Make France Great Again-Chapter 834 - 825: Pilsudski?
When Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph’s carriage, led by Viereid, arrived near the capital of the Kingdom of Poland, Warsaw, the carriage suddenly stopped.
Sitting inside the carriage, Jerome Bonaparte opened his eyes upon sensing the vehicle had ceased moving, and he quickly pulled back the curtain.
The Polish cavalry riding alongside Jerome Bonaparte’s carriage hastily spurred their horses to his side upon seeing him draw the curtain.
Through the carriage window, Jerome Bonaparte asked the cavalry in French, "What happened up ahead? Why have we stopped moving?"
The Polish cavalry immediately responded to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, please wait a moment! I will go ahead to take a look!"
"Go quickly and return soon!" Jerome Bonaparte replied to the Polish cavalry, then pulled the curtain closed once more.
After a while, a knocking sounded outside the carriage, and Jerome Bonaparte thought it was the cavalry who had just left returning to report.
Jerome Bonaparte got up and pushed open the carriage door, only to find Maximilian, the current Grand Duke of Warsaw, standing outside smiling, with a group of Poles following him.
If Jerome Bonaparte was not mistaken, they should be Maximilian’s cohort.
"Maximilian, what brings you here?" Maximilian’s unexpected appearance greatly surprised Jerome Bonaparte, and he quickly jumped out of the carriage to embrace Maximilian.
Maximilian explained with a smile that as the host of the Kingdom of Poland, it was only natural for him to personally come to welcome Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph.
After speaking, Maximilian introduced the members behind him to Jerome Bonaparte.
"This is the commander of the Warsaw National Army, Joseph Pilsudski!" Grand Duke Maximilian first introduced a general clad in a gray military overcoat, sporting a mustache to Jerome Bonaparte, "It was he who fired the first shot against the Russian Empire and liberated Warsaw from its grasp."
"Your name is Pilsudski?" Jerome Bonaparte scrutinized the plain-appearing general before him.
If his memory was correct, the general who led the newly formed Poland to victory over the Soviet Union after World War I was also named Pilsudski.
However, this Pilsudski was clearly not that Pilsudski, as the latter was born approximately twenty years later.
He couldn’t help but wonder whether there was any connection between the two Pilsudskis.
Quietly, Jerome Bonaparte speculated about the relationship between the two Pilsudskis in his heart.
"Your Majesty, I am Pilsudski... Joseph Pilsudski!" Feeling the scrutinizing gaze of Jerome Bonaparte, Joseph Pilsudski stood up straight and responded to Jerome Bonaparte firmly.
"Commander Pilsudski, may I ask you a personal question?" Jerome Bonaparte said amicably to Pilsudski, feeling that this Pilsudski must be related to the one decades from now.
"Your Majesty, please ask!" Pilsudski replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Mr. Pilsudski, are you a Varsovian?" Jerome Bonaparte first asked.
"No, I’m not!" Pilsudski shook his head and answered Jerome Bonaparte, "I was born in Zalavas, which is still under the Russian Empire! My family is a minor noble there, running an estate!"
Jerome Bonaparte pondered for a moment before nodding, patting Pilsudski on the shoulder, and saying, "Alright! I’ve finished my question, thank you for your cooperation!"
"It is my honor, Your Majesty!" Joseph Pilsudski replied humbly to Jerome Bonaparte.
Now Jerome Bonaparte could ascertain that this Pilsudski indeed had some relation to the future Pilsudski, as the latter was also from Zalavas.
Subsequently, Maximilian introduced Count Jozel Morazski, the first Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Poland, personally selected by Prince Czartoryski, to Jerome Bonaparte.
As a Count of the Russian Empire, he served as the adjutant to the Governor of Poland before the uprising. The deployment of troops and city defense plans for the Warsaw Region were secretly handed over to the leaders of the uprising on the eve of the uprising, allowing the insurgent forces to control various strongholds promptly, inflicting devastating blows on the troops inside the city.
Furthermore, when the uprising occurred, Mokazeski led the remaining Polish National Guard to completely seize control of the Governor’s Palace of Poland. Without the central nerve of the Governor’s Palace, the Polish troops in Warsaw City were like headless flies, not knowing what to do.
This allowed Pilsudski and his men to expel the Russian Army stationed in Warsaw City in just a few days.
One could say that without Count Morazski’s assistance, the restoration of Warsaw City would not have been possible.
"Mr. Mokazeski, I’ve heard so much about you!" Jerome Bonaparte shook hands with Count Morazski.
"Your Majesty, thank you for your contribution to Poland!" Count Mokazeski answered Jerome Bonaparte respectfully, "Without you, Poland wouldn’t have been restored."
"It’s nothing!" Jerome Bonaparte responded with a smile to Count Morazski: "France and Poland are two nations with historical ties, we will never forget the Polish generals and soldiers who fought bravely for France during the First Empire!"
"Your Majesty, Poland will also not forget the French soldiers who are buried here for the cause of Poland’s independence!" Count Mokazeski replied to Jerome Bonaparte with a tone full of emotion.
After Jerome Bonaparte initially got acquainted with Count Morazski, Maximilian once again introduced Poland’s internal affairs, diplomacy, judiciary... and various ministers to Jerome Bonaparte.
Jerome Bonaparte smiled and shook hands with them, offering encouragements.
Once everyone had been introduced, Jerome Bonaparte asked Maximilian: "Maximilian, haven’t you forgotten something?"
Maximilian was silent for a few seconds, and suddenly his expression changed drastically.
Preoccupied with introducing the cabinet ministers to Jerome Bonaparte, Maximilian had forgotten an important guest left in the carriage, namely Franz Joseph.
Even worse, it had been nearly half an hour since Maximilian started introducing cabinet members, and Franz Joseph must have already been impatient waiting in the carriage!
"Quickly go!" Jerome Bonaparte urged Maximilian to hurry over.
Maximilian had no choice but to express his apologies to Jerome Bonaparte, then led the cabinet members away. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
Jerome Bonaparte returned to the carriage, shaking his head with a smile: "That Maximilian, really..."
Jerome Bonaparte and Empress Augusta sat quietly in the carriage, waiting for Maximilian and Franz Joseph to finish their conversation. After about ten minutes, Maximilian appeared in front of Jerome Bonaparte, with Franz Joseph alongside him.
It seemed that Franz Joseph forgave Maximilian’s carelessness.
Afterward, Maximilian invited Jerome Bonaparte to ride alongside him into Warsaw, to welcome the cheers of the Varsovians for the arrival of the two monarchs.
Jerome Bonaparte happily accepted Grand Duke Maximilian’s proposal, and the three monarchs proceeded together, quickly reaching the front of the procession.
"Brother, Your Majesty Jerome, let’s go!" Maximilian mounted the prepared warhorse.
Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph also mounted their horses, their saddles, as cavalry wearing silver armor quickly formed a human barrier around the three monarchs to ensure their personal safety.
The procession continued forward, quickly reaching the entrance of Warsaw City.
Walking along the streets of Warsaw, Jerome Bonaparte looked at the yet uncleared ruins on both sides of the road and the smiling Polish citizens, a contemplative expression appeared on his face.
Throughout Poland’s nearly two hundred years of partitioned history, its people never ceased resisting, perhaps it’s indeed comforting that the persistent resistance of the Polish people granted them the right to independence.
"Long live the French Empire! Long live the Austrian Empire! Long live Franco-Austro-Polish friendship! (French)"
"Long live France! Long live the Austrian Empire! Long live Franco-Austro-Polish games! (German)"
As Jerome Bonaparte was lost in thought, he was brought back to reality by the sounds of shouting; he saw Polish crowds on both sides of the street hysterically shouting in both French and German.
Although their pronunciation wasn’t precise, it was enough to represent their sincere emotions.
Jerome Bonaparte believed that the "lesson learned" Kingdom of Poland would cling tightly to the support of France and Austria, preventing invasion by the Russian Empire.
Amidst the shouting, the three monarchs simultaneously extended their hands to greet the residents inside Warsaw City.
Riding on horseback, the three took nearly 30 minutes to reach the "Royal Palace" of the Kingdom of Poland amid the cheers of the Varsovians.
The reason for enclosing "Royal Palace" in quotes is that this wasn’t the newly built palace by Maximilian, but the former Governor’s Mansion which now served as the royal palace.
Entering the Polish "Royal Palace," Jerome Bonaparte looked at the interior decoration and jestingly said to Maximilian: "Your palace truly doesn’t match a king’s stature!"
Maximilian replied with a bitter smile to Jerome Bonaparte: "Currently the whole of Warsaw is in a phase of reconstruction, how can I bear to hinder Warsaw’s progress for my own selfish desires?
I can only ask you and brother to endure a bit!"
"I don’t mind at all!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged.
Even in a rundown house on the Crimea Peninsula, Jerome Bonaparte could sleep with no mental burden, let alone something better than the Governor’s Mansion.
