Make France Great Again-Chapter 756 - 747 Sweden’s Ambition
After the Polish issue was properly resolved, there was no longer any need for Maximilian and Count Baur to stay in France.
Thus, on the fourth day after the baptism ceremony, Grand Duke Maximilian and Count Baur took their leave from His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte.
"Leaving so soon?"
Although His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte had long known that Maximilian and Count Baur would leave soon, when Maximilian officially bid farewell, he felt a slight twinge of disappointment.
"Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful for the help you’ve provided me during this time!" Grand Duke Maximilian said sincerely to His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte.
Nobody understood better than Maximilian that without the help of His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte, it would have been very difficult to gain the support of Prince Czartoryski with just him and the Austrian Empire behind him.
It was precisely because of the pressure from His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte that Prince Czartoryski gave up his republican dreams and instead supported Grand Duke Maximilian as King of Poland.
And through this communication, Maximilian realized that the influence of the French Empire on Poland was greater than he had imagined. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
"It was just a small effort!" His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte replied casually, waving his hand lightly to Grand Duke Maximilian.
"I sincerely hope that when I inherit the title of Grand Duke of Warsaw, you and Empress Augusta can come!" Grand Duke Maximilian once again extended an invitation to His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte.
"Rest assured! I will definitely come along with Empress Augusta!!!" His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte nodded and then added, "By the way, please convey to Mr. Bauer that I hope he can respond as soon as possible regarding the Currency Union!"
"I will pass the message to Count Baur on your behalf!!" Maximilian replied.
Afterward, under Mokar’s arrangements, Maximilian and Count Baur took a carriage to the Paris Railway Station.
They were going to take the train from Paris to Strasbourg, and then proceed from Strasbourg to enter Germany.
The day after Grand Duke Maximilian and Count Baur left, Queen Catherine also bid farewell to His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte and Augusta.
"Sister, why not stay for two more days before leaving?"
"Yes, cousin, why not stay for two more days?"
His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte and Augusta warmly tried to persuade Queen Catherine to stay.
Queen Catherine shook her head and replied to His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte and Augusta, saying that the only reason she stayed so long in Paris was to attend the baptism of Crown Prince Friedrich.
Now that the baptism was over, she needed to return to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Seeing that Queen Catherine was determined to leave, neither His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte nor Empress Augusta pressed her to stay.
"Cousin, be careful on your way! I hope next time you can come with your husband! Augusta and I will surely welcome you with open arms!" His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte said politely to Queen Catherine.
"Understood!" Queen Catherine replied casually and then said to His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte, "By the way, you asked me about the Currency Union matter, and William has already responded to me!"
"Oh?" His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte’s interest was piqued, and he quickly inquired, "What did your husband say?"
Queen Catherine rolled her eyes at His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte and responded, "William said that the Kingdom of the Netherlands is not opposed in principle to joining the French-established Currency Union.
However, the prerequisite is that this Currency Union you are forming must first include a certain number of countries before they will join!"
"Ah!" His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte’s mouth opened slightly. He originally wanted to bring in Belgium, Holland, Sardinia, and the Pope State to boost the presence and then attract more countries to join.
Now, the Kingdom of the Netherlands wants to wait until the Currency Union is somewhat formed before joining, which is akin to wanting to benefit without the risk!
If every country thinks like the Kingdom of the Netherlands, His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte’s Currency Union plan might not even get off the ground!
"Cousin, I’m very sorry!" Queen Catherine said to His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte, "The Kingdom of the Netherlands is different from the French Empire, and William’s authority is different from yours, so the Currency Union is a significant matter that must be approved by Parliament to pass!"
"Alright!" His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte shrugged his shoulders, replying to Queen Catherine, helplessly, "I can only do my best!"
...
After Queen Catherine left Paris, His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte locked himself in his study, pondering which countries might join the Currency Union.
Sweden? That one might work, Spain...
Until the knocking on the door sounded, Jerome Bonaparte stopped thinking and turned to say to the outside of the door, "Come in!"
Mokar’s figure appeared at the door, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Sina from the Kingdom of Sweden wishes to visit you!"
"Duke of Sina!" Jerome Bonaparte pondered for a moment, then suddenly recalled that this so-called Duke of Sina is none other than the future Charles XV of the Kingdom of Sweden.
The reason he chose to visit at this time is probably for the Finland issue.
"Let him in!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Mokar.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Mokar nodded, then turned and left.
After a while, the Duke of Sina appeared before Jerome Bonaparte. From his appearance, he did indeed bear a resemblance to Marshal Bertier.
Could it be that generational inheritance is all the rage now?
Looking at the duke, who bore a resemblance to the Imperial Marshal, Jerome Bonaparte silently made a quip in his heart.
"Your Majesty!" The Duke of Sina, introduced by Mokar, was also stunned for a few seconds upon seeing Jerome Bonaparte, and then quickly returned to bow and salute.
"Duke of Sina, come over and sit!" Jerome Bonaparte beckoned to the Duke of Sina.
The Duke of Sina quickly jogged to Jerome Bonaparte’s side, then sat opposite him.
Next, Jerome Bonaparte deliberately feigned ignorance and asked the Duke of Sina what business he had with him!
The Duke of Sina told Jerome Bonaparte that he came by his father’s orders to visit His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte.
"Duke of Sina, please convey my thanks to your father, King Oscar!"
Since the Duke of Sina was unwilling to reveal his true purpose, Jerome Bonaparte had to become the conversation ender, responding to the Duke of Sina.
The Duke of Sina once again expressed his thanks to Jerome Bonaparte, and then tactfully told Jerome Bonaparte that, besides visiting Jerome Bonaparte on orders, he also wished to inquire how Jerome Bonaparte planned to handle Finland!
"Handle Finland?" Jerome Bonaparte replied flatly, "The handling of Finland should be discussed two months later, not now!"
"But I heard Prime Minister Palmerston of Britain say..." The Duke of Sina impatiently said to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Duke of Sina, sir!" Jerome Bonaparte coldly addressed the Duke of Sina, "Since you have obtained accurate information from Palmerston, then you should truly stay closely behind Britain. Why bother coming to Paris personally!"
The Duke of Sina recognized Jerome Bonaparte’s displeasure and quickly apologized to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Duke of Sina, you don’t need to apologize!" Jerome Bonaparte continued to maintain a distant demeanor, "I understand and respect the Kingdom of Sweden’s choice; after all, Marshal Bertier relied on betraying France’s interests to gain Russia’s understanding!"
Faced with Jerome Bonaparte’s mockery, even though the Duke of Sina felt incredibly humiliated, he still had to force a smile and tell Jerome Bonaparte that indeed, some events led to his grandfather Bertier clashing with his colleagues in France, but he could guarantee to Jerome Bonaparte that his grandfather never said a bad word about the Emperor.
Since the Duke of Sina could remember, Bertier had been telling him stories of how the Emperor led them to conquer much of Europe.
"My grandfather always respected His Majesty the Emperor!" The Duke of Sina said to Jerome Bonaparte, "He opposed His Majesty the Emperor then as a reluctant choice!
Your Majesty, the Kingdom of Sweden does not want to be hostile with any country!"
"Since Sweden does not want to develop hostile relations with any country, then I think Finland becoming an independent duchy aligns with the Kingdom of Sweden’s interests, does it not?" Jerome Bonaparte seized on the Duke of Sina’s need-based vulnerability and responded to the Duke of Sisana.
"Your Majesty, our people all hope for Finland to return to our embrace!" The Duke of Sina replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"What? Aren’t you afraid of the hostility of the Russian Empire?" Jerome Bonaparte raised an eyebrow and asked the Duke of Sina.
"Afraid!" The Duke of Sina said briefly, then added, "However, we are even more afraid Finland won’t be able to return smoothly!
Any responsible Swede would never want to see Finland fall away!"
Jerome Bonaparte asked the Duke of Sina again, "Then how do you plan to resist the malice of the Russian Empire?"
The Duke of Sina told Jerome Bonaparte that his father hoped to receive help from the French Empire and the Kingdom of Britain, only then could they resist the Russian Empire.
If the French Empire is willing to act as a strong backing for the Kingdom of Sweden, they are willing to grant the French Empire the most-favored-nation treatment for iron ore.
