January 16, 1858, 1 PM.
As the eting was about to comnce, the sky over Paris was suddenly shrouded in dark clouds from an unknown origin, and shortly thereafter, the sky began to rumble with thunder, accompanied by rain that fell onto the streets of Paris due to the force of gravity.
The cold rain poured freely onto the land of Paris, rcilessly attacking the people walking on the streets, making the already bustling roads beco even more deserted under the rainfall, with pedestrians caught by the sudden downpour seeking shelter under eaves, waiting for the rain to subside.
Even in such weather, carriages continued to gallop nonstop through the streets.
Although these carriages ca from different directions, their destination was remarkably the sa.
That destination was the Louvre, located at the end of the Champs Elysees Palace (with the Tuileries Palace and Louvre now connected), and soon they arrived near the Louvre, stopping outside this magnificent and grand palace.
"Sir, we have arrived!" the driver in charge of the carriage called out to the passengers inside.
After a mont, Emile Olivier stepped out of the carriage. He first glanced at the Louvre not far from him, then cast a glance at the carriage next to him, and a trace of lancholy unconsciously appeared on his face.
From the carriage parked beside Emile Olivier, a gentleman dressed in the attire of a noble from the old dynasty also erged. He looked at Emile Olivier and his carriage, and a mocking smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of his mouth.
This deep-rooted class disdain made Emile Olivier feel an indescribable humiliation.
At this mont, Emile Olivier wished to throw his glove at the other person and challenge him to a true gentleman’s duel.
However, reason restrained Emile Olivier.
To duel with a ticket at the Louvre itself would be the utmost disrespect to the Emperor.
Emile Olivier suppressed his discontent and instead forced a smile towards the other.
The gentleman, sensing that his provocation was unheeded, instead showed a furious expression and stord into the Louvre.
Watching the gentleman’s departing figure, Emile Olivier’s face bore a hint of delight.
No matter what, he had triumphed over his opponent on the spiritual level.
Subsequently, Emile Olivier took a few steps forward to the driver’s side and tossed a silver coin to him, saying, "Keep the change!"
The driver, receiving the silver coin, imdiately bead a bright smile, hurriedly complinting Emile Olivier, "Good luck! Generous sir!"
Saying this, the driver drove his carriage away.
Emile Olivier likewise advanced towards the Louvre, and upon reaching the entrance of the Louvre, the two soldiers guarding it stopped him and said, "Sir, please present your invitation!"
Emile Olivier handed his invitation to the soldier, who, after reading it, quickly stepped aside for Emile Olivier.
Emile Olivier walked along the path opened by the soldiers, entering the hall of the Louvre.
At this mont, the hall of the Louvre was already crowded with people, with gentlen in different styles of attire gathered in groups, casually chatting and laughing.
Emile Olivier also began to search for Jules Favre and the others in the hall of the Louvre.
However, after searching the hall, Emile Olivier only found Ernest Picard and Alfred Dariemon; Jacques Louis Enon and Jules Favre seed not to have arrived.
"Picard, what’s going on with Favre and Enon? The eting is about to start, why haven’t they arrived yet!" Emile Olivier asked Ernest Picard while looking around.
"I don’t know either!" Ernest Picard shook his head and replied to Emile Olivier, "Logically, they should have co!"
Standing aside, Alfred Dariemon also spoke to them, "You two don’t need to search anymore! If I’m not mistaken, Enon and Favre surely won’t co!"
"How could that be!" Ernest Picard refuted Alfred Dariemon, "Enon told last night that he definitely wouldn’t miss today!"
"Have you forgotten that Enon is Favre’s best friend! If Favre doesn’t want to co, I believe Enon won’t co either!" Alfred Dariemon responded to Ernest Picard, "As for Jules Favre... ever since I’ve known him, he has been a staunch Republican."
With such a stance, he absolutely would not make any compromises with the Empire.
Therefore, naturally they wouldn’t attend this eting; the only Republicans attending might just be a few of us..."
As Alfred Dariemon spoke to this point, he suddenly saw the newly arrived guests and quickly corrected himself, "And those who just ca in!"
Ernest Picard and Emile Olivier looked towards the doorway, seeing that those entering the hall belonged to the Right Wing Republicans under the Republican Faction. (They are a subordinate branch of the Republican Faction with only one seat in the Legislative Corps.)
These Republicans, upon seeing Ernest Picard and Emile Olivier, quickly ran up to them, saying, "Mr. Emile Olivier, Mr. Ernest Picard, hello!"
Ernest Picard and Ernest Picard smiled and greeted this right-wing republican, then began to converse with each other.
[In Europe, the left wing represents radical and progressive, while the right wing represents conservative.
Right-wing republicans are also conservative republicans; they do not see the overthrow of a dynasty as a necessary condition, and can also be called "moderate" republicans.
This moderation is not toward the people, but toward the ruling class.]
From the mouth of this right-wing republican, Emile Olivier learned that the other party has already prepared to detach from the larger frawork of the Republican Faction and join the Bonaparte Faction.
"Mr. Picard, Mr. Olivier, are you also prepared to leave the Republican Faction?" The leader of the right-wing republicans smoothly asked Ernest Picard and Emile Olivier.
After exchanging a glance, Ernest Picard and Emile Olivier simultaneously said, "We currently have no such plans!"
"I wish you could achieve great success in the Republican Faction!" The right-wing republican said to them.
...
Ti in conversation quickly reached 2:55 PM.
At this mont, with less than 5 minutes until the eting begins, the originally noisy hall beca particularly quiet due to the arrival of the Royal Chief Steward, Basilio.
Basilio looked at everyone present, then said, "Please follow !"
Everyone in the hall followed Basilio up the stairs laid with a bright red carpet, reaching the second floor of the Louvre.
Pushing open the door to the second-floor hall, people saw Jero Bonaparte and Augusta dressed in the First Empire’s court attire.
Once everyone entered the second-floor hall, the ti arrived at 3 o’clock, and the eting officially began.
First, Jero Bonaparte spoke in a low and authoritative voice to everyone present, "I summoned you all here today, not for anything else!
Just wanted to et with you face to face; you should all know about the assassination attempt that occurred two days ago at the entrance of the Paris Opera House.
The main targets of this assassination were and Augusta. Fortunately, the assassin targeting was not one of our French, but soone from the Apennine Peninsula.
...
However, I am still sowhat puzzled; why was the assassin from the Apennine Peninsula? I don’t seem to have committed any heinous acts against the citizens of the Apennine Peninsula.
Why would Apennine Peninsula people want to assassinate ? After pondering for two days, I still cannot fathom.
Until this morning when Percy pried open Orsini’s mouth, I finally understood!
The reason I was targeted for assassination was entirely because I did not follow the wishes of the Charcoal Party!
So they got furious, ca to assassinate , hoping that after assassinating , they could establish a regi that would help them unify the Apennine Peninsula!
..."
Upon saying this, Jero Bonaparte couldn’t help but curse, "What kind of ridiculous reasoning is that! They, the Apennine Peninsula, aren’t capable of unifying on their own, so they set their sights on us French.
Seeking to have us French spill blood to help them establish a peaceful and unified nation; I still rember the last ti we did sothing like that, it was during the ti of Louis XVI, and after one battle, we ended up with the United States of Arica.
We did not earn a penny, in fact, we ended up in debt!
Even Louisiana was taken advantage of by the Aricans, let alone the United States aligning with Britain during our conflict with them!
Even if I raise a dog, it should know who its master is!
We freed the Thirteen States, and not only did the people of the Thirteen States fail to thank us, they aligned with their forr invaders.
...
Jero Bonaparte’s words made the Church Authority and Orthodox Faction in the hall feel satisfied.
As conservatives, what they fear most is the Second Empire imitating the First Empire in taking action against the Apennine Peninsula; now Jero Bonaparte’s words can be seen as a statent not to seek changes in the Apennine Peninsula’s status.
"After saying so much, I want to tell you one thing, I have decided to severely punish the assassins!" Jero Bonaparte said firmly to everyone present, "And to thoroughly investigate the masterminds behind them and completely destroy the laboratory that bred the murderers."
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