While Achille Fuld was receiving the cheers of the members of parliament for the Empire and the Emperor inside the Bourbon Palace, just a few kilometers away at the Tuileries Palace, the French Empire’s Emperor Jerome Bonaparte was sitting in his office, waiting for the arrival of Empress Augusta.

When Empress Augusta pushed open the door and entered the office, Jerome Bonaparte got straight to the point and said to Empress Augusta, "Augusta, we may have to endure a year of hardship this year!"

"Your Majesty, what on earth has happened?" Augusta, who had just entered and hadn’t grasped the situation, looked at Jerome Bonaparte with eyes full of confusion after hearing his statement.

However, Augusta, having been by Jerome Bonaparte’s side for nearly 10 years, understood his meaning within seconds.

Before Jerome Bonaparte could explain, Empress Augusta spoke again in a resigned tone, "Your Majesty, have you once again spent all the funds allocated to the Imperial Family by the state elsewhere!"

"Yes, yes!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded repeatedly.

"Tell me! Where have you spent the money again?" Empress Augusta sighed, a hint of reproach in her tone.

It’s not that she didn’t allow the Emperor to spend money, but each time he spent it without consulting her beforehand, making her feel quite passive at times.

Jerome Bonaparte informed Augusta that he had allocated all the funds the government provided to the Imperial Family this year to public infrastructure construction in the Alsace and Lorraine regions.

"I remember that you and Minister Achille Fuld had already devised a strategy!

Why does the Imperial Family have to cover the expenses?" Augusta asked in puzzlement.

"According to the calculations by Barroso and Achille Fuld, selling 80,000 hectares of state-owned forests can only raise 150 million francs!

To completely renovate the roads across the entire Alsace and Lorraine regions, around 200 million francs are needed!

That means there’s still a shortfall of nearly 50 million francs that we need to cover!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged as he explained to Augusta.

"It’s not right for the Imperial Family to cover the rest of the costs! Public infrastructure should be a government obligation!" Augusta clearly didn’t understand Jerome Bonaparte’s approach.

"Augusta, you’re right! Maintaining and renovating public infrastructure is indeed a government obligation!" Jerome Bonaparte first acknowledged Augusta’s point, then continued, "But the construction in these two regions could have waited until the Empire’s finances were a bit more relaxed before proceeding with repairs!

Now, under my will, the government is forcibly conducting repairs through borrowing!

This implicates us somewhat!"

"Your Majesty, I don’t understand why you’re so eager to renovate!" Augusta couldn’t help questioning Jerome Bonaparte, "Is Alsace and Lorraine truly worth such extravagant investment from the Empire?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Of course, it’s worth it!" Jerome Bonaparte firmly told Empress Augusta.

Immediately, as if recalling something, Empress Augusta first glanced at the door behind her, and after ensuring no third party was present, she lowered her voice and asked Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, please be honest with me!

Is your aim in renovating the infrastructure in the Alsace-Lorraine regions to facilitate a quicker invasion of the German Region in the future?"

Seeing Augusta’s cautious demeanor, Jerome Bonaparte knew he had to disclose some information to his wife.

"Augusta, you’re not wrong! The reason I’m willing to invest heavily in Alsace-Lorraine is not just to improve the traffic between these two regions and Paris," Jerome Bonaparte candidly confessed to Augusta, "The Luxembourg Duchy, Metz, and Strasbourg will become three crucial transit hubs for the French Army to strike into the German region!"

As he spoke, Jerome Bonaparte excitedly waved his fist and continued to Augusta, "I will lead France’s million troops from these three places to step onto the German soil!

Just like my uncle, Emperor Napoleon, completely defeated the Kingdom of Prussia’s army at the Elbe River, and then swept across Germany!

To sustain the logistics of a million troops, the existing infrastructure in Alsace and Lorraine must be renovated!"

"Oh my God!" Empress Augusta couldn’t help but exclaim softly.

She simply couldn’t imagine her husband’s ambition being so grand.

Whether it was the invasion of Germany or the concept of a million troops, for Augusta, it was all too shocking.

"My dear Augusta, why are you so surprised?" Jerome Bonaparte calmly said to Empress Augusta, "Since Prime Minister Richelieu, France’s primary task has been to maintain the disunion of the German region!

A divided Germany is the best Germany for France!"

"Your Majesty, Germany is already in a divided state now!

The Empire has no need to act against them further!" Augusta tried to persuade Jerome Bonaparte to temper his ambition.

"Augusta! Germany may be in a divided state now, but that doesn’t mean it will never unify!" Jerome Bonaparte told Augusta.

"Your Majesty, who do you think has the opportunity to unify Germany? Austria or Prussia?" Augusta inquired smoothly.

"Of course, Prussia!" Jerome Bonaparte replied to Augusta with a confident tone.

"Oh God!" Augusta exclaimed again, a trace of fear in her eyes.

For a relatively devout Catholic, nothing is more terrifying than Protestant rule.

No wonder Pope Pius IX would cry out "This is the end of the world" after the defeat at Königshütte!

Looking at his terrified wife before him, Jerome Bonaparte couldn’t help but inwardly sneer.

Historically, after the Austro-Prussian War failure, the entire Roman Curia’s state was just like Augusta’s now.

Back when he was in the 21st century, he didn’t understand why the Holy See would feel this way. Only when he truly found himself in the 19th century and felt the influence of religious forces did he realize the true meaning of this phrase.

"Your Majesty, we must stop this barbaric kingdom of Prussia’s actions!" Augusta pleaded with Jerome Bonaparte, grabbing his arm.

"Calm down, Augusta! Germany is still under Austria’s influence!" Jerome Bonaparte placed his other hand on Augusta’s hand, responding kindly to her.

Upon hearing Jerome Bonaparte’s reassurance, Augusta returned to reality.

"Your Majesty, we should help Austria suppress Prussia!" Augusta suggested to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Help Austria?" Jerome Bonaparte shook his head, responding to Augusta, "No, no, no! Helping Austria offers no benefits other than maintaining the status quo!

I want to ignite the Kingdom of Prussia’s ambition, so they’ll dare to set the whole German Region aflame!

Only in this way can France smoothly obtain what it wants amidst the fire!

Then, Jerome Bonaparte illustrated with an example to Augusta, "Imagine you have two neighbors, a pair of brothers.

One elder brother has a solid foundation and is honest, with the only flaw being his poor health!

The other younger brother also has a decent foundation and is in his prime, yet he always wants to covet his elder brother’s inheritance!

As a robber wanting to seize both families’ wealth, when you’re unsure you can defeat the brothers working together, you should pose as a neutral faction!

Since the younger brother desires to covet the elder’s inheritance, he will inevitably choose to bribe you, hoping you’ll lean towards him in this inheritance battle!

You only need to show an inclination towards him, and the younger brother will certainly muster the courage to strike against the elder!

Just wait until the younger brother is about to defeat the elder.

As the robber, you jump out to justifiably criticize the younger brother’s mistakes, then rally the other smaller brothers (German Principalities) for a righteous group assault on the younger brother (Prussia)!

By then, the younger brother’s inheritance and part of the elder’s assets will all be yours!"

Empress Augusta understood Jerome Bonaparte’s analogy, and she spoke to him again, "Then how will you guard against another robber (Britain)!"

"As long as I act quickly enough, they’ll only suffer in silence!" Jerome Bonaparte confidently told Augusta, "Besides, I won’t eat alone; as long as those smaller brothers are willing to follow me, they’ll each get a share of the assets!"

"So, Württemberg can also join this division!!" Augusta said to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Of course!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded in response, "As long as the Württemberg Kingdom is willing to follow the Empire, France will never treat any country that follows it unfairly!"

Afterwards, Jerome Bonaparte reminded Augusta that what he just said was merely a concept, and its actual implementation would depend on the Kingdom of Prussia taking its first steps.

Currently, Jerome Bonaparte only wanted to share this idea with Augusta, hoping she would not disclose this information to others.

Augusta agreed to Jerome Bonaparte’s request.

"Though we don’t have 20 million francs this year, Northern Industrial Group and real estate surplus are enough to get us through this year’s difficulties!" Augusta self-soothingly said!

"By the way!" Jerome Bonaparte cautiously raised his hand and weakly said to Augusta, "The Northern Industrial Group, I also took 10 million francs!"

"Your Majesty!!!"