Make France Great Again-Chapter 982 - 973: Judgment Day Arrives

Regarding De Luy’s accusations, Delaroca could only express that he would report the matter to Prime Minister Cavour and strive to give the French Empire an explanation as soon as possible.

"What kind of explanation are you going to give us!?" De Luy pressed on with another question.

After hesitating for a moment, Delaroca replied to De Luy, "That depends on the will of the Cabinet and His Majesty King Emmanuel!

However, please rest assured!

Our outcome will surely satisfy your country!"

"I look forward to your result!" De Luy smiled slightly, then extended his hand to Delaroca and said.

Delaroca likewise extended his hand again to shake hands with De Luy. The conflict between the two countries caused by the assassins’ actions seemed to dissipate after their handshake.

Soon after, De Luy and Delaroca chatted for a while, and Delaroca left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a smile.

Sitting in the office, De Luy gradually put away his smile following Delaroca’s departure. The reason he had chosen to "shake hands and make peace" with Delaroca was not out of a desire to let them off but to wait for an opportune moment to make his move against them.

This time, having Delaroca come to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was merely to create the illusion that France also did not want to escalate the situation.

In this way, the Sardinian Kingdom government would not take harsh action against the Sardinian Carbonari.

As soon as the Administrative Court sentenced Orsini to death, De Luy would accuse the Sardinian Kingdom of harboring the Sardinian Carbonari.

In such a scenario, the Sardinian Kingdom would undoubtedly choose to submit to France.

[At this time, De Luy did not know that Jerome Bonaparte had already reached an agreement with Richard Metternich regarding the handling of the Apennine Peninsula.]

...

Quickly, the time came to March 15th.

On this morning, the sky over Paris was shrouded in a dense black cloud, making the entire city appear exceptionally dim.

Under this cloud, on the street near the Seine River, a team of cavalry attired in armor and feathered helmets advanced in neat formation; they were the detachment tasked with escorting the regicide this time.

As this cavalry team reached near the Ministry of Internal Affairs along the Seine River, the Secretary of State, who had been waiting at the entrance for the handover personnel, quickly went to the minister’s office to report the news to Minister Pessini upon seeing the approaching team from afar.

"They’ve arrived?" Pessini confirmed the news with the Secretary of State again.

"Yes, Your Excellency!" The Secretary of State nodded in response to Pessini.

"Quickly! Take a few men and bring Orsini out from the cage, then hand him over to them! Our task will then be completed!!" Minister Pessini ordered the Secretary of State.

"Yes!" the Secretary of State responded to Pessini.

The Secretary of State hadn’t gotten far before being called back by Pessini.

"Do you have any other orders?" the Secretary of State turned and asked Pessini.

Pessini, after a moment of thought, shook his head and stood up, saying to the Secretary of State, "Never mind! I’ll come with you! I have something to discuss with Orsini!"

Pessini and the Secretary of State arrived outside Orsini’s cell together. Through the solitary viewing window on the iron door, Pessini saw Orsini, impeccably dressed, inside the room.

At that moment, Orsini also saw Pessini at the viewing port. He still smiled as he said to Orsini, "Minister Pessini, is it about time for the trial to start?"

Outside the iron door, Pessini spoke solemnly to Orsini, "Correct! Orsini!

I am here this time to personally escort you out and then hand you over to the court!"

"Then let’s get on with it!" Orsini extended his hand through the iron door towards Pessini.

Seeing this, Pessini immediately signaled the Secretary of State and the surrounding guards to move to the doorway to prevent others from suddenly entering the cell.

Then, under Orsini’s puzzled gaze, Pessini opened the cell door alone.

"What are you doing? Aren’t you supposed to send me to court for trial?" Orsini curiously asked Pessini.

"Before I send you to the court, I must remind you once again, you must insist that everything you did was under the instigation of the Sardinian Carbonari!" Pessini said to Orsini, "His Majesty the Emperor is still upset about the Apennine Peninsula; therefore, we need to find a suitable target for His Majesty to vent his frustration!

Otherwise, I find it difficult to persuade His Majesty the Emperor to support Italy’s unification!"

Orsini quietly listened to Pessini’s speech, then lightly asked a question, "Mr. Pessini, why are you helping us persuade the Emperor to achieve Italy’s independence and unification? Unification doesn’t seem to benefit you much!"

Percy froze for a moment, a sense of foreboding telling him that if he could not answer this question properly, Orsini was bound to defect.

So, Percy responded to Orsini with an indifferent attitude, "Mr. Orsini, frankly, I do not care whether Italy unites or not!

In my view, whether Italy is unified is of no concern to me at all, even if more Italians die, I would not feel the slightest sympathy."

"You..." Orsini pointed at Percy, displaying an annoyed expression.

"However, I dislike the Austrian Empire even more!" A hint of apt disdain flashed in Percy’s eyes, "If I had to choose between Italian unification and the Austrian Empire ruling Italy, I would prefer Italian unification!"

"May I ask why you hate the Austrian Empire so much?" Orsini believed Percy’s words and asked again.

Percy told Orsini that his dislike for the Austrian Empire was mainly influenced by his former leader, Louis Napoleon.

He then told Orsini about the "deep-seated enmity" between the Bonaparte Clan and the Habsburg Clan.

"In fact, His Majesty is also very annoyed with the Austrian Empire, but due to certain issues, he cannot express this annoyance directly.

Convincing him is not particularly difficult!"

"Alright! I believe you, but I hope you are not deceiving me!" Orsini nodded and said to Percy.

"Of course not!" As soon as Percy finished speaking, a rumble of thunder was heard outside the prison room.

After the thunder subsided, a trace of panic flashed in Percy’s eyes, and he once again said to Orsini, "Mr. Orsini, our conversation should end here, it’s time for you to depart!"

Orsini nodded, then followed Percy out of the cell.

Next, Percy summoned the Secretary of State and the prison guards from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

They proceeded to another cell, where the remaining three regicides were held.

When the guard opened the door, two of the collaborators rushed to Percy, kneeling before him and pleading, "Please spare me! I did not assassinate His Majesty the Emperor... truly! I didn’t even fire a shot!"

Orsini and another assassin looked at them with a hint of contempt, remembering how they had once clamored to assassinate the Emperor, and now they were begging for mercy from Percy.

"Stand up, you cowards!" Orsini couldn’t help but shout angrily, "Aren’t you supposed to be true revolutionaries!"

The two Sardinian collaborators looked at each other; one couldn’t help but reprimand Orsini, "We were tricked by your flowery words into joining you!"

"Who was it that demanded we assassinate His Majesty immediately back then!" Orsini retorted, then murmured to himself, "Wasn’t it the two of you?"

The two collaborators were rendered speechless, silently regretting their past insistence on assassination.

Seeing their silence, Orsini continued, "Now that things have come to this, we should face it with composure!

Crying and whimpering like this won’t earn anyone’s sympathy, it will only make others look down on you!

Hold your heads high and face death with the courage of a revolutionary, isn’t that better!"

The two Sardinian collaborators did not speak; the third Sardinian collaborator cast a disdainful glance at the two kneeling, then strode over to stand by Orsini.

"If the two of you don’t get up soon, I will have someone lift you up!" Percy said, also with a trace of contempt in his eyes.

The two collaborators had no choice but to scramble up from the ground, pretending nonchalance as they brushed the dust off their knees.

Once all the would-be assassins were gathered, Percy addressed them again, "You are about to head to the Administrative Court!

There, your crimes will be judged!"

"Sir...Sir! Is there a chance for us to live, given our crimes?" The collaborator asked Percy with trembling voice.

"I can only say, it’s possible!" Percy responded, "After all, I am not the presiding judge this time, so I can’t be sure whether your crimes will lead to an immediate execution or long-term imprisonment!"

Even though everyone present knew Percy’s words were merely a comfort, some still harbored a sliver of hope regarding the Administrative Court’s judgment. This hope lay with the two who had knelt just now; they believed they were not the masterminds of the assassination attempt.

Therefore, they thought they shouldn’t face the death penalty; although long-term imprisonment was inevitable.

Compared to death, long-term imprisonment was not unacceptable.

With Percy’s kind lie in mind, the group followed Percy and the prison guards to the entrance of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Amidst the cavalry surrounding the Ministry, in the pouring rain, they got into the carriage prepared by the Administrative Court and headed to the court.