"An excellent monarch always thinks of aiming cannons at his capital, an excellent father always puts his son in danger. I am indeed an excellent monarch and father!"
For Jero Bonaparte’s self-deprecation, Augusta was montarily at a loss for words.
After all, Augusta, unlike Jero Bonaparte, was not "pretentious," so she didn’t consider aiming cannons at Paris as madness, but rather as an inevitable action.
Just look, if back then Louis XVI had been able to decisively mobilize troops to besiege Paris like Louis XIV, the Great Revolution wouldn’t have happened, and the entire France would still be under the Capet Dynasty’s rule.
"Your Majesty, I think in the minds of most Parisians and Friedrich, you have always been an excellent monarch and father!" Augusta reiterated, then tried to explain on behalf of Jero Bonaparte, "Indeed, the situation in Paris is sowhat turbulent, but it’s largely within a controllable range and has not reached the point of needing to bombard the capital with cannons!
Moreover, it’s not just Paris; the entire France, even Europe, is in an economic stagnation phase, and that’s not your fault!"
Jero Bonaparte shook his head and complained to Augusta, "But the Parisians won’t see it that way. In tis of high economic growth, they believe everything they have is earned through hard work and has nothing to do with the Empire.
Once the economy downturns, their interests are hard.
At that ti, they’ll heap all the bla for the economic downturn onto the Empire, thinking it’s the Empire’s policies causing their economic decline.
Sotis, I quite envy the representative republic systems!
Because their presidents don’t have to pay the price for economic downturns, whereas I must bear the Parisians’ resentnt for the market cycles!"
"Your Majesty, the term for the President of the United States is only 4 years and cannot be passed down to the next generation!
The Emperor’s term, however, is eternal and can be passed down through generations!!" Empress Augusta replied to Jero Bonaparte.
"Forever?" Jero Bonaparte let out a slight smile, seemingly disdainful of the word "forever," "If a dynasty could truly be passed down forever, then we would still be under the rule of the Bourbon Dynasty!
And the one serving as king wouldn’t be , but Mr. Louis (Count of Chambord) who is still in Vienna dreaming of being a king."
At this point, Jero Bonaparte pointed at Augusta and himself, saying calmly, "Augusta, we both know there’s no dynasty in France that lasts forever!
What we can do is smoothly pass the dynasty into Friedrich’s hands, and whether Friedrich can successfully pass it to future generations is sothing we probably won’t be around to see!"
Next, Jero Bonaparte recalled the recent duel with Prince Monfort, and whispered to Augusta, "Augusta!
If one day...I an if (to prevent Augusta from worrying, Jero Bonaparte emphasized a bit)?
If one day I and the Empire no longer exist in this world, I hope you can fulfill the responsibility of a mother and raise Friedrich to adulthood! (To prevent Friedrich from losing maternal love like Napoleon II)
At the sa ti, you must tell Friedrich not to attempt to restore the Empire.
The Bonaparte Clan has done too much for the French Empire; he has no obligation to shoulder the burden of rebuilding the Empire. Striving to live happily is the most important thing!
And don’t let him join any foreign army, being a writer or a scientist is fine, or at worst, he can be a second-generation rich kid.
Anyway, the Bonaparte Clan’s foundation is enough for that kid Friedrich to live well for a while, as long as he’s not too extravagant.
However, rember not to let him join the military, especially not the British army! (To prevent Friedrich Bonaparte from becoming like Napoleon IV in history,)
Listening to Jero Bonaparte’s continuous remarks, Augusta thought sothing major had happened in Paris, otherwise, why would the Emperor say such things.
So, Empress Augusta asked Jero Bonaparte with a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, what is actually going on!
Why would you say such disheartening things! Did sothing happen in Paris again?"
"Not at all!" Jero Bonaparte also realized that his recent words inevitably led people to think that sothing might have happened in Paris. He shrugged at Augusta, responding, "Nothing has happened in Paris! My recent words, you can just pretend you didn’t hear them!"
"Your Majesty, I hope you can promise one thing!" Augusta, holding Jero Bonaparte’s hand, pleaded slightly with Jero Bonaparte.
Looking at Augusta in front of him, Jero Bonaparte softened and responded. "Augusta, whatever you ask, I will agree to it!"
"Your Majesty! If one day the Empire truly faces misfortune, I wish to leave with you!" Augusta pleaded with Jero Bonaparte.
From Jero Bonaparte’s previous remarks, Augusta already vaguely guessed the Emperor’s intentions. She didn’t want to lose her husband.
"Augusta, the recent words were just a joke!
How could the Empire possibly face misfortune!" Jero Bonaparte tried to change the subject; he had already resolved in his heart to stay with the Empire.
"Your Majesty, I’m just speaking hypothetically!" Empress Augusta clearly didn’t want the topic to change, and she emphasized, "If one day the Empire collapses, you must promise that the three of us will leave France together!"
"Augusta, the Bonaparte Clan has only had emperors who failed, never ones who ran away!" Jero Bonaparte repeated firmly, "For the Empire, and also for Friedrich! I must resolutely struggle alongside the Parisians!
Even if the struggle fails, I will have no regrets!
It’s nothing more than heading to the Gallows!"
The entire dining hall fell into an eerie silence after Jero Bonaparte said this, followed by the sound of soft sobbing.
Jero Bonaparte quickly tried to comfort Empress Augusta, "Augusta, things haven’t reached that point yet, so why are you crying!
Even if it cos to that, it’s not certain that I will fail!
Can the bodies of Parisians be stronger than cannons?"
However, Jero Bonaparte’s consolation didn’t work, and Augusta continued to sob softly.
Until there was a "knock knock knock" on the dining room door, Jero Bonaparte whispered to Augusta, "Augusta, you don’t want anyone to see you like this, right!"
For soone like Augusta, who always valued her appearance, being seen crying was akin to a death sentence.
Thus, Augusta quickly stopped sobbing, and Jero Bonaparte promptly handed her a handkerchief.
Taking the handkerchief, Augusta shot Jero Bonaparte a sharp glare and mumbled, "It’s all your fault!"
Jero Bonaparte scratched his head, wondering how Augusta’s crying could be blad on him,
Once Augusta had tidied herself up, Jero Bonaparte then called towards the dining room door, "Co in!"
The dining room door slowly opened, and a chef dressed in a black suit entered the room, pushing a three-tier trolley, with a platter of food on each tier.
Jero Bonaparte turned to Empress Augusta and asked, "My dinner has arrived, are you hungry? Would you like to eat a little with ?"
Augusta shook her head and declined Jero Bonaparte’s invitation. The chef placed the trolley by Jero Bonaparte’s side, then opened the lids on three covered dishes one by one.
The three platters contained foie gras with truffle jelly, Rouen duck at bread, and Bellevue beef slices.
Despite Jero Bonaparte’s repeated requests for simplicity, every dish on the table had been carefully selected by the chef.
The foie gras with truffle jelly was even a common dish when Jero Bonaparte entertained foreign monarchs.
The cost of this single al was enough to cover an ordinary middle-class Parisian family’s expenses for nearly half a month,
Looking at the three dishes before him, Jero Bonaparte slightly furrowed his brow and quietly complained, "Didn’t I already tell you to keep it simple!
Why are there still so many at dishes!"
The chef, thinking Jero Bonaparte disliked at, quickly bowed to apologize to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, I will change it for you imdiately!"
Upon saying this, the chef promptly reached out to remove the dishes on the table, but Jero Bonaparte raised his hand to stop him, "Never mind! It’s such a waste to throw them all away (Jero Bonaparte knew that the leftover dishes would typically be sent to Paris to beco a delicacy for the lower and middle classes, but he didn’t explicitly ntion it)!
I’ll just make do and eat them!"
Jero Bonaparte began devouring the delicious food on the table ravenously, having gone several hours without a al.
Sitting beside him, Augusta propped her head with her hands, quietly watching Jero Bonaparte eat.
After about 5 minutes, Jero Bonaparte finished all the food, letting out a contented burp.
Only then did Jero Bonaparte rember Louis Feldbu, wondering if the guest who had hurried from Paris had eaten.
Jero Bonaparte quickly asked the chef if Louis Feldbu had visited the dining room!
The chef inford Jero Bonaparte that Louis Feldbu and André von Beichu had dined in the dining room two hours earlier.
Hearing this, Jero Bonaparte intended to lead Augusta out of the dining room, but she lightly shrugged him off. After several attempts, Augusta finally did not continue to do so, and the two left the dining room arm in arm.
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