Make France Great Again-Chapter 809 - 800: Family Banquet
"Of course, it’s the government established by Alexander!"
Empress Augusta naturally responded to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Then how to handle the Empress (wife of Alexander II) in Duke Golitsyn’s hands, the Little Tsar (son of Alexander II), and the Empress Dowager? What about the Grand Dukes of the Romanov Clan residing in St. Petersburg!" Jerome Bonaparte asked with an amused smile.
"This..." Empress Augusta pondered for a moment, unable to say a word.
"The current Russian Empire is nothing more than which side has the strength, and that side holds sanctity!" Jerome Bonaparte gently dusted off his clothes and said to Empress Augusta, "Our goal is to maintain the balance between the two powers, so they can’t settle the outcome quickly! This aligns with the interests of France and Württemberg!
Mother-in-law, she’s still a bit too emotional!"
"You are not allowed to really criticize my mother!" Empress Augusta scolded.
"Alright! I won’t say anything, okay!" Jerome Bonaparte reached for Empress Augusta’s shoulder and earnestly told her, "Now, go back to Mother-in-law and tell her that if we choose to support Alexander’s government, she will soon hear of the complete destruction of the Romanov Clan.
Golitsyn is willing to spare a life for the Romanov Clan to signal respect for the monarchy to us!
If we choose one side, then there’s only one dead end awaiting her!"
"Hmm! Got it!" Empress Augusta nodded in response to Jerome Bonaparte.
"By the way! Please also explain it to your sister-in-law!" Jerome Bonaparte reminded Empress Augusta.
After Empress Augusta left, Jerome Bonaparte returned to the sitting room where William I was.
"Back again!" William I smiled faintly as he looked at Jerome Bonaparte approaching the sofa.
"Hmm!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded and sat back on the sofa, then took a sip of the not entirely cold tea.
"How is it? Didn’t I say so?" William I responded to Jerome Bonaparte with a hint of teasing.
"Mother-in-law truly makes things difficult for me!" Jerome Bonaparte put down the teacup and chuckled bitterly.
"Women are like that, prone to sentimentality!" William I said in a calm tone.
"Fortunately, I’ve already sent Augusta back to Mother-in-law to explain our challenges!" Jerome Bonaparte exhaled lightly, responding in a relaxed tone, "I believe Mother-in-law will understand us!"
"Oh?" William I looked curiously at Jerome Bonaparte, "How did you explain it?"
"I simply told them the situation!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged, replying to William I.
"Hmm!" William I responded without probing further.
Time quickly reached 6:55, and the Royal Chief Steward was preparing to invite William I and Jerome Bonaparte to the dining room.
William I and Jerome Bonaparte swiftly got up from the sofa and headed to the dining room.
When the father-in-law and son-in-law arrived at the dining room, only the serving servants were present.
Jerome Bonaparte and William I quietly waited at each end of the dining table for the remaining members to arrive.
After about three more minutes, Empress Augusta, Queen Pauline, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, and Carl Alexander entered the dining room.
"Sit down!" William I, as the host, commanded the "latecomers" with an authoritative demeanor.
Augusta sat beside Jerome Bonaparte, Queen Pauline beside William I, while Carl Alexander and Olga Nikolaevna sat in the middle of the table.
Once everyone was settled, the dinner officially began.
The servants quickly poured wine for Jerome Bonaparte and the others present. William I first delivered a host of toasts, then emphasized that this was a family dinner, and finally raised his glass inviting everyone to drink together.
Everyone present downed their cups of wine, and William I spoke again, "Jerome, since this is a family dinner, shouldn’t you say a few words too!"
Seeing that his father-in-law passed the speaking role to him, Jerome Bonaparte cleared his throat and said in a light tone, "Since this is a family dinner, I don’t need to speak in such a formal manner.
I am very grateful to you, Father-in-law, for your warm reception! Also, I am very thankful to my elder brother and sister-in-law for going to the railway station to welcome me!
... The Kingdom of Württemberg is where Augusta and I were born and raised, it can be said to be our second hometown!
I hope that the Kingdom of Württemberg can grow prosperous under the guidance of my father-in-law and elder brother, and I also hope that the French Empire led by me can cooperate more closely with the Kingdom of Württemberg!"
Jerome Bonaparte’s voice had just fallen, and a bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He reproached himself, "Look at me! I was just saying this is a family dinner, yet somehow we veered off into other topics!"
"I think it’s a good diversion!" William I responded loudly, "The Kingdom of Württemberg and the French Empire should indeed cooperate more closely!
This would be of great benefit to both of us!"
After saying that, William I raised his wine glass again and drank.
After the second glass of wine was downed, everyone present then took their first bite of food.
The first dish was iron plate venison made from a deer shot by Jerome Bonaparte in the forest.
"Let’s taste how the game shot by Jerome is!" William I said while gently cutting a piece of venison to chew.
After a while, a happy smile appeared on William I’s face.
Seeing this, Jerome Bonaparte also cut a piece of venison and chewed it gently.
"Jerome, Augusta, how long do you plan to stay here?" Just then, the voice of Queen Pauline reached Jerome Bonaparte’s ears.
Jerome Bonaparte quickly swallowed the venison and replied, "Mother-in-law, Empress Augusta and I plan to set off for Munich tomorrow!"
"Why so rushed! Can’t you stay a bit longer?" Queen Pauline asked Jerome Bonaparte in surprise.
"No," Jerome Bonaparte shook his head and refused, "We have to go to Vienna! Then, along with Franz and the others, we will proceed to Warsaw to attend Maximilian’s coronation ceremony, so we dare not delay on the road!"
"I see!" Pauline revealed a look of realization.
"Mother, we are truly sorry!" Empress Augusta also apologized to Queen Pauline, "We really can’t afford to delay too long; otherwise, it would be hard to explain to Franz and Qianqian!"
"It’s okay!" Queen Pauline waved her hand and said to Augusta, "I’m really happy that you could take the time to come!"
Soon after, William I began to discuss Jerome Bonaparte’s various antics in the Kingdom of Württemberg during his childhood.
"I really didn’t expect that the child who once only played pranks would become the Emperor of a country!" William I sighed, then looked dreamy-eyed and said, "Jerome, if my sister were still alive, she would certainly be proud of you!"
"My mother!" Jerome Bonaparte murmured to himself, recalling memories of "his childhood" flooding into his mind.
Even though this memory didn’t belong to him, he could clearly feel the emotions of the original owner of the memory at that time.
"Ah! My unfortunate sister!" William I sighed again, feeling that his sister marrying Prince Monfort was unworthy.
If it weren’t for his sister, he said he would never have granted Jerome Bonaparte (the elder) the title of Prince Monfort.
"Father-in-law, this topic is too sad! I think we should appropriately change the subject now!" Seeing the atmosphere on the scene gradually turning to sadness, Jerome Bonaparte quickly answered William I.
"Alright! Let’s not discuss these anymore!" William I decisively cut off the topic.
...
The family banquet lasted for just over an hour before concluding, and perhaps because Jerome Bonaparte had Empress Augusta explain in advance, the entire banquet did not feature topics about the Russian Empire.
Jerome Bonaparte and others pleasantly finished the evening banquet and then returned to their rooms to rest.
The next morning, Jerome Bonaparte and Empress Augusta once again took a carriage to leave Stuttgart Royal Palace and went to Stuttgart Railway Station.
Upon arrival at the railway station, a train bound for Munich, the capital of Bavaria, was already prepared. (By the way, within the Kingdom of Württemberg, most of the railways are state-owned, with few private railways.)
Seated in the train, Jerome Bonaparte and his wife bid farewell to Carl Alexander and his wife on the platform. The train departed again, and after a journey lasting about 5-6 hours, they arrived in the Kingdom of Bavaria’s capital, Munich, that afternoon.
Upon receiving the news, King Maximilian II of Bavaria and his wife jointly greeted Jerome Bonaparte. On the way to the Royal Palace, Maximilian II asked about his father Ludwig I’s recent situation in France.
Jerome Bonaparte informed Maximilian II that Ludwig I’s life in France was quite decent.
After receiving Jerome Bonaparte’s response, Maximilian II breathed a sigh of relief and then asked Jerome Bonaparte how long he planned to stay in Munich.
Jerome Bonaparte told Maximilian II that he would leave with Augusta for Vienna the next day.
