When the little girl in front of him announced her na, Jero Bonaparte imdiately recalled the "background" of this girl.
Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione, attracted Napoleon III (Louis Napoleon) to beco one of his mistresses with her stunning appearance and graceful figure. Thanks to her "assistance," Cavour was able to maintain regular contact with the Tuileries Palace to formulate strategies.
One could say she was a "truly" female diplomat. However, historically, the first eting with her cousin should have been four years later, in 1856, during the Crian War, when she seed to have been only 18 years old.
By that calculation, she was less than 14 years old now.
According to Jero Bonaparte’s past life, girls of this age were still in middle school. Yet this poor child willingly acted as a catalyst for the unification of Italy at an age that should have been innocent and playful, which was indeed quite saddening.
Virginia Oldoini suddenly noticed that the gaze from the French Emperor, which had been filled with "desire" just a mont ago like those of other n, as if wishing to devour her, had turned into "pity." This was a look she had only seen from her father.
Virginia Oldoini curtsied like a little adult: "Your Majesty!"
"Hmm hmm!" Looking at the little girl pretending to be mature, Jero Bonaparte felt a slight mischievous pleasure in his heart. He reached out his hand...
Just when everyone thought His Majesty the Emperor would invite this beautiful lady to dance (even Virginia Oldoini herself), Jero Bonaparte’s next action surprised everyone.
Jero Bonaparte’s face revealed a mischievous smile, and he lightly flicked Virginia’s forehead.
All the people present showed expressions of astonishnt, and Virginia also stared in shock at Jero Bonaparte’s action.
Then, Jero Bonaparte called over the ball’s chief steward, Wardley.
"In the future, people like her are not allowed at the ball!" Jero Bonaparte said to Wardley, pointing at Virginia.
As soon as Jero Bonaparte’s words fell, the faces of Virginia and Cavour turned pale instantly.
All the people present cast sympathetic glances at Virginia, yet no one dared to stand up for her.
Jero Bonaparte’s words almost completely blocked Virginia’s chances of participating in social gatherings in France; no one in Outer France dared defy Jero Bonaparte’s wish.
Cavour felt a chill rising from his spine to his head; his carefully prepared secret weapon failed just like that.
Virginia’s face also showed a hint of despair and resentnt. She did not understand why she was t with such a fate.
This guy seed very different from those who ogled her body in the past.
Wardley, equally bewildered about what had happened, could only rember Jero Bonaparte’s words in his heart.
"Alright! Everyone, disperse!" Jero Bonaparte, knowing his previous actions seed like a social blockade against a lady, quickly asked the onlooking crowd to disperse.
The bourgeoisie at the ball were also unwilling to offend the Emperor for one woman, so they dispersed at the Emperor’s command.
Only Jero Bonaparte, Cavour, and Virginia remained on the scene.
Afterward, Jero Bonaparte said to Cavour, "Count Cavour, co with !"
Then, pointing at Virginia, he added, "You co along as well!"
Sensing a turning point, Cavour and Virginia quickly followed Jero Bonaparte away from the ball.
After Jero Bonaparte left, many bourgeoisie lanted over Virginia being blocked by Jero Bonaparte, thinking they might never see the young lady in social gatherings again.
Since all social venues would now mark her as an unwelco guest.
On the other hand, Cavour and Virginia followed Jero Bonaparte into a room.
"What happened earlier was a slip of the tongue!" Jero Bonaparte apologized for almost "blocking" a woman socially.
"Please do not say so!" Cavour instantly understood Jero Bonaparte’s aning and responded humbly.
Standing aside, Virginia clearly did not understand the aning of this conversation, still mired in Jero Bonaparte’s ruthless blockade against her.
Seeing this, Jero Bonaparte imdiately called over a lady-in-waiting and instructed her to settle Virginia into a room.
After Victoria left, only Cavour and Jero Bonaparte remained at the scene.
"Count, I’m very pleased with your gift!" Jero Bonaparte said to Cavour, then pretending to be ignorant, he inquired, "You must have spent a lot of money to get it, right!"
"It is truly my honor to receive your praise!" Cavour, smiling on the outside but cursing inwardly, knew very well he must not expose his connection with Victoria, otherwise, she might be considered a spy: "Actually, it didn’t cost much..."
Cavour tactfully explained the matter and claid he arranged for her because he heard about Victoria’s relationship with Jero Bonaparte.
"Hmm?" Jero Bonaparte was a bit puzzled, as he did not recall knowing this person.
"Your Majesty, her grandfather once served as an advisor to the family in Florence!" Cavour reminded Jero Bonaparte.
An advisor to the family? Jero Bonaparte seed to rember such a person in his mory; back then, his whole family was "exiled" to Florence, and it did indeed seem there was a family advisor.
Back then, Jero Bonaparte was still young, and many things had beco blurry.
"So, there was such a connection!" Jero Bonaparte decided to drop the matter. At worst, he could have Marcel Yale dispatch soone to Florence to investigate, as even the slightest trace would reveal everything: "Now she belongs entirely to the Tuileries Palace!"
"That is her honor!" Cavour replied.
After the issue of the "gift" was settled, Jero Bonaparte and Cavour appeared together at the ball, where everyone was curious about what the two discussed, yet no one dared to ask.
Until the ball ended, they never saw Victoria. Many inquisitive mbers of the Bourgeoisie tried to use Cavour to inquire about Victoria’s news, but he turned them all away.
In his heart, Cavour prayed silently that his cousin could contribute to the cause of Italian unification, even hoping she might conquer Jero Bonaparte.
In the following days, Victoria, having moved into the Tuileries Palace, did not conquer the Emperor as Cavour hoped, not even sharing a bed with Jero Bonaparte.
This made Victoria question her charm for the first ti, leading her to repeatedly disturb Jero Bonaparte in his study.
She even appeared half-naked in his study, regularly trying to seduce Jero Bonaparte, occasionally licking her lips to make an extrely tempting expression.
Jero Bonaparte quietly observed all that Victoria was doing, then went back to correcting the manuscripts.
As if Victoria didn’t exist at all.
Being repeatedly ignored made Victoria feel as if she were punching cotton, gnashing her teeth in frustration, but she dared not use harsh words to scold the Emperor, resorting only to standing by Jero Bonaparte’s side, silently watching him.
This situation continued for several days. Until the morning of February 10th, after finishing revising the plans, Jero Bonaparte looked up at Victoria, who was half-reclining on the sofa wrapped in silk.
Well now! You finally opened your eyes, you rascal!
With an excited yet arrogant look, Victoria watched as Jero Bonaparte got up and gradually approached the sofa.
Just as Victoria thought Jero Bonaparte was about to make his next move, he took Lev’s Formal Suit hanging on the hanger and tossed it to her.
Victoria looked puzzled at Jero Bonaparte.
"Put it on! Don’t catch a cold!" Jero Bonaparte ordered Victoria.
Victoria put on Lev’s Formal Suit, and it must be said that once she wore it, she felt a bit like a two-dinsional character crossing over to the three-dinsional realm.
Jero Bonaparte was a bit dazed, but seeing his expression, a brief flicker of delight flashed across Victoria’s face, as even the Emperor couldn’t escape.
After a temporary distraction, Jero Bonaparte restored his previous composure and spoke again, "What do you want from ? Money? Status? Or honor?"
"I..." Victoria was montarily at a loss for words, unsure of what she needed; everything she did was rely the mission Cavour bestowed upon her.
"How about this! Why don’t you first tell what you are good at? Mathematics? Biology? Physics? Or perhaps sothing else..." Jero Bonaparte asked Victoria once more.
"I..." Again, Victoria faltered; apart from her beauty, it seed there was nothing else noteworthy about her.
Victoria’s silence had already been anticipated by Jero Bonaparte, as a re fourteen-year-old could hardly have learned much.
"So, it appears you are nothing but beautiful!" Jero Bonaparte spread his hands and told Victoria, "And I’m hardly short of beautiful people around . To be precise, if I wanted, I could summon a group with just a wave of my hand! They may be slightly inferior to you in looks, but all are much the sa in the dark. So, what exactly is your core competitive advantage..."
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