The Duke of Newcastle spoke cautiously, calming Pri Minister Palrston's overheated mind a little. He understood that France was not a small country, but a military power on par with the naval power of the Kingdom of Britain. Reckless suspicion without concrete evidence could easily lead to a diplomatic crisis.
If this prompted a second standoff between England and France, his position as Pri Minister would likely co to an end.
[The last standoff between England and France was during the Orleans period, when Thiers, the then-Orleans Pri Minister, faced off with Britain over the issue of Egypt and was subsequently dismissed by Louis Philippe.]
"You're right!" Palrston replied calmly to the Duke of Newcastle, "We shouldn't be so hasty! How about this:
Return to the Ministry of War imdiately and prepare for military action against the Kai Jia Dynasty.
I will send diplomats to find out where exactly this French fleet intends to go!"
"Pri Minister, if this fleet really intends to head to Asia, should we continue with our plans?" the Duke of Newcastle whispered.
Palrston paused for a mont before responding to the Duke of Newcastle, "Of course, we must continue! The importance of the Indian Subcontinent to our country should be clear to you! If France does extend its hand there, we must decisively strike them, even at the risk of going to war against France!"
"I understand!" the Duke of Newcastle responded solemnly, nodding to Palrston, "I'll return to the Ministry of War to arrange it now!"
After the Duke of Newcastle left, Pri Minister Palrston called in his Cabinet Secretary once again.
"Pri Minister, what are your orders?" the Cabinet Secretary asked humbly.
"Head to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and bring the Foreign Minister to my office imdiately!" Palrston ordered curtly.
The Cabinet Secretary did not leave imdiately. Instead, he took out a pocket notebook, turned to the page with today's schedule, and said to Pri Minister Palrston, "Pri Minister, I feel obliged to remind you that you have a eting to attend shortly. Can we postpone the eting with the Foreign Minister a bit?"
"No!" Palrston firmly told the Cabinet Secretary, "I must see the Foreign Minister as soon as possible. The eting can be slightly delayed!"
"Very well, Pri Minister!" the Cabinet Secretary bowed and left the office.
During this interlude, Palrston continued contemplating the idea of using war to stabilize his political support.
"Perhaps the Kai Jia Dynasty is a good choice!" Palrston muttered to himself.
After a while, Earl of Clarendon, the then-Foreign Minister of Britain, appeared in Palrston's office.
"Pri Minister!" Earl of Clarendon greeted Jero Bonaparte with a bow before continuing, "What can I do for you?"
In a few words, Palrston relayed the news from the Duke of Newcastle to Earl of Clarendon.
Earl of Clarendon pondered for a while before tactfully refusing the Pri Minister, "Pri Minister, if I may speak frankly, it's not the Foreign Ministry's place to inquire about the French Imperial Fleet's deploynt. This should be handled by the Ministry of War!"
Clarendon's shirking of responsibility left Palrston feeling inexplicably frustrated.
Reflecting on the past, it seed that, over a year ago, no Cabinet Minister would dare refuse a task from him!
Now, with his position as Pri Minister shaky, they too had begun to shirk responsibility.
Realizing this, Palrston was even more determined to use war to regain his precarious political support.
However, at this mont, he still needed Earl of Clarendon to assist him, so he couldn't afford to offend him.
Therefore, Palrston spoke kindly to Earl of Clarendon, "Willis, I understand it's more prudent for the Ministry of War to handle this, but they are currently busy deploying troops against the Kai Jia Dynasty!
They have no ti to address other matters, which is why I trouble you to inquire in their stead."
"Military operations against the Kai Jia Dynasty?" Earl of Clarendon looked at Palrston in surprise.
He hadn't expected that in such a short ti, Britain would be engaging in another conflict.
It appeared that Palrston would remain secure as Pri Minister; his luck was indeed remarkable!
Clarendon sighed softly, realizing that his dreams of becoming Pri Minister seed ever more distant.
Since Palrston had the potential to continue as Pri Minister, Clarendon had to comply with Palrston's commands.
After all, he wished to remain in his position as Foreign Minister.
"Alright! I will dispatch a telegram to Ambassador Kaoz, inquiring about their situation!" Earl of Clarendon nodded, responding to Palrston.
"Thank you for your hard work, Willis!" Pri Minister Palrston felt a sense of relief as Clarendon finally yielded to his semi-coercive, semi-deceptive orders.
However, this also ant that he had to concretely execute the plan for war against the Kaijia Dynasty.
After Earl of Clarion departed, Palrston ordered the Cabinet Secretary to call in his personal secretary.
Although the Cabinet Secretary was displeased with Palrston summoning his personal secretary, he still followed Palrston's orders.
Once Palrston's personal secretary appeared in the office, Palrston imdiately put on a stern face and asked, "Can I continue to trust you?"
"Pri Minister, it was you who personally brought into 10 Downing Street!" the personal secretary promptly straightened his attitude and pledged loyalty to Palrston.
"Now I have a task for you!" Palrston spoke in a lowered voice while pulling out the British securities from the drawer, "You must imdiately go to the various major newspaper offices..."
Palrston entrusted a segnt of his plans to the personal secretary, who showed an expression of surprise upon listening.
"If this succeeds, I might continue serving as pri minister!" Palrston patted the personal secretary's shoulder and said, "And you will continue to serve as my secretary! Do you understand?"
"Yes, Pri Minister!" The personal secretary, who had previously been anxious about Palrston's position, excitedly responded.
"Off you go!" Palrston waved his hand at the personal secretary, "I look forward to your good news!"
Leaving the Pri Minister's office, Palrston contemplated his plan in the office.
Only, Palrston probably would never fathom that his personal secretary would "betray" him right after stepping out the door.
After leaving the room, the personal secretary encountered the Cabinet Secretary at a corner. He quickly greeted, "Secretary-General, thank you for your hard work!"
"You've worked hard too!" The Cabinet Secretary replied with a coaxing smile, then quietly said to the personal secretary, "I was specifically waiting here for you, could we find a place to talk?"
The personal secretary hesitated for a mont before responding, "Okay!"
The personal secretary and Cabinet Secretary went to an empty room, where the Cabinet Secretary continued smiling at him.
However, in the personal secretary's eyes, the Cabinet Secretary's smile was oppressively intimidating.
After a while, the Cabinet Secretary spoke candidly, "William, you should know which side you're on!"
"I!" The personal secretary swallowed his saliva and replied, "Secretary-General, I don't understand what you an!"
"Don't understand, huh!" The Cabinet Secretary smiled slightly, shrugging his shoulders, "Then I won't inquire further!"
He paused, and continued "earnestly," "But rember this! Our Pri Minister does not stay forever; his term is only two to three years.
Once the Pri Minister's term ends, what becos of so secretaries?
Sotis, we must consider our own future!"
With that, the Cabinet Secretary cast a aningful glance at the personal secretary and continued, "Of course, I don't deny that so pri ministers continue to find a place in the cabinet after their term, but ministers don't have the power to appoint positions like a pri minister! Do you understand my point?"
The personal secretary swallowed again, quietly replying, "Secretary-General, honestly, I know nothing!
I only heard that a war with the Kaijia Dynasty was imminent, and Palrston wants to communicate closely with the newspaper offices ahead of ti.
Beyond that, I know nothing!"
Upon hearing the personal secretary's report, the Cabinet Secretary understood Palrston's intentions and patted the personal secretary's shoulder, saying, "We need secretaries like you!"
"Sir, what do you intend to do?" The personal secretary quietly asked.
The Cabinet Secretary shook his head, expressing part of his thoughts, "I don't intend to do anything! Actually, I would also be pleased to see Palrston continue as Pri Minister!"
"But then you just..." the personal secretary hesitated to finish.
"Sotis, I must have all the information in hand!" The Cabinet Secretary concluded, "Once you've reached my position, you'll understand! For now, you should go carry out the task the Pri Minister entrusted to you!"
Turning to leave, the personal secretary was stopped when the Cabinet Secretary added, "So of your purchased bonds are still with , you can co to retrieve them when you have the ti!"
Understanding the Cabinet Secretary's implication, the personal secretary replied, "Yes, Sir!"
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