After Jerome Bonaparte and Dico finished discussing the military maneuvers, Bashirio appeared in the room once again, and behind him stood a team of doctors in white coats. They were the royal medical team from the Tuileries Palace, and also doctors from the Harmony Hospital under the Northern Industrial Group.

When Minister Dico saw this group of well-trained doctors, his originally calm heart couldn’t help but start pounding. He was very afraid of losing his position as Minister of the Navy due to illness.

Of course, the reason Dico didn’t want to lose his position as Minister of the Navy was not only his desire for power, but more importantly, his deep love for the navy.

Dico had witnessed the entire process of the French Navy’s remarkable progress, and the French Navy could be said to be his second child.

At the moment, Dico had not yet seen the French Navy fully grow, so he did not want to completely lose his position as Minister of the Navy.

"Your Majesty, I’m actually not sick. I just need a little rest!" Dico again explained to Jerome Bonaparte, attempting to dissuade Jerome Bonaparte from the idea of conducting a routine checkup on him.

However, Dico’s explanation did not earn Jerome Bonaparte’s approval. Jerome Bonaparte gently replied to Dico, "My dear minister, just honestly accept the checkup!

I don’t want to see a distinguished minister collapse at his post!"

Jerome Bonaparte’s voice was not loud, but between the lines conveyed an uncompromising determination.

This extinguished Minister Dico’s idea of persuading Jerome Bonaparte to avoid the check, and Dico nodded, indicating he would dutifully accept the checkup.

After settling Dico’s mindset, Jerome Bonaparte turned to the doctors and complimented Dico, "You must carefully examine Minister Dico; after all, he is the backbone of our navy!"

"Rest assured, Your Majesty!" The lead doctor responded to Jerome Bonaparte with a particularly serious tone, "We will not overlook any detail!"

"I entrust this to you then!" Jerome Bonaparte solemnly instructed the doctor, extending his hand.

The doctor, flattered, reached out, and their hands gently clasped together.

Next, under Jerome Bonaparte’s gaze, each doctor donned sterilized velvet masks and white velvet gloves (current technology could not yet produce disposable latex gloves, so high-temperature sterilized gloves were used instead) and approached Dico.

Minister Dico sat quietly on the sofa, allowing the medical team full control.

The doctor opened the medical bag slung across his arm and took out various medical instruments, conducting "experiments" on Dico. Among them were two medical instruments improved upon Jerome Bonaparte’s suggestion, namely, the stethoscope (invented in 1817) and the sphygmomanometer (invented in 1835).

(In Jerome Bonaparte’s opinion, a 19th-century checkup was not so different from those in small clinics in later times, though such checkups were considered extraordinarily thorough in the 19th century!)

After a simple routine examination of Dico, the doctor took Jerome Bonaparte aside and reported, "Your Majesty, after our careful examination, we found that Minister Dico’s blood pressure is much higher than that of ordinary people!"

In Jerome Bonaparte’s mind, the words "high blood pressure" emerged.

The reason why Minister Dico suddenly died in history was probably due to a cerebral infarction caused by high blood pressure.

This illness, even in later times, had no complete preventive method. Patients with cerebral infarction could suddenly die even just resting on a table.

Many patients with cerebral infarction die unknowingly, leaving not even a moment for rescue.

This is true even in later times, let alone now.

Although Jerome Bonaparte understood that the possibility of 19th-century doctors lowering high blood pressure was zero, he couldn’t resist asking a question.

"Do you have any way to lower the blood pressure?" Jerome Bonaparte asked the doctors with a hint of hope in his heart.

The doctor shook his head and replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, I’m sorry! We have not yet developed a way to lower blood pressure!"

Jerome Bonaparte’s eyes showed a hint of disappointment, and he then asked the doctor, "Can Dico still continue his role as Minister of the Navy in his current condition?"

"Your Majesty, that is something we cannot predict!" The doctor replied to Jerome Bonaparte again, and then added, "As per our current case studies, patients with blood pressure higher than average won’t be significantly impacted in their work!"

"Alright, I understand!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded to the doctor.

Just as Jerome Bonaparte was about to end the conversation, he suddenly remembered something very important. He hurriedly recounted Dico’s previous condition to the doctor and asked whether Dico might have "lung disease" (the term tuberculosis was not coined until 1882, and doctors currently could only discover changes in the lungs of the afflicted through autopsy).

"Your Majesty, based on my experience, Minister Dico does not resemble someone with such a disease. Many patients with lung diseases exhibit conditions very different from Minister Dico!" The doctor cautiously replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility that Minister Dico may indeed have such a disease, and this requires further detailed observation!"

"Alright! I understand! I will have people closely monitor Dico’s condition!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded and told the doctor.

Subsequently, Jerome Bonaparte ordered Bashirio to escort the medical team out of the Tuileries Palace.

Once again, only Jerome Bonaparte and Dico were left in the room. At this moment, Dico felt extremely nervous; he was very afraid of hearing from the Emperor’s mouth news of his dismissal.

Therefore, Dico put on an indifferent expression and said to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, I told you it was merely because I haven’t had enough rest. If you allow me to return home and rest immediately, I promise that before long, I will recover full of vigor."

Given his understanding of hypertension beyond this era, Jerome Bonaparte naturally did not believe Minister Dico’s words. If hypertension could be resolved so easily, there wouldn’t be so many tragedies in the future.

Jerome Bonaparte was currently deliberating whether to make Dico step down from his role as Minister of the Navy. The Emperor understood that as long as Dico did not step down from his position, he would continue to overwork and risk his health.

Sooner or later, Dico would collapse at his post, just as history has shown.

After careful consideration, Jerome Bonaparte finally spoke seriously to Dico, "Mr. Dico, this time, I hope you can fulfill your promise!

If I find that you are unable to keep your promise, then I will immediately dismiss you from your position!"

Looking at the particularly earnest Jerome Bonaparte, Dico realized that the Emperor was different now; this time, it seemed like things were going to get serious.

"Your Majesty, I will certainly follow your arrangements!" Dico’s expression also became strictly serious.

"Dico, I hope in the future you can leave work on time and don’t continue to overextend yourself!

If I find you working late into the night again, I will consider choosing another person to serve as Minister of the Navy!" Jerome Bonaparte ordered Dico word by word, "This time, I am serious, don’t hold any illusions!

I will ensure this order is communicated to the Ministry of the Navy, and everyone in the Ministry will help me monitor you!"

"Yes!" Minister Dico replied with a wry smile.

Although Dico knew that what the Emperor did was for his health, for a workaholic like Dico, it was akin to sentencing him.

Now, Jerome Bonaparte no longer wanted to bargain with Dico; he had to do his best to let Dico work hard for the French Navy while ensuring his safety, as he did not want to lose such an excellent Minister of the Navy.

"Enough! It’s getting late! You should go back and rest!"

Under Jerome Bonaparte’s orders, Dico left the Tuileries Palace.

...

Time flew by, and soon it was 1860.

After the cold air from the Arctic landed in France via the La Manche Strait, the weather in Paris began to get even colder than before.

After a heavy snowfall, every street and alley was enveloped in sparkling snowflakes, as if the whole of Paris were in a world of snow and ice.

There were fewer pedestrians on the streets than usual, and every passerby walking in the snow wore a plush coat, a furry felt hat, and leather-made snow boots.

Yet, even when fully armed like this, the cold wind still found ways to attack every inch of exposed skin, exploiting every tiny gap.

Everyone walking down the street moved much faster than before.

In such freezing weather, many of the bourgeoisie who originally lived in Paris had long since left for warmer regions to spend the winter.

They would return to Paris at the start of the next spring.

However, in such cold weather, an aristocrat still arrived in Paris; he was Cavour.

The moment Cavour settled in at the hotel, he disregarded his exhaustion from the journey and wished to head to the Tuileries Palace to meet the Emperor of France.

However, Cavour understood that it was impossible for him to meet the Emperor of France directly now; he needed someone to connect him with the Emperor.

After briefly pondering, Cavour thought once more of Princess Mathilde, the Emperor’s sister.

Thus, Cavour dispatched an attendant to Princess Mathilde’s residence to deliver a letter of request.

In the letter, Cavour subtly expressed that it had been a long time since he last met Princess Mathilde and hoped to get her permission to visit her at her residence!