CHAPTER 339: CHAPTER 334 BONAPARTE’S COURT ANECDOTES

When the little girl in front of him announced her name, Jerome Bonaparte immediately recalled the "background" of this girl.

Virginia Oldoini, Countess of Castiglione, attracted Napoleon III (Louis Napoleon) to become one of his mistresses with her stunning appearance and graceful figure. Thanks to her "assistance," Cavour was able to maintain regular contact with the Tuileries Palace to formulate strategies.

One could say she was a "truly" female diplomat. However, historically, the first meeting with her cousin should have been four years later, in 1856, during the Crimean War, when she seemed to have been only 18 years old.

By that calculation, she was less than 14 years old now.

According to Jerome Bonaparte’s past life, girls of this age were still in middle school. Yet this poor child willingly acted as a catalyst for the unification of Italy at an age that should have been innocent and playful, which was indeed quite saddening.

Virginia Oldoini suddenly noticed that the gaze from the French Emperor, which had been filled with "desire" just a moment ago like those of other men, as if wishing to devour her, had turned into "pity." This was a look she had only seen from her father.

Virginia Oldoini curtsied like a little adult: "Your Majesty!"

"Hmm hmm!" Looking at the little girl pretending to be mature, Jerome Bonaparte felt a slight mischievous pleasure in his heart. He reached out his hand...

Just when everyone thought His Majesty the Emperor would invite this beautiful lady to dance (even Virginia Oldoini herself), Jerome Bonaparte’s next action surprised everyone.

Jerome Bonaparte’s face revealed a mischievous smile, and he lightly flicked Virginia’s forehead.

All the people present showed expressions of astonishment, and Virginia also stared in shock at Jerome Bonaparte’s action.

Then, Jerome Bonaparte called over the ball’s chief steward, Wardley.

"In the future, people like her are not allowed at the ball!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Wardley, pointing at Virginia.

As soon as Jerome Bonaparte’s words fell, the faces of Virginia and Cavour turned pale instantly.

All the people present cast sympathetic glances at Virginia, yet no one dared to stand up for her.

Jerome Bonaparte’s words almost completely blocked Virginia’s chances of participating in social gatherings in France; no one in Outer France dared defy Jerome Bonaparte’s wish.

Cavour felt a chill rising from his spine to his head; his carefully prepared secret weapon failed just like that.

Virginia’s face also showed a hint of despair and resentment. She did not understand why she was met with such a fate.

This guy seemed very different from those who ogled her body in the past.

Wardley, equally bewildered about what had happened, could only remember Jerome Bonaparte’s words in his heart.

"Alright! Everyone, disperse!" Jerome Bonaparte, knowing his previous actions seemed like a social blockade against a lady, quickly asked the onlooking crowd to disperse.

The bourgeoisie at the ball were also unwilling to offend the Emperor for one woman, so they dispersed at the Emperor’s command.

Only Jerome Bonaparte, Cavour, and Virginia remained on the scene.

Afterward, Jerome Bonaparte said to Cavour, "Count Cavour, come with me!"

Then, pointing at Virginia, he added, "You come along as well!"

Sensing a turning point, Cavour and Virginia quickly followed Jerome Bonaparte away from the ball.

After Jerome Bonaparte left, many bourgeoisie lamented over Virginia being blocked by Jerome Bonaparte, thinking they might never see the young lady in social gatherings again.

Since all social venues would now mark her as an unwelcome guest.

On the other hand, Cavour and Virginia followed Jerome Bonaparte into a room.

"What happened earlier was a slip of the tongue!" Jerome Bonaparte apologized for almost "blocking" a woman socially.

"Please do not say so!" Cavour instantly understood Jerome Bonaparte’s meaning and responded humbly.

Standing aside, Virginia clearly did not understand the meaning of this conversation, still mired in Jerome Bonaparte’s ruthless blockade against her.

Seeing this, Jerome Bonaparte immediately called over a lady-in-waiting and instructed her to settle Virginia into a room.

After Victoria left, only Cavour and Jerome Bonaparte remained at the scene.

"Count, I’m very pleased with your gift!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Cavour, then pretending to be ignorant, he inquired, "You must have spent a lot of money to get it, right!"

"It is truly my honor to receive your praise!" Cavour, smiling on the outside but cursing inwardly, knew very well he must not expose his connection with Victoria, otherwise, she might be considered a spy: "Actually, it didn’t cost much..."

Cavour tactfully explained the matter and claimed he arranged for her because he heard about Victoria’s relationship with Jerome Bonaparte.

"Hmm?" Jerome Bonaparte was a bit puzzled, as he did not recall knowing this person.

"Your Majesty, her grandfather once served as an advisor to the family in Florence!" Cavour reminded Jerome Bonaparte.

An advisor to the family? Jerome Bonaparte seemed to remember such a person in his memory; back then, his whole family was "exiled" to Florence, and it did indeed seem there was a family advisor.

Back then, Jerome Bonaparte was still young, and many things had become blurry.

"So, there was such a connection!" Jerome Bonaparte decided to drop the matter. At worst, he could have Marcel Yale dispatch someone to Florence to investigate, as even the slightest trace would reveal everything: "Now she belongs entirely to the Tuileries Palace!"

"That is her honor!" Cavour replied.

After the issue of the "gift" was settled, Jerome Bonaparte and Cavour appeared together at the ball, where everyone was curious about what the two discussed, yet no one dared to ask.

Until the ball ended, they never saw Victoria. Many inquisitive members of the Bourgeoisie tried to use Cavour to inquire about Victoria’s news, but he turned them all away.

In his heart, Cavour prayed silently that his cousin could contribute to the cause of Italian unification, even hoping she might conquer Jerome Bonaparte.

In the following days, Victoria, having moved into the Tuileries Palace, did not conquer the Emperor as Cavour hoped, not even sharing a bed with Jerome Bonaparte.

This made Victoria question her charm for the first time, leading her to repeatedly disturb Jerome Bonaparte in his study.

She even appeared half-naked in his study, regularly trying to seduce Jerome Bonaparte, occasionally licking her lips to make an extremely tempting expression.

Jerome Bonaparte quietly observed all that Victoria was doing, then went back to correcting the manuscripts.

As if Victoria didn’t exist at all.

Being repeatedly ignored made Victoria feel as if she were punching cotton, gnashing her teeth in frustration, but she dared not use harsh words to scold the Emperor, resorting only to standing by Jerome Bonaparte’s side, silently watching him.

This situation continued for several days. Until the morning of February 10th, after finishing revising the plans, Jerome Bonaparte looked up at Victoria, who was half-reclining on the sofa wrapped in silk.

Well now! You finally opened your eyes, you rascal!

With an excited yet arrogant look, Victoria watched as Jerome Bonaparte got up and gradually approached the sofa.

Just as Victoria thought Jerome Bonaparte was about to make his next move, he took Lev’s Formal Suit hanging on the hanger and tossed it to her.

Victoria looked puzzled at Jerome Bonaparte.

"Put it on! Don’t catch a cold!" Jerome Bonaparte ordered Victoria.

Victoria put on Lev’s Formal Suit, and it must be said that once she wore it, she felt a bit like a two-dimensional character crossing over to the three-dimensional realm.

Jerome Bonaparte was a bit dazed, but seeing his expression, a brief flicker of delight flashed across Victoria’s face, as even the Emperor couldn’t escape.

After a temporary distraction, Jerome Bonaparte restored his previous composure and spoke again, "What do you want from me? Money? Status? Or honor?"

"I..." Victoria was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure of what she needed; everything she did was merely the mission Cavour bestowed upon her.

"How about this! Why don’t you first tell me what you are good at? Mathematics? Biology? Physics? Or perhaps something else..." Jerome Bonaparte asked Victoria once more.

"I..." Again, Victoria faltered; apart from her beauty, it seemed there was nothing else noteworthy about her.

Victoria’s silence had already been anticipated by Jerome Bonaparte, as a mere fourteen-year-old could hardly have learned much.

"So, it appears you are nothing but beautiful!" Jerome Bonaparte spread his hands and told Victoria, "And I’m hardly short of beautiful people around me. To be precise, if I wanted, I could summon a group with just a wave of my hand! They may be slightly inferior to you in looks, but all are much the same in the dark. So, what exactly is your core competitive advantage..."