CHAPTER 583: CHAPTER 574: PRINCESS SISI’S SORROW

Regarding the response from the Prussian ambassador, De Luyis was not surprised. If the Prussian ambassador had agreed to his request immediately, that would have been the most terrifying thing.

"I hope the Kingdom of Prussia can give the French Empire a response as soon as possible!" De Luyis immediately delivered the reply he had prepared: "Even if the Kingdom of Prussia is unwilling to fall out with the Russian Empire, we can understand! After all, the Russian Empire is truly a troublesome fellow!"

"Thank you for your understanding!" The Prussian ambassador, filled with gratitude, bowed to De Luyis in thanks.

"Alright! Mr. Ambassador, it’s getting late now! I should return to work as well!" De Luyis subtly issued a dismissal to the Prussian ambassador.

The Prussian ambassador, having received the answer he needed, also had little interest in continuing the conversation. Eager to return to the embassy to report, he hurriedly bade farewell to De Luyis.

Looking through the window at the departing figure of the Prussian ambassador, De Luyis softly mocked, "Prussians are typically ’straightforward’ as always!"

Saying this, De Luyis returned to the Minister’s office to continue handling unfinished documents.

Meanwhile, at this time in Paris City Hall, the welcoming ceremony was gradually drawing to a close. After touring the setup in Paris City Hall and reviewing the city hall officials, Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph mounted their horses again and, amid the cheers of Parisians, left the City Hall for Tuileries Palace.

On the way to Tuileries Palace, people constantly threw petals from the crowd, creating a flower-paved path towards Tuileries Palace.

When Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph arrived at the gate of Tuileries Palace, the Imperial Palace Chief Steward Mokar, along with the heads of all the palace departments, appeared before Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph.

Jerome Bonaparte introduced Mokar to Franz Joseph and told Franz Joseph that during his stay at Tuileries Palace, he could communicate any needs to Mokar, who would do his utmost to satisfy them.

"Mr. Mokar, I will rely on your attentive care in the coming days!" Franz Joseph said politely to Mokar.

"Your Majesty Franz, rest assured, I will do my utmost to serve you!" Mokar quickly responded.

Afterward, Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph dismounted alongside their ministers and entered Tuileries Palace.

Mokar immediately directed his subordinates to lead all the horses to the stables.

That evening, a grand banquet was held at Tuileries Palace.

The banquet was attended by princes who arrived a few days earlier (the King of Württemberg, Grand Duke of Baden), envoys (Saxon Envoy), high-ranking officials of the French Empire, generals... Of course, the most notable among them were Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph.

(Because Empress Augusta was still in her pregnancy period, Jerome Bonaparte did not let her attend the banquet.

To demonstrate the friendship between France and Austria, Franz Joseph had Elizabeth accompany Empress Augusta in her room, waiting until the ball began to come out.)

Before the banquet began, Jerome Bonaparte conventionally thanked the princes and envoys able to attend the banquet, and then separately thanked Franz Joseph for attending the review held on June 24th.

Following that, Franz Joseph also expressed his gratitude to the guests inside Tuileries Palace.

After the two main figures of the banquet offered their blessings to the attending guests, the banquet officially began.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, time quickly slipped by for more than half an hour.

The atmosphere of the banquet gradually reached a peak as time went by, and in such a fervent atmosphere, one of the main figures, Jerome Bonaparte, disappeared from view.

When people noticed that Jerome Bonaparte had vanished from the banquet hall, approximately another half hour had passed.

People at the banquet immediately called for Royal Palace Chief Steward Mokar, asking him if he had seen Jerome Bonaparte.

"His Majesty is not missing; he is in the Empress’s room!" Mokar quickly explained to the guests present.

Indeed!

At this time, Jerome Bonaparte was in Empress Augusta’s room, performing prenatal education for his soon-to-be-born child.

Elegant piano music flowed from Augusta’s room. Jerome Bonaparte was sitting at the piano, using his agile hands to play a joyful tune for Augusta.

After the piece ended, Augusta, semi-reclining on the sofa, applauded Jerome Bonaparte’s performance.

"So beautiful!" An oriole-like voice came from beside Empress Augusta; it was Duchess Elizabeth: "Your Majesty, may I ask who is the author of this piece?"

"A friend of mine who passed away many years ago!" Jerome Bonaparte smiled and said to Elizabeth: "At that time, I wasn’t yet the Emperor of the Empire!"

"Did your friend ever give this piece a name?" Elizabeth continued to inquire.

"My friend named it ’Summer’!" Jerome Bonaparte replied.

"’Summer’? Why use an English name? Is your friend English?" Elizabeth asked curiously.

"Indeed! He was a British gentleman!" Jerome Bonaparte casually replied, and then he counter-questioned, "Princess Elizabeth, why do you have so many why’s? Are you like the book of a hundred thousand whys?"

"What is the book of a hundred thousand whys?" Elizabeth asked another question.

"Nothing! It’s nothing! Just pretend I didn’t say anything!" Jerome Bonaparte immediately denied, not wanting to answer this little girl’s question.

This little girl, apart from initially being a bit afraid of him, became more and more audacious towards him later on.

"Your Majesty, a monarch should regard sincerity as a virtue!" Elizabeth responded to Jerome Bonaparte with her naïve and innocent words.

"I..." Jerome Bonaparte was speechless, realizing he seemed to have been "cornered" by this little girl.

Is this the power of natural innocence?

"Sisi, you are truly innocent and adorable!" Augusta, sitting beside Elizabeth, put her legs down from the sofa, caught Elizabeth’s hand, sighed, and said, "With a personality like yours, how is it that..."

"What are you talking about? I don’t understand a word!" Elizabeth still asked Empress Augusta with her yet unrefined childish words.

Although Elizabeth didn’t know why Augusta sighed, she could feel Augusta’s affection towards her.

"Ah!" Empress Augusta looked at this "child" in front of her with a loving gaze, then glanced at Jerome Bonaparte, using her eyes to ask if Jerome Bonaparte should tell her something.

Thinking about Princess Sisi’s tragic future, Jerome Bonaparte also felt pity for Princess Sisi.

So he nodded slightly to Empress Augusta.

Having received the hint from Jerome Bonaparte, Augusta said to Elizabeth, "Sisi, do you know what kind of life you are about to face?"

Elizabeth shook her head, then cautiously answered, "I guess... I guess it should be like yours!"

"If you could be like me, then I would have to wish for you to meet someone who truly loves you!" Empress Augusta gently stroked the back of Elizabeth’s hand as she said this.

"What do you mean by that?" Elizabeth looked at Empress Augusta with confusion.

"I mean, if he truly loves you, then your future will be as happy as mine is now!" Empress Augusta explained to Elizabeth: "Most monarchs in this world devote their entire energy to the seat beneath them, and love is just something dispensable to them.

Sisi, can you accept having someone who doesn’t love you as your future partner?"

For Elizabeth right now, nothing was more important than love, and what Augusta said sounded like a nightmare.

"Is it the same for you and His Majesty?" Elizabeth timidly asked, then glanced at Jerome Bonaparte by the piano.

A look of happiness appeared on Empress Augusta’s face, "Before getting married, I didn’t have high hopes of gaining enough love, but reality far exceeded my expectations. I met someone who eventually loved me..." Empress Augusta glanced at Jerome Bonaparte, then added, "Although he has some flaws and is a bit of a flirt... (Jerome Bonaparte protested)... but there’s no doubt he’s an exemplary husband... often managing to bring me small surprises!"

"Yes! Yes!" Elizabeth nodded in agreement. She had never heard of any monarch who would personally play the piano.

"That’s because I didn’t possess all this from the start!" Jerome Bonaparte also spoke, "Everything I have now, I achieved through my efforts! My family gave me nothing but a royal title and some political resources!"

Although during the early days of his career, Jerome Bonaparte relied on his uncle’s name to become President, during the transition from President to Emperor, Jerome Bonaparte also went through a series of political struggles.

He could be considered a quasi-first-generation founder.

"Your husband is different, he’s burdened with far too much! It’s impossible for him to give you all his love without reservation!" Empress Augusta said to Elizabeth, "Of course, if he could give you all his love, that would be even better!"

"I..." Elizabeth’s voice trembled slightly, knowing she probably couldn’t compare with that scenario.

"And the Habsburgs are not the same as the Tuileries Palace, the hierarchy there is far stricter, you could make a mistake if you’re not careful!" Empress Augusta said to Princess Sisi, "How can a kind child like you survive in that court..."

"I’ve been there a few times and found it quite nice!" Elizabeth answered Empress Augusta.

"That’s because you stayed briefly as a guest! The Habsburgs only showed you their friendly side!" Empress Augusta continued, "You haven’t truly experienced the dark side of court life!"

"Are there assassins in the court?" Elizabeth asked with a pale face.

"More terrifying than assassins! You will face criticism from all sides! Every move you make will be considered a tarnishing of the court’s reputation by those with ulterior motives!" Empress Augusta said with a bitter smile.

Elizabeth’s face grew even more fearful, not knowing what to do!

"If it were you, what would you do?" Elizabeth asked Empress Augusta with a trembling voice.

"Endurance is essential in the court!" Empress Augusta responded, "Sisi! If you really encounter such situations, then all you can do is endure!"

"Until when?" Elizabeth asked Empress Augusta.

"Until you give birth to the next generation! They will then turn their attention to the next generation! At that time, you can gain some freedom!" Empress Augusta responded to Elizabeth.

In history, Princess Sisi only gained partial freedom to do what she liked after giving birth to the heir, Grand Duke Rudolf.

However, Princess Sisi’s love for Hungary led the Austrian Empire to an inescapable abyss.