Make France Great Again-Chapter 863 - 854: Fooling Pierre Bonaparte
The day after the upper and lower houses of the Kingdom of Britain unanimously agreed to grant the British Land and Sea Forces the right to declare war on the Kaijia Dynasty under specific circumstances, various newspapers reported on this decision of the two houses.
The Times, the Manchester Guardian, and the newly established Daily Mail (founded in June 1855) presented a neutral view on the decision of the two houses.
Newspapers inclined toward the Royalist Party and Parliament expressed a positive attitude toward the action of the two houses, believing that the proposal passed by the Kingdom of Britain could help maintain Britain’s leadership position in the Indian Region, preventing the potential danger the Kaijia Dynasty could bring to India.
However, progressive forces led by Dr. Marx harshly criticized Britain’s proposal, stating that Britain’s proposal was a trampling of Europe’s universal values.
"As long as Britain subjectively believes that the Kaijia Dynasty has infringed upon their interests, they will choose to suppress it... I hope readers can take a glance at the map to see the distance between the Kaijia Dynasty and India, and not become accomplices to the aggressor by being misled by some newspapers..."
Despite the existence of a group of conscientious contributors like Dr. Marx in Britain, such people are far too few in the overall British landscape.
As a result, Dr. Marx’s voice was quickly drowned out by a flood of abuses, and Dr. Marx himself received several death threats sent from unknown places.
Nevertheless, the actions of radical British citizens were too naive for the battle-hardened Dr. Marx. Having developed knife-fighting habits in German classrooms since childhood, Dr. Marx was not afraid of death threats at all and continued to write tirelessly.
Piece by piece, political commentary was born from Dr. Marx’s hands, published on the front pages of newspapers, and then traveled across the sea to reach Jerome Bonaparte.
At this moment, Jerome Bonaparte was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed, reading the newspaper, which included the follow-up commentary by Dr. Marx on the "Kaijia Dynasty Declaration of War."
After finishing the commentary, Jerome Bonaparte put down the newspaper, shook his head, and praised, "Indeed worthy of Dr. Marx, every article is worth savoring carefully."
Speaking to himself, Jerome Bonaparte gently touched his chin and murmured, "However, if he could not mention me at the end of the article, or hold his tongue a bit, that would be even better!"
Despite Jerome Bonaparte’s complaints about Dr. Marx’s end-of-article jabs, he was internally very happy.
After all, not everyone can receive the critique of a mentor.
While Jerome Bonaparte was still savoring the moment, a knock on the door came from outside the room.
Jerome Bonaparte, in a flash, stood up and sat by the desk, then placed the newspaper in the drawer.
After doing so, Jerome Bonaparte cleared his throat and called out to the door, "Who is it!"
"Your Majesty, it’s Bashirio!" Bashirio responded from outside the room to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Ah, Bashirio! Come in!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Bashirio.
Bashirio entered the study, and Jerome Bonaparte opened his mouth again to ask, "Bashirio, do you have any business with me?"
"Your Majesty, Prince Pierre Bonaparte wants to meet you!" Bashirio replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Hmm?" Jerome Bonaparte showed a hint of surprise on his face and muttered in amazement, "When did my cousin Pierre become so polite!"
Bashirio said nothing but waited quietly for Jerome Bonaparte’s next instruction.
"Let him in!" Jerome Bonaparte responded to Bashirio with a smile.
After a while, Prince Pierre Bonaparte entered the study.
Jerome Bonaparte hurriedly got up, smiling broadly, walked up to Pierre Bonaparte and shook hands with him, then said warmly, "Cousin, you’ve finally come!"
"Your Majesty!" Prince Pierre Bonaparte spoke in a low, humble tone to Jerome Bonaparte, "I came this time to apologize for the unpleasantness that occurred here with you a few days ago!"
"It’s nothing!" Jerome Bonaparte said generously to Pierre Bonaparte, "Between relatives, some minor frictions are inevitable. These are all matters of the past!
Moreover, my tone of speech back then was particularly bad!
If apologies are needed, I should also apologize!"
"No! Your Majesty, you are the ruler of an empire, and your will is the will of the entire nation! Therefore, I should apologize to you!" Prince Pierre Bonaparte said humbly to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Alright then!" Jerome Bonaparte warmly grasped Pierre Bonaparte’s arm to show his enthusiasm, "Let’s not push each other back and forth!
This way, the conversation loses its familial feeling. We share the same bloodline and should cooperate and tolerate each other!
Only by doing so can we prevent outsiders from watching us make a joke of ourselves!"
Jerome Bonaparte paused for a moment, then displayed a seemingly sincere expression to Pierre Bonaparte, saying, "You should know, the Royal Family of France has never been just the House of Bonaparte!
The legitimate heir, Count of Chambord, and the Orléans Faction heir, Count of Paris (Pierre Bonaparte showed an unnatural expression upon hearing Count of Paris), along with those nobles lurking in the countryside unwilling to integrate into the Empire’s system, are always waiting to see us make a fool of ourselves!
Just like how we once watched them, so we must unite!
I can guarantee that as long as I sit in this seat for one day, the entire Bonaparte Clan will enjoy prosperity for a day!
If I am fortunate enough to recreate the glory of my uncle’s time, then my brother..."
Jerome Bonaparte gripped Pierre Bonaparte’s hand tightly, pretending to be very excited and said to him, "I can guarantee you will stand alongside me as a King.
We will, like my uncle and father during the First Empire period, jointly rule all of Europe!"
Jerome Bonaparte’s impassioned speech successfully dazzled Pierre Bonaparte, who was a clumsy ambitious person.
In Pierre Bonaparte’s heart there was a desire to be a King, otherwise he wouldn’t have attempted to seize Jerome Bonaparte’s power.
However, due to the harsh reality, he didn’t dare to face his own heart.
Jerome Bonaparte’s motivational words successfully revivified Pierre Bonaparte’s ambitions that were about to wither, he looked at Jerome Bonaparte with a hint of regret in his eyes.
Maybe he still doesn’t know, I’ve already betrayed him. Pierre Bonaparte felt a sense of regret.
Had he known today’s outcome, why would he have bothered in the past?
"Your Majesty, I..." Pierre Bonaparte wanted to confess to Jerome Bonaparte but feared that once he spoke, the enraged Emperor would declare he lost his right to obtain the throne.
"What’s the matter! Cousin?" Jerome Bonaparte continued to feign ignorance as he looked at Pierre Bonaparte. Actually, he hoped Pierre Bonaparte could be a bit more honest with him, this was his final chance given to Pierre Bonaparte.
"No... nothing!" Pierre Bonaparte responded to Jerome Bonaparte, shaking his head.
At this moment, Pierre Bonaparte didn’t know he had already lost his last chance.
"Oh, by the way! Cousin, how’s your consideration regarding becoming the ambassador to Florence?" Jerome Bonaparte inquired Pierre Bonaparte.
"Your Majesty, actually I don’t want to leave Paris!" Pierre Bonaparte replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Cousin, I too don’t really wish for you to go!" Jerome Bonaparte sighed exaggeratedly and said to Pierre Bonaparte, "It’s just that the Duchy of Tuscany... no, I should say Central Italy needs someone to guard it!"
"Why?" Pierre Bonaparte asked Jerome Bonaparte curiously.
"Haven’t you noticed that the Italian nationalists on the Apennine Peninsula are becoming increasingly frequent?" Jerome Bonaparte said to Pierre Bonaparte.
Pierre Bonaparte pondered for a moment, then nodded in response, "It seems so!"
"With the rise of Italian nationalists, the political landscape of the Apennine Peninsula will undergo drastic changes! I want you to go to the Apennine Peninsula to wait for the nationalists to ignite it!
Once the nationalists ignite it, the whole Apennine Peninsula will inevitably undergo unprecedented turmoil!
At that time, you as the ambassador can secretly motivate the nationalists to drive away the Habsburg rulers, while I can lead the troops into Central Italy under the banner of protecting the Apennine Peninsula!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Pierre Bonaparte, "As long as we seize the country expelled by the Habsburgs, we can enthrone a Prince from the Bonaparte Clan in this country!
If we dispatch the troops quickly enough, even if the Habsburgs want to prevent it, they won’t be able to!
Because their country’s economy is in our hands, just a bit of my displeasure can cause their economy to decline.
So they don’t dare to oppose us!
And that prince..."
Jerome Bonaparte hinted to Pierre Bonaparte, Pierre Bonaparte’s heart instantly accelerated by two beats, his throat began to dry.
"I... I understand!" Pierre Bonaparte said to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, I will obey your command to act as the ambassador to Florence!"
"I thank you for your hard work! Cousin!" Jerome Bonaparte patted Pierre Bonaparte’s shoulder.
After Pierre Bonaparte left, Jerome Bonaparte’s lips curled into a cold smile, he murmured quietly, "Hmph! Still wants to be King? Do you deserve it?"
