Make France Great Again-Chapter 844 - 835: Deco "Dismissed" in Disgrace

At this moment, Minister Dico is not relentlessly supervising the construction of new ships as the Paris Navy Department imagined, but is instead residing in a castle on the outskirts of Toulon, enjoying long-awaited time alone with his wife.

Of course, this situation was not initiated by Minister Dico himself, but rather forced upon him.

Currently, Minister Dico is "confined" by his wife in the castle, enjoying a long-overdue "vacation."

Although Minister Dico is very reluctant to idle away, this vacation is not something he can decide on his own.

After all, he had infuriated his wife recently by staying up all night.

As a result, his wife invoked the authority bestowed upon her by the Emperor, forcing him to take a break.

Fortunately, his wife announced the Emperor’s order privately rather than forcing him to take a break in front of everyone at the shipyard.

Otherwise, Minister Dico’s reputation would be completely tarnished at the shipyard.

Even so, many designers at the shipyard vaguely guessed that Minister Dico’s absence from work for several days was likely due to his wife.

However, everyone at the shipyard was happy to see Minister Dico take a break.

After all, Minister Dico’s sleepless nights working at the Toulon Shipyard were concerning.

Even a machine can’t withstand continuous, around-the-clock work, let alone a living person, especially one over fifty.

Many designers and workers at the shipyard would often hear the occasional cough from Minister Dico’s private office as they passed by.

Most importantly, as there was no one at the shipyard with a higher position than Minister Dico, many designers’ advice went unheeded.

Now with Minister Dico being forced to take a vacation, there was a sense of happiness in the hearts of everyone at the shipyard and the design institute.

They didn’t want a minister who understood both the construction of the navy and personnel management to suddenly die.

...

When the telegram from the Paris Navy Department was sent to Toulon, the first instinct at the Toulon Maritime Telegraph Office was to delay as much as possible to give Minister Dico enough rest time.

However, since the telegram was directly related to the Emperor, the Toulon Maritime Telegraph Office dared not be negligent, and they quickly dispatched someone to deliver the telegram to the castle in the outskirts of Toulon.

When the maritime telegraph office member arrived on horseback at the castle gate, the two Marine Corps soldiers guarding the gate immediately stepped forward to inquire.

"I have a telegram from Paris that needs to be delivered to Minister Dico!" The telegraph office member said to the two Marine Corps soldiers, holding the folded telegram in his hand.

"Hand over the telegram to us, and you may leave!" The Marine Corps soldiers took the telegram from the telegraph office member and said to him.

"Yes!" The telegraph office member saluted the Marine Corps members and left.

The Marine Corps soldiers picked up the telegram, opened the castle gate, and entered the castle. At this moment, Theodore Dico, "imprisoned" in the castle, was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, pretending to flip through a newspaper, while occasionally glancing over at Madam Dico, who was sitting on the other side of the sofa.

Sitting next to Minister Dico, Madam Dico was diligently knitting a sweater and said to Minister Dico, "I absolutely won’t let you step outside the castle until you adjust your schedule, so you should just give up!"

Upon hearing his wife’s reply, Minister Dico immediately put down the newspaper and pleaded with his wife, "Madam, please be merciful and lift my restriction order! The new ship is at its most critical phase now, and I need to personally oversee everything.

If anything goes wrong, it will still be my responsibility!

I can promise you that as soon as this ship is launched, I will definitely follow a proper schedule!"

"Let me ask you!" Madam Dico paused her knitting, raised her head, and questioned Minister Dico, "How much longer until this ship is launched?"

"Uh... ah no! Three months! It will be launched in just three months!" Minister Dico quickly responded to Madam Dico.

"You’re lying!" Madam Dico furrowed her brows and said to Minister Dico, "The workers at the shipyard told me it would take at least six months for the ship to be launched!"

"You see, I had forgotten it’s actually six months!" Minister Dico replied to Madam Dico with a look of sudden realization, "In just half a year, I’ll have plenty of time to accompany you! By then, you can do whatever you want!"

Madam Dico silently watched Minister Dico, her eyes filled with distrust.

"I can assure you!" Minister Dico responded to Madam Dico with great confidence.

Just then, the Marine Corps member appeared in front of Minister Dico and Madam Dico, "Minister, here is a telegram from Paris for you!"

With that, the Marine Corps member handed the telegram to Minister Dico and quickly left.

Minister Dico received the telegram and opened it to check the contents.

After a while, a smile unknowingly appeared at the corner of Minister Dico’s mouth. He handed the telegram to the lady sitting next to him and said with a hint of pride in his tone, "His Majesty requires me to return to Paris next Monday to report on last year’s naval expenditures."

Madam Dico paused her work again, glanced at the contents of the telegram, and replied to Minister Dico, "Then you should return to Paris this Sunday!"

"That won’t do!" Minister Dico declared to Madam Dico with conviction, "I can’t report without materials! I must return to Paris in advance to organize the materials!"

"Then return to Paris tomorrow!" Madam Dico replied to Minister Dico, "However, I must go back to Paris with you!"

Minister Dico’s expression stiffened slightly at Madam Dico’s "going back together," then he awkwardly smiled and said, "Of course!"

Subsequently, Minister Dico returned to the Toulon Shipbuilding Center under the pretense of organizing documents.

The designers and workers at the shipbuilding center were surprised to see Minister Dico return.

Upon entering the office, Minister Dico inquired of his subordinate designers if the dock’s progress had been proceeding as originally expected during the few days he was away.

The designers informed Minister Dico that everything was advancing according to his schedule and the basic construction of the ironclad is expected to be completed in about six months.

"Very good!" Minister Dico nodded in satisfaction, then ordered his subordinate designers to give him an estimated data report on the new ship and instructed them to make a model of the ship.

"Minister, what are you doing this for?" The designer asked Minister Dico in bewilderment.

"Of course, it’s to anticipate His Majesty’s queries!" Minister Dico replied in his usual tone, "We’ve wasted a lot of money and time building such a ship, so we must show Paris our model and data!"

Speaking of which, Minister Dico half-jokingly replied to the designer, "Otherwise, His Majesty will have to grant me a long vacation!"

"That certainly won’t happen!" The designer replied to Minister Dico in a confident tone, "Everyone can see your contributions to the navy with our own eyes!

If we can clearly see your contributions to the navy, naturally, His Majesty can as well!"

"You’re right!" Minister Dico nodded and replied to the designer, "However, we must quickly produce the data now!"

"Yes!"

After a night of efforts by Minister Dico and the designers, they finally displayed the ship’s external structure in the form of a wood carving and also roughly calculated the data for the new warship.

With these two items in hand, Minister Dico abruptly lifted his head, feeling a sudden dizziness.

Minister Dico, in a brief moment of vertigo, stood up shakily with gritted teeth. The designer beside him quickly stepped forward to support Minister Dico and said, "Minister, let me help you to the sofa for a rest!"

Dico waved his hand and said to the designer, "No need! I still have to catch a train with my wife, I can’t delay here for too long!"

With the designer’s support, Minister Dico took steps toward the door. When he reached the office door, the vertigo symptoms slightly eased. Minister Dico freed himself from the designer’s hand and instructed him, "Remember, don’t let what just happened get out! Understood?"

"But, Minister, your health!" The designer was a bit worried that Minister Dico’s health might collapse.

"It’s all right!" Minister Dico shook his head and replied to the designer in a casual tone, "I know my body well, these are old problems!

A little rest, and it’s nothing serious. You must not let this matter get out!"

"I understand!" The designer nodded and replied to Minister Dico.

Minister Dico left the shipbuilding center alone and then boarded the train to Paris with his wife.

The train departed promptly at 2 PM and arrived in Paris the next morning.

When Minister Dico and his wife arrived at Paris Railway Station, they saw the Emperor’s Aide, Lieutenant Colonel Jerome Patterson.

Apparently, Jerome Patterson was there to welcome them.

"Mr. Patterson, hello!" Minister Dico greeted Jerome Patterson.

"Minister Dico, the Emperor sent me to welcome you!" Jerome Patterson bowed to Dico and then guided the Dico couple to two carriages.

The carriage with Jerome Patterson and Dico would proceed to the Tuileries Palace, while Madam Dico’s carriage would return to their residence in Paris.

The carriage carrying Dico and Jerome Patterson set off for the Tuileries Palace and soon arrived at the courtyard of the Tuileries Palace.

After alighting from the carriage, Dico, led by Bashirio, reached Jerome Bonaparte’s study to meet him.

"Minister Dico, you have returned!"