Make France Great Again-Chapter 741 - 732 Check-in Holy Land: Paris
"The Louvre Grand Hotel? Why did you arrange for them to stay there? You should have them live at the Tuileries Palace!" Jerome Bonaparte criticized Empress Augusta with a slightly reproachful tone, not wanting to earn a reputation as inhospitable among the ranks of monarchs.
"Brother, he is unwilling to reside at the Tuileries Palace!" Empress Augusta replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "So, I had no choice but to arrange for them to stay at the Louvre Grand Hotel!"
Upon hearing Empress Augusta’s words, Jerome Bonaparte’s first thought was that his brother-in-law might be here to cause trouble because of his wife!
However, Jerome Bonaparte reconsidered, thinking it was unlikely. His father-in-law wouldn’t do something so foolish.
He, as a son-in-law, hadn’t done anything to harm the Kingdom of Württemberg. Moreover, the success of the French Empire in the Crimean War had indirectly boosted the influence of the Kingdom of Württemberg in Southern Germany.
As the second-largest principality in Southern Germany, Württemberg had now become a force capable of competing with the Kingdom of Bavaria in Southern Germany.
There was no reason for his father-in-law to give his brother-in-law the green light unless he wanted to completely sever ties with the French Empire.
After a breach, Württemberg would revert to its previous status.
And few would want to accept Württemberg while being under the animosity of the French Empire.
...
"Sigh!" After pondering for a long time, Jerome Bonaparte couldn’t figure it out and could only sigh, "Find a chance to meet with them."
(At this time, neither Jerome Bonaparte nor Augusta realized that the future King Charles I of Württemberg was actually homosexual.
His reluctance to stay at the Tuileries Palace was because life there hindered his pursuit of pleasure.
At this period, only the café culture could accommodate his homosexual nature.)
"Alright!" Empress Augusta nodded.
Then she informed Jerome Bonaparte that a large group of monarchs would come to observe the baptism in a week.
Upon hearing this, a look of reluctance appeared on Jerome Bonaparte’s face. He had been planning to take a short break during this time, only to realize he had to personally oversee the hosting duties, "Sigh! Why do they all have to gather at the same time? Wouldn’t it be better to spread it out?"
"Cheer up, Your Majesty!" Princess Mathilde’s schadenfreude-filled voice reached Jerome Bonaparte’s ear.
"Tell me, who all are coming?" Jerome Bonaparte wearily asked Empress Augusta.
"My sister Catherine (Queen of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), Regent Duke Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig of the Duchy of Baden, the former King of Bavaria Ludwig Karl August, Crown Prince Duke of Skane from the Kingdom of Sweden, Grand Duke Maximilian of the Austrian Empire, Belgian Crown Prince Leopold..." Empress Augusta listed to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Wow... Quite a number of guests!" Jerome Bonaparte rubbed his nose again.
Empress Augusta’s list basically included representatives from most Central, Western, and Northern European countries. Some were coming to foster closer ties with France, while others to engage with France... no one was simply here to observe Friedrich’s baptism.
"Alright! I understand!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded, assuring Empress Augusta, "I will handle everything appropriately!"
Just as Jerome Bonaparte finished speaking, a clear knock came from the door.
"Who is it?" Jerome Bonaparte hurriedly inquired.
"Your Majesties, lunch is ready!" Mokar’s respectful voice announced to Jerome Bonaparte and Empress Augusta from outside the door.
"Okay! I get it!" Jerome Bonaparte quickly replied, then turned to Empress Augusta and Princess Mathilde, "Let’s go have a meal first!"
"Alright then, let’s go!" Princess Mathilde stood up and handed Friedrich over to Jerome Bonaparte, "It’s your child, you should spend more time with him!"
Jerome Bonaparte held Friedrich in his arms, looking into his lively big eyes, lifted him high and proudly declared, "My child will definitely grow into a monarch as outstanding as I am!"
"Like you?" Princess Mathilde looked at Jerome Bonaparte with disdain, "Like how you were a chubby ball when you were young?"
"That was all in the past!" Jerome Bonaparte awkwardly rubbed his nose, realizing his sister was an expert at exposing his flaws.
Nonetheless, he gently reminded Friedrich, "Definitely! Make sure not to get too fat! Otherwise, dieting will be quite the struggle!"
Being held high by Jerome Bonaparte, Friedrich giggled joyously.
As Jerome Bonaparte was about to leave with Friedrich alongside Empress Augusta, she solemnly reminded him, "Don’t forget about your other child!"
It was only then that Jerome Bonaparte realized the Marchioness Aile had also given birth, and he hurriedly asked, "A boy or a girl?"
"A boy!" Empress Augusta replied with a hint of resentment in her tone.
"I..." Looking at the despondent Augusta before him, Jerome Bonaparte sighed and said to him, "I’m sorry! Augusta!"
"It’s nothing!" Empress Augusta shook her head, then solemnly replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "She (the Marchioness Aile) has it much harder than I do!"
With that, Augusta took a step and left first.
Holding Friedrich in his arms, Jerome Bonaparte also left the room with heavy thoughts.
When Jerome Bonaparte arrived at the dining room, he immediately handed Friedrich, whom he was holding, to the professional team that had been waiting for quite some time.
Friedrich, reluctant to leave Jerome Bonaparte’s embrace, kept babbling incessantly. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
"Daddy will hold you again after finishing lunch!" Jerome Bonaparte gently comforted Friedrich, who was being held by the professional team.
Friedrich then left the dining room, allowing Jerome Bonaparte to enjoy his meal.
Since none of the three present spoke a word, the entire lunch took nearly half an hour.
After lunch, Jerome Bonaparte once again went to Augusta’s room, where Friedrich was already sound asleep.
Seeing Friedrich in the cradle, a loving smile spread across Jerome Bonaparte’s face.
Even though he had lived for two lifetimes, this was still his first child.
To avoid disturbing Friedrich’s rest, Jerome Bonaparte quietly left the room and then found Mokar in the Tuileries Palace.
"Get Minister of Justice Rouher and Minister of Internal Affairs Percy over here right away!" Jerome Bonaparte spoke seriously, "Tell them I have something to discuss with them, and the meeting place is the study!!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
After responding to Jerome Bonaparte, Mokar left, and Jerome Bonaparte proceeded alone to his study, where he hadn’t been for more than four months.
When Jerome Bonaparte arrived at the study, he immediately sat down in a chair, closed his eyes, and waited for Rouher and Percy to arrive.
About half an hour later, there was a knock at the door, and Jerome Bonaparte opened his eyes and said lightly, "Come in!"
The door opened, and Mokar, Rouher, and Percy appeared before Jerome Bonaparte.
"Your Majesty, Ministers Rouher and Percy are here!" Mokar reported to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Alright! Mokar, you may leave now!" Jerome Bonaparte waved his hand at Mokar.
After Mokar left, Jerome Bonaparte stood up and looked at Rouher and Percy, saying, "Let’s sit on the sofa and discuss in detail!"
Sensing the aura of a military emperor emanating from Jerome Bonaparte, Rouher and Percy felt a bit uneasy. Although they roughly guessed why Jerome Bonaparte had summoned them, they were still somewhat apprehensive.
The present Jerome Bonaparte was even more powerful than a few months ago, with no rivals in all of France except death itself.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Rouher and Percy followed Jerome Bonaparte to the sofa.
As soon as they sat down, Jerome Bonaparte turned and warmly asked Percy how he was doing at the Ministry of Internal Affairs!
Percy humbly told Jerome Bonaparte that he was handling things at the Ministry of Internal Affairs quite smoothly.
"That’s good!" Jerome Bonaparte smiled and nodded, then turned to Rouher, "Rouher, you’ve worked hard during this time!"
"Your Majesty, it’s nothing!" Rouher shook his head and said to Jerome Bonaparte.
"By the way, I heard that after I left, many people have been exiled by the Ministry of Justice. Is this true?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Rouher nonchalantly.
"Yes, Your Majesty, those were all people attempting to overthrow the empire’s government!" Rouher responded firmly.
"And what did they use to overthrow it?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Rouher again, "Guns or cannons?"
"No," Rouher shook his head and answered Jerome Bonaparte, "They were involved in spreading pamphlets that defamed the Empire and criticized the Crimean War!"
"Oh!" Jerome Bonaparte responded with a hint of surprise; he truly hadn’t expected anyone to engage in anti-war activities during wartime, which was somewhat beyond his expectations.
"So you exiled them all?"
