"Marshal Saint Arno, please accept this dal that embodies the glory and respect of the people of France!"
Under the gaze of admiration or envy from the wounded outside the ward, Jero Bonaparte, dressed in formal attire, solemnly accepted the Grand Cross dal from Marshal Renio’s hands. He then slowly walked to Marshal Saint Arno and spoke to him with a tone that mixed authority and gentleness uniquely his.
Marshal Saint Arno did not speak, but instead, puffed out his chest, gazing at the emperor before him to show his respect for the emperor.
"Long live the Empire! Long live the Emperor!"
The wounded soldiers outside the ward shouted loudly. Many of them spontaneously raised their hands to salute Jero Bonaparte, knowing that His Majesty the Emperor was with them, even if they were wounded, and did not ignore them.
Amid the cries rising and falling, Jero Bonaparte pinned the dal onto Marshal Saint Arno’s chest.
"Congratulations, Marshal Saint Arno!" Jero Bonaparte smiled at Marshal Saint Arno, patting him on the shoulder, and continued, "For your brilliant achievents at Sevastopol, from now on, you will be granted the title of Count of Sevastopol!"
After saying this, a look of noticeable astonishnt appeared on Marshal Saint Arno’s face, as he apparently just learned that he was being granted a count’s title.
The soldiers outside the ward were equally surprised upon hearing Jero Bonaparte bestow the count’s title on Saint Arno.
From the establishnt of the Second Empire until now, for three full years, France had not ennobled a single title.
Marshal Saint Arno himself was not only one of the first marshals of the Second Empire but also the first to gain a title.
This was enough to show the emperor’s favor towards Saint Arno and the military.
Although today’s titles were not as valuable as before the Great Revolution, they still served as a stepping stone to the upper class.
Without a title, no matter how influential, one would not be accepted by the upper class.
Of course, if you advanced into the upper class as a literati like Thiers, then a noble title could indeed be optional.
For every salon needed a number of intellectuals to enliven the atmosphere, and these intellectuals were also known as "court writers."
[PS: Before the Great Revolution, most of the nobility was tied to land, and they were also called land aristocrats. After the Great Revolution, not only did France distribute the nobles’ land to peasants, but they also destroyed the rights enjoyed by land nobles under the feudal system.
Once this privilege was destroyed, it was hard to rebuild. Therefore, during the Restoration of Bourbon, no matter how hard Louis XVIII and Charles X tried to rebuild a deeply rooted noble class, the restored nobility could never be the sa as the previous ones.]
The topic strayed far, but Jero Bonaparte’s ennoblent of Marshal Saint Arno was a blatant suggestion to the soldiers: There is only one way to achieve social mobility, and that is to establish magnificent military achievents in the army.
As long as their military successes were in place, they would have the opportunity to ascend to the upper class.
"Now should I address you as Count of Sevastopol, Your Excellency!" Jero Bonaparte, having announced the title publicly, humorously reminded Marshal Saint Arno that he should say sothing like a speech.
The recollected Marshal Saint Arno quickly saluted Jero Bonaparte humbly and replied, "Your Majesty, thank you for acknowledging my humble achievents! I personally think that these achievents are insignificant compared to your favor towards ... I will devote everything to you, even my life! Loyalty will be my only creed! As long as there is breath left in , I will fight for you to the end!"
"Very well!" Jero Bonaparte nodded with satisfaction and said, "Your loyalty will be rewarded in the presence of God!"
...
With the end of the "bedside awarding" ceremony, Jero Bonaparte and Marshal Renio left Marshal Saint Arno’s ward.
The wounded soldiers of the military hospital ca up to Jero Bonaparte and Marshal Renio, and the two extended their hands to shake hands with the wounded soldiers, inquiring about their recovery.
Many wounded soldiers said that their bodies had mostly recovered.
If the hospital hadn’t mandated a period of observation, they would have left the hospital long ago to return to the Crian battlefield to fight bravely for the French Empire.
"Soldiers, the doctor says all this for the sake of your health! You must heed the doctor’s teachings and avoid causing unnecessary trouble for them! dical disputes are absolutely not allowed in the hospital!" Jero Bonaparte earnestly advised.
Hearing Jero Bonaparte’s words, the doctors in the distance couldn’t help but feel a bit touched.
His Majesty the Emperor had not forgotten about them, the doctors.
Then Jero Bonaparte and Marshal Renio shook hands with the doctors and nurses in the hospital, praising their spirit of saving lives and healing the wounded.
"I have two purposes in coming here this ti. The first is to award dals to the soldiers on the Cria Peninsula, and the second is to solve the difficulties you dical workers face! If you have any difficulties, please let know!" Jero Bonaparte said to them in a light tone, "Even if I have to sell everything, I will et your demands!"
"Your Majesty, we don’t..." The director of the military hospital responded to Jero Bonaparte with a fawning expression.
Reporting difficulties to leaders is often seen as a sign of incompetence, so even if this hospital did have so difficulties, they would not express them directly to Jero Bonaparte.
"Your Majesty, we need more doctors and nurses!" Before the director could finish speaking, Vilnius’s voice reached Jero Bonaparte’s ears.
"Who are you?" Jero Bonaparte pretended not to recognize Vilnius, tilting his head as he asked.
"Vilnius!" The director’s tone was slightly anxious as he tried to stop Vilnius, evidently forgetting that Vilnius had connections.
"Director, don’t speak!" Jero Bonaparte raised his hand to command the director to stop talking, then turned to Vilnius, "You go ahead and speak!"
"Your Majesty, this hospital still needs a batch of doctors and nurses!" Vilnius repeated once more.
"Understood! I will transfer so volunteers from France over!" Jero Bonaparte nodded and casually asked, "Do you have any other requests?"
"Your Majesty, I hope the military hospital can set up a branch hospital in Sevastopol and gradually transfer operations there!" Vilnius continued to present his request.
"I disagree!" Jero Bonaparte shook his head, rejecting Vilnius’s request. He knew that once he agreed to Vilnius’s request, Vilnius was very likely to go to Sevastopol, and in the upcoming battles, Sevastopol would beco a focal point for the Russian Empire’s attention.
"Your Majesty, didn’t you just say you would agree to any condition!" Vilnius retorted confidently.
"Hospitals should never be set up close to war zones!" Jero Bonaparte replied with firm determination.
"Your Majesty, if the hospital isn’t set up near the battlefield, how can it fulfill its role!" Vilnius responded again to Jero Bonaparte, "Besides, I’ve heard that the Kingdom of Britain has already sent a team to Sevastopol! We can’t fall behind either!"
"Vilnius, stop talking!" The hospital director shouted to Vilnius loudly, then smiled and responded, "Your Majesty, Vilnius is simply being too presumptuous!"
"I think you are even more presumptuous!" Jero Bonaparte replied to the director harshly. How could an outsider interrupt his conversation with Vilnius?
"Your Majesty, I..." The director swallowed nervously under Jero Bonaparte’s hostile gaze, not knowing where he might have offended His Majesty the Emperor.
"Let’s discuss this matter further!" Jero Bonaparte decisively ended the topic, intending to privately seek Vilnius’s thoughts later.
After the brief conversation, Jero Bonaparte and Renio proceeded to the critical care unit, where most of the patients lay missing limbs.
As they saw Jero Bonaparte and Marshal Renio, they cheered loudly.
Jero Bonaparte approached their beds to inquire about their condition. The soldiers regretfully told Jero Bonaparte that they feared they could no longer fight for the Emperor.
"You have already done what you ought to do!" Jero Bonaparte said sincerely, "Leave the rest to others! Your mission now is only one – to live well!"
"Yes! Your Majesty!" the soldiers responded firmly.
...
Jero Bonaparte and Marshal Renio, with their entourage, left the military hospital, seen off by doctors, nurses, and the wounded.
In the carriage, Jero Bonaparte glanced at Marshal Renio across from him and said: Thank you for your hard work!
"Your Majesty, it’s nothing!" Marshal Renio replied, a slight undertone to his voice.
That evening, Jero Bonaparte t with Vilnius once more, and Jero Bonaparte inquired in detail about why Vilnius suddenly had the idea of going to Sevastopol.
"Your Majesty, the ti it takes to travel from Constantinople to Sevastopol is enough for us to save dozens of French youths from the brink of death!" Vilnius responded to Jero Bonaparte.
"It won’t be long before Sevastopol faces a great battle!"
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