From Percy’s words, Jero Bonaparte didn’t hear much sincerity; instead, they were words spoken to save face.
Thinking of this, a hint of disappointnt appeared at the corner of Jero Bonaparte’s eyes.
As a "ordinary person" with the foresight of God, Jero Bonaparte was destined not to be understood by all of France.
Not to ntion France, even if he now told the King of Prussia that Prussia would completely defeat France in 22 years, Prussia itself would probably not believe it. They would only think that Jero Bonaparte was trying to find a reason to strike Prussia in revenge for his uncle’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.
"Alright! I understand!" Jero Bonaparte nodded, deciding to end the unpleasant topic: "Gentlen, it seems our journey will end tomorrow, Secretary Percy!"
"Here!" Percy quickly responded to Jero Bonaparte.
"During my return to Paris, you shall replace to inspect the provinces that have not yet been visited! We must convey our ideas and our voice to all of France!" Jero Bonaparte said to Percy.
"I am most honored to act on behalf of Your Majesty. If this is your wish..." Percy respectfully replied to Jero Bonaparte.
"Oh, and one more thing!" Jero Bonaparte rembered sothing important and specifically instructed, "After you complete your inspection, please go to Le Clerc and invite soone!"
"Le Clerc?" Percy repeated, thinking about which notable figure in Le Clerc might be worthy of attention. He suddenly thought of a "famous person" in Le Clerc and quickly answered, "Your Majesty, you an..."
Percy spoke the na of the "famous person," to which Jero Bonaparte nodded and responded, "That’s right! Your task is to bring him to Paris, to my presence! Is there any problem?"
"Of course, there is no problem!" Percy replied decisively, feeling a newfound respect for the person.
Don’t be fooled by his current situation in that inconspicuous little town of Le Clerc; once the President takes notice, he will surely rise rapidly.
Conrobel’s aide is a typical example.
"Alright! It’s getting late, you should all rest early!" Jero Bonaparte waved his hand, issuing the order to leave.
Conrobel’s aide and Percy left Jero Bonaparte’s room together.
Letters from Paris and Wurttemberg were also placed on the bedroom desk by Percy.
Alone in the bedroom, Jero Bonaparte walked slowly to the intricately carved lattice window and looked up at the moon obscured by two clouds.
Soon after, he sat at the desk, carefully reading the two letters and murmuring softly, "Austria or Prussia?"
...
Early the next morning, the early autumn mist enveloped the entire city of Tours like a veil, with misty water vapor condensing on the window fras, creating a sense of dampness and a chill in the air.
At the entrance of the President’s temporary residence, the guards stood in formation, staring intently at the hotel door, waiting for the President to erge.
Finally, as the mist lifted from Tours, Jero Bonaparte appeared at the hotel entrance with Percy and others.
A simple two-wheeled carriage moved past the formation to the front the mont Jero Bonaparte appeared.
Jero Bonaparte and Conrobel climbed into the carriage, heading to the Tours Railway Station.
Percy remained at the hotel entrance to wrap up final matters.
As ti gradually reached around 10 a.m., nearly three hours had passed since Jero Bonaparte’s departure.
Mayor De Reina hurriedly arrived, only to encounter Percy just as he was about to leave the hotel.
Mayor De Reina quickly rushed to Percy, bending in a nearly obsequious manner, asking, "Secretary Percy, is the President still here?"
Percy glanced at De Reina and said indifferently, "The President has already returned to Paris!"
"Ah! The President has returned to Paris!" Mayor De Reina’s expression imdiately changed.
The President’s departure ant that the gift could not be delivered directly to him, leaving him unsure of how to make a lasting impression on the President!
"Mayor, is there anything you need?" Percy asked Mayor De Reina, "Before leaving, the President entrusted with full authority over all affairs in Tours!"
Mayor De Reina looked at Percy, suddenly realizing that his original plan was to use the President’s confidant’s hand to present Klous Castle (more like a common mansion than a castle) to Percy. Wasn’t this an opportunity?
"It’s like this, the President left sothing behind at last night’s banquet so I specially ca to return it!" Mayor De Reina said, offering the prepared deed to Percy.
Percy looked at the land deed in De Reina’s hand, and he could be 100% certain that this so-called item left behind by the President at the banquet was the "gift" they intended to give to the President.
"Mayor, this gift is really quite valuable! It shouldn’t be sothing left by the President!" Percy lightly refused De Reina’s gift in a cheerful tone.
"Mr. Secretary!" De Reina steeled himself and pulled a 5,000 franc French currency note from his pocket, blatantly lying, "This is sothing you dropped!"
Percy took the note from De Reina’s hand, looking surprised at the fellow before him; he didn’t expect De Reina to be so generous. Instantly, he smiled broadly and said, "That’s right! I dropped it! I didn’t expect you to find it!"
Finishing his words, he discreetly placed the note in his bosom.
"This..." De Reina hinted at Percy by pointing at the land deed.
"This thing is really too valuable!" Percy declined De Reina once more, then shifted the conversation, "If it can be proven that the value of this land is within the permissible gift range, I believe Mr. President would certainly be happy to accept it."
"Of course, of course!" De Reina reacted in kind, patting his chest and saying to Percy, "Mr. Percy, Klous Castle is just an old house almost falling into disrepair! The City Hall was already planning to demolish it. Its value is less than 100 francs."
"Less than 100 francs!" Percy nodded and said, "Then it fits within the permissible gift range!"
"Exactly! Exactly!" De Reina nodded like a pecking chick and said, "These days, the least valuable thing is land! If His Excellency, the President, doesn’t want it, we’ll just have to tear it down!"
"After all, it’s an old house! It would be such a pity to tear it down; I’ll accept it for the President!" Percy reached out to take the land deed for Klous Castle, intending to present it to Jero Bonaparte and simultaneously handed Mr. De Reina a 500 franc note, reminding him, "This is for Mr. President’s purchase of the house!"
"Yes! Yes!" De Reina nodded once more and said, "On behalf of the Tours City Hall, thank you, Mr. President, for resolving the City Hall’s issues!"
...
September 11, 1849.
After being away from Paris for nearly a month, Jero Bonaparte returned to Paris.
At this point, the Paris Railway Station had already been cordoned off, with mbers of the Paris National Guard standing on both sides of the platform.
The person leading the National Guard to maintain order at the station was Staff Officer Fleury from the National Guard Staff Departnt. Upon receiving the news of the President’s return to Paris, Fleury, who held an honorary colonel rank, volunteered to maintain order.
With approval from Minister of War Liu Eri and Commander-in-Chief Changarnier, he led the National Guard to keep the peace.
The train from Tours slowly pulled into the platform, with the Presidential Guard disembarking first, followed by Jero Bonaparte and Conrobel.
"Your Excellency, Mr. President, Staff Officer Fleury from the National Guard Staff Departnt reporting!" Fleury, who hadn’t seen Jero Bonaparte for so ti, greeted him excitedly.
Jero Bonaparte returned the salute to Fleury as well.
Under Fleury’s guidance, Jero Bonaparte rode a carriage.
Escorted by the Guard and National Guard, Jero Bonaparte returned to the Elysee Palace.
Upon stepping into the Elysee Palace, Jero Bonaparte imdiately said to Fleury, "Fleury, help summon Minister Tocqueville!"
"Yes!" Fleury replied and turned to leave.
"Colonel Conrobel!" Jero Bonaparte ordered Conrobel, "Mobilize the President’s Secretariat; I need detailed information on the military strength of Prussia and Austria."
"I will arrange it imdiately!" Conrobel also left the Elysee Palace.
"Mokar, during Percy’s absence, you will act as my private secretary!" Jero Bonaparte pointed to Mokar.
"Very happy to serve you!" Mokar hurriedly pledged loyalty to Jero Bonaparte.
"Let’s go back to the study!" Jero Bonaparte and Mokar returned to the study together.
About half an hour later, Minister of Foreign Affairs Tocqueville arrived at the study with Fleury, and then Fleury exited the study alone.
"Your Excellency!" Tocqueville saluted Jero Bonaparte, doffing his hat.
"Minister Tocqueville, I don’t want to waste words! Please tell everything that’s been happening between Prussia and Austria!" Jero Bonaparte directly asked Tocqueville.
Tocqueville inford Jero Bonaparte of the conflicts between Prussia and Austria, which were just as Jero Bonaparte had guessed — centered on issues in the Hesse-Kassel Duchy, and essentially, the core conflict was about Prussia and Austria’s domination of the German Region.
"Mr. Tocqueville, I understand the general situation! Leave the rest to !"
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