Make France Great Again-Chapter 832 - 823: The Deposed King
When Jerome Bonaparte and his party arrived in Prague by train, Prague’s Mayor Eliy von Lane and Bohemia’s highest military official, Count von Winpfin, personally stood on the platform to greet them.
Franz Joseph and Jerome Bonaparte gracefully descended the steps from the train and were immediately warmly welcomed by Mayor Lane and Count von Winpfin.
"Your Majesties, on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of citizens of Prague, I welcome you to visit Prague!" Count von Winpfin stepped forward, bowed to Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph, and said, "Prague is exceptionally honored due to the arrival of the two monarchs!"
"Hmm!" Franz Joseph replied flatly to Count von Winpfin, "Thank you for your efforts, Count von Winpfin."
Jerome Bonaparte, likewise, stepped forward and shook hands with Count von Winpfin, saying enthusiastically, "Count von Winpfin, I’m glad you could personally come to welcome me and Franz Joseph!"
"Your Majesty Jerome, it is my duty to do so!" Count von Winpfin responded modestly to Jerome Bonaparte, then implored, "Your Majesties, the people of Prague are eagerly awaiting your arrival! Please be sure to stay the night in Prague!"
Jerome Bonaparte glanced at Franz Joseph slightly, his eyes questioning the meaning.
Originally, according to their plans, after arriving in Prague, they would quickly transfer to a train heading to Krakow.
Now, Count von Winpfin’s request for Jerome Bonaparte and his party to stay the night clearly disrupted Jerome Bonaparte’s original plan.
Whether to stay or leave quickly depended on Franz Joseph’s decision.
Franz Joseph pondered for a moment before responding calmly to Count von Winpfin, "Alright."
When Count von Winpfin heard the Emperor would stay overnight, a smile immediately appeared on his face. He enthusiastically pointed to the carriages in the distance and said to Franz Joseph, "Your Majesties, the carriages are there! Allow me to guide you!"
Finishing his words, Count von Winpfin led the way, and Mayor Lane, who had not yet spoken a word to the two Emperors, reluctantly followed Count von Winpfin’s steps to guide Jerome Bonaparte and his party.
This time, Jerome Bonaparte and the four of them did not squeeze into the same vehicle but sat on two different open carriages.
Jerome Bonaparte and Empress Augusta rode in one, while Franz Joseph and Empress Elizabeth rode in another.
Seated in the carriage, Jerome Bonaparte, looked at the buildings passing slowly by and the crowd standing on both sides of the street, revealing a thoughtful expression on his face.
Once bombarded by Prince Windischgrätz’s cannons, the streets and buildings have been smoothed over by seven years, with new buildings standing tall on both sides, as if nothing had happened before.
The faces of the people on the streets responsible for welcoming also showed no hatred, only an enthusiastic cheer for the two monarchs.
"Long live His Majesty Franz Joseph!"
"Long live His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte!"
"Long live the Friendship between France and Austria!"
Time softened the damage to the buildings back then, and also lessened people’s hatred toward the Habsburgs!
Especially after Bach announced that Bohemian civil servants could go to the Hungarian Province as tax collectors, those chosen had even less hatred toward the Emperor.
However, have they truly let go of their hatred? Or are some in the crowd secretly planning revenge?
Thinking of this, Jerome Bonaparte’s eyes began to show vigilance.
Empress Augusta, sitting beside Jerome Bonaparte, immediately leaned in and whispered, "Jerome, you don’t need to be so suspicious!"
"At any moment, we should always remain vigilant!" Jerome Bonaparte responded to Empress Augusta, also lowering his voice.
He certainly did not trust the Austrian Empire’s capability to prevent assassinations, from Franz Joseph to Princess Sisi and to Grand Duke Ferdinand. The Austrian Empire demonstrated what a Land of Light-like security measures meant with their actions.
Jerome Bonaparte must remain cautious at all times, or else he would suffer the same fate as the Dharma Joy Sect.
The carriage continued forward, and people on both sides began throwing petals into the road, creating a flower path for the two monarchs’ carriages.
When the carriage reached Prague’s Central Square, Jerome Bonaparte saw soldiers in military uniforms lined up inside the square, standing motionless as if waiting for Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph to review them.
The carriage stopped at the entrance of Prague City Center Square. Count von Winpfin solemnly dismounted and opened the carriage doors for both Franz Joseph and Jerome Bonaparte.
Jerome Bonaparte and his wife and Franz Joseph and his wife slowly got off the carriage, coming to the center square. Count von Winpfin quickly drew the command saber from his waist and, shouting, gave the orders, "Salute!"
The majestic voice echoed across the Prague City Center Square, nearly all soldiers heeded Count von Winpfin’s order to shoot their rifles into the sky, the dense gunfire causing the birds perched atop the Prague City Hall roof to flap and fly away.
Following Count von Winpfin’s command, troops marched past Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph, saluting them in greeting.
Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph watched each team depart with solemn expressions.
After nearly an hour, all the troops had passed in front of Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph.
Only then did Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph leave the Prague Central Square and head toward Count von Winpfin’s military command.
At the Bohemian Military Command, Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph met the long-idle Marshal Windischgrätz.
Franz Joseph immediately introduced Windischgrätz to Jerome Bonaparte, who had long known of Marshal Windischgrätz’s reputation and exclaimed, "I have heard much about you, Marshal Windischgrätz!"
"Just empty fame!" Windischgrätz replied defiantly, as if he might offend Jerome Bonaparte with such a gesture.
Franz Joseph then introduced the "promising talents" of the Bohemian Military Command to Jerome Bonaparte, who shook hands with each and hoped they would enhance military exchanges with the French Empire.
Franz Joseph then informed Count von Winpfin that he intended to visit Prague Castle and would not be dining here at noon.
Count von Winpfin requested to accompany him, but Franz Joseph declined.
Count von Winpfin, open to compromise, pleaded for Franz Joseph’s permission to dispatch his soldiers for protection.
This time, Franz Joseph consented to Count von Winpfin’s request.
Franz Joseph then asked Jerome Bonaparte if he wished to accompany him to Prague Castle. Jerome Bonaparte nodded and joined Franz Joseph in the carriage.
The carriage proceeded west through Prague’s streets, quickly reaching the western bank of the Vltava River near Bite Mountain.
A grand church and small palaces surrounding it appeared before Jerome Bonaparte, who realized it was Prague Castle, home to the former Emperor of the Austrian Empire, Ferdinand I, now bearing the title King of Bohemia.
The carriage ascended a winding road, soon arriving at the castle’s gates.
Franz Joseph and Jerome Bonaparte alighted from the carriage and knocked at the castle door. An elderly woman greeted Franz Joseph and bowed hastily, "Your Majesty!"
Franz Joseph slowly spoke to the woman, "Please take me to Uncle Ferdinand’s room!"
"Yes, His Majesty the Emperor!" answered the woman promptly, then scrutinized Jerome Bonaparte.
"My name is Jerome Bonaparte, from France!" Jerome Bonaparte explained amicably to the woman.
"Your Majesty the Emperor!" The woman similarly bowed to Jerome Bonaparte.
Led by the woman, Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph soon saw Ferdinand I relaxing in a rocking chair, with Maria Anna beside him.
Looking at Ferdinand I in the rocking chair, Franz Joseph addressed him, "Uncle Ferdinand, I am here!"
Ferdinand I opened his eyes, looked at Franz Joseph, tilted his head, and pondered briefly before answering, "You are... Franz Joseph, aren’t you!"
"Indeed, Uncle, I am Franz! I came to visit you at Prague Castle today!" Franz Joseph replied in a conversational tone to Ferdinand I.
He then introduced Jerome Bonaparte to Ferdinand I.
Upon hearing Jerome Bonaparte’s name, Maria Anna quickly deferred to him, "His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte!"
"Queen Anna!" Jerome Bonaparte responded likewise.
Franz Joseph then inquired about Ferdinand I’s living conditions in Prague and if he wished to return to live in Vienna.
Anna politely declined Franz Joseph’s invitation, as did Ferdinand I, expressing that Prague Castle’s scenic beauty was not inferior to Vienna.
Franz Joseph had no choice but to let the matter go. They shared a simple lunch at Prague Castle, during which Ferdinand I requested almond dumplings. Afterward, Franz Joseph and Jerome Bonaparte departed by carriage.
