"Long live His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte! Long live France!"

"Long live Grand Duke Jerome Bonaparte! Long live France!"

...

For the citizens of Luxembourg, who had long endured hardship, happiness came too suddenly.

It should be noted that during this period the Luxembourg Kingdom had not yet become the renowned financial haven it would later be. At this time, the people of Luxembourg not only had to bear the debts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which were not originally theirs, but also had to serve as the military frontline of the German Confederation against a French invasion. Not to mention, the government-led purchase of U.S. railroad bonds had led to some sections of the railroad collapsing due to economic issues in the United States (primarily because the gold mines of California were being massively shipped to each robber’s country, causing the price of gold to continually fall), which in turn led the assets of the Luxembourg government to completely diminish.

The living standards of the people residing in Luxembourg were not to be compared with those of the pleasure-loving Parisians; they were even lacking compared to certain poor provinces in central France.

The long-standing military and economic pressure made every resident of Luxembourg’s life unbearable. Now that the French uncle next door waved cash in their faces to take them in, how could they possibly refuse?

If one were to personify the state of Luxembourg, it would be likened to Commander Chu, alias Lu Bu.

Upon hearing that the French Empire intended to offer benefits: "Luxembourgers must have spine!"

Upon hearing about the benefits from the French Empire: "Luxembourg has wandered without meeting a benefactor for half its life, and if the father (the French Empire) does not abandon us, we’re willing to acknowledge an adoptive father!"

A certain Emperor of France: "My child, rise quickly, now that I have Luxembourg, I truly feel like a fish in water!"

After resolving Luxembourg’s national emotional issues, the two divisions stationed in Luxembourg rapidly dispersed to occupy the remaining provincial capitals, Dixi and Grésmarch.

The Netherlands Kingdom’s army stationed in the provincial capitals, upon seeing the ferocious arrival of the French Empire, knowing they stood no chance against France, immediately surrendered.

Upon entering the two provincial capitals, the French Empire similarly declared its benevolent policies once more.

The two provincial capitals, like the capital of Luxembourg, knelt down with no scruples, taking less than a day from receiving the order from the French Empire to enter Luxembourg territory and stationing in the three cities.

That evening, Vayan in Metz received the news that the two divisions had completely controlled the Luxembourg Kingdom. He immediately sent a telegram to Paris.

The Paris direction promptly praised General Vayan’s actions in the name of Empress Augusta of France and Vice Chief of Staff Nie’er of France, and simultaneously instructed Vayan to continue reinforcing Luxembourg, ready at any moment for a war with the Kingdom of Prussia.

Receiving the order, General Vayan dispatched another division to Luxembourg and established a corps-level command post there to deal with potential perilous actions from the Kingdom of Prussia.

At this time, neither William III, who was still in the Württemberg Kingdom, nor the neighboring Kingdom of Prussia, were aware that Luxembourg had already been occupied.

Even on the second day after the occupation of Luxembourg, William III inquired of Valerovsky when the French Empire planned to take Luxembourg from the Kingdom of the Netherlands to align cooperation with the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

"Your Majesty, our forces have already occupied the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg!" Valerovsky responded to William III with a smile.

"Oh! Occupied, is it?" William I first nonchalantly remarked, then in a startled expression, responded with surprise: "What! You said you’ve occupied the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg!!"

"That’s right!" Valerovsky nodded in confirmation. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"When did this happen?" William III asked Valerovsky.

Valerovsky handed the telegram from Vayan from Metz to William III while explaining: "Right after signing the agreement with you yesterday, I issued the order to General Vayan in Metz to advance into Luxembourg! However, I regret to inform you that a brigade and two regiments in Luxembourg have already been under our control!"

"There were no casualties, I hope?" William III promptly asked.

Valerovsky shook his head and replied to William III: "No casualties were caused!"

"That’s good! That’s good!" William III immediately breathed a sigh of relief, demanding that Valerovsky release all the detained soldiers back to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Valerovsky stated that he would promptly facilitate this action.

However, the upcoming meeting of the German Confederation might inconvenience the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

"No problem!" William III assured Valerovsky.

"By the way! Your Majesty William III, I recall that the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is also a member of the German Confederation, right?" Valerovsky, suddenly reminded of something, stifled a laugh and inquired of William III.

"Of course!" William III responded without hesitation.

After a while, William III widened his eyes, not knowing whether it was fear or excitement in his voice, saying to Valerovsky III, "You are preparing to..."

"Not me!" Valerovsky shook his head in response to William III, "Mr. De Luyis will be appointed by His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte as the chargé d’affaires to the Frankfurt Parliament of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, while also serving as the French Ambassador to Austria."

"You truly are..." William III didn’t know what to say, he speculated that the expression on the Kingdom of Prussia’s face must be quite remarkable at this moment.

However, what does this have to do with him, anyway, he has already handed everything in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg over to the French Empire.

Now it was the Kingdom of Prussia that had to face the military might of France.

...

Three days after the occupation of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, in Berlin, the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia.

A telegram from the Paris Region broke the peaceful life of De Luyis in the Berlin Region. The content of the telegram was: "Everything is arranged at home, you can come back!"

After reading the telegram, a smile appeared on De Luyis’s lips, he understood that his "intimidation operation" in the Kingdom of Prussia was over.

Presumably, the French Empire has now completely occupied the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. De Luyis hurriedly ordered the embassy to prepare a carriage for him, as he had to go to the Berlin Royal Palace to bid farewell to Regent King William I.

The embassy quickly took action and soon prepared a carriage for De Luyis. De Luyis boarded the carriage and departed from the embassy without any obstruction, arriving at the Berlin Royal Palace.

Upon entering the palace, De Luyis immediately found the Royal Palace Chief Steward and informed him of his request to meet with Regent King William I.

The Royal Palace Chief Steward first led De Luyis to a room and then requested De Luyis to wait for a moment, as the Regent King was currently in a meeting and would soon be able to meet with De Luyis.

De Luyis nodded and quietly sat in a chair, waiting for the arrival of Regent King William I.

About half an hour later, the door to the room opened, and the figure of William I appeared.

"Your Highness!" De Luyis quickly stood up and saluted William I.

"Mr. Luyis, what brings you to me?" William I inquired angrily to De Luyis.

"Your Highness, I came here to bid you farewell!" De Luyis answered William I.

"Farewell!" William I’s lips curled into a cold smile, "Aren’t you afraid that the Kingdom of Prussia will join the Russian Empire?"

It seems he already knows!

De Luyis immediately realized that the news of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg being occupied by the French Empire had likely reached William I.

Otherwise, how would William I dare to utter such an obvious provocation as "Prussia joining the Russian Empire"?

"The French Empire believes that the Kingdom of Prussia will undoubtedly stand on the side of fairness and justice!" The previously aggressive De Luyis now changed his tune.

"But we hardly believe in ourselves!" William I continued to reply sarcastically, "And Mr. Luyis, I want to ask you one question!"

"Please go ahead!" De Luyis responded to William I.

"Do you think a country that occupies another country’s territory can really be considered just?" In his anger, William I clearly forgot about his own occupation of Polish territory.

"That depends on the circumstances!" De Luyis displayed a sly smile, replying unhurriedly, "If the occupation is agreed upon by all countries involved, it cannot be called an occupation! Just like your country’s occupation of Polish land, are you suggesting that the Kingdom of Prussia thinks its actions are unjust and intends to return all the land to the Poles?"

William I’s expression tightened, he forgot that his own actions were not exactly innocent either.

When Poland was divided, only Russia, Austria, and Prussia were involved.

"Then what reason does the French Empire have to invade the territory of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg!" William I questioned De Luyis in anger and shame.

"Invasion?" De Luyis’s face showed a shocked expression, he shouted loudly, "Respected Prince William, when has our French Empire ever invaded the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg!"

"Then what about your country’s troops in Luxembourg?" William I asked in an unfriendly tone, "Are you telling me they got lost during a military exercise, mistakenly entered the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and confusedly disarmed the troops stationed in Luxembourg? If that’s the case, then the French Empire should leave the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg immediately!"

"Of course not!" De Luyis firmly denied, then explained, "The French Empire entered the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg because our Emperor Jerome Bonaparte already owns it! Now the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is the territory of His Majesty, and it is only natural for our troops to be stationed in His Majesty’s territory!"