Make France Great Again-Chapter 895 - 886: The Kingdom of Spain Seeking Alignment
De Luyis’s flattery did not make Jerome Bonaparte feel any pride; instead, it sounded another alarm in his heart.
This world isn’t just France that knows reform; other countries are also desperately striving to catch up.
Therefore, France must not slack off in the slightest; reform must be carried out with full effort.
"This shows that war is the whetstone to test reform achievements. In the last war in Crimea, our army and people passed the test of war!
Our quality of life did not stagnate due to the footsteps of war, unlike previous wars; it even entered a brief period of prosperity!
This is a tremendous improvement. I hope our next battle can be like the Crimean War! Of course, I personally do not like war as it brings endless pain!" Jerome Bonaparte pointedly stressed and then solemnly told De Luyis, "Mr. Luyis, your cooperation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is indispensable!"
"Your Majesty, rest assured!" De Luyis responded to Jerome Bonaparte with solemnity: "Our foreign department will do our utmost to maintain the interests of France while trying to avoid war!"
"That’s good! Thank you for your hard work!" Jerome Bonaparte smiled and nodded at De Luyis.
...
Riding a carriage back to Ossai Pier from the Tuileries Palace, De Luyis closed his eyes in contemplation, until the coachman reminded him that Ossai Pier had arrived, De Luyis then got off the carriage, walked two steps forward, then stopped and stood side by side with the coachman.
"Minister, what’s wrong?" Seeing De Luyis in thought, the coachman asked curiously.
De Luyis, coming back to his senses, shook his head and replied, "It’s nothing!"
Then he added, "Could I trouble you with something!"
"Please tell me! As long as it’s something I can do, I will certainly do it for you!" The coachman replied to De Luyis, taken aback by the request.
"Could you work harder once more and take me to the Spanish Embassy?" De Luyis asked the coachman in a negotiating tone.
"Of course!" The coachman responded to De Luyis without a second thought, "Please get in, Minister!"
"Thank you!" De Luyis nodded slightly and turned back into the carriage.
The carriage carrying De Luyis set off again, and soon De Luyis arrived at the gates of the Spanish Embassy.
"Minister, we have arrived!" The coachman stopped the carriage and reminded De Luyis inside.
"I understand!" De Luyis replied as he opened the car door and approached the coachman.
He took out a 50 franc banknote from the Bank of France and handed it to the coachman, saying, "You’ve worked hard! Take this!"
Seeing the banknote (which can also be called paper money) handed over by De Luyis, a hint of greed flashed in the coachman’s eyes, but he did not accept it and instead shook his head at De Luyis and said, "Minister, I cannot take your money!"
"Why? Too little?" De Luyis said half-jokingly to the coachman. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
"No!" The coachman shook his head and responded to De Luyis with a serious expression, "Chief Steward Bashirio has stipulated: No one from the Tuileries Palace may ask for money under any name from others, not even if it’s given voluntarily!
If anyone is found to violate the rules, they will be dismissed immediately!
Minister, please don’t cause trouble for me! I am very satisfied with my current job, and since it’s near the end of the year, Chief Steward Bashirio has promised us bonuses too!"
The coachman’s eyes carried a glimmer of expectation for the future, and he couldn’t help but smile.
"Then I’ll keep it myself!" De Luyis retrieved the 50 francs.
"Minister, do you need me to wait for you here?" The coachman asked De Luyis again.
"No need! I’ll return to Ossai Pier by myself later!" De Luyis shook his head and replied to the coachman, "You should go back and report!"
"Alright!" The coachman drove the carriage rapidly back in the direction it came from, gradually disappearing from De Luyis’s view.
"That Bashirio is indeed an outstanding Chief Steward!" De Luyis couldn’t help but marvel as he turned and walked towards the entrance of the Spanish Embassy.
When he reached the gates of the Spanish Embassy, De Luyis tapped lightly on the door, and after a while, a voice came from inside, asking who he was and what his purpose was at the embassy.
De Luyis truthfully answered the voice’s questions. The embassy door opened, and a blond young man about 28, 29 years old appeared in front of De Luyis.
Looking at the young man in front of him, De Luyis recalled the scenes when he served as secretary at the Madrid Embassy, back when he was just as young as him, now suddenly he realized he had turned 52.
Thinking of this, De Luyis showed a kind smile at the corners of his mouth, and his eyes became very gentle.
"Minister Luyis, hello!" The blond young man standing opposite De Luyis looked at the imperial minister in front of him with a bit of nervousness, and unexpectedly blurted out in Spanish.
"Young man, is your ambassador at home now? If so, please take me to meet him!" De Luyis looked at the blond young man kindly, responding in Spanish.
The blond young man was initially stunned, then continued, "Please follow me!"
Under the guidance of the blond young man, De Luyis came to the Spanish Ambassador to France, Rafael Desca.
Seeing that the visitor was indeed De Luyis, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rafael Desca showed a touch of surprise on his face. He didn’t understand why De Luyis arrived at the embassy without prior notice.
However, since De Luyis had already come, Rafael Desca had to respond to him with a hundred percent enthusiasm and two hundred percent caution.
"Your Excellency Minister, welcome to the embassy!" Rafael Desca extended his hand and spoke to De Luyis in French.
De Luyis also apologized in French to Rafael Desca, "Mr. Desca, please forgive my sudden visit!"
"It’s nothing!" Rafael Desca shook his head and politely said to De Luyis, "On behalf of the Spanish Embassy, I warmly welcome Your Excellency Minister’s arrival!"
Then, Rafael Desca and De Luyis sat on the sofa, with the blond young man serving as the interpreter for this conversation.
(Both De Luyis and Rafael Desca actually didn’t need a translator, but due to diplomatic conventions, they let him serve as the interpreter.
If Ambassador Rafael Desca met with Jerome Bonaparte alone, he wouldn’t need to bring a translator at all.)
"Your Excellency Ambassador, recently our Ministry of Foreign Affairs received a message, which concerns the interests of our two countries in the Kingdom of Morocco!
... If our two countries can reach a consensus on this matter, it would be even better..." De Luyis used lengthy diplomatic rhetoric to explain the diplomatic crisis happening in the Kingdom of Morocco to the Spanish ambassador.
The interpreter sitting on the side immediately translated De Luyis’s speech into Spanish.
After the secretary finished translating all of De Luyis’s words, Rafael Desca quickly asked De Luyis, "Your Excellency Minister, I don’t know which matter you are referring to!"
Rafael Desca’s response was met with disbelief by De Luyis.
Although Spain’s current power is not what it used to be, to say they know nothing would be underestimating the old Great Powers.
De Luyis was certain in his heart that Rafael Desca definitely knew something.
To cooperate with Rafael Desca’s performance, De Luyis also displayed a surprised expression on his face, "Mr. Ambassador, do you really not know about the agreement between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Kingdom of Britain?"
(Translation ongoing...)
"What agreement?" Rafael Desca still pretended to be completely ignorant and asked De Luyis.
De Luyis explained the treaty signed between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Kingdom of Britain to Rafael Desca, whose face showed an appropriate level of surprise, "It’s really terrible! How could the Kingdom of Morocco sign such an irresponsible treaty!
They are simply being irresponsible to their own country!"
"Our Majesty thinks the same!" De Luyis said to Rafael Desca.
"Your country’s His Majesty the Emperor!" Rafael Desca showed slight surprise, not expecting Jerome Bonaparte to also pay attention to such a minor issue.
"That’s right! Our Emperor hopes to condemn the irresponsible actions of the Kingdom of Morocco together with the Kingdom of Spain!" De Luyis said righteously to Rafael Desca, "Only in this way can the Kingdom of Morocco realize its mistake... I wonder if the Kingdom of Spain is interested in this!"
After listening to De Luyis’s speech, Rafael Desca immediately understood that De Luyis intended to involve them in action.
Faced with the olive branch extended by the French Empire, Rafael Desca accepted without hesitation, directly stating that he would make his best effort to persuade Madrid to condemn the Kingdom of Morocco together with the French Empire.
The reason he provided such a guarantee was to strengthen the relationship with the French Empire.
From 1848 to 1856, for nearly 8 years, the relationship between the Kingdom of Spain and France has been in a state of seeming closeness yet distance.
During this period, France has rapidly become one of the important powers in Europe and has begun to dominate some European affairs.
Now that there is finally an opportunity to close the gap with France, Rafael certainly doesn’t want to miss it.
