CHAPTER 614: CHAPTER 605: THE TROIKA

After notifying Richard Metternich of the imminent departure, Jerome Bonaparte decided to hold another small family gathering at the Tuileries Palace. He ordered Mokar to invite his father, Prince Monfort, and Princess Mathilde to the Tuileries Palace.

Considering that his father, Prince Monfort, might be fooling around in some place in Paris again, Jerome Bonaparte stopped Mokar and said, "First, notify my sister Mathilde, then go find my father! Do you understand?"

"Understood!" Mokar nodded in response to Jerome Bonaparte, then turned and left the study.

Soon after Mokar left, Jerome Bonaparte also left the study and headed to where Empress Augusta was.

At this time, Empress Augusta was seated quietly on a chair, reading a collection of poems whose author was Byron, who had been deceased for nearly thirty years.

When Jerome Bonaparte entered the room, Empress Augusta put down the "Byron’s Poems" in her hand, looked at Jerome Bonaparte with a gentle smile, and said, "What is it? Has something happened?"

"It’s nothing!" Jerome Bonaparte shook his head, walked straight to sit beside Empress Augusta, picked up the "Byron’s Poems," and smiled as he said, "Are you still reading this?"

"Just flipping through a couple of pages when I have nothing to do!" Empress Augusta glanced at Jerome Bonaparte and pouted, saying, "Who told some people to keep such a close watch, not even wanting to let me go out!"

"I’m just being cautious!" Jerome Bonaparte smiled wryly, then gently caressed Empress Augusta’s belly with his hand, saying affectionately, "As long as you get through this period, you can do whatever you want!"

Looking at the cautious Jerome Bonaparte, afraid of any accident, Augusta’s eyes also softened. She knew how important a legitimate heir was to the entire nascent country.

An emperor who cannot produce offspring, no matter how capable, cannot win the full loyalty of his subordinates, because his subordinates also need to consider their descendants.

Without a Crown Prince, the next generation’s wealth and safety are not assured, as a new emperor will inevitably alienate some of the old emperor’s key officials to make room for the newcomers.

If it is the emperor’s own son, such changes will not be so "bloody."

After all, the new emperor must also save face for the old emperor. Any slightly tactful new emperor would choose to "usher in the new by removing the old," meaning letting the older generation step down for their offspring to take their place, or at least slightly lower positions, without confiscating property or throwing them into debtor’s prison.

But in the case of a non-biological son of the emperor, such assurances are not present,

and if the "enemy" branch ascends the throne, the situation would be even worse.

Historically, Napoleon III once asked his half-brother Mornay (before the Crown Prince was born), whether Mornay would support Jerome Bonaparte after his death.

Mornay’s answer was decisive and straightforward; he would rather renew allegiance to the Orléans Dynasty than assist Jerome Bonaparte.

This was because Jerome Bonaparte had already grown strong at that time, and joining him would not grant Mornay much use, unlike pledging allegiance to Orléans, where an imperial official would certainly be heavily utilized.

In this world, however, Jerome Bonaparte is Mornay’s direct benefactor, so the situation from the OTL history does not exist.

However, should Jerome Bonaparte ask Mornay whether he would support Jerome Patterson in the same manner as his cousin did after passing, the answer might not differ much from Napoleon III’s question to Mornay.

This answer isn’t solely Mornay’s; it matches that of most of the empire’s major officials.

"I know!" Augusta nodded, and then leaned against Jerome Bonaparte’s shoulder: "You must have something on your mind! Speak, what exactly is it?"

"I knew I couldn’t hide it from you!" Jerome Bonaparte sighed with a wry smile, "I originally thought to wait until my father and sister arrive before bringing it up!"

"Father and sister are coming too!" Empress Augusta lifted her head, seriously asking, "What on earth requires such a grand gathering!"

"Well..." Jerome Bonaparte informed Empress Augusta of his impending departure to Constantinople.

Empress Augusta looked at Jerome Bonaparte in astonishment and said reproachfully, "I disagree with your decision!"

"Augusta, I’ve already arranged it with Richard Metternich! Departure is tomorrow!" Jerome Bonaparte pleaded with Empress Augusta.

"If you leave, what about Paris? What about France?" Empress Augusta questioned Jerome Bonaparte.

"In Paris, Nie’er and Rue’e are there. One of them will oversee the military, and the other the government! Nothing will go wrong!" Jerome Bonaparte told Augusta, "Moreover, I intend for you and my sister Mathilde, along with my father Monfort, to form a temporary institution! These two will report issues directly to you or my sister Mathilde!"

Jerome Bonaparte paused for a few seconds before continuing, "Besides, I won’t stay there for long! My trip to Constantinople is just to confer honors to the fortress soldiers! They have fought bloodily for France, and it’s inappropriate for an emperor not to go to the front to encourage them!"

"Why didn’t Victoria and Albert go!" Empress Augusta was unwilling for Jerome Bonaparte to "embark on this dangerous journey alone," she cited an example.

"Because Victoria and Albert are the rulers of Britain, not the Emperor of France! Their populace wouldn’t be as fierce as ours, and their land forces won’t enjoy the same status as our army in France, so they don’t worry about such issues!" Jerome Bonaparte said proudly yet helplessly.

Being an emperor in Paris, known for opposing tyranny, is extremely difficult; he must tread carefully like walking a tightrope with every step he takes.

The army and public opinion, the two main pillars supporting the empire, cannot be lost.

If either pillar collapses, the entire empire will be reduced to ruins.

"Augusta, I must consolidate the Bonaparte’s position in the army! My uncle’s protection will one day be exhausted, so we must find our own path!" Jerome Bonaparte responded firmly to Augusta.

Since he hoisted Napoleon’s banner to reorganize the army, he has been contemplating how to establish the same prestige in the army as his uncle did. He hopes that when soldiers think of him, they think of our great military Commander-in-Chief, Jerome Bonaparte, rather than "the nephew of the great military Commander-in-Chief (Napoleon)."

"For the sake of our children’s smooth future, I must attempt it even if it’s dangerous!" Jerome Bonaparte stated righteously.

He understands that for Augusta, who is about to become a mother, nothing is more important than the child, not even Jerome Bonaparte himself.

So Jerome Bonaparte believes that as long as he acts under the pretense of "for the child," Augusta will have no objections.

Sure enough, after hesitating for a moment, Augusta inquired whether Jerome Bonaparte was only going to Constantinople and not to Sevastopol.

"Of course!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded affirmatively, replying confidently.

"Then..."

Before Empress Augusta could finish her sentence, a knock on the door sounded, and Jerome Bonaparte quickly said, "Come in!"

The Eldest Princess of the Second French Empire, Mathilde, appeared and asked Jerome Bonaparte why he had called her over.

"Sister, close the door first!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Mathilde.

Mathilde casually closed the door and then sat on Augusta’s other side.

Jerome Bonaparte repeated to Princess Mathilde what he had just discussed with Empress Augusta.

"I disagree!" Princess Mathilde loudly responded, "The empire hasn’t even been established for three years, and it has only recently become stable! And you want to imitate our uncle by going on a campaign yourself now!"

After speaking, Princess Mathilde curled her lips, as if to say you’re not yet qualified!

"Sister, I’m a graduate of the Wurttemberg Military Academy, at least!" Jerome Bonaparte protested softly.

"Yes, the top graduate of the Wurttemberg Military Academy!" Princess Mathilde maintained her sarcastic attitude.

Jerome Bonaparte, while very young, had spent some time with his brother at the Wurttemberg Military Academy (Jerome Bonaparte’s deceased brother attended the higher military school, while he himself attended a school akin to Japan’s Rikugun Shikan Gakkou in nature). After Jerome Bonaparte’s mother died, he lost the desire to continue at military school, so he "graduated early" and followed his father to settle again on the Apennine Peninsula.

"Besides, I’m just going to confer awards and command the army!" Jerome Bonaparte explained.

"Does it have to be you who confers the awards? Can’t someone else go in your place?" Princess Mathilde retorted.

"If I go in person, it will boost morale!" Jerome Bonaparte continued to justify himself.

"Boost morale? How much more does the empire’s morale need boosting?" Princess Mathilde continued to ask, "I walk out on the street and hear people discussing the Crimean War everywhere, how much more does it need to be enhanced!"

Faced with Princess Mathilde’s continuous questions, Jerome Bonaparte felt embarrassed. He knew his sister was worried about his safety, but he couldn’t afford to lose face in front of Augusta.

Augusta, also noticing Jerome Bonaparte’s predicament, quickly defended him, explaining that this action was for their unborn child.

"Seems like you do have some resemblance of adulthood left!" Princess Mathilde decided to give Jerome Bonaparte some face, and she turned to ask Augusta if she was willing to let Jerome Bonaparte leave.

Augusta told Princess Mathilde she didn’t want Jerome Bonaparte to go to Constantinople but wondered if her opposition would actually prevent him from secretly leaving.

"You! You!" Princess Mathilde pointed at Jerome Bonaparte and managed to utter, "You really are worrisome! Speak up! How do you plan to arrange things?"

Jerome Bonaparte shared his ideas with Princess Mathilde, and she nodded in approval, saying, "Your plan seems reliable! However, forget your father! He will only mess things up! Be wary of certain members in the family as well; I’m afraid the moment you leave, they’ll start causing trouble..."

At this moment, Princess Mathilde transformed into Jerome Bonaparte’s strategist, helping him plug the gaps in his plan. Ultimately, Prince Monfort was also excluded from power, and Speaker Bijou replaced Prince Monfort’s position.