In the eyes of the people, the Emperor Napoleon, who was connected to the entire nation through his millions of soldiers, was always a child of the Revolution, an emperor born from the national army, and the one who promised them the country with the Code. Property person. Only the defeated Napoleon would get this sigh from the people: "Hey! How wonderful it would be if the emperor was still alive and still ruling this country!"

Outside this country, no nation currently worships a fallen idol like this anymore. Napoleon's success and failure are equally important - if he had stayed on the throne until he died of old age, he would not have had this kind of Nostalgic and adoring.

Maybe this is an illusion, but this illusion, at least for now, is very useful to Ciel and his comrades.

"My friend, times have changed. France cannot kneel down willingly every year." Charles suddenly smiled, his tone surprisingly calm, "Listen to me, endure it, there will always be something better. That day. When the time comes to return to the army, you will definitely have a lot of opportunities! Although there is no emperor now, don’t we still have people named Bonaparte?” (To be continued.)