Make France Great Again-Chapter 805 - 796: First Stop—Baden

The soldiers of the Baden Duchy present also gave Jerome Bonaparte enough face; from the beginning to the end of his speech, applause never stopped.

"Friends, brothers from the Baden Duchy!" Jerome Bonaparte affectionately addressed the soldiers of the Baden Duchy as "brothers": "On behalf of France, I warmly welcome you to visit France, to appreciate the beauty of France and experience the scenery of France!

Only in this way can the relations and exchanges between the French Empire and the Baden Duchy be deepened... Germany and France are both great nations. I hope that the two great nations should always maintain the idea of mutual cooperation and mutual benefit.

Mere opposition cannot strengthen our two countries; rather, it will lead both countries, which should be able to win together, into decline!

I hope you can remember this point; I can assure you that the rifles of the French Empire will never be aimed at their friends!

Our rifles are only to protect our friends and protect every independent and autonomous country!"

As soon as Jerome Bonaparte finished speaking, the soldiers of the Baden Duchy present, led by their general, applauded again.

Then, Jerome Bonaparte once again extended his hand to shake tightly with the general.

After the handshake ended, it was he who escorted Jerome Bonaparte and others to the nearby military train station and specially prepared a train for Jerome Bonaparte directly to the capital of Baden, Karlsruhe.

"Your Majesty, I will see you off here!" General Andre Calman of the Baden Duchy respectfully responded to Jerome Bonaparte.

"General Andre Calman, thank you very much for personally escorting my wife and me here!" Jerome Bonaparte courteously responded to Andre Calman.

"Your Majesty, this is what I should do!" Andre Calman answered powerfully.

"I hope one day you will come to Paris! Then, I will personally entertain you!" Jerome Bonaparte responded to Andre Calman as he stepped onto the steps of the steam train.

"Your Majesty!" Andre Calman replied to Jerome Bonaparte: "If I have time, I will definitely go to Paris!"

Immediately after Jerome Bonaparte and others boarded, the steam train whistled.

At this time, in the direction where the steam train was headed, it was already faintly white. Sitting inside the specially made carriage, Jerome Bonaparte, sitting on the campaign bed fixed to one side of the train, yawned and asked Augusta, "What time is it now?"

"It’s almost 5 o’clock now!" Augusta glanced at her pocket watch and responded to Jerome Bonaparte.

"5 o’clock, huh!" Jerome Bonaparte yawned again and then asked Mokar, "How long will it take us to reach Karlsruhe?"

"Your Majesty, the journey is expected to take more than 6 hours! That means we will arrive in Karlsruhe at around 1 o’clock in the afternoon!" Mokar responded to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Then I will sleep first! You should also rest a bit!" Jerome Bonaparte said, then removed his Martin boots and lay down on the campaign bed.

Sitting opposite Jerome Bonaparte, Empress Augusta, looking at Jerome Bonaparte who had already closed his eyes, also yawned and ordered Mokar: "Mokar, you should go rest as well!"

"Yes, Her Majesty the Empress!" Mokar respectfully responded to Empress Augusta, then left the carriage where Jerome Bonaparte and Empress Augusta were and went to another carriage to rest.

Amidst the rumbling of the steam train, Jerome Bonaparte and Empress Augusta respectively entered into dreams.

...

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

Accompanied by the hazy call of Augusta by his ear, the deeply asleep Jerome Bonaparte slowly opened his eyes and lazily asked, "What is it?"

"Your Majesty, we are almost there!" Empress Augusta said to Jerome Bonaparte.

Upon hearing the news of the impending arrival, Jerome Bonaparte immediately got up from the bed, slowly put on the Martin boots placed beside the bed, then got up and pulled the black curtain hanging on the train window to look outside.

At this time, the sun was hanging high in the sky, and in front of him was a vast green field, with small towns only visible if one gazed into the distance, like islands in an ocean.

If Augusta hadn’t told him this was near the capital Karlsruhe, Jerome Bonaparte could hardly believe this was around the Capital Circle.

However, thinking about it, it’s not that surprising!

Even now, Paris would seem no different from the Middle Ages if one were to step out of the City center and planned areas.

The urban-rural divide was vividly displayed during the first industrial revolution.

"I never thought I could see such rustic scenery near the Capital Circle!" Jerome Bonaparte couldn’t help but tease as he looked at the distant landscape.

"Do you think everyone can be like France, possessing ample capital to turn Paris into a global metropolis!" Empress Augusta replied to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Are you complimenting me!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged his shoulders and responded to Empress Augusta, then added, "However, now I understand why Germany’s monarchs all love to visit Paris!"

"Alright! You mustn’t say these words in public!" Empress Augusta reminded Jerome Bonaparte.

"Do I look like such a fool?" Jerome Bonaparte spread his hands and answered Empress Augusta.

Half an hour later, the train finally entered the vicinity of Karlsruhe’s city area.

The scenery finally took on somewhat of an industrial revolution atmosphere, with steam boats emitting black smoke on the river, and rows of buildings scattered near the train tracks.

Jerome Bonaparte was already dressed and ready to get off the train with Augusta.

With the sound of a whistle, Jerome Bonaparte and Augusta inside the carriage clearly felt the steam train gradually slowing down.

A station similar to those in some remote small county towns appeared in Jerome Bonaparte’s eyes, looking at the station in front of him, Jerome Bonaparte’s mouth twitched slightly.

The station here simply couldn’t compare to the Paris station, not even as good as the station in Marseille.

The train slowed to a stop, a man with a light blue buttoned military uniform and a handlebar mustache was standing at the station waiting, and behind him was a group of guards also in light blue uniforms.

Once the train came to a complete stop, the soldiers behind the man quickly ran to the train and opened the door, Jerome Bonaparte and Augusta walked hand in hand down from the train carriage.

"Your Majesty!" Upon seeing Jerome Bonaparte, the man immediately bowed respectfully to him.

"Friedrich! My brother!" Jerome Bonaparte let go of Augusta’s hand, stood in front of him, and enthusiastically gave him a hug.

Indeed, the man in front was none other than the Regent Duke Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig of the Grand Duchy of Baden.

If this name is unfamiliar, then his other identity is well-known to many.

He is the future son-in-law of William I, also the one who led Southern Germany’s monarchs to acknowledge William I as Emperor at the Palace of Versailles, cheering "Long live" (though the Emperor’s initial position was just Confederation Chairman 2.0 version).

If he hadn’t persuaded them, Southern Germany’s monarchs would surely cause some troubles.

This Friedrich was trusted by William I because he led the cheers at Versailles.

It can be said that the position of the Baden Duchy in the German Empire was earned because Friedrich took the lead in cheering.

However, Friedrich has not yet married William I or even taken the position as Grand Duke.

His mentally ill brother has to wait until next year to retire completely, and his current position is at the regent king level, just like William I of the Kingdom of Prussia.

"Your Majesty, very glad you could visit Karlsruhe!" Regent King Friedrich smiled as he replied to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Friedrich, if you’re willing, you can call me Jerome directly!" Jerome Bonaparte released Regent King Friedrich and said to him, then introduced Empress Augusta to Friedrich, "This is my wife Augusta!"

Augusta also smiled, and upon seeing this, Friedrich kissed the back of Augusta’s hand to show respect.

Afterward, led by Friedrich, Jerome Bonaparte rode a tall horse with Friedrich traversing the streets of Karlsruhe, while Empress Augusta sat in the convertible carriage specially prepared by Friedrich.

The organized citizens cheered for Jerome Bonaparte’s arrival, and Jerome Bonaparte, amid the cheers, proceeded all the way to the square.

In front of the square, rows of Baden soldiers stood tall and looked spirited as Jerome Bonaparte and Friedrich arrived and inspected them.

"Why don’t we get off the horse?" Jerome Bonaparte suggested, and Friedrich nodded in agreement.

Jerome Bonaparte and Friedrich stood on the open space of the square, and the general in charge of the soldiers’ formation commanded his soldiers to begin.

A group of soldiers walked up to Jerome Bonaparte and saluted him.

Jerome Bonaparte also solemnly watched every soldier depart, and this gesture immediately won the liking of the citizens present and Friedrich.