June 13, 1849, 3 PM.
Under the "brilliant" leadership of President Jero Bonaparte and the "excellent" command of General Shang Jia’nie, Lederer Roland and his accomplices were swiftly apprehended and brought to justice.
This ti, Lederer Roland had no opportunity to flee to the National Museum and then make his way to London to act as a political fugitive.
Locked in prison by rude soldiers, he had only one path left—await trial.
On the other hand, the Order Party and Jero Bonaparte, as victors, were in high spirits.
For the Order Party, the National Assembly would beco solely their "Public Security Committee" after eliminating the Mountain Party.
For Jero Bonaparte, after clearing away the stubborn Mountain Party and Republican Faction, the seemingly large Order Party beca nothing but a paper tiger.
The Order Party with the Mountain Party and Republican Faction as enemies would not collapse due to interests; however, without these two parties, the secondary contradictions would beco the primary ones.
Jero Bonaparte only needed to sit back and reap the benefits.
Accompanied by Shang Jia’nie, Jero Bonaparte, on a white horse, once again inspected the regular army and the National Guard.
The soldiers ford into squares, awaiting the review by President Jero Bonaparte and Commander Shangjia Ren. Whenever Jero Bonaparte arrived at a square, the commanding officer would order their soldiers to shout: "Long live Napoleon!"
This was a slogan used by General Shang Jia’nie and Jero Bonaparte after consultation to identify those loyal. Any army shouting "Long live Napoleon!" was considered loyal.
Indeed, when Jero Bonaparte and Shang Jia’nie inspected the 8th, 9th, and 12th Corps of the National Guard, the officers of the 8th, 9th, and 12th Corps shouted: "Long live the Republic!"
General Shang Jia’nie gave a look to the adjutant beside him; the adjutant, having received Shang Jia’nie’s signal, nodded in understanding. He had secretly noted these three corps, just waiting for the parade to conclude, after which they would request Pri Minister Barro and Minister Liu Aili to sign papers disbanding the three corps, then swiftly dissolve them.
Poorly, the three colonels in charge of the corps were still unaware of the fate awaiting them.
After all the troops were reviewed, Jero Bonaparte, escorted by the Dragoons of the army, headed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Minister Leon Fushi led the directors under the Ministry of Internal Affairs to welco him personally.
"Mr. President!" Leon Fushi showed a flattering expression to Jero Bonaparte.
"Minister Fushi, where are the traitor Lederer Roland and his accomplices currently held?" Jero Bonaparte handed the white horse to a soldier beside him and dusted himself off.
"Report to the President, Lederer Roland and the others are confined in the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ prison!" Leon Fushi responded.
"I’d like to see him! Is it possible?" Jero Bonaparte inquired of Leon Fushi.
"Of course, Mr. President, please follow !" Leading the way, Leon Fushi took Jero Bonaparte to the prison under the police departnt of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In this cellar-like prison, Jero Bonaparte once again t Lederer Roland.
At this mont, Lederer Roland was no longer as he was before, covered in dust, with his forehead bruised as if he had been beaten up by soone.
Jero Bonaparte speculated that Lederer Roland might have been beaten by the rough soldiers while resisting.
In just one day, a forr parliantarian had fallen to a prisoner, which was a great irony to France, who prided itself as the beacon of democracy.
"Mr. Lederer Roland, how did you beco like this in just one day?" Jero Bonaparte feigned surprise as he looked at Lederer Roland from outside the cell.
"Jero Bonaparte!" Lederer Roland raised his head to look at him, shouting: "Don’t be complacent for too long! It won’t be long before you end up looking like ! They won’t spare you!"
"Mr. Roland!" Jero Bonaparte gathered his surprised expression and then turned to one of mockery: "I wouldn’t want to overthrow the Republic like you. I respect the authority of the National Assembly and am willing to serve it! My colleagues in the Order Party are my closest allies; how could they beco my enemies?"
"Yes! You’re just a puppet they’ve propped up, a thief squandering the legacy of a great man! They hardly have ti to thank you!" Basically resigned, Lederer Roland laughed maniacally, as if bewitched: "History won’t spare you! The French people will definitely see through your ugly faces!"
"The people?" Jero Bonaparte sneered dismissively: "What the people understand doesn’t depend on themselves, but on what we want them to understand. Which version of history are you talking about?"
"You ambitious man! You will eventually ruin the entire Republic!" Lederer Roland pointed at Jero Bonaparte and exclaid in grief and indignation.
"Mr. Roland! Quite the opposite, I will protect this beautiful Republic!" Jero Bonaparte replied, adding internally: As long as this Republic can turn into an Empire!
Then Jero Bonaparte asked again: "Mr. Roland, don’t you want to know your fate?"
Lederer Roland, inside the cell, sneered with disdain: "It’s no more than death!"
"No, no, no!" Jero Bonaparte shook his head and said to Lederer Roland: "You will not die! After all, sentencing a few parliantarians to death is embarrassing for the National Assembly, and after all, you were elected by workers’ votes. Let tell you! You will be exiled as political prisoners to the South Arican Colony, where hopefully your theories can teach those natives to learn truth, goodness, and beauty."
In the unwritten exile policy of France, those with reputable status who have not caused significant harm to France are sent out of the country; whether they go to Brussels or London is up to them. The next tier of political offenders is exiled to the colonies in Algeria, and the lowest tier is exiled to French Guiana.
The first two tiers of offenders, if pardoned, might still have a chance to return to France.
For the lowest tier of political offenders, it ans the French Governnt has no desire to even see them, and thus they are never granted a pardon.
"I will be there to witness your destruction!" Lederer Roland gritted his teeth and said word by word.
"Mr. Roland, you may not live to see that day! I wish you happiness in South Arica!" Jero Bonaparte said politely, bowing to Lederer Roland before leaving.
Before leaving the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ prison, Jero Bonaparte reminded Leon Fushi once again not to let Lederer Roland take his own life and to ensure that the judiciary system completes its trial. During Roland’s confinent, he must not et with anyone.
Leon Fushi solemnly promised Jero Bonaparte that he would not let him down.
Jero Bonaparte got back on his horse and returned to the Elysee Palace.
On June 14, as soon as the news of Lederer Roland’s arrest spread, many sympathizing mbers of parliant visited the Elysee Palace. So were mbers of the Moderate Republicans, others were from the Order Party; all pleaded with Jero Bonaparte to pardon Lederer Roland.
Initially, Jero Bonaparte pretended to be conflicted for a while, but eventually, he "could not resist" the entreaties and assured those who ca to plead that he would do his utmost to help spare Roland the death penalty. However, while he may avoid death, he cannot escape punishnt.
During the conversation with the mbers of parliant, Jero Bonaparte clearly sensed that so of them seed inclined to align themselves with the Elysee Palace.
The "Elysée Palace Faction" was no longer an empty shell in na only.
Evening of the 14th at 7 PM.
As the last ray of dusk disappeared over the horizon, night fell.
Minister of War Liu Eri took a carriage to the Elysee Palace for an appointnt, the carriage drove straight through the gates of the Elysee Palace, and Liu Eri got off.
"Welco, Mr. Earl Liu Eri!" Conrobel addressed him by his title while receiving him.
"Hmm!" Liu Eri nodded slightly.
Under Conrobel’s guidance, Liu Eri arrived at the dining room for the banquet.
"Mr. President is inside!" Conrobel said, pointing at a large door at the end.
Liu Eri walked to the door, and the two servants guarding it quickly opened it upon his arrival.
Once Liu Eri entered the room, the door closed again.
President Jero Bonaparte was seated solemnly at the main table. Upon seeing Liu Eri’s arrival, he nodded slightly and invited him, "Please take a seat!"
"Good morning, Mr. President!" Liu Eri took his seat.
"Would you prefer red wine or brandy?" Jero Bonaparte asked again.
After pondering for a mont, Liu Eri replied, "Brandy!"
Jero Bonaparte gestured with a wave, and the servant quickly poured a glass of brandy for both Liu Eri and himself.
"Let’s begin!" Jero Bonaparte said to the servant.
The servant, having received orders, promptly served dishes to Jero Bonaparte and Liu Eri. Since the banquet used the French serving style, where all the dishes are served at once,
the table was laden with food, including caviar, foie gras, and escargot, all essentials for such an event.
Gazing at the steaming, fragrant delicacies before him, Liu Eri felt sowhat puzzled; what was the President’s purpose in inviting him here?
With this thought, a tinge of worry crept into Liu Eri’s heart.
He hoped the President wouldn’t ask him to do sothing beyond his capabilities.
"Mr. Minister!" Jero Bonaparte raised his glass in a gesture.
Liu Eri hurriedly raised his glass as well, saying, "Mr. President!"
After taking a sip of his drink, Jero Bonaparte joked half-seriously to Minister Liu Eri, "Mr. Minister, what are your thoughts on the Alps Army?"
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