Make France Great Again-Chapter 207: After revision - Politics at the Dinner Table and Beyond

Chapter 207: After revision: Chapter 207 Politics at the Dinner Table and Beyond

Sitting silently on a red velvet cushioned chair, two seats away from Jerome Bonaparte on the left side of the long dining table, Changarnier appeared calm and confident. However, upon closer observation, one could see a hint of melancholy in his eyes, and his fingers trembled slightly beneath the table.

Besides General De Castelana seated next to Changarnier, no one noticed the barely perceptible actions of General Shang Jia’nie.

Alas!

De Castelana sighed inwardly over Changarnier’s estrangement.

Whether in the East or the West, people are keen on adding attribute after attribute to the act of dining itself.

For a political figure, the dining table can also embody politics.

During the old monarchy, the king would arrange seating based on the closeness of his relationship with the nobles. Those fortunate enough to sit beside the king were courted and flattered by all, as this position symbolized being the king’s closest noble. Thus, nobles of the old monarchy would spare no expense to win the king’s trust.

The revolutionary government of the Great Revolution period, although ostensibly prohibiting such old customs, still subconsciously adhered to them.

By the time of the Napoleonic Empire and the two Bourbon eras, dining politics continued to flourish on the foundation laid by the revolutionary government, with bureaucratic appointments often depending on a single meal.

Jerome Bonaparte’s actions clearly signaled to everyone present that Changarnier had fallen out of favor, and what awaited him was likely a dismissal.

"Gentlemen!" Jerome Bonaparte, hanging his bicorne on the chair back, rose with a smile and raised his glass. Seeing this, the foreign envoys and senior officers along the long dining table all stood up and raised their glasses as well.

"I am delighted that you could attend today’s parade ceremony!" Jerome Bonaparte declared magnanimously, "This parade’s success owes greatly to your efforts! On behalf of France, I thank you for your contributions!"

With that, Jerome Bonaparte downed the brandy in his glass.

"Vulgar!" the Russian Empire diplomat muttered under his breath.

To him, Jerome Bonaparte’s banquet was by no means a true aristocratic gathering but rather the flaunting of a group of parvenus.

Oh God! For them, the nobles of noble bloodlines, to dine with a bunch of military brutes was simply unbearable! These brutes only knew how to disrupt a proper banquet!

It was not just the Russian Empire envoy who thought so; many of the seasoned German nobles, those who prided themselves on their illustrious European noble lineage, also carried expressions of disdain to varying degrees.

Outside of France, no other country’s banquet was as discourteous as this.

Even though Jerome Bonaparte himself possessed half the bloodline of the Württemberg family, he did not present himself as a traditional German noble.

Instead, he seemed like a complete military chieftain.

Jerome Bonaparte was certainly aware of what these so-called seasoned nobles thought. To him, rather than reciting a tattered noble code in every corner or strictly observing etiquette in an almost zombie-like court, it was better to actively embrace the new era.

The 19th century was both the twilight of the nobility and the rise of the bourgeoisie.

Although they looked down on Jerome Bonaparte in their hearts, they had no choice but to follow his proceedings for the time being.

Once everyone at the table had finished their wine, Jerome Bonaparte raised a hand to signal everyone present that they could take their seats: "Please be seated, everyone!"

After the foreign envoys and officers sat down, the banquet formally began.

All sorts of snacks, cold chicken, sausages, snails, caviar, and more were neatly arranged on the table, a far cry better than the military outside the castle.

The banquet lasted for nearly two hours before it ended. During this time, Jerome Bonaparte reiterated France’s love for peace, claiming that France’s military existed to protect peace and would never recklessly start an invasive war.

The foreign envoys "earnestly" listened to Jerome Bonaparte’s peace appeal, only to forget it in an instant.

Perhaps only the indigenous people of Africa would believe the French lie of loving peace.

Of course, should French troops be stationed on the indigenous land, the natives would likely no longer believe it either.

When it came to whether France loved peace, the Argentine envoy from South America had the most say, but unfortunately, the Argentine envoy was not present at this banquet.

After the banquet, the troops, led by their respective officers, gradually returned to their stationed camps.

After the blood rush and a satisfying meal, the army became more loyal to Jerome Bonaparte.

The various national envoys and dignitaries began to say goodbye to Jerome Bonaparte one after another, and Jerome Bonaparte smiled and shook their hands.

When it was the turn of the Russian Empire’s envoy, Jerome Bonaparte’s previous smile turned into a somber expression.

Looking at Jerome Bonaparte with a gloomy face, the envoy of the Russian Empire felt increasingly uneasy.

If his casual words were to cause a diplomatic crisis between the Russian Empire and the French Republic, he feared he might have to consider relocating to Siberia.

"Mr. President... Mr. President... Thank you for inviting me to the military parade!" The envoy of the Russian Empire responded to Jerome Bonaparte humbly.

"Mr. Envoy!" Jerome Bonaparte’s gloomy face showed a hint of a cold smile, "Do you think these troops are qualified to go to Russia for some ’exchange’ with the Russian Empire’s troops?"

Jerome Bonaparte’s words were laced with a strong sense of threat.

For a head of state, Jerome Bonaparte’s words were somewhat irrational.

However, Jerome Bonaparte’s threat clearly made the envoy of the Russian Empire turn pale, as certain words coming from a head of state are quite different from those spoken by a foreign minister.

Following the principle of saving face, the envoy of the Russian Empire retorted to Jerome Bonaparte: "Mr. President, with all due respect! Your uncle had an unpleasant journey in the Russian Empire back then!"

"Mr. Envoy, please do not forget!" Jerome Bonaparte immediately retorted to the Russian envoy, "In 1812, most of my uncle’s over 600,000 troops were not Frenchmen; those defeated warriors banded together and defeated your army, advancing into Moscow! And today, the entire France has over 600,000 troops ready for battle, with more young Frenchmen eager to make their mark... What you see now is just a small part!"

Although the French Republic currently has only about more than 300,000 regular troops, it did not prevent Jerome Bonaparte from including the local National Guard in the ranks of the regular army.

The European Great Powers once feared that in dismembering France, another regime with a revolutionary nature might emerge, leading the still unexhausted French youth to continue waging war on Europe.

Should there arise another strategic genius like Napoleon, the whole of Europe might truly descend into chaos.

The envoy of the Russian Empire remained silent, his silence tacitly acknowledging the strength of the French Republic.

"Mr. Envoy, I hope Europe can enter a period of prosperous and stable development! Peaceful development is more important than confrontation!" Jerome Bonaparte, having issued his threats, responded to the Russian envoy with a more amiable tone.

"Mr. President, I think the same way!" The envoy of the Russian Empire quickly agreed with Jerome Bonaparte.

"Goodbye, Mr. Envoy!" Jerome Bonaparte waved his hand.

After the Russian envoy had left, the Wurttemberg envoy appeared before Jerome Bonaparte and respectfully responded, "Your Highness!"

"Hmm?" Jerome Bonaparte showed a friendly expression and pulled the Wurttemberg envoy aside to inquire about the health of his dear uncle, the King of Württemberg.

"His Majesty the King’s health is fairly robust," the Wurttemberg envoy responded promptly.

"Then I am relieved!" Jerome Bonaparte replied with a smile to the Wurttemberg envoy.

"However, the situation in Württemberg is somewhat complex, and His Majesty William could..." The Wurttemberg envoy tentatively asked, "His Majesty William wants to know if in the event of real danger to Württemberg, would France welcome him?"

Hmm? Danger?

Jerome Bonaparte pondered for a moment, recalling that during the years ’49 to ’50, his dear uncle seemed to have been struggling with the liberals within Württemberg, and from the outcome, it appeared his uncle emerged victorious.

"Of course, please tell him that France will always welcome him!" Jerome Bonaparte replied to the Wurttemberg envoy, "Please tell my uncle that one day should he visit France in person, I will welcome him at the Tuileries Palace!"

Hearing "Tuileries Palace," the Wurttemberg envoy was surprised, as Jerome Bonaparte seemed genuinely preparing to ascend the throne within the Republic.

"Of course, I believe His Majesty William will certainly not refuse your invitation! He will feel proud of your achievements in France!" The Wurttemberg envoy blessed Jerome Bonaparte even more respectfully.

If Jerome Bonaparte ascended the throne, the safety of Württemberg would no longer be subject to the whims of Prussia and Austria.

Backed by France, Württemberg would have greater influence in Southern Germany.

This scenario was simply a fantastic prospect for King William.

Of course, for Jerome Bonaparte, strengthening ties with Württemberg was beneficial for France’s intervention in the German region.

If there was a sudden change in the situation in Prussia and Austria, he could quickly mobilize troops under the guise of helping his uncle to the German Region, while simultaneously punishing the Kingdom of Prussia for not following the rules.

The excuse of protecting the Kingdom of Württemberg and upholding Catholicism was certainly better than having no excuse at all.