"Mr. Gorchakov!" A look of worry also appeared on Nesselrode’s face, "Do you think His Majesty sincerely wants peace talks?"

Gorchakov instinctively shook his head, then said politely, "Even if His Majesty doesn’t want peace talks, he should consider the current predicament the Russian Empire is facing!"

Gorchakov’s remarks made Nesselrode burst into laughter.

"Minister Nesselrode, is what I said incorrect?" A look of frustration appeared on Gorchakov’s face.

"Mr. Gorchakov!" Minister Nesselrode stopped laughing and instead spoke to Gorchakov in a mentoring tone, "In terms of talent and wisdom, you are not inferior to me, and perhaps even surpass me.

But do you know why you have remained in your position as an envoy for decades without any progress?!"

"It’s all thanks to you, Minister!" A look of sarcasm appeared on Gorchakov’s face, and his tone took on a mocking quality.

"Mr. Gorchakov, I merely played a small part in it! If the Tsar was truly willing, not even ten of me could block your path to promotion!" Nesselrode responded directly, "The reason lies in the fact that your opinions contradict the Tsar’s will!

Take this war, for example. Didn’t you, even before the war commenced, bypass the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and write a recommendation directly to His Majesty Tsar Nicholas through your brother Mikhail Gorchakov (Commander Gorchakov), advising him not to involve himself with the Danube Duchy!"

A look of embarrassment appeared on Gorchakov Envoy’s face; as a diplomatic envoy, directly submitting a proposal to the Tsar bypassing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs certainly seemed overstepping.

He was simply worried that Nesselrode and others would mislead Nicholas I on this issue, causing him to make a wrong decision.

"Indeed! I did write a letter to His Majesty!" Gorchakov Envoy nodded and replied straightforwardly to Nesselrode, "However, His Majesty did not adopt my advice! Had His Majesty heeded my suggestion, the Russian Empire wouldn’t be facing its current predicament."

"Heed?" Nesselrode’s face showed a mocking expression, and then he rudely asked, "Mr. Gorchakov! Back then, even His Majesty was unwilling to take more of our words into account; why would he listen to your nonsense recommendation? Who do you think you are?"

Gorchakov did not know that his recommendation letter never even reached Nicholas I but was intercepted by Nesselrode midway.

If the recommendation had truly reached Nicholas I, then Gorchakov might have been identified by the then paranoid Nicholas I as an ally of the Dolgorukov–Nesselrode faction.

Although Nicholas I could not entirely eliminate the deeply rooted Dolgorukov and Nesselrode, he found dealing with someone like Gorchakov, who had long been distant from the core power center, particularly easy.

However, as the Russian Empire fell into successive defeats, Dolgorukov and Nesselrode emerged from the cold bench once more.

Gorchakov Envoy, who stood as an opponent to Nesselrode, was likewise recalled from Austria to St. Petersburg because Nicholas I needed someone to balance Nesselrode.

"I..." Seeing this, Gorchakov Envoy showed a hint of defeat on his face.

Nesselrode was right. He indeed had been somewhat prideful.

Despite having better family background and talent than Nesselrode (Nesselrode’s rise was thanks to his father), he had always been unable to reach the core power circle of Nicholas I.

The reason was nothing more than his excessive pride in his talents.

In the diplomatic field, he consistently upheld his own judgments, failing to accommodate the monarch’s thoughts.

"Mr. Gorchakov, you indeed possess a pair of eyes to perceive the situation in Europe!" Although Nesselrode looked down on Gorchakov’s innate arrogance, he still acknowledged Gorchakov’s talent.

He sighed and said to Gorchakov, "What a pity, you were born in the wrong era!"

If Gorchakov had encountered a monarch who could listen (like Alexander II), then his talents would have been fully utilized.

However, Nicholas I was a self-willed monarch, and anyone who insisted on their view was excluded from power.

"Minister Nesselrode, how does this relate to our negotiations?" Gorchakov asked Nesselrode, "Hasn’t His Majesty already agreed to the peace talks?"

"His Majesty has indeed agreed to peace talks, but he doesn’t want to conduct the negotiations in your way!" Nesselrode responded to Gorchakov, "Our Tsar wants negotiations from which he can withdraw without any damage!"

"Withdraw without any damage? Impossible!" Gorchakov Envoy looked at Nesselrode with disbelief.

He did not understand, given how matters had developed to this point, why Nicholas I still expected the Russian Empire to be able to withdraw unscathed.

The only opportunity for the Russian Empire to withdraw completely was before the war started.

Once the war begins, there’s no chance for Russia to back out entirely.

The most urgent task now is to have the Russian Empire withdraw from the war as soon as possible. Only then can the losses be minimized.

"But that’s exactly what His Majesty intends!" Nesselrode placed the nearly burned-out cigar into the edge of the ashtray. "Otherwise, His Majesty wouldn’t have sent me as the envoy for this negotiation, and you would merely be an assistant in this negotiation!"

"Your Majesty, don’t you understand the predicament our country is facing now?" Gorchakov couldn’t help but yell at Nesselrode.

"I told you, you don’t understand His Majesty!" Nesselrode slightly raised the corner of his mouth. "When has a monarch with absolute power ever cared about the country’s opinion? To His Majesty, the purpose of the country’s existence is merely a tool to realize his ideals!

Once the Russian Empire agrees to their terms, it means that His Majesty admits his failure. Do you think His Majesty would openly acknowledge his mistakes?

The predicament you mentioned is seen by His Majesty as mere whining! (This is Nesselrode’s own deduction, as he is unaware of the change in thoughts of Nicholas I.)"

"Do you mean that this negotiation is doomed to fail?" Gorchakov showed a hint of confusion on his face, not understanding why he had to participate in a negotiation destined to fail.

"That depends on the intentions of France!" Nesselrode shrugged and responded to Gorchakov, "If France is truly willing to accept our bargaining, then there is a slight possibility of success in this negotiation."

"I understand!" Envoy Gorchakov stood up, bowed to Nesselrode, and then left Nesselrode’s room.

...

Early the next morning, Nesselrode, Gorchakov, Alexander II, and a group of attendants set off from Perekop and arrived in Bakhchisaray by afternoon.

The negotiating mission that entered Bakhchisaray was immediately warmly welcomed by Commander Gorchakov and Orlov.

Meanwhile, more than twenty kilometers away in Sevastopol, a warship was slowly docking at the port terminal.

French Minister of Foreign Affairs Valerovsky and his entourage descended from the warship and went straight to the French Expeditionary Army Headquarters to meet with Jerome Bonaparte.

"Thank you for your hard work!" Jerome Bonaparte patted Zalafsky on the shoulder and said.

"It was no trouble!" Valerovsky shook his head and replied humbly, "It is my honor to serve His Majesty!"

Afterward, Jerome Bonaparte accompanied Valerovsky to tour Sevastopol’s military camp, train station, and various infrastructures.

That evening, Ivanov Gorchakov reappeared at the French Expeditionary Army Headquarters and informed Jerome Bonaparte of the arrival of the Tsar’s delegation.

"Excellent!" Jerome Bonaparte responded to Ivanov Gorchakov with a smile. "Our Minister of Foreign Affairs also arrived in Sevastopol today!"

Subsequently, Ivanov Gorchakov asked Jerome Bonaparte where he planned to set the negotiation location.

Jerome Bonaparte pulled a map from the drawer and pointed at Yalta, saying to Ivanov Gorchakov, "What do you think of Yalta?"

"Yalta?" Ivanov Gorchakov glanced at the map and said, "Your Majesty, shouldn’t we choose a location that is relatively close to both sides? Yalta seems a bit far for both of us!"

"Far?" Jerome Bonaparte shook his head and argued, "I think it’s just perfect! No one will disturb us there, and even if negotiations fail, war won’t start immediately!"

Seeing Jerome Bonaparte adamant about setting the negotiation location in Yalta, Ivanov Gorchakov couldn’t say much more and could only assure Jerome Bonaparte that he would present his plan to Alexander II.

If Alexander II agrees, then the negotiation will take place in Yalta.

"I’ll be in Sevastopol, waiting for your reply!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Ivanov Gorchakov in a lighthearted tone.

Returning to Bakhchisaray by night, Ivanov Gorchakov met with Alexander II and informed him of Jerome Bonaparte’s selected meeting location.

"Yalta? Why in Yalta?" Alexander II mumbled a little and began to understand Jerome Bonaparte’s intention.

Perhaps not even in his wildest dreams could Alexander II have imagined that Jerome Bonaparte chose Yalta simply out of a wish to indulge in a bit of cosplay.