Make France Great Again-Chapter 745 - 736: Knocking on Leopold

After Count Baur finished speaking, the entire room fell into silence. After a moment, Jerome Bonaparte, who had recovered, immediately spoke.

"Grand Duke of Krakow-Galicia? So Franz Joseph is planning to reunite the territories of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Poland that were initially occupied by the Austrian Empire!"

"Exactly!" Count Baur nodded and said, "Our His Majesty the Emperor hopes to gain your support!"

"Support! Of course, I support it!" Jerome Bonaparte replied with a smile.

"As for Prussia..." Count Baur, having received a definite answer from Jerome Bonaparte, tentatively asked.

"Rest assured!" Jerome Bonaparte hurriedly assured Count Baur, "Not only will I support you in this matter, but Palmerston and others will also support your decision!"

"Your Majesty, thank you for what you have done for the Austrian Empire!" Count Baur sincerely expressed his gratitude, "I can assure you that the Austrian Empire will be your most loyal partner!"

"Mr. Bauer, your words put me at ease!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded graciously, then continued, "The French Empire and the Austrian Empire are a pair of natural allies! Because in many issues, our two countries have consistent goals!

For example, in the matters of Russia, Germany, and the Apennine Peninsula... If our two countries are hostile to each other, it will only benefit a third party.

However, while our French Empire can still endure in an isolated environment, it may not be the case for your country!"

Jerome Bonaparte’s ’cautionary’ remarks left Count Baur feeling a bit gloomy.

However, he had to admit that Jerome Bonaparte was right; the current Austrian Empire indeed had limited options.

Having offended Prussia and Russia, without clinging closely to France, Austria might end up being marginalized in Europe like the Russian Empire.

"You are right! Between France and Austria, mutual support and assistance are fundamental!" Count Baur nodded in agreement and said, "No one, no organization can dismantle the union between us!"

Jerome Bonaparte clapped his hands and said, "Mr. Bauer, you are absolutely right!"

Then, Jerome Bonaparte asked Count Baur when Grand Duke Maximilian would arrive, so he could properly welcome the future King of Poland.

Count Baur informed Jerome Bonaparte that he had received a telegram from Austria, indicating that Grand Duke Maximilian would arrive in Paris alongside Pope Pius IX.

"Then I’ll be watching eagerly!" Jerome Bonaparte replied with a smile.

After the brief yet significant diplomatic meeting concluded, Jerome Bonaparte, Valerovsky, and Count Baur began to quietly enjoy their afternoon tea.

An hour later, the afternoon tea ended, and Count Baur bid farewell to Jerome Bonaparte and Valerovsky.

"Let me see you off!" Jerome Bonaparte said politely.

"Your Majesty, there’s no need! I can return to the embassy myself!" Count Baur replied considerately to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Alright then!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged, seeing Count Baur off as he left the office.

After Count Baur left, Jerome Bonaparte said to Valerovsky, "Let’s start the next round!"

Valerovsky quickly invited Jerome Bonaparte to sit down, and then sat opposite him with a serious expression.

"Here’s the thing! My cousin, Queen Catherine of the Netherlands..." Jerome Bonaparte began to talk to Valerovsky in a casual tone about the division of the Kingdom of Belgium, "What do you think about this matter for the French Empire — good or bad?"

Valerovsky pondered for a moment with his head lowered, then looked up again at Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, the region promised by Queen Catherine is the Luxembourg Province of the Kingdom of Belgium, right?"

"Exactly!" Jerome Bonaparte confirmed, "My cousin’s intention is that once the Kingdom of the Netherlands occupies the Kingdom of Belgium, they will immediately hand over the Luxembourg Province to us!"

"Your Majesty!" Valerovsky clenched his fist, determinedly saying to Jerome Bonaparte, "I believe we should not agree to Queen Catherine’s request!"

Jerome Bonaparte showed a barely noticeable bewilderment on his face; he originally thought Valerovsky would lean towards supporting the Kingdom of the Netherlands’ return to Belgium, "Why?"

"Your Majesty, my opinion is based on three considerations!" Valerovsky analyzed systematically, "The first is that now more than twenty years have passed since Belgium’s independence, and twenty years is more than enough for a generation to grow up!

The previous generation may not have had the concept of the Kingdom of Belgium, but this generation has already formed that concept.

If the Kingdom of the Netherlands wants to return to the Kingdom of Belgium, they will not only have to defeat the army of the Kingdom of Belgium but also gain the support of this generation, which would be too difficult for the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Saying this, Valerovsky paused, swallowed, and continued, "The second point is that among the older generation of the Kingdom of Belgium, there are still memories of the past violent suppression by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

If the Kingdom of the Netherlands were really to attack, those old folks would also likely become their obstacle.

```

The third and most important point..."

Valerovsky asked Jerome Bonaparte solemnly, "Your Majesty, what is the purpose of your engagement in the Crimean War?"

"The purpose of crushing the Russian Empire is, of course, to shatter the shackles imposed on us by the Holy Alliance!" Jerome Bonaparte responded without hesitation, "Haven’t I told you this many times?"

"So, Your Majesty, have we already shattered them?" Valerovsky continued to ask.

After pondering for a moment, Jerome Bonaparte said, "Shattered, but not completely! We have only shattered one corner of the Holy Alliance—the Russian Empire, and then replaced the position of the Russian Empire!"

Indeed, regardless of the new order Jerome Bonaparte spoke of, he is currently enacting a version of Prince Metternich’s European balance of power.

"So, Your Majesty, since we have become the creators of this new order, we should do our utmost to maintain the existing order, rather than disrupt it as before!" Valerovsky advised Jerome Bonaparte earnestly.

"You are right!" Jerome Bonaparte suddenly realized, patting his thigh as he spoke to Valerovsky, "We are the creators of the European order and should no longer approach this game with a mindset of destruction!"

Valerovsky’s face lit up with a smile; he was pleased that Jerome Bonaparte could heed his advice.

"However, shouldn’t we also do something!" Jerome Bonaparte remembered a certain alliance in later generations, thinking if he were to...

"Your Majesty, what do you want to do?" Valerovsky asked, puzzled, looking at Jerome Bonaparte.

"Isn’t Leopold at the Luxembourg Grand Hotel? I think it’s time to give them a warning!" Jerome Bonaparte ordered Valerovsky, "In a moment, you will go personally to the Louvre Grand Hotel where Leopold is staying and tell him that I have something to discuss with him! Ask him to meet me at the Elysee Palace!" 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"As you command!" Valerovsky immediately responded to Jerome Bonaparte.

After arranging everything, Jerome Bonaparte stood up from the sofa, lightly adjusted his cuffs, and responded to Valerovsky, "Alright! I’ll go to the Elysee Palace to prepare now!"

Having said that, Jerome Bonaparte, under the astonished gaze of Valerovsky, put on a wig and glasses again, quickly completing his disguise.

...

Leaving Ossai Pier, Jerome Bonaparte ordered the carriage to take him to the Elysee Palace; the carriage sped along, quickly arriving at the gates of the Elysee Palace.

The soldiers guarding the Elysee Palace stopped him upon seeing Jerome Bonaparte.

After Jerome Bonaparte removed his wig and glasses, only then did the soldiers salute him.

"In a while, a carriage will arrive at the Elysee Palace! At that time, you need not worry!" Jerome Bonaparte said to the soldiers.

"Yes!" the soldiers replied vigorously.

...

Entering the Elysee Palace, Jerome Bonaparte was led into a reception room by a maid left at the palace, and he also instructed the maid that if anyone came, to bring that person to him directly!

The maid, like the soldiers, accepted the orders and left, leaving Jerome Bonaparte alone as he stood by the window, quietly watching the setting sun slowly dip away into the distance.

Half an hour later, as the sun gradually disappeared behind the densely packed buildings, the servants placed candles and oil lamps prepared in advance in the reception room.

"Your Majesty, would you like to have a little something to eat?" a servant asked with concern.

"No, thank you!" Jerome Bonaparte shook his head and replied.

The servant left once more.

...

Ten minutes later, the door of the reception room opened once again, and this time appeared the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Belgium, Leopold, who would become the infamous "Spendthrift" Leopold II.

During his reign, the spendthrifts of the entire Congo Colony could be said to have accounted for half of the colony’s population, which was exceedingly rare in the entire history of colonialism.

It can be said without polite reservation that France’s atrocities in Algeria were not as severe as his, with only the Kingdom of Britain comparing or exceeding him.

After all, the Kingdom of Britain not only engineered multiple famines in India.

Even the white compatriots in Ireland also suffered intentionally engineered, heartbreaking famines.

However, the British Empire’s formidable strength made it impossible for anyone to voice any opposition.