CHAPTER 259: CHAPTER 248: POPULARITY

France.

Jaime Medina, the current head of the Medina family, inherited the title after the unfortunate death of the old Count Jacob Medina in March this year.

The Medina family was an ally of the Heixinggen royal family in France, but some years ago, the old Count Jacob Medina was disfavored due to his opposition to the reforms of Napoleon III.

As one of the elders who followed Emperor Napoleon, Jacob Medina was very dissatisfied with some of Napoleon III’s policies, especially those concerning factions in the country outside the Napoleonic camp.

After falling out of favor with Napoleon III and already being viewed unfavorably by the Orleans, Bourbon dynasties, and the Republican Faction, the fate of the Medina family was predictable.

The Medina family had faded from political prominence long before Ernst’s rise, experiencing a comprehensive decline.

Later, when Ernst came to France and reorganized these old family friends, providing them with economic assistance as the French representative of the Heixinggen consortium, their fortunes started to improve economically.

However, the cost was growing more distant from Paris, the political center, because the Heixinggen consortium’s base in France was the southern port city of Marseille.

With the Medina family at its helm, the Heixinggen’s alliance group in France, under Ernst’s support, had already formed a significant power base in southern France.

The death of the old Count reminded Napoleon III of this stubborn old man. Although he didn’t like him, as he had been an old minister following the Napoleonic family, Napoleon summoned the successor, Jaime Medina, to Paris in June.

"Your Majesty, although the Medina family has long been disregarded in France, I must say, war is absolutely unwinnable unless France is prepared for total war; any reckless actions could ruin the Napoleonic family’s reputation in France."

This was the first thing Jaime Medina said when he met Napoleon III.

"Uh, Count Medina, I have no plans to start a war recently."

"I am merely predicting. There has to be a victor between France and Prussia. We need the land along the Rhine River and a fragmented German territory, while Prussia desires the complete unification of Germany, which presents irreconcilable conflicts for both sides."

"That’s well said, but what do you mean by total war preparations?"

"Prussia is not a small country; rather, it is a military power in Europe. The current military strength and structure of France cannot swiftly defeat Prussia, and if the war gets prolonged, all of Germany will be united and clenched into a fist by Prussia. Thus, the war against Prussia will differ from the past Crimea and Italian campaigns. To deal with the North German Federation, France should first reform its army structure to be more like Prussia’s, making large-scale military operations easier to organize..."

Medina’s words were abruptly interrupted by Napoleon III: "Prussia indeed has had some achievements over the years, but that’s because of our French support. Without my acquiescence, they wouldn’t have been able to defeat Austria, let alone Denmark. Last time, we were deceived by that despicable Bismarck, who promised us French territory and never delivered. Recently, he also incited Leopold to compete for the Spanish throne, which, if not stopped in time, might have left France surrounded by enemies."

"Your Majesty! I am aware of all this, but the current issue is that the Prussian army has already undergone sweeping reforms and has been battle-tested, with a nearly perfected military system, while France seems complacent!"

"Enough, Count Medina! The Empire’s army is not for you to criticize here. If the old Count knew you had become this way, fearing even a minor Prussia, he would probably crawl out of his grave," shouted a furious Marshal McMahon, who had returned from Algeria, at Medina.

Other French generals also started to bombard Medina, and seeing the court’s situation becoming chaotic, Napoleon III urgently called for calm.

"Enough, everyone stop arguing! Medina, you should return to Marseille for now! A month from now, the answer will naturally be revealed, and the Empire’s soldiers will prove everything with their strength."

With that, the Medina family was once again banished. Count Medina seemed to have anticipated this outcome as he turned to leave. Before going, he looked back and said, "Your Majesty, you will regret this!"

Upon leaving the Compiègne Palace, a swarm of press reporters surrounded him. They came from various newspapers and publishing houses in France, as if they were acting on a premeditated and organized plan, encircling Medina.

The reporter from Clamour magazine asked Count Medina, "Count Medina, is it true that you oppose the war?"

"Of course, France is not prepared for war."

One day later, Clamour magazine published a cartoon titled "Surrender Without a Fight, the Old Count Weeps." Medina is depicted kneeling on the map of Germany, shouting "peace" towards the direction of the French map, while a caricatured Bismarck is setting up cannons behind him, with a cannonball already flying towards France. In the upper right corner of the cartoon, the old Count Jacob Medina is cursing "traitor" from heaven.

A reporter from the Havas News Agency then asked, "Then Count Medina, who do you think is stronger, France or Prussia?"

"Of course, France, but it’s hard to assess the military aspect."

The next day, the headline of the Havas News Agency read, "Count Medina believes France is no match for the Prussians."

...

That night, Medina fled from Paris by train. Had he not escaped, the next day angry Parisians might have devoured him.

Having just experienced the humiliation of the Ems Dispatch, also known as the "Bismarck’s Telegram" incident, the French people were furious with Prussia, and the war with Prussia had become a popular sentiment. Speaking against it now was sure to provoke widespread condemnation.

The reporters were not brought by anyone else, but hired by Medina himself, and why he did so was naturally for gaining attention.

Medina was very aware that since the old Count’s retirement, the Medina family had been completely marginalized in France. Even if they re-emerged now, they wouldn’t be trusted. The French Empire had no place for Medina.

Although he intentionally stirred up a mess in Paris, once back in Marseille, Medina planned to use the Heixinggen’s media to clear his name.

He couldn’t let the reputation of a surrender advocate stick to his head. He was a pro-war advocate, but not blindly so; he was a rational pro-war advocate who saw the flaws in the French government.

Three days later, the media in Marseille began to exert its influence, and Medina used the local newspapers to engage in a standoff with the Paris newspapers.

"The Paris news media distort the facts, they misinterpret my original words, unlike the media personnel in the city of Marseille, who possess excellent and truthful spirits."

Such moves naturally pleased the media in Marseille, who used the "Medina incident" to criticize their Parisian peers, calling them aristocratic scions living in the "big city," whose perception of France’s public opinion never extended beyond Paris, not even to great revolutionary cities like Marseille.

The Parisian media, having been played by Medina, naturally did not hold back and bombarded Medina and their Marseille counterparts.

The situation escalated until the French government timely intervened to stop this farce, but the Medina family’s name had been thoroughly thrust into the spotlight. Now, it no longer mattered whether Medina was pro-war, pro-peace, or a surrender advocate.