CHAPTER 567: CHAPTER 558: THE EUROPEAN VERSION OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE

"If that is the case, then the United States might reconsider its relationship with the French Empire!"

Ambassador Mason diplomatically expressed dissatisfaction with the French Empire to Jerome Bonaparte, albeit with a slightly aggressive tone in his words.

However, such a phrase, which Ambassador Mason thought was nothing out of the ordinary, sounded harsh in Jerome Bonaparte’s ears.

"May I consider this a provocation from the United States against the French Empire!" Jerome Bonaparte said with a cold laugh to Ambassador Mason.

"Your Majesty, we only wish to maintain trade freedom! If you truly think so, I have nothing else to say!" Ambassador Mason confidently said, seemingly certain that Jerome Bonaparte would choose to concede to the United States.

However, Ambassador Mason did not know that the monarch before him was actually a time-traveler, whose previous life was as a staunch anti-American.

Ambassador Mason’s behavior was a complete step into Jerome Bonaparte’s forbidden zone.

"Since Ambassador Mason insists on demanding trade freedom, then I have nothing more to say! If the United States truly wants trade freedom, then please declare war on the French Empire! As long as you can defeat the French Empire, you can get everything you want!" Jerome Bonaparte straightforwardly issued a declaration of war to Ambassador Mason.

Faced with Jerome Bonaparte’s sudden war threat, Ambassador Mason was somewhat caught off guard. He originally just intended to ask the French Empire to kindly let the United States off the hook, never having thought about waging war against the French Empire. In this era, the United States was not yet the behemoth country it would become; at best, it could only bully the neighboring United Mexican States.

The military strength of the United Mexican States was such that France only needed to dispatch fifty thousand troops to completely crush their entire army, indicative of the United States’ combat capabilities.

Fearing the consequences, Ambassador Mason hastily tried to remedy the situation: "No! Your Majesty, you misunderstood me! We are not trying to wage war with your country, just..."

Before Ambassador Mason could finish his words, Jerome Bonaparte rudely interrupted: "Your Excellency, Ambassador, I fear there’s nothing more to discuss between us! Either the United States declares war on the French Empire, or the United States keeps quiet! Stop trying to gain a presence in Europe; Europe is the Europe of Europeans, not your New Continent’s Europe!"

With that, Jerome Bonaparte got up and left the room, leaving Ambassador Mason alone in bewilderment: "I... I think I messed up!"

When Ambassador Mason tried to regain his composure and return to the ballroom to communicate again with Jerome Bonaparte, Royal Chief Steward Mokar appeared before him.

"Your Excellency, Chief Steward, do you have any business with me?" Ambassador Mason inquired, looking at Mokar who was blocking his way.

"Ambassador Mason, you have now been placed on the list of unwelcome persons at the Tuileries Palace! Please leave at once!" Mokar responded to Ambassador Mason with a severe attitude.

Upon hearing that he had been blacklisted, Ambassador Mason’s expression immediately froze. As a diplomatic envoy, he could not fathom why the Emperor would punish him so harshly.

Once the news of Mason being blacklisted from the Tuileries Palace spread, the doors of the entire French upper class would be completely closed to him.

Ambassador Mason’s diplomacy had come to a complete end. He couldn’t even imagine what kind of treatment he would receive once he returned to the United States with such a significant diplomatic stain.

"Your Excellency, Chief Steward, could you please let me see His Majesty once more! I really didn’t mean it that way! Truly!" Ambassador Mason pleaded with Mokar.

"Please leave the Tuileries Palace at once, Mr. Mason!" Mokar, with a visage of unapproachability, responded firmly to Ambassador Mason.

"I beg you! Let me see His Majesty one more time! Just once is enough!" Ambassador Mason continued to plead.

"No! My orders are only to see you out!" Mokar ignored Ambassador Mason’s pleas, "If you do not leave, I will order the guards to escort you out!"

Seeing Mokar was not in the slightest willing to yield, Ambassador Mason had no choice but to voluntarily leave the Tuileries Palace.

He did not wish to be "escorted" out of the Tuileries Palace by forceful means.

Meanwhile, Jerome Bonaparte, returning to the ballroom, immediately found the British Envoy to France, Lord Cowley, and headed in his direction.

At this moment, seeing Jerome Bonaparte approaching him, Lord Cowley inferred that Jerome Bonaparte must have something urgent to discuss.

Thus, Lord Cowley released the hand of his dance partner, informing her that he could no longer continue to dance with her.

Upon hearing Lord Cowley’s response, his dance partner showed a displeased expression on her face.

However, the very next moment, her expression changed from displeasure to compliance.

Because Jerome Bonaparte had already arrived in front of them!

"Your Majesty!" Lord Cowley and his dance partner greeted Jerome Bonaparte.

"Ambassador Cowley, I hope I’m not disturbing you!" Jerome Bonaparte glanced at Lord Cowley and asked knowingly.

"No! No!" Lord Cowley repeatedly denied.

"That’s good!" Jerome Bonaparte, equally skilled at speaking falsehoods with a straight face, said, "Since you have no pressing matters, could you come with me for a moment? Let’s find a quiet place to discuss!"

Lord Cowley looked at his dance partner, offered an apologetic smile, and then turned back to Jerome Bonaparte, "Of course, Your Majesty!"

"Then let’s go!" Jerome Bonaparte left the ballroom together with Lord Cowley.

This time, Jerome Bonaparte did not take Lord Cowley to a room but led him to the gardens outside the Tuileries Palace.

Walking along the garden path, Jerome Bonaparte gazed at the bright moon in the sky and asked Ambassador Cowley beside him, "Mr. Cowley, how does the British Government view the United States of America?"

"Your Majesty, I am merely the British Envoy to France, not the British Envoy to the United States, nor the Minister of Foreign Affairs! You ask me the British Government’s view on the United States, I fear I cannot answer your question!" Ambassador Cowley cautiously responded to Jerome Bonaparte.

Lord Cowley did not want to express any opinions before understanding Jerome Bonaparte’s stance towards America.

"Just now, Ambassador Mason of the United States came to talk to me!" Jerome Bonaparte stated nonchalantly.

Ambassador Cowley looked at Jerome Bonaparte with a face of astonishment and then tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, may I boldly ask what you discussed with the American ambassador?"

"It was nothing but the issue of Baltic navigation!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged, pretending to be indifferent as he replied to Lord Cowley.

"Did you agree to them?" Ambassador Cowley couldn’t help but ask.

"That question is precisely what I wish to ask you! How are the negotiations between the British Government and the United States of America?" Jerome Bonaparte retorted and particularly emphasized, "Ambassador Cowley, your answer will influence my response to you!"

After pondering for a while, Ambassador Cowley responded to Jerome Bonaparte, "Currently, the British Government is discussing this issue! However, the vast majority of Cabinet ministers believe Britain should not allow American ships to pass, as this would give the Russian Empire a chance to breathe! (It was later proven, Ambassador Cowley’s information was outdated.)"

"You see! You know it all, don’t you!" Jerome Bonaparte said flippantly.

"Your Majesty, actually, these are all secrets!" Ambassador Cowley replied with a wry smile, "By telling you this, I’ve already violated the principles of being an ambassador!"

"Secrets! Secrets! How many secrets are there in the world?" Jerome Bonaparte responded with disdain, "Doesn’t The Times leak enough secrets every year? Why don’t you define it as treason?"

"Your Majesty, the press has the right to guide and supervise the government!" Lord Cowley tactfully responded.

"Guide and supervise? I think they’re just fanning the flames all day long!" Jerome Bonaparte’s mouth curled into a gloating smile.

In a sense, "anti-establishment" newspapers led by The Times could be considered "good partners" of France.

The damage they caused to Britain could be said to be far greater than a division’s strength.

The current subjects of the Kingdom of Britain, while feeling proud of their kingdom’s achievements, are also trapped in a cycle of "how this nation, guilty citizenry, I’m muddled, defining issues."

It could be said to be extremely fragmented.

"This is democracy!" Lord Cowley proudly responded to Jerome Bonaparte.

Only a minority’s democracy!

Jerome Bonaparte couldn’t help but mutter to himself.

"Your Majesty, you haven’t yet told me the outcome of your conversation with the American ambassador?" Lord Cowley steered the conversation back on track.

"The result of our discussion was naturally an unhappy parting!" Jerome Bonaparte replied to Lord Cowley.

Upon hearing Jerome Bonaparte’s response, Lord Cowley finally relaxed, as he didn’t wish to see the French Empire turn its back on them and reconcile alone with the United States of America.

However, Jerome Bonaparte’s next words greatly frightened Ambassador Cowley.

"Not only did I flatly reject his request, but I also declared a quasi-war state with the United States of America! Ambassador Mason has already been placed on the Tuileries Palace’s blacklist of persona non grata!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded slightly and then responded to Ambassador Cowley.