Make France Great Again

After Jérôme Bonaparte and Cavour exchanged brief greetings for a moment, they quickly got to the point.

Cavour sincerely begged Jérôme Bonaparte to give Sardinia a hand for the sake of the long-standing friendship between the French Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia.

If Jerome Bonaparte can lend a helping hand to the Kingdom of Sardinia, then all members of the Kingdom of Sardinia will definitely look up to France as their country.

Faced with Cavour's request, Jérôme Bonaparte decisively refused.

After all, without enough interests to tempt France, Jérôme Bonaparte was still inclined to let the Austrian Empire punish the Kingdom of Sardinia.

Suppressing Sardinia's ambition to unify Italy has always been Jerome Bonaparte's stated goal.

So, Jérôme Bonaparte said to Cavour in a slightly apologetic tone, "Count Cavour, I am so sorry!

The Kingdom of Sardinia and the Austrian Empire are both the most important allies of the French Empire. The French Empire deeply regrets this conflict... We will uphold the principle of neutrality and call on both parties to sit at the negotiation table and resolve it peacefully. Disagreement! "

After listening to Jérôme Bonaparte's diplomatic words, Cavour could not help but feel panic.

The attitude of the French Empire was obviously to give up the Kingdom of Sardinia, and its so-called neutrality was nothing more than condoning the ambitions of the Austrian Empire.

However, even though Cavour already knew that the French Empire was interested in the Austrian Empire, he still wanted to try to bring the French Empire back.

No one knew better than Cavour that only the French Empire could help the Kingdom of Sardinia in all of Europe.

The essence of the British Kingdom is just a group of businessmen. If the Austrian Empire does not threaten their lifeline, that group of people will not fight for the Kingdom of Sardinia.

"Your Majesty, I can understand your country's position in this conflict!" Cavour said to Jérôme Bonaparte in as calm a tone as possible.

"Count Cavour, I wish you could understand!" Jérôme Bonaparte responded to Cavour with a smile, and then made nonsense to Cavour, "If the Kingdom of Sardinia faces If it is not the Austrian Empire that is right, but other countries, then the French Empire will definitely not sit back and let the Kingdom of Sardinia do nothing.

However, the Austrian Empire...well! You should be very clear about the cost of a war between two big countries. At present, the country has not made plans for a full-scale war... Our domestic bankers have invested a lot of money in the Austrian Empire..."

"Your Majesty, I understand!" Cavour responded thoughtfully to Jerome Bonaparte again, "The Kingdom of Sardinia will not make it difficult for the French Empire!"

"But don't worry!" Jerome Bonaparte then assured Cavour, "If the Austrian Empire launches a war with the intention of completely annexing the Kingdom of Sardinia, then we will definitely choose to restrain them!"

After hearing Jerome Bonaparte's response, Cavour's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly said, "I'm afraid that the Austrian Empire will force the Kingdom of Sardinia to cede land after the war!

"

"Count Cavour!" Jerome Bonaparte looked a little hesitant. He spread his hands and replied to Cavour, "It depends on the area of ​​land ceded by the Austrian Empire to your country and the compensation method of the Austrian Empire. Eucalyptus!

If these are within a reasonable range, then we have no reason to restrict them. "

The hopes originally raised by Cavour were shattered again, and the constraints mentioned by Jérôme Bonaparte would only be acted upon after the Austrian Empire completely eliminated the Kingdom of Sardinia.

Moreover, the strength of the restraint is also uncertain, and it is not easy to make trouble, just like in 1849, it is just a few words of verbal condemnation.

In other words, as long as the Austrian Empire does not completely border the French Empire, the French Empire will not care about the life and death of the Kingdom of Sardinia.

Cavour thought to himself.

At this moment, Cavour did not know that Jerome Bonaparte had already communicated with the Austrian Empire in advance. This time the Austrian Empire could only ask for war compensation from the Kingdom of Sardinia, and any act of ceding land would be punished. Bound to France.

After all, Jerome Bonaparte only wanted to weaken the Kingdom of Sardinia to a level higher than other states, and did not want to completely eliminate the Kingdom of Sardinia.

In addition to telling Augusta, Richard Metternich, and the core personnel of the Austrian Empire, Jerome Bonaparte told these things.

Even the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not fully disclosed it, so Cavour naturally doesn't know anything.

It was precisely because Cavour did not know Jerome Bonaparte's true thoughts that he concluded that Jerome Bonaparte was determined to sell the Kingdom of Sardinia to protect his country. The intention of the Austrian Empire.

In order to protect the future of the Kingdom of Sardinia, Victor Emmanuel II gritted his teeth and said condescendingly to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, the Kingdom of Sardinia knows that the French Empire is facing this problem. It’s hard to make a choice!

However, we still implore the French Empire to help us because the Kingdom of Sardinia and the French Empire once fought together!

If the Kingdom of Sardinia can avoid disaster this time, then we are willing to do our best to help the French Empire restore its "natural borders"! "

When Cavour finished saying these words, his heart felt as if something had been taken away, and it became particularly empty.

He knew that once Jerome Bonaparte agreed to this condition, Cavour's name would definitely be placed on Italy's pillar of shame.

Jérôme Bonaparte, who was sitting opposite him, also showed an expression of disbelief and thought to himself: Oh God! What did this guy Cavour just say? As long as I help them this time, they will help us restore the "natural boundary". Am I hallucinating!

Seeing Jérôme Bonaparte's delay in answering, Cavour's heart became even heavier, and he began to wonder if his own conditions were not enough to attract Jérôme Bonaparte.

You must know that the conditions that Cavour just proposed were originally conditions for him to attract the French Empire to enter the Apennine Peninsula to fight with the Austrian Empire.

Nowadays, it is used to plead with Jerome Bonaparte to rescue Sardinia.

After a while, Jérôme Bonaparte subconsciously swallowed and said, "Count Cavour, can you say what you just said again!"

After Count Cavour heard Jerome Bonaparte's reply, hope rekindled in his desperate heart. Now it seems that Emperor Jerome Bonaparte still cannot forget Richelieu's original proposal of France's natural boundaries.

"Your Majesty! If the French Empire is willing to help the Kingdom of Sardinia, then the Kingdom of Sardinia will also facilitate the French Empire on the issue of natural boundaries!" This time Cavour did not choose to directly confront Jérôme Bo. Naparte promised, but chose to hint at Jérôme Bonaparte.

He hoped to use this hint to drive the French Empire to charge for the Kingdom of Sardinia, and then use flexible diplomacy to retain Savoy after the war.

After all, verbal agreements have no legal significance.

However, Cavour's little thoughts had no effect at all in front of Jérôme Bonaparte. Jérôme Bonaparte, who understood this period of history, was too familiar with Cavour's tricks.

Isn't it just that he wants to use hints to prostitute the French Empire for free, and then turn around and refuse to admit it?

"Historically" Cavour and Bismarck both used this method. Both men played tricks on Jérôme Bonaparte's cousin Louis Bonaparte.

Of course, the final result was that Cavour still lost, and he lost due to his own strength.

"Count Cavour!" Jérôme Bonaparte asked Cavour with a smile, "What do you mean by convenience? Could it be that you are planning to give Savoy and Nice to France?" "

Jérôme Bonaparte's straightforward speech made Cavour's face stiffen, and he could only nod his head and responded, "Your Majesty, as long as the people of Savoyard and Nice agree to join France!

The Kingdom of Sardinia has no reason to block the people of these two places from yearning for a better life! "

"I think the Austrian Empire is indeed a bit aggressive on this issue!" Jerome Bonaparte quickly changed his attitude towards the Kingdom of Sardinia.

Even if the Austrian Empire punishes the Kingdom of Sardinia, it was agreed from the beginning that the French Empire would not interfere.

If we can capture Savoyard and Nice without damaging the existing balance of political power in Italy, then why not do it.

Of course, the consequences of this may displease the Austrian Empire and also make the British Kingdom wary.

"Your Majesty, you are right!" Cavour understood that the emperor's balance had begun to tilt towards the Kingdom of Sardinia, "The Austrian Empire's bullying of the Kingdom of Sardinia has damaged the image of a great country.

Every country should say no to this kind of behavior! "

"Let's do this!" Jerome Bonaparte pretended to ponder for a moment, and then responded to Cavour, "We will return to Paris immediately and ask Richard Metternich personally."

"Your Majesty, your help to the Kingdom of Sardinia! We will never forget it!" Cavour responded to Jerome Bonaparte overjoyed.

Just when Cavour thought that Jérôme Bonaparte would go to war with the Austrian Empire for Savoyard and Nice, Jérôme Bonaparte's next words made Cavour feel uneasy again. got up.

"However, I am not omnipotent! If the Austrian Empire insists on launching an attack on the Kingdom of Sardinia, then I am also powerless!

Of course, I can assure you that the French Empire will do its best to protect the Savoy royal family's rule over Sardinia! "Jerome Bonaparte spread his hands and responded to Cavour.