Make France Great Again-Chapter 766 - 757 The Paris Peace Conference Begins
"I understand!"
Realizing that Jerome Bonaparte still maintained a balanced attitude towards the Russian Empire, the Earl of Clarion nodded and then stood up to bow to Jerome Bonaparte, saying, "Your Majesty, I will take my leave now!"
"Let me see you off!" Jerome Bonaparte also stood up and said a word to the Earl of Clarion.
"No need, Your Majesty!" The Earl of Clarion refused Jerome Bonaparte’s farewell and left the Tuileries Palace alone under Mokar’s guidance.
Standing at the window, Jerome Bonaparte quietly watched the departing Earl of Clarion and murmured softly, "What exactly does the Kingdom of Britain mean?"
...
Time flew by quickly, and soon it was noon at 12 o’clock the next day.
At this time, the streets of Quai d’Orsay and both sides of Concorde Bridge were crowded with onlookers just like the day before, eagerly waiting for the passing of various diplomatic missions. Due to the large number of people and the lack of police maintaining order, the originally spacious streets were quickly congested.
The chief of police responsible for this area had no choice but to report the situation to his superior — Minister of Internal Affairs Percy.
"What!" Minister Percy exclaimed in surprise upon hearing the news, and then quickly summoned his police officers and gendarmes, issuing orders to disperse the crowds and ensure the diplomatic missions arrived at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on time and smoothly.
The police chief and the captain of the gendarmerie dared not slack off for a moment after receiving the orders since there was less than two hours before the arrival of the mission.
Nearly 1,000 police officers and 300 gendarmes were deployed to maintain order at Concorde Bridge and Quai d’Orsay. After more than half an hour of coordination, everything was finally completed by 12:50 pm.
Having done all this, Percy breathed a sigh of relief and then personally went to the Tuileries Palace to report the news to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Not bad!" In the study, Jerome Bonaparte calmly read "History of French Civilization" and replied lightly.
"It was my duty to do so!" Percy humbly said to Jerome Bonaparte.
The two chatted for a while, during which Jerome Bonaparte asked Percy if he knew about the situation of the former Orleans Prime Minister Guizot.
Percy shook his head and then promised Jerome Bonaparte that he would closely monitor Guizot after he left.
"Monitor?" Jerome Bonaparte chuckled, continuing to flip through "History of French Civilization" in his hand, "No need to monitor him! You only need to ask Mr. Guizot one question for me!"
"Your Majesty, what would you like to ask?" Percy inquired of Jerome Bonaparte.
"Ask Guizot if he is willing to take on a role in the Imperial Government!" Jerome Bonaparte replied lightly, "If he is willing, I can appoint him as a member of the Education Committee!"
Hearing Jerome Bonaparte’s promise, a look of surprise appeared on Percy’s face.
This fellow Guizot, during the Orleans Kingdom, advocated taking the right of education from the Church.
But now, the Imperial Government with the Falu Law has aligned the right of French citizens to education under the influence of the Church.
Is Jerome Bonaparte’s action an indication of his intention to break with the Church?
"Your Majesty, are you planning to take action against the Church?" Percy cautiously asked Jerome Bonaparte.
Before the Great Revolution, the King of France traditionally struck hard at the Church after gaining absolute power.
Because at that time, the Gaul Church had accumulated a great deal of wealth in France.
However, after the Great Revolution, the accumulated wealth of the Gaul Church was directly confiscated.
The current Gaul Church is not as rich as it was before, and rashly attacking might not gain wealth but instead cause trouble.
"Percy!" Jerome Bonaparte closed "History of French Civilization" and said to Percy, "Do you know about the catfish effect?"
Percy shook his head, looking at Jerome Bonaparte with a bewildered expression.
Jerome Bonaparte immediately explained the catfish effect to Percy.
"Your Majesty, you want Guizot to be the catfish that stirs up the entire education system!" Percy immediately understood Jerome Bonaparte’s intention.
"Exactly!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded and said to Percy, "I need to make those people feel the crisis; otherwise, they will become complacent! Our government needs more educated people, not illiterates!" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎
"I understand!" Percy nodded and replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte issued a dismissal order to Percy.
Shortly after Percy left, Empress Augusta appeared in Jerome Bonaparte’s study.
"Your Majesty, is there something you need from me?" Empress Augusta asked Jerome Bonaparte.
"Can’t I seek you out even if there’s nothing wrong?" Jerome Bonaparte replied, half-jokingly, as he held Augusta’s hand.
"Of course not!" Empress Augusta shook her head and said.
Immediately, Jerome Bonaparte told Empress Augusta that he wanted to take Augusta and Friedrich on a brief outing to the Bois de Boulogne.
"What about the Quai d’Orsay?" Empress Augusta inquired of Jerome Bonaparte.
"Leave it to Valerovsky and the others!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged and replied to Empress Augusta, "I can’t be expected to handle everything myself! Minister Valerovsky serves me, not the other way around!"
"Haven’t you served Valerovsky enough?" Empress Augusta teased.
"I’m just afraid that Valerovsky would make mistakes!" Jerome Bonaparte replied awkwardly.
Augusta was right; ever since Jerome Bonaparte had become President, he met with foreign envoys almost as often as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Over time, both the domestic and foreign diplomatic departments came to know that the true Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France was at the Tuileries Palace, while the Quai d’Orsay was merely for show.
"So? Are you not afraid now?" Empress Augusta teased Jerome Bonaparte again.
"Let’s not talk about this anymore! Get ready, let’s go!" Jerome Bonaparte had to change the subject when he answered Empress Augusta.
...
Just as Jerome Bonaparte and Empress Augusta were preparing for their outing to the Bois de Boulogne, carriages carrying foreign ministers passed over the Concorde Bridge, heading west to the entrance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Quai d’Orsay.
Each time a minister emerged from the carriage to enter the Ministry building, the crowd would erupt in cheers of "Long live peace, long live Napoleon!"
The foreign ministers (or Prime Ministers) from England, Austria, Russia, Prussia, Sardinia, Turkey, and the seven nations were the first to arrive at the Ministry. Upon entering the building, they were immediately welcomed by the bureaucratic officials, headed by the Secretary of State.
"Gentlemen, please follow me!" the Secretary of State respectfully said to those present and proceeded to guide the representatives of the seven countries.
With the Secretary of State leading the way, the representatives soon arrived at the Grand Ambassadorial Hall located on the first floor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The first thing everyone noticed upon entering the hall was a large round table covered with green velvet, surrounded by twelve chairs.
The eight ministers from the seven countries directly involved in the Crimean War (representatives Nesselrode and Gorchakov from the two Russian governments) would discuss matters at the round table. Around it were dozens of other chairs for representatives from some "irrelevant" countries.
The reason some irrelevant countries joined in the excitement was largely due to the Vienna Congress.
During the cake-cutting at the Vienna Congress, kings driven out by Napoleon came with the hope of reclaiming their thrones, and indeed, they were successful in their attempts.
The majority of kings expelled by Napoleon regained their thrones, and a few fortunate ones (Sardinian Kingdom) even annexed some countries (Republic of Genoa) as compensation.
After the division of the Vienna Congress, European countries became increasingly enthusiastic about attending conferences, participating whenever possible.
If they could gain any benefit from such a division, it would be all the better!
Even without gaining any benefits, strengthening ties with powerful countries wasn’t a wasted trip.
In front of the grand table and the audience seats, crimson drapes hung from the wall. Once ordered by the Secretary of State, the drapes were opened, revealing portraits of Jerome Bonaparte and Empress Augusta. The pair in the paintings faced the round table, as if indicating that none of their actions would escape their watchful eyes.
To the left of the portraits was a fireplace, with a bust of Emperor Napoleon on the mantel beside it. Over the past forty-plus years, this statue had been disregarded by any monarchs.
Nowadays, under the efforts of Jerome Bonaparte and the Second Empire, the nations’ monarchs were forced to acknowledge this statue because behind it stood a powerful French Empire.
"Please wait a moment!" the Secretary of State once again bowed to those present, "Minister Valerovsky will be coming down shortly!"
The foreign ministers of the seven countries nodded and then took their seats according to the names laid out on the round table.
After a while, ambassadors from Denmark, Wurttemberg, Bavaria, Greece, Hanover, Saxony, Poland (also Prince Czartoryski), Greece, and Naples arrived successively and quietly sat in the audience, awaiting the start of the peace conference.
