"If we don’t launch an attack, but instead adopt a posture of negotiation, then Alexander II will surely be stalled here! By then, St. Petersburg will face a leaderless situation, which will be even more advantageous for us!"

Jerome Bonaparte said with a hint of excitement to Marshal Pelissier.

"Your Majesty, your plan is indeed perfect..." Marshal Pelissier first praised Jerome Bonaparte highly, but then hesitated, responding with half a sentence: "However..."

"However what?" Jerome Bonaparte encouraged Pelissier: "You can say anything! There’s nothing that can’t be said! The army is not a one-man show!"

Pelissier tactfully told Jerome Bonaparte that if the changes in St. Petersburg led the Russian Empire to quickly negotiate, would they not have any battles to fight?

"No, they won’t!" Jerome Bonaparte shook his head and replied to Pelissier: "The Russian Empire’s troops on the Southern Front must remain here forever, or those rebels in St. Petersburg might be quickly eliminated by them!

Only when the rebels are in a fierce battle with them can we reap the benefits!

So there’s no need to worry about not having battles to fight, and even if the war in Crimea ends, it doesn’t mean our army can completely relax! There are still many places waiting for us to conquer!"

Marshal Pelissier excitedly expressed his determination to follow Jerome Bonaparte’s lead to the death.

In the following days, Jerome Bonaparte ordered his troops to intensify their training, creating the impression that a great battle was imminent, forcing Alexander II to also urgently prepare for war. Meanwhile, Jerome Bonaparte secretly released some officers captured on Inkman Mountain, telling them that he also did not wish for the relationship between the French Empire and the Russian Empire to remain tense, and he hoped to start a second negotiation with Alexander II, with the timing to be decided by Alexander II.

The Russian officers secretly released by Jerome Bonaparte back to Bakhchisaray reported the message to the Russian Command there as soon as they returned.

The Russian Command also promptly reported the situation to Alexander II, who was deliberating whether to stay or leave. Hearing that Jerome Bonaparte wanted to negotiate, he displayed an expression of surprise.

He did not quite understand the purpose behind Jerome Bonaparte’s actions.

The Allied Forces in Sevastopol remain in an absolute advantage, while the Russian troops are at a disadvantage.

Now it is the French army that once again proposes negotiations.

Hence, Crown Prince Alexander once again convened Grand Duke Constantine, Marshal Jomini, Commander Gorchakov, and Duke Orlov at the old royal palace in Bakhchisaray to discuss countermeasures.

As the meeting began, Crown Prince Alexander asked, "Gentlemen, what do you think of the sincerity of this negotiation from the French Empire?"

As soon as Crown Prince Alexander broached the topic, Grand Duke Constantine eagerly said, "Your Highness, I believe the French Empire’s negotiation is probably not very sincere; their purpose is likely merely to delay time!"

"Constantine, why do you say France wants to delay time?" Alexander II once again questioned Grand Duke Constantine, "From the current situation, we need time more than France does!"

"Because... because..." Grand Duke Constantine was at a loss for words, knowing that his opinion was logically unsound.

"The sudden negotiation by the French Empire this time is indeed somewhat suspicious!" Marshal Jomini immediately spoke up to help Grand Duke Constantine: "However, I believe that even if there is indeed a conspiracy, we should attempt communication!"

"I agree with Marshal Jomini’s opinion!" Gorchakov nodded and said, "Even if the negotiation fails, it will cause us no loss; on the contrary, we can take advantage of the negotiation period to replenish our forces and prepare for the next attack."

The failures at Inkman Mountain and the Joya River caused the Russian Army to lose about 50-60 thousand troops, plus the non-combat attrition due to the cold wave and logistics disruptions, the Russian Army’s loss has now reached up to 70,000 (including Menshikov’s previous losses, Russia has lost around 130,000 troops), and now the Russian Army on the Crimea Peninsula is almost equal to the Allied Forces.

With such a significant troop disparity, they could not even achieve a draw with the Allied Forces; how could they hope to win the battle when the troop difference is not that large?

After hearing the speeches of Commander Gorchakov and Marshal Jomini, Alexander II turned to ask Count Orlov beside him: "Mr. Orlov, what do you think?"

"Your Highness, the success of the negotiation does not depend on the Crimea Peninsula but on St. Petersburg and the Tuileries Palace!" Count Orlov reminded.

Everyone present immediately realized that the person who now had the final say was not Crown Prince Alexander but Emperor Nicholas I.

If Nicholas I does not agree to the conditions proposed by France, then no matter what they say, it will be of no use.

"If the conditions proposed by the Emperor of France are indeed fitting, I will write to my father to send an envoy for negotiations!" Crown Prince Alexander said with determined spirit to everyone present: "I believe my father also does not wish to see his loyal Russian Army die on the Crimea Peninsula!"

After the meeting, Alexander II personally wrote a letter to Jerome Bonaparte, in which Crown Prince Alexander highly praised Jerome Bonaparte’s gesture of negotiation and emphasized that the conflict between the Russian Empire and the French Empire was pointless.

If we let France and Russia both suffer in the Crimea Peninsula, then the one who will ultimately benefit is Britain.

Because there is no substantial conflict of interest between France and Russia, but there is a great conflict of interest between Russia and Britain.

Only after Britain realized that the Russian Empire posed a threat to them did they take severe measures against the Russian Empire.

To defend India, Britain is desperately trying to dismantle the Russian Empire.

Defeating the Russian Empire will only benefit the Kingdom of Britain and nothing more.

Is it possible that the French Army claims the purpose of the Kingdom of Britain’s war is to consolidate the Kingdom of Britain’s hegemony?

...

After finishing writing the letter, Crown Prince Alexander handed it to Ivanov Gorchakov, ordering him to ensure the letter reached the Kingdom of Britain.

Upon receiving the letter, Ivanov Gorchakov immediately assured Crown Prince Alexander that he would deliver the letter safely to the French Expeditionary Army Command.

That night, Ivanov Gorchakov left Bakhchisaray under the cover of darkness and soon encountered troops stationed near the Voronov Path as he headed southwest.

This time, the troops stationed at the Voronov Path did not let Ivanov Gorchakov pass but made him wait for a while.

After some time, General Bokeys, the commander of the Second Division, appeared in front of Ivanov Gorchakov.

"General, we meet again!" Ivanov Gorchakov politely said to General Bokeys.

"You are..." After thinking for a moment, General Bokeys responded to Ivanov Gorchakov: "I remember now! You were also in that team last time!"

"I didn’t expect General Bosskey you would remember me!" Ivanov Gorchakov replied to Bosskey with a face full of honor.

"Did your Crown Prince not accompany you this time?" Bosskey asked curiously.

Ivanov Gorchakov shook his head and replied to General Bosskey: "Before a true peace agreement is settled, the Crown Prince will not arrive in Sevastopol!"

"What’s your purpose for coming here?" General Bosskey asked Ivanov Gorchakov.

"After receiving your Emperor’s olive branch of peace, His Highness the Crown Prince immediately wrote a letter to His Majesty Emperor Jerome Bonaparte, commanding me to deliver it safely to Sevastopol!" Ivanov Gorchakov took the sealed letter from his chest.

With the help of the kerosene lamp, Bosskey saw the signature on the letter: "No mistake, it is indeed a letter from Crown Prince Alexander!"

Subsequently, General Bosskey ordered his men to safely escort Ivanov Gorchakov to Sevastopol.

When Ivanov Gorchakov arrived at Sevastopol, it was already 1 a.m.

Just after entering the Expeditionary Army Headquarters, before he could sit down to rest, he was brought before Jerome Bonaparte.

Jerome Bonaparte was reading a telegram at the time; the appearance of Ivanov Gorchakov made Jerome Bonaparte put down the telegram. He clasped his hands together and smiled, saying, "Take a seat!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Ivanov Gorchakov quickly bowed to Jerome Bonaparte and then handed over Alexander II’s letter to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, this is the letter our Crown Prince asked me to deliver to you!"

"You’ve had a hard time!" Jerome Bonaparte took the letter and said to Ivanov Gorchakov.

Then, Jerome Bonaparte opened the envelope to read Alexander II’s letter.

Sitting opposite Jerome Bonaparte, Ivanov Gorchakov unintentionally caught a glimpse of Jerome Bonaparte’s telegram.

In the telegram, Ivanov Gorchakov saw a most remarkable piece of news.