Make France Great Again-Chapter 120: Coup Candidates and News from Rome

"What you are doing now is fighting for the future of all of France, and France will never forget what you have done! I believe that with your efforts, the Military Secretariat will thrive daily!"

After giving the instructions, Jerome Bonaparte stood up and solemnly saluted all the officers present, and the officers hurriedly returned the salute to Jerome Bonaparte.

"I entrust the future of France to you!" Jerome Bonaparte said heavily.

"We pledge our allegiance to Mr. President to the death!" Led by Leboeuf, all the officers present, whether genuinely or out of conformity, pledged allegiance to Jerome Bonaparte, completely disregarding their true obligation to the Republic, not Jerome Bonaparte.

Jerome Bonaparte smiled and waved his hand, and the officers left one after another.

"Lieutenant Colonel Trocch, please stay for a moment, I have some matters I wish to discuss with you!" As Trocch was about to leave the conference hall, Jerome Bonaparte immediately said.

Trocch, hearing Jerome Bonaparte’s command, stopped in his tracks, a slight look of surprise on his face, not understanding why the President wanted to call him.

The surrounding officers showed a trace of envy in their eyes, thinking that Trocch might be about to meet some good fortune.

"Yes, Mr. President!" Trocch nodded slightly and strode back to his previous seat, waiting for Jerome Bonaparte.

After everyone else had left, the doors of the conference hall closed once again.

Only Jerome Bonaparte and Trocch remained.

Sitting in his seat, Trocch instinctively swallowed his saliva, nervously looking at the President before him who could decide his life or death.

Jerome Bonaparte noticed Trocch’s nervousness and walked forward, patting Trocch’s shoulder and soothing him kindly, "Lieutenant Colonel Trocch, don’t be nervous! I left you alone only to ask you some questions!"

"Mr. President, please speak! I will answer truthfully!" Trocch hurriedly pledged his loyalty to Jerome Bonaparte.

"If the Ministry of War’s record archives are correct, you should be Brigadier General Saint Arno’s adjutant, right?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Trocch unhurriedly.

"Yes... that’s correct! I was ordered to become Brigadier General Saint Arno’s adjutant." Trocch carefully answered Jerome Bonaparte’s question.

Before he could be sure of the President’s attitude towards his old superior, Trocch could only respond cautiously.

What a sly fox!

Jerome Bonaparte laughed and cursed in his heart.

How could he not tell that Trocch had placed himself in a position to advance and retreat with ease, the term "under orders" represented the official stance of the Constantinople Province [Algeria Colony Province]; if Jerome Bonaparte were displeased with Saint Arno, he could easily blame everything on the official appointment.

"What do you think of Brigadier General Saint Arno as a person?" Jerome Bonaparte continued to ask about Saint Arno.

In order not to leave an impression of gossiping in front of Jerome Bonaparte, Trocch cautiously praised his former superior, saying, "Brigadier General Saint Arno is a conscientious and loyal officer. During my time in Algiers, I received much care from him. Not only myself, but many in the troops under his command also received care from the brigadier general. It was he who arranged for me to come here!"

"It seems General Saint Arno is indeed a capable and knowledgeable leader. I wish I had the chance to converse with him face-to-face!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded in satisfaction, contemplating when to reassign this general, who had historically assisted him in the coup, back to Paris.

The affirmation from Jerome Bonaparte gave Trocch more motivation to praise his old commander even more zealously. Having just been promoted, he was likely to remain stagnant for a while; Paris did not have so many wars to fight, but if his old commander could be promoted, he would not have to worry about his own advancement.

"The general once told me that his biggest regret in life is not joining the Emperor’s army in time! He often spoke to us about matters concerning the Empire! He also holds great respect for you, Mr. President!" Trocch continued to praise his old commander.

"Hmm, I understand!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded in response to Trocch.

Then, he tactfully instructed Trocch to leave.

Trocch stood up, saluted Jerome Bonaparte once again, and left the conference hall.

Not long after, Jerome Bonaparte also left the conference hall, leaving the Military Secretariat amidst everyone’s respectful attention.

Returning to the Elysee Palace, Jerome Bonaparte happened to meet Colonel Conrobel, who was returning from the Ministry of War. Serving dual roles, he became a bridge for communication between the President and the Ministry of War, and was also an emerging noble of the Elysee Palace.

"Let’s go!" Jerome Bonaparte entered the study with Conrobel.

In the study, Conrobel reported the main content of the Ministry of War meeting to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Good! I was right about General Renio; he managed to surround Rome in such a short time!" Jerome Bonaparte applauded.

On April 28, 1849, under the secret directives of Jerome Bonaparte and the Order Party, Minister of War Liu Eri signed the order to invade the Roman Republic.

The 20,000 Alps Army, already prepared, was led by Expeditionary Army Commander Major General Renio and marched grandly towards Civitavecchia under the pretext of protecting the Roman Republic.

On May 7, the 20,000 Expeditionary Army, in collaboration with the French Navy, landed in Civitavecchia. The Civitavecchia Port, caught unawares, fell in an instant, the city council was dissolved, and the priests once again dominated the mainstream.

From the 7th to the 10th, General Renio continued to advance steadily, with heavy artillery transported by the navy to Civitavecchia Port.

When they were within less than 3 kilometers of Rome, the Roman Republic’s Governor, Mazzini, realized that the French Republic was not there to help them.

He quickly dispatched the National Guard to attack the 20,000 French Army. The 8,000-strong force was defeated in less than a round; it was unrealistic for the undertrained Roman National Guard to stop the regular army of the French Republic with mere enthusiasm.

On May 16, the French Army camped on the outskirts of Rome’s rural areas to gradually clear the remaining forces of the Roman Republic and then launch a full-scale assault on the inner city to destroy the Roman Republic.

Just like they eradicated the Berbers in Algiers before!

[PS: There were some discrepancies between the intelligence Jerome Bonaparte received from Conrobel and General Renio’s actual operations in Rome.]

"Percy, help me draft a letter! The contents of the letter are as follows..." Jerome Bonaparte said to Percy, who had just entered the study.

Percy listened intently to Jerome Bonaparte’s dictation.

After dictating, Jerome Bonaparte ordered Percy to deliver the letter to General Canio in Rome as soon as possible.

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