"I apologize for the embarrassment!"

Abdul Majid I showed a slightly awkward smile on his face, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to bury himself.

"It’s nothing!" Jerome Bonaparte waved his hand and then pleaded on behalf of Muhammad Alma: "Warfare is a complex operation, and some minor errors are unavoidable.

Please don’t blame him for this!"

"No, no!" Abdul Majid I shook his head, then expressed his apology to Jerome Bonaparte: "However, this trip of yours was in vain!"

Jerome Bonaparte smiled calmly, "Allies should always maintain open communication and make plans together! If this cannot be achieved, then such an ally is not worth having!"

Saying this, Jerome Bonaparte paused and looked at Stratford Canning: "Am I right, Mr. Canning?"

Canning, being addressed by Jerome Bonaparte, was stunned for a few seconds, then nodded in agreement: "Your Majesty, you’re absolutely right! That’s how it should be among allies!"

Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte informed Abdul Majid I that the plan to encircle the Russian Empire in the Caucasus Region was feasible, but only after the Allied Forces expelled the Russian Empire from the Crimea Region, allowing France to assist the Turkish Army.

In the meantime, Jerome Bonaparte suggested that the Turkish Army in the Caucasus should not act rashly and only needed to guard the Calis Fortress.

At this point, Jerome Bonaparte stood up, walked to the map, and pointed to the Calis Fortress and Ardahan, less than 90 kilometers away, and Artvin, about 220 kilometers away: "From this map, it seems that as long as the Turkish Army holds these three places, the enemy can be kept out! [These three form a triangle, with Artvin and Calis both on the same Erzurum trunk road] Yes, this area also needs to be defended!"

Jerome Bonaparte pointed behind Calis to Erzurum, "If I’m not mistaken, all your supplies come from here, right?"

"Yes!" Abdul Majid I nodded. Although he was not familiar with specific military actions, he had a rough understanding of the logistics for the army in the Caucasus Region.

"Therefore, this place is also crucial. If the Russian Empire launches a surprise attack on it, the entire border region’s army will collapse!" Jerome Bonaparte responded seriously.

Even though he did not believe the current Russian Imperial Army had the rapid marching capabilities of Suvorov, considering that the Ottoman Empire itself was so inept.

Perhaps a surprise attack could take it down in one stroke!

The defense plan Jerome Bonaparte made for the Ottoman Empire was unaware that, historically, the fall of the Ottoman Empire began in Ardahan, where Russian troops, with a numerical disadvantage, surrounded the more numerous Ottoman forces at the Calis Fortress.

Indeed! You heard it right, the Ottoman Empire troops deployed at Calis outnumbered the divided Russian forces but still got besieged.

[PS: The Russian Empire had barely 30,000 men and still had to divide forces to seize Ardahan and Artvin, threatening Erzurum, while the Ottoman Empire had about 33,000 infantry alone. Despite this overwhelming number, the Calis Fortress was still surrounded]

Abdul Majid I nodded, then tactfully indicated to Jerome Bonaparte that their existing forces could not adequately defend all three regions. He hoped Jerome Bonaparte could instruct Pellissier to have some of the Turkish Army in Crimea return home for defense.

Jerome Bonaparte also expressed that, as an Emperor, he did not want to interfere excessively in the battles on the Crimea Peninsula.

However, he suggested that Abdul Majid I propose under the name of the Ottoman Empire to Pellissier to withdraw some of the Turkish Army from Crimea. If Pellissier agreed, all the better!

Abdul Majid I nodded, and thus ended a military meeting that started strong but fizzled out.

Jerome Bonaparte, Stratford Canning, and Valerovsky, escorted by black eunuchs, left Topkapı Palace.

When Jerome Bonaparte parted ways with Stratford Canning, Stratford Canning asked Jerome Bonaparte respectfully, "Your Majesty, might I ask you a question?"

"Of course!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded in response to Stratford Canning.

"What is your true purpose for coming here?" Stratford Canning asked Jerome Bonaparte with a serious expression.

"Mr. Canning, are you asking on behalf of the British Royal Family or the Cabinet?" Jerome Bonaparte did not directly answer Stratford Canning’s question but smiled slightly.

Stratford Canning hesitated for a moment, then reorganized his words: "Both!"

"Then please convey to Palmerston and Victoria that my purpose here is to confer honors!" Jerome Bonaparte responded without hesitation.

"To confer honors?" Stratford Canning’s eyes showed a hint of surprise, as he somewhat disbelieved Jerome Bonaparte’s words.

"Yes! My visit this time is solely to confer honors to those who have contributed to the Crimea Peninsula!" Jerome Bonaparte further explained.

"I will convey the message to them! Wish you a pleasant journey in Constantinople!" Stratford Canning bowed to Jerome Bonaparte, then turned and left.

Watching Stratford Canning leave, Jerome Bonaparte and Valerovsky also took a carriage back to the French Embassy in Constantinople.

That afternoon, dressed in a black robe with a black veil, Vilnius arrived at the embassy.

"Why are you dressed this way?" Jerome Bonaparte asked in surprise, looking at Vilnius wrapped tightly in front of him.

"It’s because of this country’s system!" Vilnius complained softly, removing the veil.

"Actually, Constantinople is open enough!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged, "If you head to the Syria region, you’ll find that the regulations there are even stricter than in Constantinople!"

Although Constantinople was not open enough in the eyes of Vilnius, who had lived in France and Italy, he was already at the forefront of openness in the whole YSL world.

The petty bourgeoisie in Constantinople were gradually moving towards liberalization under the influence of English and French capital, and the Wahhabi sect’s influence was being gradually eradicated from this city.

For women in the Middle East continent under the control of the Wahhabi sect, wrapping themselves completely in a black robe with only the eyes visible is the most proper attire.

"Forget it! Let’s not talk about this anymore!" Jerome Bonaparte shook his head, then turned to Klein and asked, "Is there any restaurant nearby you can recommend?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Klein, the "Constantinople expert," immediately introduced Jerome Bonaparte to some relatively well-known restaurants in Constantinople.

"Wait a moment, I’ll freshen up a bit before we set off!" Jerome Bonaparte walked to the dressing table, adhered a fake mustache from the drawer onto his lip, then placed a pair of plain glasses on his nose, looking like a scholar.

"This should make it so no one recognizes me, right?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Vilnius next to him.

Vilnius placed a wig on Jerome Bonaparte’s head, transforming him from his original appearance to that of a judge.

"Alright! Let’s go!" Feeling confident that he wouldn’t be recognized, Jerome Bonaparte nodded and then, holding Vilnius’s hand, left together.

That night, Jerome Bonaparte and Vilnius did not return to the embassy or the hospital, but instead indulged themselves in a luxurious hotel.

In the days that followed, Jerome Bonaparte was either visiting the sights of Constantinople or at the Topkapı Palace. The matter of conferring honors seemed to have completely slipped his mind.

Until one morning, when the ironclad "Friendship" once again docked at the Constantinople military port, a fully armed squad of French soldiers disembarked amid the gaze of the soldiers in the military port, accompanied by resounding military music.

An elderly man, dressed in the attire of an Imperial Marshal, slowly walked from the ironclad to the military port, and then, with his entourage, took a carriage to the embassy.

The elder standing at the entrance of the embassy knocked on the door, and Klein poked his head out, respectfully saying, "Marshal Renio!"

"You’re Klein, right?" The elder, indeed one of the two Imperial Marshals, Renio, said with a smile.

"Yes, Marshal!" Klein replied to the elder.

"Where is His Majesty now?" Renio asked Klein.

"His Majesty has already gone to the military hospital!" Klein answered Marshal Renio.

"The military hospital? Fine!" Marshal Renio sat back in the carriage and left.

When Renio arrived at the entrance of the military hospital, he saw Jerome Bonaparte.

At this time, Jerome Bonaparte had already changed into the designated Lev’s Formal Suit for the conferment, and asked with a serious face, "Is everything ready?"

"Ready!" Marshal Renio nodded and said to Jerome Bonaparte.

Subsequently, under the escort of soldiers from the military hospital, the two proceeded straight to Marshal Saint Arno’s sickbed.

Lying in the bed, Marshal Saint Arno tried to get up, but Jerome Bonaparte pressed his shoulder down and said, "You don’t have to get up since your health is not good!"

Meanwhile, a soldier carrying a tray entered the sickroom, on which lay the Gold Grand Cross Medal.