De Luy’s relentless actions against the liberals and nationalists within Italy left Cavour feeling quite helpless.

With both parties unable to reach an agreement, De Luy then politely requested Cavour to depart.

Cavour sighed lightly and then took his leave from De Luy.

After leaving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cavour turned and boarded a carriage, returning to the Sardinian Kingdom’s French Embassy. Upon seeing Prime Minister Cavour’s disappointed return, Envoy Delaroca immediately realized that the negotiations with De Luy had not been successful.

Delaroca hurriedly suggested to Cavour, "Your Excellency, Prime Minister, I believe you should now seek someone who has influence with the Emperor, and appeal to His Majesty Emperor Jerome Bonaparte through them!

As long as His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte is willing to ease up on this issue, then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will have no reason to keep pursuing us."

"I know!"

Cavour responded indifferently to Delaroca, then returned to his room alone and took out the suitcase he had placed under the bed.

Opening the suitcase, Cavour slipped the pre-packaged gift box into his pocket, then closed the suitcase and quickly ran downstairs.

"I’m headed out for a bit!" Cavour said once more to Delaroca in the downstairs living room, and left without looking back.

Departing from the Sardinian Kingdom’s French Embassy, Cavour once again set out by carriage, this time heading towards Princess Mathilde’s Mansion.

In all of Paris, there were only a few people who had the ability to help him, and Princess Mathilde was one of them.

The carriage sped along, quickly arriving near Princess Mathilde’s residence. As the carriage approached the gates of the mansion, a guard stopped the carriage. He walked up to the driver to inquire whether there was an invitation to enter the mansion.

The driver shook his head upon hearing this and stated that he was merely delivering the passenger behind him.

The guard then approached the carriage compartment where Cavour was seated, opened the door, and asked Prime Minister Cavour, "Please present your invitation!"

"I don’t have an invitation!" Cavour shook his head and responded to the guard, then continued, "However, could you kindly help me convey to Princess Mathilde that the Sardinian Kingdom’s Prime Minister Camillo Cavour is here to visit."

Upon hearing that the stout man in front of him was a prime minister, the guard immediately adopted a respectful demeanor, "Please wait a moment!"

After speaking, the guard turned and followed the path to the mansion’s entrance.

After entering the mansion, the guard quickly informed the mansion’s steward about Prime Minister Cavour’s arrival, who then carefully opened the door and entered the room where Princess Mathilde was.

At that moment, Princess Mathilde was engaging in literary discussions with a group of French writers, critics, and poets. The appearance of the steward made everyone present pause for a moment.

As the hostess of the mansion, Mathilde smiled and said to everyone present upon seeing the steward’s intrusion, "Please forgive my brief absence!"

Subsequently, Mathilde temporarily left the salon and joined the steward in a room, inquiring sternly, "What’s going on?"

"Your Highness mentioned that Sardinian Prime Minister Cavour is standing outside the mansion, requesting a meeting with you!" The steward responded clearly to Princess Mathilde.

"Cavour?" Princess Mathilde frowned slightly and then murmured softly, "How did he get to Paris so quickly!"

"Your Highness, should we let him in?" Seeing Princess Mathilde’s displeasure, the steward cautiously asked.

Mathilde stood in place, pondering. Although she really wished to help her old friend Cavour, both the Emperor and the Empress had already made a clear decision on this issue, which even Mathilde couldn’t oppose.

Therefore, Princess Mathilde shook her head and replied to the steward, "Let it be! The purpose of his visit is surely to seek my help, but it’s better if I don’t see him!

In a moment, you’ll personally go and tell him that the issues of the Sardinian Kingdom cannot be resolved simply by my intervention, and that he should give up this notion!

Moreover, if he tries to give you a gift, you should refuse it on my behalf!"

"Yes, Your Highness!" The steward responded to Princess Mathilde.

Afterward, the steward personally went to the mansion’s gate and fully relayed Princess Mathilde’s message to Cavour.

After hearing Princess Mathilde’s unwillingness to be involved in such matters, Cavour’s face couldn’t help but show a dejected expression.

Unexpectedly, even being the Emperor’s sister, there were times when she had her reservations.

"I understand!" Cavour forced a smile, and after a few seconds, he pulled himself together and took out a delicate small box to give to the steward. "Please pass this gift to Her Highness Princess Mathilde on my behalf!"

Seeing this, the steward shook his head and replied to Cavour, "Mr. Garibaldi, we won’t accept gifts, you should take it back."

Cavour felt even more disheartened, realizing that if Princess Mathilde refused the gift, it equated to no possibility for negotiations.

"Then I shall take my leave!" Cavour had to respond blandly to the steward.

"Then I won’t see you off!" The steward replied directly to Cavour without any pretense.

After distancing himself from Princess Mathilde’s Mansion, Cavour momentarily thought through before waving down another carriage.

This time, the place Cavour is heading to is the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Arriving near the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Cavour directly stepped into the building and, under the guidance of the Secretary of State of the ministry, found Minister Percy.

"Minister Percy!" Prime Minister Cavour said to Percy, his tone slightly deferential.

"Your Excellency Cavour, what brings you to me?"

Although Percy knew Cavour’s purpose for coming here, he still pretended not to know anything and answered Percy.

"Mr. Percy, I would like to appeal to you to save Sardinia!" Cavour said as he placed the gift he had in front of Percy.

Percy looked at the exquisitely packaged gift box, a glint of greed flashed in his eyes.

Just from the appearance of the gift box, the contents inside must be valuable.

However, Percy knew some gifts can be accepted, while some are indeed too hot to handle.

Cavour’s gift now happens to be in the latter category.

When it comes to such troubling gifts, Percy always shuts the door to them.

Thus, Percy righteously said to Cavour, "Mr. Cavour, what do you mean by this!Are you trying to bribe me with money?"

A look of astonishment flashed across Cavour’s face, and he quickly pushed the gift back towards Percy, explaining, "Minister Percy, this is not anything valuable, so it doesn’t count as bribery!

It’s merely a testament to our friendship!"

"Mr. Cavour, I’m already very touched that you came to see me on the second day of your arrival in Paris!

There’s no need for any gifts! True friendship doesn’t need to be maintained with gifts!" Percy once again pushed the gift back, firmly declaring.

"Since that’s the case, I will take it back!" Prime Minister Cavour had no choice but to take the gift back.

Next, Cavour inquired Percy about information regarding the regicide Orsini.

Percy shared all the "information" (both true and false) he had with Cavour, then criticized Cavour saying: "Your Sardinian Kingdom is really... Could it be that you’re indeed colluding with those people?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Prime Minister Cavour vehemently denied, "Orsini’s views are vastly different from ours, how could I possibly support them!"

"Since you’re not supporting them, then you should agree to the conditions soon. His Majesty raised these conditions for your own good!!" Percy responded to Cavour.

Cavour let out a bitter smile; he realized that he wouldn’t achieve success with Percy either.

Cavour found another excuse and left the Ministry of Internal Affairs, heading to the next location...

After visiting numerous Imperial Ministers and celebrities, Cavour consistently received answers of powerlessness.

It was evident that no one wished to defy the Emperor on this issue.

As Cavour visited more influential figures, his disappointment grew.

After visiting the fifth Imperial Minister, Cavour gave up on further visits and instead walked back alone to the embassy.

"Your Excellency Prime Minister, you’re back!" Upon hearing the noise outside the mansion, Ambassador Delaroca quickly opened the door after hearing the knock and addressed Prime Minister Cavour.

"Hmm!" Cavour forced a smile to Ambassador Delaroca, but this smile was even more strained than before.

Ambassador Delaroca could pretty much confirm that Prime Minister Cavour was equally helpless in establishing a network in France regarding this matter.

"No one is willing to accept my gift!" Prime Minister Cavour expressed slightly dispiritedly, "Now they see the gift like it’s a plague."

"Your Excellency Prime Minister, this is all quite understandable!" Ambassador Delaroca shrugged, "Your Excellency Prime Minister, I can now confirm that the directive from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs probably reflects the two Majesties’ intentions!

This means unless the two Majesties are willing to change their minds, Your Excellency Prime Minister, seeking anyone else will be futile!"

"Do you know the exact location of the two Majesties?" Cavour proceeded to ask Ambassador Delaroca.

"Your Excellency Prime Minister, the local newspapers in Paris will tell us the location of His Majesty and the Empress!" Ambassador Delaroca responded to Cavour.

Upon hearing this, Cavour strode into the living room’s desk and picked up today’s newspaper.

The front page of the Bonaparte Newspaper disclosed the current location of the two Majesties; they were inspecting France’s agriculture in the Loire Valley Region in central France!

"I must go there!"