Make France Great Again-Chapter 859 - 850: Money Is Fine! Official Positions Are Negotiated!
Facing Pierre Bonaparte’s request, Jerome Bonaparte decisively adopted the strategy of diverting attention.
Jerome Bonaparte feigned concern and asked Pierre Bonaparte if the senator’s salary (40,000 to 50,000 francs annually) was not enough, which prompted him to seek a job from him.
If the senator’s salary was indeed insufficient, he could take a portion from his own annual salary.
"No! It’s not that!" Pierre Bonaparte shook his head and candidly pleaded with Jerome Bonaparte: "Your Majesty, it’s not about that! I just earnestly ask for a position to be arranged for me so that I can contribute to the Empire!
Regarding my love for the Bonaparte Clan, we are in no way inferior to that junior, Jerome Patterson!"
Give me a break! You people have the nerve to say you love the Bonaparte Clan; I see each of you is just trying to exploit the Bonaparte name to line your pockets unscrupulously! Jerome Bonaparte couldn’t help but further lower his impression of his cousin.
Originally, he never settled scores with Pierre Bonaparte for the events of 1848, so how dare Pierre Bonaparte shamelessly demand a position from Jerome Bonaparte.
[Previously: In 1848, when Jerome Bonaparte took over the leadership of the Bonaparte Clan from his cousin Louis Napoleon, who became Napoleon III, Pierre Bonaparte attempted to replace Jerome Bonaparte as the leader of the Bonaparte Clan during the gap before Jerome Bonaparte arrived in Paris.
As a result, under the joint opposition of his sister Mathilde Bonaparte and Prince Old Monfou, Pierre Bonaparte’s ambitions were crushed.
Since then, Pierre Bonaparte has lingered on the fringes of power.]
However, since Pierre Bonaparte claimed his love for the Bonaparte was no less than Jerome Patterson’s, Jerome Bonaparte decided to confront Pierre Bonaparte.
"Cousin, your contributions to the establishment of the Empire are indeed undeniable! I was indeed a bit harsh on you before!" Jerome Bonaparte first complimented Pierre Bonaparte.
Upon hearing this, Pierre Bonaparte immediately smiled, already anticipating what position Jerome Bonaparte might prepare for him.
Then Jerome Bonaparte changed the subject and said to Sai Er Bonaparte: "How about this! You can start as a Captain just like Jerome Patterson! I assure you, within a few years, you will be able to become an Imperial General! If you’re willing to go to the colonies to make your mark, the time it takes for you to become an Imperial General and Marshal will be significantly shortened!"
"Captain!" Pierre Bonaparte’s face showed disbelief; he really couldn’t believe Jerome Bonaparte would dismiss him with a Captain’s position.
"Cousin, the importance of a position doesn’t lie in its rank! As long as you have a heart dedicated to serving the Bonaparte Clan, even a Lieutenant can still stand out!" Jerome Bonaparte hypocritically consoled Pierre Bonaparte.
Given his understanding of Pierre Bonaparte’s character, he was sure he wouldn’t be satisfied with the rank of Captain.
Of course, if he really worked his way systematically through the army, Jerome Bonaparte wouldn’t mind giving him a General’s position.
Though Jerome Bonaparte held a trace of expectation for his cousin Pierre Bonaparte, Pierre Bonaparte felt this behavior was simply an insult to him.
Back when he enlisted on the Apennine Peninsula, his rank was already Captain.
Now that the French Empire has been reestablished, he, a Prince, still wants to enlist with a Captain’s rank,
If he accepted this, it would mean all of his hard work and effort over many years had been in vain.
Pierre Bonaparte suppressed his anger and said humbly to Jerome Bonaparte: "Your Majesty, isn’t this position a bit too low!"
"Cousin, what kind of position do you want?" Jerome Bonaparte frowned slightly and reprimanded Pierre Bonaparte: "This isn’t a marketplace where you can pick positions at will!"
"Why do those two bastards, Mornay and Valerovsky, hold such high positions!" Pierre Bonaparte protested to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Mornay had already been a Senator in the Louis Philippe period; Valerovsky was a Diplomatic Envoy during the same period. So why do you think their positions are so high?" Jerome Bonaparte sharply responded to Pierre Bonaparte: "I appoint them as Cabinet Ministers because they have the capability to be Cabinet Ministers!"
"Your Majesty, I also have that capability!" Pierre Bonaparte replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Then prove it to me! I’ve already prepared the path for you. Either you go with the rank of Major to the colonies to suppress bandits, or you rely on yourself to defeat the official representatives to become a representative of the Legislative Corps and enter the Legislative Corps.
As long as you pass one of these paths, I will entrust you with important responsibilities!" Jerome Bonaparte coldly said.
"I..." Pierre Bonaparte thought for a long time. He felt he neither had the ability to stand out in colonial warfare nor the ability to win against the official representatives set by the Empire in public opinion.
Therefore, Pierre Bonaparte could only reluctantly say, "I don’t think either of these paths suits me!"
"Then there’s nothing I can do!" Jerome Bonaparte spread his hands to Pierre Bonaparte and replied, then casually said to Pierre Bonaparte, "I originally wanted you to become the Deputy Governor of the Gabon Region to assist Jerome Patterson in handling the affairs of the Gabon Region."
What affairs could there be in the Gabon Region! Isn’t it just a few people! Pierre Bonaparte thought to himself, and his face also showed a look of disdain.
Jerome Bonaparte seemed to foresee Pierre Bonaparte’s thoughts, and he continued on his own, "Do not underestimate Gabon. The original population there, plus the 5,000 laborers I transported there not long ago, totals about 20,000 people.
Managing the daily needs of 20,000 people is no small task!"
5,000 people!
Pierre Bonaparte seemed to realize something and hurriedly asked tentatively, "Your Majesty, did we transport people to Gabon not long ago?"
"Of course!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded and replied to Pierre Bonaparte, "To prevent any accidents on the way, I even arranged for an ironclad to escort them!"
"I see!" Pierre Bonaparte muttered softly to himself, his thoughts drifting afar.
"What’s the matter, cousin?" Jerome Bonaparte curiously asked Pierre Bonaparte.
Pierre Bonaparte, who had snapped out of it, hurriedly shook his head and replied in a fluster, "N-nothing! I’m just a bit surprised!"
"What’s there to be surprised about!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged and responded to Pierre Bonaparte, "Isn’t transporting laborers to the colony a normal thing? We certainly can’t rely on those underdeveloped black apes to take on the task of building the city!"
"Hmm! You’re right!" Pierre Bonaparte nodded in agreement with Jerome Bonaparte.
Pierre Bonaparte and Jerome Bonaparte continued their conversation for a while longer, during which Jerome Bonaparte several times steered the topic toward the Kingdom of Britain to secretly observe Pierre Bonaparte’s reaction.
When Jerome Bonaparte first mentioned Britain, Pierre Bonaparte briefly showed a fearful expression.
After several more mentions, Pierre Bonaparte’s expression gradually returned to calm.
On the night after Pierre Bonaparte left, Marcel Yale appeared in Jerome Bonaparte’s study.
"Marcel, what have you found?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Marcel Yale.
"Your Majesty, Palmerston’s goal is to test whether our previous operation was connected to the Kaijia Dynasty!" Marcel Yale responded to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Us and the Kaijia Dynasty?" Jerome Bonaparte was taken aback; he really couldn’t understand how Palmerston connected the French Empire’s naval expedition with the Kaijia Dynasty. Such imagination was wasted on not writing science fiction.
"Exactly! The Kaijia Dynasty is now preparing for a second battle with the Kingdom of Britain, targeting the Herat Region!" Marcel Yale continued.
"Has the Kaijia Dynasty gone mad?" Jerome Bonaparte was even more surprised.
He originally thought Palmerston’s wild imagination was unrivaled, but the Kaijia Dynasty was even more audacious.
Does the King of the Kaijia Dynasty not realize he’s facing the Kingdom of Britain?
In several previous wars, the Russian Empire and the Kaijia Dynasty could not defeat Britain. How does the Kaijia Dynasty have confidence in defeating the Kingdom of Britain alone?
"Your Majesty, perhaps this is why Palmerston suspects us!" Marcel Yale replied to Jerome Bonaparte and continued to add, "Moreover, both events were reported on the same day!"
Jerome Bonaparte instantly understood Marcel Yale’s meaning.
No wonder Palmerston would suspect that the French Empire aimed to support the Kaijia Dynasty. If he were Palmerston, he’d also have reason to doubt whether the French Empire was behind the Kaijia Dynasty.
"By the way, have all the spies Britain planted here been found?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Marcel Yale again.
"Your Majesty, the vast majority of spies have been identified, but..." Marcel Yale showed a hesitant expression.
"But what?"
