The cold current from Russia invaded the Crimea Peninsula with a lightning speed since October, and the temperature of the Crimea Peninsula dropped sharply in just a few days.

The biting cold wind was like sharp knives, cruelly tormenting every soldier on night duty.

This made the French soldiers, who had barely survived the cholera outbreaks of July and August, undergo the ordeal of influenza again,

Almost every day, several French soldiers had to be carried to the field hospital for treatment, and the morale of the French soldiers on the South Shore of Sevastopol and at Camish Port inevitably declined as the cold front approached.

To alleviate the depression brought by the cold front, Jerome Bonaparte, along with Pellissier, visited various military camps to meet with soldiers and understand their thoughts and conditions.

Though each communication took a lot of their time and energy, Jerome Bonaparte considered it a very meaningful endeavor.

For only when appearing before soldiers when they most need attention, exchanging one sincere heart with another, can one truly gain their support and affection.

Of course, unless one can, like Emperor Napoleon at that time, conquer the entire army with victory after victory.

Such people are few and far between in the vast river of history.

During Jerome Bonaparte’s time with the army, his identity was undergoing subtle changes. Many officers transitioned from mere followers to genuine supporters of Jerome Bonaparte.

Jerome Bonaparte’s command over the army was gradually aligning with his uncle’s, and it would not be long before he could master the whole army as easily as Uncle Pan grasped fake wine.

That evening, Jerome Bonaparte, as usual, along with Pellissier, braved the piercing cold wind and the setting sun descending towards the horizon, returning from the Fedorovskaya Ridge to Sevastopol.

As Jerome Bonaparte was approaching Sevastopol along the Voronov Path, Jerome Patterson happened to appear in front of him, riding towards Jerome Bonaparte.

Seeing this, Jerome Bonaparte also gently spurred his horse with his riding boots, and after a whinny, the horse accelerated forward.

Eventually, Jerome Bonaparte and Jerome Patterson met halfway, and Jerome Bonaparte immediately inquired about what had happened while Jerome Patterson was staying in Sevastopol.

Jerome Patterson told Jerome Bonaparte that the telegraph office had just received three telegrams, two from Paris and one from Constantinople.

"Constantinople!" Jerome Bonaparte’s voice trembled slightly, showing a trace of sadness on his face as well.

If Jerome Bonaparte guessed correctly, that telegram could very likely be...

"Indeed! It’s Constantinople!" Jerome Patterson nodded in response to Jerome Bonaparte.

From the sorrowful expression on Jerome Patterson’s face, one could already guess what had happened in Constantinople.

However, now was not the time for sadness; Jerome Bonaparte, with a serious expression, ordered a return to Sevastopol.

Soon, with a heavy heart, Jerome Bonaparte arrived at the headquarters in Sevastopol.

"Where are the telegrams?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Jerome Patterson, extending his hand.

"They’re still at the telegraph office!" Jerome Patterson replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "I will go get them now!"

"Go quickly!" Jerome Bonaparte sternly reprimanded Jerome Patterson.

Jerome Patterson swiftly left the headquarters, leaving only Jerome Bonaparte and Pellissier in the office.

"Your Majesty, there’s no need to be too sorrowful! When soldiers step onto the battlefield, they already cast aside thoughts of life and death!" Marshal Pellissier comforted Jerome Bonaparte.

"Alas!" Jerome Bonaparte sighed heavily and said, "I understand this principle, but understanding and coming to terms with it are two different things!

If it weren’t for Marshal Saint Arno’s and your strong support back then, I might have found it difficult to establish the Empire!

Now, just as the Empire is starting to show signs of improvement, Marshal Saint Arno has gone ahead of me! Truly, it’s destiny playing tricks!"

After speaking, Jerome Bonaparte shed a couple of tears, seemingly feeling that it was a pity for Marshal Saint Arno to depart.

Pellissier, seeing Jerome Bonaparte shedding tears for Saint Arno, could not help but feel a bit of jealousy towards the late Saint Arno in his heart.

Being able to make a monarch shed tears for him, Saint Arno has certainly not lived in vain.

How could Marshal Pelissier know that Jerome Bonaparte’s tears and sorrow were merely a performance to win people’s hearts? (Although there was indeed some genuine emotion mixed in.)

If Marshal Saint Arno continued to walk through the entire Crimean War in good health, Jerome Bonaparte would not be happy; on the contrary, he would find Saint Arno troublesome.

Because Marshal Saint Arno was not a general like Pelissier, who could be easily manipulated by him.

For example, regarding Jerome Bonaparte on the Crimean Peninsula, if Saint Arno was in charge of the Expeditionary Army, Jerome Bonaparte would not consider staying on the Crimean Peninsula.

As Emperor, he must respect the rights of Marshal Saint Arno, the first Chief of Staff, and clearly, Pelissier did not have the identity of a pioneer.

However, since Marshal Saint Arno was already dead, the various unpleasantness caused by Saint Arno naturally disappeared from his mind, leaving only the beautiful memories.

"Your Majesty, you truly are a benevolent monarch!" Pelissier praised Jerome Bonaparte.

Jerome Bonaparte smiled noncommittally, then took out a handkerchief and wiped his tears.

A little while later, Jerome Patterson appeared in the office and handed three telegrams to Jerome Bonaparte.

The first telegram was from Constantinople, detailing Marshal Saint Arno’s time of death (around 3 p.m.) and condition (feverish, sweating profusely).

Upon seeing the telegram, Jerome Bonaparte handed Marshal Saint Arno’s telegram to Pelissier, then looked up at Jerome Patterson and said, "Call the commanders of the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Divisions immediately, remember to be quick!"

"Yes!" Jerome Patterson saluted Jerome Bonaparte and left again.

Jerome Bonaparte then looked at the second and third telegrams. The second telegram was sent by Augusta, informing Jerome Bonaparte of the struggle between the Pereire Brothers and Bemini over the Luxembourg Bank. Both sides wanted to take over the Luxembourg Bank and had their reasons for doing so.

At the end of the telegram, Empress Augusta expressed her view that the Luxembourg Bank should retain the right to issue banknotes and redeem bills, but these rights should not apply to France. The only designated bank for France remained the Bank of France.

In other words, the issuance of Luxembourg’s banknotes would only occur outside France.

Of course, Jerome Bonaparte chose to support Empress Augusta’s view.

After all, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg was the House of Bonaparte’s private domain, and being too closely tied to the Bank of France would not be conducive to severing ties at any time.

As for the content of the third telegram, Jerome Bonaparte found it somewhat incomprehensible. After some careful thought, Jerome Bonaparte immediately realized that it might be an encrypted telegram sent by Marcel Yale.

So, Jerome Bonaparte got up and returned to his office, took out the codebook locked in his drawer (which was actually an ordinary book).

According to the characters on the telegram, Jerome Bonaparte checked the corresponding pages, lines, and specific letters and quickly deciphered it all.

"Nicholas I is now critically ill and expected to die soon!" Jerome Bonaparte softly read it once, somewhat disbelieving of the content he translated.

He cross-referenced the codebook again and re-translated it, finding no difference from the first translation.

Jerome Bonaparte could not help but feel a little excited. If Nicholas I were to die soon, then Alexander II would inevitably return to St. Petersburg to inherit the throne.

If they took advantage of this moment to attack and simultaneously proclaim loudly that Alexander II had sold them to France and returned alone to St. Petersburg, the Russian Imperial Army would inevitably doubt Alexander II.

By then, no matter what Alexander II did, it would be the wrong choice.

If he returned to St. Petersburg, the morale of the Russian Empire would undoubtedly plummet.

By that time, France could completely annihilate the Russian Army on the Crimean Peninsula and then appear to march on Odessa, forcing the Russian Empire to choose between pleading for peace or continuing the war.

If he did not return to St. Petersburg, the anti-tsarist forces lurking within St. Petersburg would inevitably cause trouble.

By that time, it would probably be another Decembrist uprising.

Whether he returned or not, the internally and externally troubled Russian Empire would be even weaker than in history, and their interference in the German Region would be even less effective.

By then, the opportunity for the French Empire would arrive.

Understanding all this, Jerome Bonaparte revealed a slight smile of pleasure; he could not wait to see the Russian Empire pleading for peace.