Chapter 718: Chapter 709: The Treaty of National Humiliation and Loss of Sovereignty

The Gorchakov Envoy swiftly agreed to Jerome Bonaparte’s proposal for surrender rather than a truce, which indeed took Jerome Bonaparte by surprise,

though this indirectly reflected Alexander II of Simferopol’s high regard for Duke Golitsyn of the Peterburg Region.

If it weren’t for the urgent need to return to St. Petersburg to quell the rebellion, they would certainly have haggled back and forth with him on this issue.

After all, historically, the Russian Empire and the French Empire under his cousin’s leadership had tugged back and forth over the issue of surrender versus truce for months.

If both the French Empire and the Russian Empire hadn’t each taken a step back, the tug-of-war might have continued for a long time.

"Very well!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded with satisfaction, then smiled and said, "We have reached a preliminary consensus!"

"Your Majesty, can our progress be a bit faster?" the Gorchakov Envoy suggested to Jerome Bonaparte, "At our current pace, I’m afraid we won’t finish the negotiations today!"

"Gorchakov Envoy, are you so eager to surrender to us?" Jerome Bonaparte responded mockingly to Gorchakov once again.

Jerome Bonaparte’s sarcasm made the Gorchakov Envoy feel as if a large stone were pressing heavily upon his heart.

However, the Russian Empire had no room for bargaining at this point.

They could only grit their teeth and accept these insulting words.

"Your Majesty, we indeed hope to return home soon to suppress the rebellion!" the Gorchakov Envoy responded to Jerome Bonaparte in a low and obsequious tone, "We hope Your Majesty can spare us for the sake of monarchal solidarity!"

"Since the Gorchakov Envoy has put it that way, let’s slightly accelerate our progress as well!" Jerome Bonaparte’s lips curled into a pleased smile as he said to Valerovsky.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Valerovsky nodded and then said solemnly to the Gorchakov Envoy, "Your Excellency, the conditions we propose..."

"We fully agree to the conditions your side proposed last time!" The Gorchakov Envoy quickly responded before Valerovsky could finish.

Valerovsky shook his head, a contemptuous smile on his lips, "Regrettably, this time the conditions are entirely different from last time.

The leniency of last time’s conditions from the Russian Empire was solely due to His Majesty’s benevolence."

"Your Majesty!" The Gorchakov Envoy looked at Jerome Bonaparte with pleading eyes.

Clearly, he hoped Jerome Bonaparte could restart the previous terms of negotiation.

"Regrettably!" Jerome Bonaparte sighed and responded to the Gorchakov Envoy, "I can no longer ignore the will of the entire French populace as I did last time!"

Upon hearing these words from Jerome Bonaparte, the Gorchakov Envoy immediately realized he might have to sign a treaty humiliating to their nation, one which would forever mark him with infamy.

However, the entire Russian Empire’s nobility was facing a devastating blow, and any misstep could bring them to the gallows.

Compared to "national extinction" (in the Gorchakov Envoy’s mind, the destruction of noble privileges equaled national extinction for the entire Russian Empire), a treaty humiliating to the nation was a trivial matter.

At this moment, the Gorchakov Envoy seemed to have become a Li Hongzhang from decades later, having to uphold the Tsar’s autocracy even at the cost of everything.

"Your Excellency Valerovsky, what new additions are your side proposing?" the Gorchakov Envoy inquired of Valerovsky, "If they are conditions I can agree to, I will certainly try to accept them!"

"Besides the strict demilitarization along the Black Sea coast we mentioned last time, we also hope your side can return the territory of the Crimea Peninsula!" Valerovsky replied directly to the Gorchakov Envoy.

"You’re taking advantage of someone in trouble!!" the Gorchakov Envoy couldn’t help but protest to Valerovsky.

"Mr. Gorchakov, did you not consider yourselves taking advantage when you seized the Crimea Peninsula?" Minister Valerovsky asked Gorchakov.

The Gorchakov Envoy was instantly speechless, knowing the Crimea Peninsula was territory they had taken from the Ottoman Empire.

"I..." The Gorchakov Envoy wanted to say something but ultimately did not speak.

"If your side cannot even agree to this condition, then the subsequent conditions will be even less possible!" Valerovsky coldly said to the Gorchakov Envoy, "Your Excellency, you may leave!"

"Your Majesty!" Gorchakov looked towards Jerome Bonaparte.

"Regrettably!" Jerome Bonaparte sighed once more, "Valerovsky’s stance is also mine! If you are unwilling to agree, then we could also engage with the new government in the Peterburg Region!

I believe they would be more open-minded than you!"

For the Gorchakov Envoy, nothing was more damaging than this statement.

If Jerome Bonaparte truly chooses to communicate with the rebels in St. Petersburg, then the rebels will be able to solidify their current territory.

Should England and France choose to support the new government in St. Petersburg, they wouldn’t have a chance at victory.

"Your Majesty, please don’t do this!" Gorchakov Envoy once again begged Jerome Bonaparte, "I am willing to represent the Crown Prince to agree to your conditions! However, this might not gain us the support of Russian citizens in public opinion!"

"There’s no need to worry about that!" Valerovsky smiled and said to Gorchakov Envoy: "Because the St. Petersburg government has also agreed to our condition! You are both on the same starting line!"

"What!" Gorchakov Envoy looked at Valerovsky in shock, and then said with a grim face to Valerovsky: "How dare they do this! They..."

"Your Excellency Envoy, for a newly established regime, as long as it can maintain stability, there is nothing that cannot be sold!" Valerovsky replied calmly to Gorchakov Envoy.

"That is true!" Gorchakov Envoy showed a bitter smile, "Compared to the entire national regime, what does a Crimea Peninsula count for!"

"Gorchakov Envoy, I must remind you!" Valerovsky spoke again to Gorchakov: "They did not just agree to Crimea Peninsula!"

"What else did they agree to!" Gorchakov Envoy was slightly dispirited.

He really never thought that one day he would be competing with a group of rebels on who could sell the country better!

"The Grand Duchy of Finland under the Russian Empire must break away from the control of the Russian Empire!" Valerovsky put forth the newly added second condition.

"Is that also a condition they promised?" Gorchakov Envoy couldn’t help but ask.

"Of course!" Valerovsky nodded and said to Gorchakov Envoy.

"Okay!" Gorchakov Envoy responded, gritting his teeth, "I can agree with you!"

"The third condition is, the Kingdom of Poland must maintain an independent state!" Valerovsky spoke again to Gorchakov Envoy.

"What! They even sold out Poland!" Gorchakov Envoy couldn’t help but exclaim again.

"Your Excellency Envoy, Poland is probably already in a semi-independent state now!" Valerovsky "kindly" said to Gorchakov Envoy.

Then, Valerovsky recounted to Gorchakov the telegram about the Polish region sent from Paris.

According to the telegram from Paris, nationalists in the Polish region have already occupied Warsaw and are attacking Russian garrison forces around.

As the Governor of Poland, Constantin’s situation is now uncertain.

After hearing Valerovsky’s words, Gorchakov Envoy felt dizzy, he had never imagined that the Crimean War would cause Russia to lose the land it had been seeking since Catherine the Great.

"Your Excellency Minister, even if we abandon the Kingdom of Poland! The newly formed Kingdom of Poland will not be smoothly established!" Gorchakov responded to Valerovsky: "The Kingdom of Prussia and the Austrian Empire also occupy the Kingdom of Poland’s territories, they will definitely not agree to the establishment of the Kingdom of Poland!"

Currently, Gorchakov no longer hopes for the Russian Empire to restore its previous rights in Poland, his aim is to keep Poland within Russia, even if Poland is in fact independent!

As long as the Kingdom of Poland remains within the framework of the Russian Empire, they still have a chance.

"Mr. Gorchakov, you don’t need to worry about that!" Valerovsky responded to Gorchakov: "We will find a suitable heir to the throne for the Kingdom of Poland!"

To be honest, Valerovsky is eager to become the King of the newly formed Kingdom of Poland.

After all, he himself has half Polish blood.

However, unfortunately, Jerome Bonaparte, unlike Emperor Napoleon at the time, is not enthusiastic about finding a suitable kingdom for every unqualified family member to become king.

The King of the newly formed Kingdom of Poland will be sought from the German Region, so the Kingdom of Poland is destined to be unrelated to them!

"I agree with you!" Gorchakov Envoy nodded difficultly.

"Your country also needs to recognize the protection rights of the Austrian Empire over Wallachia and Modaville!" Valerovsky spoke again to Gorchakov.

"Okay!" Gorchakov Envoy nodded numbly.

He no longer hoped to leave a good name in the history of the Russian Empire.

After all, Crown Prince Alexander is already absolutely correct, so he has to bear this responsibility.

Anyway, he is destined to pay for Finland and Poland, so what does a mere Wallachia matter!