For Jero Bonaparte, who had temporarily suppressed the opposition of the Empire, the capture of the Sevastopol Fortress was indeed news worthy of celebration throughout the land, but all this depended on the authenticity of the news itself being able to withstand scrutiny.
If there turned out to be a joke at the other end of the telegraph line, akin to uncorking the champagne at halfti, the consequences of sending out the news would be far more serious than not sending it out at all.
In the situation where the information itself remained uncertain (without having first-hand battle reports, Jero Bonaparte harbored skepticism, as in his recollection, the historical Sevastopol Fortress took a year to capture), announcing the news of Sevastopol’s capture to the Parisians in advance would rely be embellishing the facts.
However, if the information proved to be a rumor, the consequences would be imasurable.
Holding to the principle of having no right to speak without investigation, Jero Bonaparte pointed to the first telegram and ordered Nie’er, "As soon as you return to the General Staff Departnt, imdiately send a telegram to Constantinople inquiring about all the details of their capture of Sevastopol!"
Having said that, Jero Bonaparte paused for a mont and particularly emphasized, "Rember not to miss a single detail!"
"Yes!" Nie’er hurriedly responded.
Having been with Jero Bonaparte for quite a while, Nie’er understood the cautious reason of his leader, so he fully agreed with his request for detailed reports from Cria.
After all, even Nie’er himself, upon receiving this telegram, also sowhat doubted whether Cria had falsely reported military achievents.
"If the news turns out to be true, then have them report the main personnel involved in the battle! Those who should be comnded, comnd them; those who should be disciplined, discipline them!" Jero Bonaparte added.
Brigadier General Nie’er nodded in agreent.
"As for the second telegram..." Jero Bonaparte slapped the telegram in his hand on the table and sighed, "Tell the Constantinople Military District Hospital to do their utmost to ensure the life and safety of Marshal Saint Arno! If things really don’t work out, bring Marshal Saint Arno back to Paris for treatnt! The dical conditions in Paris are far better than those in Constantinople!"
After Jero Bonaparte finished speaking, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of guilt.
No one was more aware than him, as a traverser, that Marshal Saint Arno had stomach cancer.
However, even though Jero Bonaparte had long known about Marshal Saint Arno’s stomach cancer, he still resolutely placed Marshal Saint Arno in command of the Crian Expeditionary Army.
Although this position was sothing Marshal Saint Arno himself fervently pursued, it did not lack Jero Bonaparte’s own careful considerations.
For Jero Bonaparte, soone like Marshal Saint Arno, who was both a major supporter of the throne and the second-in-command in the military, if he died of illness in Cria, it would be a satisfactory outco for both parties (as Jero Bonaparte assud).
After all, Marshal Saint Arno’s military rank had reached the pinnacle of what could be awarded (Marshal Chief of Staff).
If Saint Arno did not have stomach cancer, then Jero Bonaparte would have to consider how to properly transition him to a different post after the war.
If given a sinecure, neither Saint Arno nor his supporters would be satisfied.
Moreover, Saint Arno himself was a forr Minister of War, and among all departnts, the only positions slightly higher than the War Minister were Minister of State, Minister of the Seal, and President of the Legislative Corps.
Two of these positions (Minister of State and Minister of the Seal) were involved in the right to formulate national policies, and having a military head serve as a national policymaker would essentially be sending France into a pit of military adventurism.
Even if Marshal Saint Arno truly exhibited corresponding abilities, Jero Bonaparte would still not be pleased; instead, he would be even more frightened.
Why shouldn’t a leader who can both fight and govern not be able to usurp the position to rule France?
Others might not understand the essence of the French Empire, but Jero Bonaparte surely did!
The current French Empire proclaid itself as a democratic empire with a universal suffrage system, but in reality, it was a semi-militaristic regi draped in the tricolor flag, backed by bayonets.
No leader of a militaristic regi hopes for their past actions to be replicated by successors, and Jero Bonaparte, who controlled the bayonet, was no exception. He needed the bayonets to support his rule, yet also feared that they might turn back to harm him.
In summary, if Marshal Saint Arno did not have stomach cancer, Jero Bonaparte would only face the following three scenarios.
Keep Saint Arno in the position of Chief of Staff: the General Staff would completely beco Saint Arno’s one-man rule.
Send Saint Arno to the Senate (Upper House as an Elder for life): outsiders would gossip about His Majesty the Emperor disposing of his faithful subjects, damaging military unity.
Transfer from the General Staff to beco Minister of State/Minister of the Seal: if his abilities were lacking, it would worry the Emperor about national affairs. If too competent, the Emperor would have to worry about his own position.
Marshal Saint Arno’s stomach cancer effectively avoided potential conflicts between the two sides, and his volunteering to go to the Near East was equivalent to hastening his own death, further causing the conflict to disappear quietly.
Now, Marshal Saint Arno existed in Jero Bonaparte’s mind only as a positive figure; everything he had done in the past was subconsciously beautified by Jero Bonaparte, along with feelings of guilt and remorse toward Marshal Saint Arno.
"Alas!" Jero Bonaparte sighed once again and reproached himself, "It’s all my fault! If I had known it would turn out like this, I should have never allowed the marshal to go to the Near East!"
Unaware of Jero Bonaparte’s inner thoughts, Nie’er felt a spontaneous admiration after hearing Jero Bonaparte’s self-reproach.
What subordinates fear most is when a superior shifts the bla downwards; a superior who actively takes responsibility is truly rare.
Especially soone like Jero Bonaparte, who actively relieves the burdens of his subordinates.
"Your Majesty, this is not your fault!" Nie’er thoughtfully diverted the bla from Jero Bonaparte, "Perhaps the marshal himself accidentally contracted so disease!"
"Alas! No matter what is said, it is my own lack of consideration as the Emperor!" Jero Bonaparte sighed again, then pulled a promissory note worth 100,000 francs from the drawer, "Nie’er, could I trouble you to visit the marshal’s ho before returning to the General Staff and deliver this to the marshal’s family? If they ask who the check is from, just say it’s from the marshal, sent from Cria!"
Nie’er took the promissory note and solemnly responded to Jero Bonaparte, "Rest assured! I will definitely complete the task you have entrusted to !"
Just as Jero Bonaparte was about to say sothing, he noticed the grandfather clock in the corner, which showed it was already 5:10 PM, five minutes past his scheduled eting with Count Algou, the president of the Bank of France. Jero Bonaparte hurriedly changed his tune, "Alright! Nie’er, you shouldn’t have anything else to report, right?"
"Nothing more, Your Majesty!" Nie’er shook his head and responded to Jero Bonaparte.
"Then let’s leave our conversation here!" Jero Bonaparte indicated the grandfather clock to Nie’er as an explanation, "I have another eting to attend to, so I won’t keep you any longer!"
"Pardon the intrusion, Your Majesty!" Nie’er quickly saluted Jero Bonaparte and then rose from the opposite side, leaving the study.
Standing at the door of the study, Mokar, who hadn’t seen any movent inside for a while, looked at his pocket watch, anxiously awaiting movent from the study.
Just as Mokar was about to knock and remind Jero Bonaparte to attend the eting, the study door opened, and Nie’er’s figure appeared before Mokar.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Looking at Mokar who was waiting outside the door, Nie’er instinctively said.
"It’s nothing!" Mokar similarly shook his head in response.
"Mokar, help see General Nie’er out!" Jero Bonaparte’s voice ca from the study.
"Yes!" Mokar quickly responded and then smiled at Nie’er.
Nie’er and Mokar walked side by side from the study on the second floor to the hall on the first floor, neither speaking a word in between.
Standing in the open ground outside the Tuileries Palace, Mokar watched as General Nie’er left in a carriage, then turned and quickly ascended the steps.
When Mokar re-entered the hall of the Tuileries Palace, Jero Bonaparte was surprisingly already there.
"Your Majesty!" Mokar respectfully responded.
"How is the carriage prepared? Are we ready to depart?" Jero Bonaparte inquired in a calm tone.
"The carriage has long been prepared for you!" Mokar quickly responded.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!" Jero Bonaparte said to Mokar.
"Please follow !" Mokar promptly led Jero Bonaparte to the side entrance of the Tuileries Palace.
A luxurious double-canopied carriage appeared before Jero Bonaparte, flanked by two teams of Dragoons in silver breastplates.
"Is it really necessary to be so extravagant?" Jero Bonaparte furrowed his brows and asked Mokar.
"Your Majesty! I believe it is quite necessary!" Mokar confidently replied to Jero Bonaparte, "If we don’t do this, how can we possibly demonstrate the might of the Empire!"
Faced with Mokar’s logic of "luxury equating to strength," Jero Bonaparte did not offer any rebuttal.
From a certain perspective, luxury can indeed enhance social cohesion and help people forget politics.
After all, in this era, the field of entertainnt distraction is not yet fully developed!
Jero Bonaparte and Mokar left and entered the already-prepared carriage, which carried master and servant towards the Elysee Palace.
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