"Marshal, it seems the French Army is exuding a kind of blind optimism now!"

Jerome Bonaparte entered the room, frowned tightly, and spoke seriously to Marshal Saint Arno.

"Your Majesty, where did you get this information?" Marshal Saint Arno was momentarily stunned, then asked.

"Just now, when I went to the hospital’s dining room!" Jerome Bonaparte recounted to Marshal Saint Arno what had happened in the cafeteria.

After listening to the story, Marshal Saint Arno felt somewhat indifferent. In his view, the achievements of the French Army on the Crimea Peninsula were evident, and it was only natural for pride to emerge within the army. Jerome Bonaparte’s actions seemed a bit exaggerated.

However, even though Marshal Saint Arno thought the Emperor was making a fuss over nothing, he still displayed a serious analytical expression on his face.

"Your Majesty, in my opinion, the soldier in the canteen is just an isolated case and does not represent the entire French Army!" Marshal Saint Arno replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "Please trust the army that you have built!"

"It’s not that I don’t trust the army!" Jerome Bonaparte quickly explained, "I just believe that under such blind optimism, our army might face setbacks! We have only defeated the Russian forces on the Crimea Peninsula, not the entire Russian Empire! Nicholas I can still mobilize all his Russian troops from the Southern Front to the Crimea Peninsula to fight us to the end!"

Jerome Bonaparte’s concerns were not unwarranted. According to intelligence from the French Navy, in recent times, Russian Empire’s troops in the Caucasus and Bessarabia have been continuously converging towards the Crimea Peninsula.

"Your Majesty, how about I personally go to the Crimea Peninsula to warn them to be cautious!" Marshal Saint Arno said eagerly, not wanting to stay in the district hospital any longer.

"I think you’d better stay honestly in the hospital!" Jerome Bonaparte knew Marshal Saint Arno’s intentions, but he didn’t want Marshal Saint Arno to return to the Crimea Peninsula.

Jerome Bonaparte did not wish for Marshal Saint Arno to go to the Crimea Peninsula for the following reasons:

First, if Marshal Saint Arno returned to the Crimea Peninsula, the command authority there should either belong to Saint Arno or Pellissier. Jerome Bonaparte clearly remembered the telegram that Marshal Saint Arno handed over for transferring command authority.

Second, Marshal Saint Arno’s health was already in the late stage, and if anything were to happen in Crimea, Jerome Bonaparte would feel even more guilty.

Third, and most importantly, Jerome Bonaparte also wanted to go to the Crimea Peninsula.

"Your Majesty, I..." Marshal Saint Arno wanted to say something when suddenly a severe pain came from his abdomen. He hurriedly covered his abdomen, revealing a painful expression.

Seeing this, Jerome Bonaparte’s face also changed. He quickly stood up, ran to the door, and shouted, "Quick, someone come!"

Two doctors walking in the hallway hurried to Jerome Bonaparte upon hearing his call.

When they saw it was Jerome Bonaparte calling, they immediately responded, "Your Majesty!"

"Hmm? It’s you!" Jerome Bonaparte looked surprised at the two doctors in front of him. They were the same ones he had encountered earlier: "Never mind! Come in and take a look!"

After speaking, Jerome Bonaparte stepped aside to allow the two doctors to pass through.

The two doctors immediately entered the room, and after examining Marshal Saint Arno’s body, they turned to Jerome Bonaparte, saying, "Your Majesty, further injections are necessary!"

"What are you waiting for! Go quickly!" Jerome Bonaparte ordered.

One of the doctors quickly left, while the other continuously tried to use words to comfort Marshal Saint Arno.

Standing by, Jerome Bonaparte glanced at Saint Arno and let out a silent sigh. For someone in the late stage of cancer, every second spent in the world is exceedingly painful.

After a while, a nurse in a pink uniform, holding a tray, came to Jerome Bonaparte and administered a subcutaneous injection to Marshal Saint Arno.

After the injection, Marshal Saint Arno’s expression improved significantly, though sweat still dripped continuously from his forehead.

"Your Majesty... sorry to have embarrassed you!" Marshal Saint Arno said intermittently, with a bitter smile on his lips.

"It’s fine as long as you’re okay!" Jerome Bonaparte still had a smile on his face, but he knew very well inside that it was already questionable whether Saint Arno’s health would last until autumn.

"Dream God" had developed resistance, and if the dosage were increased further, it’s likely that Saint Arno would not be taken by cancer but by the "Dream God."

"Marshal, why don’t you return to Paris! The medical equipment here is far inferior to Paris!" Jerome Bonaparte proposed to Marshal Saint Arno.

"Your Majesty, returning to Paris in my current state would be akin to facing death; I might as well stay here!" Marshal Saint Arno refused Jerome Bonaparte’s suggestion to return to Paris.

"Alright then!" Jerome Bonaparte no longer insisted, as the effectiveness of medical equipment meant nothing to a terminal cancer patient.

Especially given that it was still the 19th century, an era without even X-rays, for Marshal Saint Arno, there was only death.

"Then take a good rest! I shall take my leave!" Jerome Bonaparte decided not to disturb Marshal Saint Arno any further and quickly told him as much.

Once Jerome Bonaparte and the two doctors, along with a nurse, closed the door of Saint Arno’s room, Jerome Bonaparte instructed them not to inject Marshal Saint Arno with more than 50 milliliters of the "Dream God" medication in one day.

"But what if the Marshal is in unbearable pain?" The doctor cautiously inquired of Jerome Bonaparte.

"Even then, no exceptions!" Jerome Bonaparte said through clenched teeth, "Remember, do not exceed this dosage!"

"Yes!" The doctor nodded, indicating he would certainly remember Jerome Bonaparte’s words.

Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte asked them whether there were many using "Dream God."

"Not too many! For routine surgeries, we still use ether!" responded the doctor hastily.

"That’s good! Remember, do not resort to using it unless absolutely necessary!" Jerome Bonaparte instructed the doctor, "This thing is very addictive once inhaled, and quitting would be even harder than opium!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" replied the doctor promptly.

"Alright, now that there’s nothing else, I shall take my leave!"

Having conveyed all instructions, Jerome Bonaparte put his mask back on, preparing to leave the military hospital, "Remember to inform Vilnius that I will be at the embassy waiting for her! And do not mention that you’ve seen me!" 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

The doctor nodded to signal they would inform Vilnius.

"Very good!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded in satisfaction, then left the hospital.

Just as Jerome Bonaparte stepped out of the military hospital gates, a carriage marked with the insignia of Abdul-Sultan (each Sultan had a specific emblem) stopped at the hospital entrance.

Immediately, Valerovsky jumped off the carriage.

Jerome Bonaparte promptly approached Valerovsky and asked, "What brings you here..."

Recognizing the familiar voice, Valerovsky immediately realized that it was Jerome Bonaparte under the mask. He lowered his voice and reported to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty the Emperor, Sultan Abdul Majid wishes to invite you to the Topkapı Palace to discuss the Ottoman Empire’s upcoming military actions!"

"The military actions of the Ottoman Empire?" Jerome Bonaparte stared at Valerovsky in surprise, "Can’t they decide on their own? Why involve me?"

"Your Majesty, I speculate they might be seeking the cooperation of the French Army," Valerovsky replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "Being the Commander-in-Chief of the French Empire, they naturally should inform you!"

"Have the British gone over yet?" Jerome Bonaparte continued to inquire.

Valerovsky nodded and indicated that the British Envoy, Stratford Canning, was already at the Topkapı Palace, and Jerome Bonaparte was the only one yet to arrive!

"Looks like quite the gathering!" Jerome Bonaparte stroked his chin, displaying a thoughtful expression, "Alright! I might as well go and take a look!"

With that, Jerome Bonaparte and Valerovsky boarded the carriage together.

The carriage, carrying the two, hurtled through the streets and soon arrived at the Topkapı Palace.

Upon entering the Topkapı Palace, Jerome Bonaparte and Valerovsky were greeted by the Chief Steward of the Royal Palace—a Black eunuch.

"Exalted Emperor!" The Black eunuch bowed and greeted Jerome Bonaparte in French, "The great Sultan has been eagerly awaiting you! Please, follow me!"

"Thank you!" Jerome Bonaparte responded kindly.

Under the guidance of the Black eunuch, Jerome Bonaparte and Valerovsky arrived at an opulently adorned hall. The walls of the hall were adorned with portraits of Sultans from various eras of the Ottoman Empire. Abdul Majid sat on a throne adorned with a portrait of himself, and beside him was an empty seat, seemingly reserved for Jerome Bonaparte.