In response to Marcel Yale’s "threat," Herzen calmly told Marcel Yale the truth: whether or not he and the France behind him were willing to help them, they would attempt to stage a coup in St. Petersburg (Herzen preferred this name).

Furthermore, the reason Duke Golitsyn appeared in France was not to take one last look at the French scenery before the coup, but to coordinate with the Polish exiles within France for a simultaneous uprising. Only in this way could the Russian Empire be caught unawares.

Marcel Yale was surprised by Duke Golitsyn’s plan and admitted that he had indeed underestimated Duke Golitsyn before.

A person capable of growing and thriving under the Tsar’s nose, and then turning against the Tsar, is by no means a simple character!

"Where are those Polish exiles planning to revolt? Warsaw?" Marcel Yale once again asked Herzen.

"Perhaps!" Herzen gave a vague answer, "Those Polish exiles only promised to act with us, but didn’t specify in which city to start the uprising! However, I guess it should be Warsaw! After all, Warsaw City at present is unprecedentedly empty!"

Saying this, Herzen paused, then smiled and said, "The reason Warsaw has become so vacant is thanks to you! If it weren’t for you and Britain having fought those clear-cut wars in the Crimea Peninsula, Tsar Nicholas wouldn’t have chosen to continuously withdraw the Polish Corps stationed in Warsaw to reinforce Bessarabia and Crimea!

Right now, Warsaw probably can’t even gather a force of a single army (20,000 to 30,000 people)!"

"When are you planning to take action?" Marcel Yale once again asked Herzen.

"It might take a while!" Herzen told Marcel Yale: "Because there are many in the Loyalty Association who do not agree with Duke Golitsyn’s revolution, Golitsyn needs to persuade them before taking action."

"If Duke Golitsyn can’t persuade them to join the coup, what will you do?" Marcel Yale asked Herzen.

Herzen pondered for a moment, then told Marcel Yale that he too had once asked the Duke if the uprising would be abandoned if the Association members opposed it.

At that time, the Duke told him that no matter how the Association members opposed, what he had decided to do would not falter because of opposition, as long as his heart still beat, he would battle the Romanov Clan to the end.

"Since His Grace the Duke has made up his mind, then I wish him success!" Marcel Yale responded to Herzen.

"Mr. Marcel, regarding the requests put forth by His Grace the Duke! Did His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte agree to them or not?" Herzen hurriedly inquired of Marcel Yale.

"Didn’t you just say that whether France agrees or not won’t affect your coup! Why are you now asking me about this matter again!" Marcel Yale chuckled softly and countered.

"If France is willing to help us hold back the troops Nicolai has deployed around St. Petersburg, it would naturally be for the best!" Herzen answered Marcel Yale, "The reason the Association is unwilling to unconditionally support the Duke is simply out of fear that Nicholas I will muster the forces outside of St. Petersburg.

As long as France can keep Nicholas I’s troops at bay, then His Grace the Duke will be able to sway some who originally favored the Tsarist Empire to join the revolution.

The more people we sway, the higher our chances of success!

The more juggling France does, the more benefits it gains!

Even if we fail, what significant impact could there be on you! Would the Russian Imperial Government that survives by luck stubbornly oppose you to the very end because of this?"

"Alright! Mr. Herzen, you’re indeed correct!" Marcel Yale candidly replied to Herzen, "Our Majesty has already agreed to your requests, and we will do our utmost to help you hold back the Russian Army, to increase the likelihood of your success."

Upon hearing Marcel Yale’s response, a joyful smile appeared on Herzen’s face, and he immediately replied to Marcel Yale, "On behalf of the Duke, I extend the most sincere gratitude to His Majesty the Emperor! If we are fortunate enough to succeed, the newly born Russian Empire will become the most steadfast ally of the French Empire!"

"Mr. Herzen, let’s leave these words for discussion after your success!" Marcel Yale responded distantly.

Then, Marcel Yale inquired of Herzen about whom they intended to support as the new Tsar after getting rid of Nicholas I.

Herzen told Marcel Yale that they planned to support Nicholas I’s third son, Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich, as the new Emperor of the Russian Empire.

"Aren’t you afraid that the Grand Duke you support might choose to seek revenge once he assumes power? After all, you killed his father!" Marcel Yale said with a smug smile.

"Mr. Marcel, we are also offering him a throne! After all, according to the line of succession, Grand Duke Nicholas (Yevich) would never have reached that position in his lifetime!" Herzen replied.

"A powerless throne!" Marcel Yale emphasized deliberately.

"That’s still better than having nothing at all!" Herzen shrugged and said to Marcel Yale.

"Indeed!" Marcel Yale nodded in agreement.

Even in the constitutional monarchy of the Kingdom of Britain, Queen Victoria’s power is very significant.

The new Tsar only needs to wait quietly for Duke Golitsyn’s death to gradually reclaim his rightful power.

After all, Duke Golitsyn is already over 60, so at most, he only has to wait about 20 years.

And the Grand Duke Nikolayevich, who Duke Helicen plans to support, is only 23 years old now.

Of course, all of this is premised on Duke Golitsyn being able to establish himself firmly in St. Petersburg and defeating the forces attempting to retake St. Petersburg.

Under the considerate "escort" of Marcel Yale, Herzen returned to his residence in Paris.

In the blink of an eye, five more days had passed, and Minister Valvesky arrived at the National Intelligence Bureau.

Entering Marcel Yale’s office, he immediately informed Marcel Yale that the Kingdom of Sweden had agreed to France’s demands and would exert some pressure on the Russian Empire at the border in the near future.

"Didn’t the Kingdom of Sweden make any excessive demands?" Marcel Yale asked incredulously.

"The Kingdom of Sweden only requests that we and the Kingdom of Britain ensure their safety! If Russia declares war on the Kingdom of Sweden, then our troops and the British Army must rush to help immediately!" Minister Valvesky responded to Marcel Yale.

"That sounds quite reasonable!" Marcel Yale nodded and said to Valvesky, "On Britain’s side, have they reached an agreement as well?"

"Prime Minister Palmerston has also agreed to our demands. He hopes to rely on the strong mobility of the Anglo-French Alliance Army in the Baltic Fleet to launch an attack on Kronstadt, occupied by the Russian Empire!" Valvesky responded to Marcel Yale.

Hearing that Palmerston wanted to occupy Kronstadt, Marcel Yale couldn’t help but feel surprised at Palmerston’s plan, "It seems Palmerston hasn’t given up on the plan to capture St. Petersburg directly!"

"Yes! Palmerston has always wanted to completely dismantle the Russian Empire!" Minister Valvesky nodded and said.

"Did you agree to his demands?" Marcel Yale asked Minister Valvesky.

"When I asked Minister Dico about Palmerston’s plan, Minister Dico told me that, given the current naval strength of the British and French Armies, they could indeed destroy the Baltic Fleet, but they were powerless to occupy Kronstadt.

The forts inside the Kronstadt Military Port are too numerous; those forts made of solid granite are enough to withstand our land assault from any direction.

To completely capture them would require significant costs!

Rather than waging a bottomless pit-like attack on Kronstadt, it’s better to remove all the ’nails’ that Russia has deployed in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland!

So I explained Minister Dico’s suggestion to Palmerston, and Palmerston agreed with our suggestion!" Minister Valvesky responded to Marcel Yale.

"What about Austria?" Marcel Yale asked once more.

"Negotiations with Austria are still ongoing! It is expected to take a long time to conclude!" Valvesky answered Marcel Yale.

"Alright then!" Marcel Yale nodded, telling Valvesky that he would telegraph Valvesky’s progress and content of the negotiations to the Crimea Peninsula.

"Then I shall take my leave!" Having conveyed all his instructions, Valvesky turned and left the National Intelligence Bureau.

Marcel Yale quickly recorded all of Valvesky’s negotiation content and sent it to the Crimea Peninsula in the form of a telegram.

That afternoon, the telegraph office in Sevastopol received Marcel Yale’s telegram.

Jerome Patterson, responsible for receiving the telegram, immediately took the telegram and ran toward the French Expeditionary Army Command.

At this time, in the Expeditionary Army Command, His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte, the Emperor of the French Empire, was perusing a report submitted to him by the Intelligence Bureau under the Mechanical Command.

The report’s content was a recent summary of the French Imperial Army’s propaganda efforts against the Russian Army in the Crimea Peninsula.

Just as Jerome Bonaparte was reading with great interest, the sound of knocking on the door rang out.