CHAPTER 355: AFTER MODIFICATION: CHAPTER 350 MARRIAGE ALLIANCE WITH WURTTEMBERG

"Hmm... my cousin is coming?"

Despite Jerome Bonaparte being ready to offer his body for the continuation of the Empire, he hadn’t expected this day to arrive so soon, and that the one to accompany him through the next decades would be that little girl who used to have a runny nose.

Indeed! In Jerome Bonaparte’s few memories, Augusta always seemed to maintain this image. He recalls "he" was only 9 years old at the time, and Augusta was only 6.

Accompanied by the passing of Jerome Bonaparte’s mother and the various changes with Prince Monfort, Jerome Bonaparte, his sister Mathilde Bonaparte, and his eldest brother (deceased) left Wurttemberg.

From that time, it has been nearly 20 years since Jerome Bonaparte last saw the "sniveling" girl.

Jerome Bonaparte is now 29 years old, and Augusta should be 26.

"Your Majesty, Princess Augusta has arrived!" Valerovsky emphasized and then added, "However, she is here under the guise of a residency!"

"Then where is she staying now?" Jerome Bonaparte continued to inquire.

"At Princess Mathilde’s home!" Valerovsky replied, "As soon as Princess Augusta arrived in Paris, Princess Mathilde invited her to stay at her mansion!"

"Then should I..." After hesitating for a moment, Jerome Bonaparte asked again, "Should I go over there?"

"That’s up to you!" Valerovsky did not give an answer, leaving the decision to the Emperor.

"Then..." Jerome Bonaparte lowered his raised hand and mumbled softly, "I will wait a bit longer!"

Jerome Bonaparte then invited Valerovsky to sit down and continued their conversation, during which he learned from Valerovsky about the secluded status of Prince Metternich and Felix Schwarzenberg’s health condition.

Catherine Vach’s sudden backtrack when nearing success was largely due to the worsening health of Felix Schwarzenberg.

"Tsk tsk tsk... it seems our new Austrian Prime Minister’s health is not looking good!" Jerome Bonaparte said with a schadenfreude grin.

Though Felix Schwarzenberg has lasted longer than his historical counterpart and exceeded his historical duties, Jerome Bonaparte could be sure that once Felix Schwarzenberg passed away, the diplomatic situation of the Austrian Empire would quickly decline.

"By the way, have you met with Franz Joseph?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Valerovsky.

Valerovsky nodded.

"What was your impression?" Jerome Bonaparte inquired about Valerovsky’s opinion.

"Your Majesty, the moment I saw Franz Joseph, I felt like I had traveled back to before the Middle Ages! When talking with him, I felt as if I was speaking to a wooden figure incapable of expression!" Valerovsky exaggeratedly described to Jerome Bonaparte, "It’s truly hard to imagine who trained him to be like that, every move seems to be meticulously designed. I felt I wasn’t facing a living person but a puppet manipulated by others."

Pausing for a moment, Valerovsky continued, "Moreover, from his eyes, I could sense a certain pride in his lineage!"

"The Habsburg Court is always accompanied by confusing rules!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged, spreading his arms and laughingly embracing the air, "Rejoice! We live in a free country!"

"Indeed!" Valerovsky nodded, then added, "Our country is the opposite, far too free!"

Through Valerovsky’s description of Franz Joseph, Jerome Bonaparte could confirm that Franz Joseph’s character had not changed much. He seemed like a ruler from the enlightened monarchy of the 18th century, subconsciously resisting all changes in new systems.

Unknowingly, the times had changed; under the wave of nationalism, the Habsburg was teetering on the edge of collapse, and Franz Joseph should have been a flood-control expert. However, he became the one to drive the last nail into the Empire’s coffin.

Especially after Felix Schwarzenberg’s death, Joseph Franz’s diplomatic policy made people feel "Austrian medicine pills."

"Perhaps!" Jerome Bonaparte smiled at the corner of his mouth.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Jerome Bonaparte shouted loudly.

The study door was opened, and Vilnius entered the room.

Vilnius entered the study with a stern face, observing Jerome for a long moment before speaking, "Princess Mathilde wants you to come over!"

Looking at Vilnius’s puffed-up expression, Jerome Bonaparte grinned.

"Your Majesty, she..." Valerovsky, who hadn’t been in France for nearly half a year, looked at Vilnius quizzically.

"Almost forgot!" Jerome Bonaparte lightly patted his forehead and introduced to Valerovsky, "This is Vilnius, my new personal secretary!"

Jerome Bonaparte deliberately enunciated the word "exclusive."

Valerovsky instantly understood Jerome Bonaparte’s meaning and hurriedly saluted the "Madam Pompadour" in front of him with a half-joking remark: "Hello, Madam Vieria!"

Vilnius’s face turned slightly red, and then she gave Jerome Bonaparte, who was enjoying the show, a fierce glare.

Jerome Bonaparte blinked, showing a harmless expression.

"Since the princess invites me, I shall take my leave!" Valerovsky immediately got up to leave.

Jerome Bonaparte also stood up to see Valerovsky out of the study, then turned back to Vilnius in the study and said: "Let’s go!"

Jerome Bonaparte and Vilnius went to the main entrance of the Tuileries Palace and left in the carriage Vilnius had arrived in.

Since the carriage was the same as any ordinary one and the distance between the Tuileries Palace and Madam Tilde’s Mansion wasn’t too far, the cavalry responsible for escorting Jerome Bonaparte didn’t accompany them.

Sitting face to face in the carriage, Jerome Bonaparte and Vilnius exchanged no words.

After a while, Jerome Bonaparte asked in a teasing tone, "Don’t you have anything to say?"

Vilnius kept her head down in silence, and after a while, soft sobbing sounds came from inside the carriage.

Jerome Bonaparte, seeing this, hurried to Vilnius’s side, took out a handkerchief, and gently wiped her tears while softly stroking her back, saying: "Don’t cry! I’m not leaving you forever!"

"But... but... you’re getting married!" Vilnius sobbed, falling onto Jerome Bonaparte’s lap.

Tears and snot stained Jerome Bonaparte’s recently tailored pants, and seeing this, he could only gently stroke Vilnius’s back, whispering: "You must understand! Each of us lives in this world with responsibilities, just like you carry some people’s expectations. I also carry many expectations and can’t just do as I please."

"I... know! I just... just..." Vilnius replied to Jerome Bonaparte between sobs.

Vilnius knew very well that, given her status, it was impossible to become a legitimate wife of an emperor.

At most, she could receive an honorable title like "Madam Ponduba." She had seen too many examples of people being abandoned and didn’t want to suffer the same fate.

"Don’t worry! I won’t abandon you!" Jerome Bonaparte spoke gently to Vilnius while stroking her back.

The carriage had been stopped in front of the mansion for a while when Vilnius finally composed herself and lifted her head from Jerome Bonaparte’s lap.

Once composed, Vilnius hurriedly apologized to Jerome Bonaparte: "Your Majesty, I am truly sorry, I..."

Jerome Bonaparte reached out and smoothed Vilnius’s slightly disheveled hair, shook his head, and smiled: "It’s nothing!"

After speaking, Jerome Bonaparte used the handkerchief on his lap to wipe.

"I..." Vilnius looked at her "handiwork" with a red face.

After wiping repeatedly with the handkerchief, no trace could be seen on the pant leg, and Jerome Bonaparte stood up and adjusted his attire inside the carriage, then helped Vilnius tidy up before they both exited the carriage.

Jerome Bonaparte and Vilnius arrived together at the entrance of Madam Tilde’s Mansion.

After a gentle knock on the door, a maid appeared shortly.

"Your Majesty!" The maid quickly saluted upon seeing Jerome Bonaparte.

"Hmm!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded slightly and pointed inside the mansion, asking, "Is my sister still inside?"

"Her Highness Princess Mathilde and Her Highness Princess Augusta have been waiting for you for quite some time!" the maid quickly replied to Jerome Bonaparte.

"That’s good!" Jerome Bonaparte and Vilnius entered the mansion together, and they parted ways at the staircase on the first floor.

"Please follow me!" The maid quickly led the way inside the mansion.

Jerome Bonaparte arrived at the doorway of a room on the second floor and gently opened the door.

Mathilde Bonaparte and Augustus appeared on the other side of the door.

"My dear brother, you finally arrived!"