"Marshal Saint Arno, please accept this medal that embodies the glory and respect of the people of France!"

Under the gaze of admiration or envy from the wounded outside the ward, Jerome Bonaparte, dressed in formal attire, solemnly accepted the Grand Cross Medal from Marshal Renio’s hands. He then slowly walked to Marshal Saint Arno and spoke to him with a tone that mixed authority and gentleness uniquely his.

Marshal Saint Arno did not speak, but instead, puffed out his chest, gazing at the emperor before him to show his respect for the emperor.

"Long live the Empire! Long live the Emperor!"

The wounded soldiers outside the ward shouted loudly. Many of them spontaneously raised their hands to salute Jerome Bonaparte, knowing that His Majesty the Emperor was with them, even if they were wounded, and did not ignore them.

Amid the cries rising and falling, Jerome Bonaparte pinned the medal onto Marshal Saint Arno’s chest.

"Congratulations, Marshal Saint Arno!" Jerome Bonaparte smiled at Marshal Saint Arno, patting him on the shoulder, and continued, "For your brilliant achievements at Sevastopol, from now on, you will be granted the title of Count of Sevastopol!"

After saying this, a look of noticeable astonishment appeared on Marshal Saint Arno’s face, as he apparently just learned that he was being granted a count’s title.

The soldiers outside the ward were equally surprised upon hearing Jerome Bonaparte bestow the count’s title on Saint Arno.

From the establishment of the Second Empire until now, for three full years, France had not ennobled a single title.

Marshal Saint Arno himself was not only one of the first marshals of the Second Empire but also the first to gain a title.

This was enough to show the emperor’s favor towards Saint Arno and the military.

Although today’s titles were not as valuable as before the Great Revolution, they still served as a stepping stone to the upper class.

Without a title, no matter how influential, one would not be accepted by the upper class. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Of course, if you advanced into the upper class as a literati like Thiers, then a noble title could indeed be optional.

For every salon needed a number of intellectuals to enliven the atmosphere, and these intellectuals were also known as "court writers."

[PS: Before the Great Revolution, most of the nobility was tied to land, and they were also called land aristocrats. After the Great Revolution, not only did France distribute the nobles’ land to peasants, but they also destroyed the rights enjoyed by land nobles under the feudal system.

Once this privilege was destroyed, it was hard to rebuild. Therefore, during the Restoration of Bourbon, no matter how hard Louis XVIII and Charles X tried to rebuild a deeply rooted noble class, the restored nobility could never be the same as the previous ones.]

The topic strayed far, but Jerome Bonaparte’s ennoblement of Marshal Saint Arno was a blatant suggestion to the soldiers: There is only one way to achieve social mobility, and that is to establish magnificent military achievements in the army.

As long as their military successes were in place, they would have the opportunity to ascend to the upper class.

"Now should I address you as Count of Sevastopol, Your Excellency!" Jerome Bonaparte, having announced the title publicly, humorously reminded Marshal Saint Arno that he should say something like a speech.

The recollected Marshal Saint Arno quickly saluted Jerome Bonaparte humbly and replied, "Your Majesty, thank you for acknowledging my humble achievements! I personally think that these achievements are insignificant compared to your favor towards me... I will devote everything to you, even my life! Loyalty will be my only creed! As long as there is breath left in me, I will fight for you to the end!"

"Very well!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded with satisfaction and said, "Your loyalty will be rewarded in the presence of God!"

...

With the end of the "bedside awarding" ceremony, Jerome Bonaparte and Marshal Renio left Marshal Saint Arno’s ward.

The wounded soldiers of the military hospital came up to Jerome Bonaparte and Marshal Renio, and the two extended their hands to shake hands with the wounded soldiers, inquiring about their recovery.

Many wounded soldiers said that their bodies had mostly recovered.

If the hospital hadn’t mandated a period of observation, they would have left the hospital long ago to return to the Crimean battlefield to fight bravely for the French Empire.

"Soldiers, the doctor says all this for the sake of your health! You must heed the doctor’s teachings and avoid causing unnecessary trouble for them! Medical disputes are absolutely not allowed in the hospital!" Jerome Bonaparte earnestly advised.

Hearing Jerome Bonaparte’s words, the doctors in the distance couldn’t help but feel a bit touched.

His Majesty the Emperor had not forgotten about them, the doctors.

Then Jerome Bonaparte and Marshal Renio shook hands with the doctors and nurses in the hospital, praising their spirit of saving lives and healing the wounded.

"I have two purposes in coming here this time. The first is to award medals to the soldiers on the Crimea Peninsula, and the second is to solve the difficulties you medical workers face! If you have any difficulties, please let me know!" Jerome Bonaparte said to them in a light tone, "Even if I have to sell everything, I will meet your demands!"

"Your Majesty, we don’t..." The director of the military hospital responded to Jerome Bonaparte with a fawning expression.

Reporting difficulties to leaders is often seen as a sign of incompetence, so even if this hospital did have some difficulties, they would not express them directly to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Your Majesty, we need more doctors and nurses!" Before the director could finish speaking, Vilnius’s voice reached Jerome Bonaparte’s ears.

"Who are you?" Jerome Bonaparte pretended not to recognize Vilnius, tilting his head as he asked.

"Vilnius!" The director’s tone was slightly anxious as he tried to stop Vilnius, evidently forgetting that Vilnius had connections.

"Director, don’t speak!" Jerome Bonaparte raised his hand to command the director to stop talking, then turned to Vilnius, "You go ahead and speak!"

"Your Majesty, this hospital still needs a batch of doctors and nurses!" Vilnius repeated once more.

"Understood! I will transfer some volunteers from France over!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded and casually asked, "Do you have any other requests?"

"Your Majesty, I hope the military hospital can set up a branch hospital in Sevastopol and gradually transfer operations there!" Vilnius continued to present his request.

"I disagree!" Jerome Bonaparte shook his head, rejecting Vilnius’s request. He knew that once he agreed to Vilnius’s request, Vilnius was very likely to go to Sevastopol, and in the upcoming battles, Sevastopol would become a focal point for the Russian Empire’s attention.

"Your Majesty, didn’t you just say you would agree to any condition!" Vilnius retorted confidently.

"Hospitals should never be set up close to war zones!" Jerome Bonaparte replied with firm determination.

"Your Majesty, if the hospital isn’t set up near the battlefield, how can it fulfill its role!" Vilnius responded again to Jerome Bonaparte, "Besides, I’ve heard that the Kingdom of Britain has already sent a team to Sevastopol! We can’t fall behind either!"

"Vilnius, stop talking!" The hospital director shouted to Vilnius loudly, then smiled and responded, "Your Majesty, Vilnius is simply being too presumptuous!"

"I think you are even more presumptuous!" Jerome Bonaparte replied to the director harshly. How could an outsider interrupt his conversation with Vilnius?

"Your Majesty, I..." The director swallowed nervously under Jerome Bonaparte’s hostile gaze, not knowing where he might have offended His Majesty the Emperor.

"Let’s discuss this matter further!" Jerome Bonaparte decisively ended the topic, intending to privately seek Vilnius’s thoughts later.

After the brief conversation, Jerome Bonaparte and Renio proceeded to the critical care unit, where most of the patients lay missing limbs.

As they saw Jerome Bonaparte and Marshal Renio, they cheered loudly.

Jerome Bonaparte approached their beds to inquire about their condition. The soldiers regretfully told Jerome Bonaparte that they feared they could no longer fight for the Emperor.

"You have already done what you ought to do!" Jerome Bonaparte said sincerely, "Leave the rest to others! Your mission now is only one – to live well!"

"Yes! Your Majesty!" the soldiers responded firmly.

...

Jerome Bonaparte and Marshal Renio, with their entourage, left the military hospital, seen off by doctors, nurses, and the wounded.

In the carriage, Jerome Bonaparte glanced at Marshal Renio across from him and said: Thank you for your hard work!

"Your Majesty, it’s nothing!" Marshal Renio replied, a slight undertone to his voice.

That evening, Jerome Bonaparte met with Vilnius once more, and Jerome Bonaparte inquired in detail about why Vilnius suddenly had the idea of going to Sevastopol.

"Your Majesty, the time it takes to travel from Constantinople to Sevastopol is enough for us to save dozens of French youths from the brink of death!" Vilnius responded to Jerome Bonaparte.

"It won’t be long before Sevastopol faces a great battle!"