Make France Great Again-Chapter 963 - 954: The Republican Faction’s Doubts

Chapter 963: Chapter 954: The Republican Faction’s Doubts

Sitting on the sofa, Jerome Bonaparte let his hands hang over his thighs and, with his head lowered, images of one alternative candidate after another flashed through his mind like a slideshow.

After a period of careful contemplation, Jerome Bonaparte suddenly thought of someone.

Perhaps he could give him a try! Jerome Bonaparte thought to himself.

Determining the candidate for Secretary General, Jerome Bonaparte resolved to dismiss Lucien Murat once the Italy issue was settled.

However, before the Italy issue is completely resolved, Jerome Bonaparte still has to appropriately appease Lucien Murat, and meet with the person he has in mind as the future Secretary General.

After all, the individual currently holds the status of being one of the members of the opposition of the Empire.

To recruit him indeed requires some time, and even making some concessions.

Soon thereafter, Bashirio appeared in Jerome Bonaparte’s study.

"Your Majesty, it’s mealtime!" Bashirio respectfully said to Jerome Bonaparte.

"I know!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded, stood up, and followed Bashirio to the dining room.

Arriving in the dining room, Jerome Bonaparte saw Augusta, who had already been waiting there for some time, and sat next to her with a smile.

Augusta immediately asked Jerome Bonaparte, "What did Ambassador Kaoz and Ambassador Richard Metternich want?"

"They were merely expressing their monarch’s concern over our assassination attempt and then making promises they cannot fulfill!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged and casually responded.

"What promises?" Empress Augusta inquired curiously.

Jerome Bonaparte told Augusta about Ambassador Kaoz’s promises, to which Augusta curiously responded, "The promises from Ambassador Kaoz don’t seem difficult to resolve!"

"Britain will certainly not agree to Ambassador Kaoz’s promises!" Jerome Bonaparte replied confidently to Augusta, "Even if the Palmerston Cabinet agreed, I guarantee the resolution wouldn’t pass the Lower House!"

"Why?" Empress Augusta asked curiously to Jerome Bonaparte.

Just then, a small cart entered the dining room, placing lunch before Jerome Bonaparte and Augusta.

Jerome Bonaparte ate while explaining, "Because there are too many exiled forces in Britain, these forces intertwine to form a powerful interest group, indirectly influencing Britain’s policy.

The thing they fear the most is the passage of the extradition bill; once passed, it would mean their safety in Britain can’t be effectively guaranteed.

If other countries demand the extradition of their exiled forces from Britain, Britain would have to agree to their terms due to the bill.

Therefore, they will absolutely not let the bill pass smoothly."

"I see?" Augusta showed a sudden realization, "Why did Ambassador Kaoz make this impossible promise?"

"Perhaps Ambassador Kaoz himself doesn’t realize the tremendous resistance he is facing!" Jerome Bonaparte said lightly, "Alright, enough of this! Let’s eat!"

Jerome Bonaparte and Augusta took nearly an hour to finish their lunch.

As they were about to finish, Jerome Bonaparte spoke again to Augusta, "Tomorrow, I will host a grand meeting at the Louvre to reassure the officials loyal to serving the Empire!

Augusta, would you like to come with me to see them?"

"Certainly!" Augusta replied to Jerome Bonaparte without hesitation.

...

That afternoon, Jerome Bonaparte ordered Bashirio to send invitations to the Cabinet Ministers, senior officials of the Seine Province, generals of the Seine Province Military District, and representatives of the Legislative Corps, inviting them to the Louvre the next day.

"Your Majesty, should we also send an invitation to the Republican Faction representatives of the Legislative Corps?" Bashirio specifically asked.

"Of course! Those Republican Faction representatives also represent the will of some French, and they ought to be respected by the Tuileries Palace!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded and said to Bashirio.

"Understood!" Bashirio replied to Jerome Bonaparte, but soon Bashirio raised another question, "Your Majesty, if those representatives are unwilling to come..."

"You just need to send the invitations over! Whether they come or not is their own business!" Jerome Bonaparte said indifferently.

"Yes!"

After leaving the study, Bashirio immediately got busy, and about an hour later, all the invitations were ready.

Then Bashirio handed them over to the Guard Cavalry at the Tuileries Palace, instructing them to deliver the invitations to the invitees in batches.

Tweny-some Guard Cavalry members, divided into teams of three, started their actions, quickly heading in different directions after leaving the Tuileries Palace.

One by one, invitations were delivered to the hands of the invitees, many of whom smiled upon receiving the Tuileries Palace’s invitation.

A small portion of the invitees, however, were confused upon seeing Jerome Bonaparte’s invitation.

The puzzled invitees were individuals such as Jules Favre and other minority Republican Faction representatives from the Legislative Corps.

When Jules Favre received the invitation delivered by the Guard Cavalry from the Tuileries Palace, he immediately handed it back to the Guard Cavalry and seriously said: "You delivered to the wrong address!"

The Guard Cavalry took the invitation back, opened it, and read word by word: "You are Mr. Jules Favre, correct?"

Jules Favre was stunned for a moment, then responded to the Guard Cavalry: "That’s right! I am Jules Favre!"

"Then there is no problem!" The Guard Cavalry returned the invitation to Jules Favre with a blank expression and said, "Mr. Favre, I didn’t deliver to the wrong address, this is indeed your invitation!"

Jules Favre took the invitation and opened it.

The bright red invitation indeed had his name, Jules Favre, written on it!

What exactly does Jerome Bonaparte want to do? Jules Favre pondered in his heart.

He was somewhat perplexed by Jerome Bonaparte’s intentions. Such meetings should be inviting those loyal to the Empire, while those like them, who had no loyalty to the Empire, logically should never be the subjects of such invitations.

Why would Jerome Bonaparte choose to invite them over? Is there some sort of conspiracy?

Just as Jules Favre was lost in thought, the voice of the Guard Cavalry reached his ears, "Mr. Favre, I’m leaving now!"

Coming back to his senses, Jules Favre hurriedly called out to the Guard Cavalry, "Wait a moment!"

"Mr. Favre, do you need anything else?" The Guard Cavalry looked at Jules Favre with a puzzled expression.

Jules Favre handed back the invitation and said righteously to the Guard Cavalry, "Please return this invitation to your master, Jerome Bonaparte, and tell him!

We will definitely not submit to them!"

"Mr. Favre!" The Guard Cavalry displayed a slightly contemptuous smile at the corner of his mouth, arrogantly saying, "This invitation is not meant to recruit you. If you wish to come tomorrow, then come!

If you don’t want to, then just consider you never received the invitation!

The items sent by the Tuileries Palace are never to be taken back."

With that said, the Guard Cavalry proudly left Jules Favre’s residence with his head held high.

After placing the invitation on the table, Jules Favre paced back and forth, unable to decide whether he should go or not.

A while later, a knock came at the door of Jules Favre’s room.

Jules Favre turned towards the door to inquire who the guest outside was!

"Favre, it’s Enon (Jacques Louis Enon)" came the voice of Jacques Louis Enon from outside the door.

Hearing Enon’s voice, Jules Favre quickly opened the door.

After shaking hands with each other, Jules Favre asked Enon about the purpose of his visit.

Once inside, Enon noticed the invitation placed on the table by Jules Favre, a surprised expression appearing on his face, and he pointed at the invitation asking, "You received this too!"

"What? You got one too?" Jules Favre showed a similar look of astonishment.

Enon quickly took out his invitation and said to Jules Favre, "Yes, I received an invitation too!"

"May I take a look?" Jules Favre asked Enon.

"Certainly!" Enon nodded to Jules Favre and then handed him the invitation.

Jules Favre opened the invitation, its content and wording exactly the same as his own.

"Favre, what do you think Jerome Bonaparte wants to do?" Enon asked, then guessed on his own, "The purpose of sending us invitations, could it be to enlist us?"

Jules Favre shook his head at Enon, "I think Jerome Bonaparte should know that neither of us would ever compromise with the Empire!"

"Well... what should we do now?" Enon questioned with a gift, "Are we supposed to join the invitation?"

After a moment of thought, Jules Favre responded to Enon, "Let’s wait a little longer!"

"Wait! Wait for what!" Enon asked Jules Favre in confusion.

At the next moment, a knock again sounded at the door, Jules Favre rose, smiling at Enon, "See, here comes another person! I bet it’s Picaud and Olivier!"

With that, Jules Favre quickly trotted to the door and opened it.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Favre!" Sure enough, standing at the door were none other than the last two members of the Republican Faction’s quartet, Emile Olivier and Ernest Picaud.

[Historically at this time, the Republican Faction had five opposition representatives

However, now Jerome Bonaparte had recruited Alfred Dariemon, originally part of the Republican representatives.

The five original opponents were reduced to four.]

"Olivier, Picaud, you’re here!" Jules Favre shook hands with Emile Olivier and Ernest Picaud and gave each a hug.

Subsequently, Jules Favre introduced Emile Olivier and Ernest Picaud to Jacques Louis Enon.

"You also received the invitation from the Tuileries Palace?" Enon promptly asked Emile Olivier and Ernest Picaud.

"Indeed!" Emile Olivier and Ernest Picaud simultaneously took out their invitations, "We couldn’t decide whether to attend or not, and thus came here seeking your advice!"

After taking a glance at the invitations in Emile Olivier and Ernest Picaud’s hands, Jules Favre fell silent for a moment and then addressed them, "It seems that we have all received invitations!"

"I’m afraid it’s not just us who received the invitations; many others have as well!" Emile Olivier showed a hint of melancholy between his brows, answering Jules Favre with, "However, what exactly is Jerome Bonaparte’s intent? Is it merely to celebrate escaping an assassination, or is there another reason..."

"Why don’t we ask Dariemon!" Ernest Picaud suggested, "He might have some insights on this invitation!"