After notifying Richard tternich of the imminent departure, Jero Bonaparte decided to hold another small family gathering at the Tuileries Palace. He ordered Mokar to invite his father, Prince Monfort, and Princess Mathilde to the Tuileries Palace.
Considering that his father, Prince Monfort, might be fooling around in so place in Paris again, Jero Bonaparte stopped Mokar and said, "First, notify my sister Mathilde, then go find my father! Do you understand?"
"Understood!" Mokar nodded in response to Jero Bonaparte, then turned and left the study.
Soon after Mokar left, Jero Bonaparte also left the study and headed to where Empress Augusta was.
At this ti, Empress Augusta was seated quietly on a chair, reading a collection of poems whose author was Byron, who had been deceased for nearly thirty years.
When Jero Bonaparte entered the room, Empress Augusta put down the "Byron’s Poems" in her hand, looked at Jero Bonaparte with a gentle smile, and said, "What is it? Has sothing happened?"
"It’s nothing!" Jero Bonaparte shook his head, walked straight to sit beside Empress Augusta, picked up the "Byron’s Poems," and smiled as he said, "Are you still reading this?"
"Just flipping through a couple of pages when I have nothing to do!" Empress Augusta glanced at Jero Bonaparte and pouted, saying, "Who told so people to keep such a close watch, not even wanting to let go out!"
"I’m just being cautious!" Jero Bonaparte smiled wryly, then gently caressed Empress Augusta’s belly with his hand, saying affectionately, "As long as you get through this period, you can do whatever you want!"
Looking at the cautious Jero Bonaparte, afraid of any accident, Augusta’s eyes also softened. She knew how important a legitimate heir was to the entire nascent country.
An emperor who cannot produce offspring, no matter how capable, cannot win the full loyalty of his subordinates, because his subordinates also need to consider their descendants.
Without a Crown Prince, the next generation’s wealth and safety are not assured, as a new emperor will inevitably alienate so of the old emperor’s key officials to make room for the newcors.
If it is the emperor’s own son, such changes will not be so "bloody."
After all, the new emperor must also save face for the old emperor. Any slightly tactful new emperor would choose to "usher in the new by removing the old," aning letting the older generation step down for their offspring to take their place, or at least slightly lower positions, without confiscating property or throwing them into debtor’s prison.
But in the case of a non-biological son of the emperor, such assurances are not present,
and if the "enemy" branch ascends the throne, the situation would be even worse.
Historically, Napoleon III once asked his half-brother Mornay (before the Crown Prince was born), whether Mornay would support Jero Bonaparte after his death.
Mornay’s answer was decisive and straightforward; he would rather renew allegiance to the Orléans Dynasty than assist Jero Bonaparte.
This was because Jero Bonaparte had already grown strong at that ti, and joining him would not grant Mornay much use, unlike pledging allegiance to Orléans, where an imperial official would certainly be heavily utilized.
In this world, however, Jero Bonaparte is Mornay’s direct benefactor, so the situation from the OTL history does not exist.
However, should Jero Bonaparte ask Mornay whether he would support Jero Patterson in the sa manner as his cousin did after passing, the answer might not differ much from Napoleon III’s question to Mornay.
This answer isn’t solely Mornay’s; it matches that of most of the empire’s major officials.
"I know!" Augusta nodded, and then leaned against Jero Bonaparte’s shoulder: "You must have sothing on your mind! Speak, what exactly is it?"
"I knew I couldn’t hide it from you!" Jero Bonaparte sighed with a wry smile, "I originally thought to wait until my father and sister arrive before bringing it up!"
"Father and sister are coming too!" Empress Augusta lifted her head, seriously asking, "What on earth requires such a grand gathering!"
"Well..." Jero Bonaparte inford Empress Augusta of his impending departure to Constantinople.
Empress Augusta looked at Jero Bonaparte in astonishnt and said reproachfully, "I disagree with your decision!"
"Augusta, I’ve already arranged it with Richard tternich! Departure is tomorrow!" Jero Bonaparte pleaded with Empress Augusta.
"If you leave, what about Paris? What about France?" Empress Augusta questioned Jero Bonaparte.
"In Paris, Nie’er and Rue’e are there. One of them will oversee the military, and the other the governnt! Nothing will go wrong!" Jero Bonaparte told Augusta, "Moreover, I intend for you and my sister Mathilde, along with my father Monfort, to form a temporary institution! These two will report issues directly to you or my sister Mathilde!"
Jero Bonaparte paused for a few seconds before continuing, "Besides, I won’t stay there for long! My trip to Constantinople is just to confer honors to the fortress soldiers! They have fought bloodily for France, and it’s inappropriate for an emperor not to go to the front to encourage them!"
"Why didn’t Victoria and Albert go!" Empress Augusta was unwilling for Jero Bonaparte to "embark on this dangerous journey alone," she cited an example.
"Because Victoria and Albert are the rulers of Britain, not the Emperor of France! Their populace wouldn’t be as fierce as ours, and their land forces won’t enjoy the sa status as our army in France, so they don’t worry about such issues!" Jero Bonaparte said proudly yet helplessly.
Being an emperor in Paris, known for opposing tyranny, is extrely difficult; he must tread carefully like walking a tightrope with every step he takes.
The army and public opinion, the two main pillars supporting the empire, cannot be lost.
If either pillar collapses, the entire empire will be reduced to ruins.
"Augusta, I must consolidate the Bonaparte’s position in the army! My uncle’s protection will one day be exhausted, so we must find our own path!" Jero Bonaparte responded firmly to Augusta.
Since he hoisted Napoleon’s banner to reorganize the army, he has been contemplating how to establish the sa prestige in the army as his uncle did. He hopes that when soldiers think of him, they think of our great military Commander-in-Chief, Jero Bonaparte, rather than "the nephew of the great military Commander-in-Chief (Napoleon)."
"For the sake of our children’s smooth future, I must attempt it even if it’s dangerous!" Jero Bonaparte stated righteously.
He understands that for Augusta, who is about to beco a mother, nothing is more important than the child, not even Jero Bonaparte himself.
So Jero Bonaparte believes that as long as he acts under the pretense of "for the child," Augusta will have no objections.
Sure enough, after hesitating for a mont, Augusta inquired whether Jero Bonaparte was only going to Constantinople and not to Sevastopol.
"Of course!" Jero Bonaparte nodded affirmatively, replying confidently.
"Then..."
Before Empress Augusta could finish her sentence, a knock on the door sounded, and Jero Bonaparte quickly said, "Co in!"
The Eldest Princess of the Second French Empire, Mathilde, appeared and asked Jero Bonaparte why he had called her over.
"Sister, close the door first!" Jero Bonaparte said to Mathilde.
Mathilde casually closed the door and then sat on Augusta’s other side.
Jero Bonaparte repeated to Princess Mathilde what he had just discussed with Empress Augusta.
"I disagree!" Princess Mathilde loudly responded, "The empire hasn’t even been established for three years, and it has only recently beco stable! And you want to imitate our uncle by going on a campaign yourself now!"
After speaking, Princess Mathilde curled her lips, as if to say you’re not yet qualified!
"Sister, I’m a graduate of the Wurttemberg Military Academy, at least!" Jero Bonaparte protested softly.
"Yes, the top graduate of the Wurttemberg Military Academy!" Princess Mathilde maintained her sarcastic attitude.
Jero Bonaparte, while very young, had spent so ti with his brother at the Wurttemberg Military Academy (Jero Bonaparte’s deceased brother attended the higher military school, while he himself attended a school akin to Japan’s Rikugun Shikan Gakkou in nature). After Jero Bonaparte’s mother died, he lost the desire to continue at military school, so he "graduated early" and followed his father to settle again on the Apennine Peninsula.
"Besides, I’m just going to confer awards and command the army!" Jero Bonaparte explained.
"Does it have to be you who confers the awards? Can’t soone else go in your place?" Princess Mathilde retorted.
"If I go in person, it will boost morale!" Jero Bonaparte continued to justify himself.
"Boost morale? How much more does the empire’s morale need boosting?" Princess Mathilde continued to ask, "I walk out on the street and hear people discussing the Crian War everywhere, how much more does it need to be enhanced!"
Faced with Princess Mathilde’s continuous questions, Jero Bonaparte felt embarrassed. He knew his sister was worried about his safety, but he couldn’t afford to lose face in front of Augusta.
Augusta, also noticing Jero Bonaparte’s predicant, quickly defended him, explaining that this action was for their unborn child.
"Seems like you do have so resemblance of adulthood left!" Princess Mathilde decided to give Jero Bonaparte so face, and she turned to ask Augusta if she was willing to let Jero Bonaparte leave.
Augusta told Princess Mathilde she didn’t want Jero Bonaparte to go to Constantinople but wondered if her opposition would actually prevent him from secretly leaving.
"You! You!" Princess Mathilde pointed at Jero Bonaparte and managed to utter, "You really are worriso! Speak up! How do you plan to arrange things?"
Jero Bonaparte shared his ideas with Princess Mathilde, and she nodded in approval, saying, "Your plan seems reliable! However, forget your father! He will only ss things up! Be wary of certain mbers in the family as well; I’m afraid the mont you leave, they’ll start causing trouble..."
At this mont, Princess Mathilde transford into Jero Bonaparte’s strategist, helping him plug the gaps in his plan. Ultimately, Prince Monfort was also excluded from power, and Speaker Bijou replaced Prince Monfort’s position.
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