In the view of the Sardinian ambassador, the telegram from Prime Minister Cavour was both an encouragement and a hint.

Sure enough, a few days after Prime Minister Cavour’s telegram was sent, the Sardinian ambassador received gifts from Turin and a personal letter from Prime Minister Cavour.

The gifts were varied, the most precious being a sapphire the size of a pebble.

According to Prime Minister Cavour’s introduction, the Sardinian ambassador learned that the pebble-sized sapphire was one of the King’s personal collections, now fully entrusted to the Sardinian ambassador to handle, hoping he could maximize the value of the sapphire and not disappoint the King’s earnest expectations.

After reading Cavour’s letter, the Sardinian ambassador felt genuine admiration for Cavour’s ability to persuade the King to execute the plan (actually, the King had long been persuaded). It should be known that Savoy and Nice were the cradle of the Savoy Royal Family, and persuading the King to give up this cradle in exchange for a chance to dispatch troops would have been very difficult.

At present, Cavour not only successfully persuaded the King to execute this plan but also obtained a precious sapphire from the Savoy Royal Family to be given as a gift to the Bonaparte Clan.

It is conceivable how high the trust of His Majesty in Prime Minister Cavour is, and following such a person gives the ambassador more opportunities for promotion.

Subsequently, the Sardinian Kingdom’s ambassador burned Cavour’s letter, hid the gift, and sat alone in a chair thinking about how to present the gift to maximize its value.

While the Sardinian ambassador was contemplating, in a room in the Tuileries Palace, Empress Augusta of the French Empire sat upright on the sofa listening to reports.

The person responsible for reporting to Empress Augusta was Marcel Yale, the Director of the French National Intelligence Bureau.

"Your Majesty the Empress, this is the letter from Prime Minister Cavour of the Sardinian Kingdom to the Sardinian ambassador!" Marcel Yale took out a folded letter from his briefcase and handed it to Empress Augusta.

Empress Augusta lowered her head and carefully read through it once, then raised her head and curiously asked Marcel Yale, since the letter to the Sardinian ambassador from Prime Minister Cavour was in her hands, wouldn’t the Sardinian ambassador not have Cavour’s letter? Wouldn’t the Sardinian ambassador suspect it reached France!

Marcel Yale told Empress Augusta that the letter in her hand was just a copy; the real letter should now have reached the Sardinian Embassy, so there would be no unexpected occurrences as Empress Augusta mentioned.

Empress Augusta showed a trace of surprise on her face at Marcel Yale’s ability to carry out a series of actions unnoticed.

Could this suggest that Marcel Yale himself...

Looking at the vigilant Empress Augusta, Marcel Yale couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

The most challenging aspect of being a special police agent is the constant suspicion from the Monarch.

After all, every Monarch is outwardly broad-minded yet inwardly suspicious, and a profession like special police, which can monitor everyone except the Monarch, could also be a threat to the Monarch.

Back then, his predecessor Fouché was forced to leave his position as Minister of Police due to the Monarch’s suspicion.

Now, is he also going to be distrusted by the Empress?

"Your Majesty, the defense of the Tuileries Palace is not under my charge; it’s General Edgar Ney who’s responsible!" Marcel Yale hastily explained to Empress Augusta to avoid her suspicion.

"I understand!" Empress Augusta’s face flushed slightly, realizing that her previous behavior was indeed somewhat inappropriate, then immediately changed to a kindly smile and responded to Marcel Yale: "Mr. Marcel, you have made an indelible contribution to France! I will report your achievements to the Emperor!"

"It is an honor to serve the Bonaparte Clan!" Marcel Yale replied to Empress Augusta. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Subsequently, Empress Augusta once again inquired of Marcel Yale if there was any other news to report!

"Your Majesty the Empress, I also received intelligence from St. Petersburg, sent by a member of the Foreign Intelligence Bureau dispatched to Russia by the National Intelligence Bureau!" Marcel Yale respectfully handed over the content of the intelligence to Empress Augusta while speaking to her.

Augusta received the intelligence passed by Marcel Yale, which detailed Nicholas I’s lifestyle in recent times (staying up day and night, working through the night), his health condition (recently, St. Petersburg’s temperature suddenly dropped, and Nicholas I had a severe flu yet still insisted on inspecting the troops near the outskirts of St. Petersburg without wearing winter clothes), and a recent analysis of newspaper content published in St. Petersburg (the newspapers reported once about Nicholas I tirelessly working for the Russian Empire despite catching the flu, yet no further news about the Tsar’s health could be found in subsequent issues).

They also inquired about Nicholas I’s condition through his personal physician, who was favorable to France.

The final intelligence report concluded: All signs indicate that under the successive failed blows, the already elderly Nicholas I is increasingly in poor health and is unlikely to survive this winter.

After reading the intelligence content and conclusion, Empress Augusta showed a hint of joy on her face. She knew that once Nicholas I returned to the embrace of the Lord this winter, the morale of the Russian Imperial Army would inevitably face a decline.

By then, the French Army could quickly crush the Russian Army, thus achieving victory in the war.

"Send this information to the Crimea Peninsula as soon as possible!" Augusta placed the intelligence on the table and added, "Remember not to send it in plain code; use a cipher to send it to Crimea!"

"Yes!" Marcel Yale stood up and responded to Empress Augusta, then tactfully took his leave from her.

"Thank you for your hard work!" Empress Augusta nodded slightly in response to Marcel Yale.

"It’s my duty!" Marcel Yale replied.

After Marcel Yale left, Royal Palace Chief Steward Mokar appeared in front of Empress Augusta and said, "Your Majesty the Empress!"

"What’s the matter?" Empress Augusta asked Mokar.

Mokar informed Empress Augusta that the bankers Emile Pereire and Isaac Pereire wished to meet her.

"Let them come!" Empress Augusta, seemingly anticipating their arrival, spoke in a calm tone.

After a while, Emile Pereire and Isaac Pereire appeared before Empress Augusta.

"Your Majesty the Empress!" The Pereire brothers bowed and saluted Empress Augusta.

"Sit down!" As soon as they met, Empress Augusta got straight to the point: "Is your purpose for coming to the Tuileries Palace to seize the rights to issue banknotes and redeem bills at Luxembourg Bank?"

The Pereire brothers showed a hint of surprise. Their intention to obtain the Luxembourg Bank’s banknote issuance rights through Empress Augusta was a decision they had only recently resolved to strive for.

How did Empress Augusta know about their intentions, even though they hadn’t told anyone?

For a moment, the Pereire brothers felt they might have underestimated the Empress before them.

"The Emperor once told me that you two brothers are ambitious and daring bankers, so you certainly do not want to succumb to the control of the Bank of France!" Empress Augusta calmly told the Pereire brothers, "However, the issuance rights of all banknotes and bill redemption rights in France have already been monopolized by the Bank of France. Your only way to break through is the issuance and redemption rights held by Luxembourg Bank! Am I right, Mr. Emile Pereire?"

"Your Majesty, you are correct!" Emile Pereire nodded respectfully to Empress Augusta: "Thanks to the favor of both their Majesties, my brother and I have come this far! We will remain loyal to their Majesties until the end of our lives!"

"Mr. Emile, both my husband and I know the loyalty of you brothers; otherwise, we would not entrust the business of the Bonaparte Clan to you!" Augusta said to Emile Pereire.

"Thank you for Your Majesty’s trust!" Emile Pereire said compliantly to Empress Augusta.

"But the issuance rights of Luxembourg Bank are not only what you desire; I think the Bank of France is equally determined to obtain it!" Empress Augusta said softly and gently, "You should know that for a bank of monopolistic nature, although Luxembourg Bank is small, it encompasses all the functions of the Bank of France! In other words, it has the potential to become the Bank of France. I imagine if Luxembourg Bank is handed over to you, the Bank of France will certainly not let it go!

If you and the Bank of France clash over Luxembourg Bank, it will cause great trouble for me and His Majesty!"

After saying this, Augusta feigned a headache as she spoke to Emile Pereire.

"Your Majesty, if you are willing to let us manage Luxembourg Bank, then this bank will forever belong to you and His Majesty the Emperor!" Emile Pereire resolutely offered the greatest bargaining chip they could provide to the Emperor and Empress,

believing firmly that even the Bank of France could not offer such terms.

"Mr. Emile, can you tell me why you want to do this? If you do so, wouldn’t you end up with nothing?"