"Your Highness, why are we doing these things?"
Percy, unable to hold back his doubts, finally asked after leaving The Times building.
In his view, isn't the most urgent task now to think about how to settle Louis Napoleon?
Jerome Bonaparte, who was walking ahead, stopped and countered, "Percy, what do you think we should do now?"
"Of course, we should discuss a proper way to settle His Majesty!" Percy, loyal and steadfast, blurted out immediately.
"Then how should we settle our cousin?" Jerome Bonaparte asked in return, "Are we to bury him in London?"
"Absolutely not!" Percy shook his head, refusing.
When Louis Napoleon was alive, he told Percy more than once that he must return to France to kiss the French soil.
Now, returning to France has become Louis Napoleon's dying wish, and Percy wouldn't dare to bury Louis Napoleon's body in the United Kingdom.
"So how are we to transport our cousin back to France?" Jerome Bonaparte spread his hands to Percy and said, "Two months ago, our cousin was expelled from France by the leader of the Republic, Lamartine! We have every reason to believe that our cousin's body will once again be refused entry by Lamartine at the national gate! Our cousin bears the label of a war criminal!"
Mentioning the word "war criminal," Jerome Bonaparte's expression carried a hint of ridicule and mockery.
"War criminal"? What an ironic term, a label that Louis Philippe imposed on our cousin for the sake of his own dynasty.
It still applies in the time of the Second Republic, whether the leader is Lamartine or the Order Party in the National Assembly.
Even though the Orléans Dynasty died abruptly, its spirit still attempts to return by haunting the body of the Second Republic, ready to seize this young "body" by possession.
In the end, the revolutions of the 19th century were merely revolutions of a small handful of people.
Those who pride themselves as the elite class have never truly regarded the workers, whom they contemptuously call "low-class people."
Even those who believe in communism are not an exception; few can truly view "low-class people" as equals, as the remnants of the 18th-century class system still linger in the 19th century.
"So, we..." Percy still couldn't see the connection between sending His Majesty Louis Napoleon's remains back to France and publishing an article in The Times.
"Percy!" Jerome Bonaparte opened his arms to the sunlight and said, "I not only want to bring our cousin's body back to France, but I also want him to be welcomed by the people of Paris, just like the Emperor was eight years ago!"
"Then what should we do?" Percy blurted out.
"We are doing it now!" Jerome Bonaparte responded to Percy: "Sometimes, the power of public opinion can dictate a nation's policy! We need to get our voice to Lamartine's ears!"
No one understood the current situation of the French Republic better than Jerome Bonaparte. Having hastily obtained power, they not only had to face possible internal retaliation (in fact, the dethroned Louis Philippe had no intention of retaliating), but also the threat of the Polar Bear lurking behind Prussia and Austria.
The arrogant Tsar Nicholas of St. Petersburg had more than once declared his intention to lead his army to eliminate the aberration that was the French Republic.
The recognition by the United Kingdom was undoubtedly of utmost importance, and cautious Lamartine certainly wouldn't ignore this matter that would alarm "friendly nations."
"So, you're leveraging the power of The Times?" Percy was surprised by Jerome Bonaparte's bold plan.
The power of public opinion was indeed strong, but it could also potentially backfire on them.
"Your Highness, what if the Lamartine government truly decides to tear down the facade? Wouldn't we be even more passive?" Percy asked with concern.
"That's why we need to harness not only the power of the United Kingdom but also the power within France!" Jerome Bonaparte emphasized, "Especially the power of our followers, Percy. You've had eight years in France to contact quite a few people, right? I hope you won't disappoint me this time!"
During the eight years Napoleon III was imprisoned, Percy assisted in establishing outside contacts, drawing in a vast number of opportunists to scheme against the Orléans Dynasty.
Utilizing both internal and external forces of France, they would make Lamartine taste the bitterness he couldn't express.
"Understood!" Percy responded, with a slight tremor.
Once upon a time, he (meaning Percy) was also a master manipulator of public opinion.
The many years of running around for His Majesty had almost made him forget his own means of survival, a mistake indeed.
"Oh, and also..." Jerome Bonaparte suddenly remembered something and said to Percy, "Tell the Bonaparte Party members in Paris to hold back and not get caught at such a critical moment! In the next month, there will be an upheaval in France."
Jerome Bonaparte suddenly recalled that in another month's time, the brutal actions against the workers led by the hardline Republican Faction were about to commence.
The occurrence of the June Revolution was absolutely not a matter of a day or two; the nearly four months of buildup had intensified the class conflict to a certain point.
Jerome Bonaparte had to complete all plans before the fool Lamartine stepped down. Otherwise, if Cafenak, that butcher, came to power, the plan would be difficult to execute, and he might even be sent to prison by that butcher.
Historically, his cousin was almost suspected by Cafenak of being linked to the June Revolution (it was indeed discovered that some Bonaparte Party members were involved in the June Revolution). There was a consideration to send his cousin to prison.
He's not an easy character to deal with! There's a chance he could be sent to prison by this guy.
"At your command!"
Although Percy didn't understand the "upheaval" Jerome spoke of, he still followed his new superior's orders.
"Let's go back!" Louis Bonaparte did not question how Percy would contact the Bonaparte Party members within France; a competent superior only needed to know the outcome and then reward or punish accordingly.
The two of them stopped a carriage together, which carried Percy and Jerome Bonaparte back to the mansion on Saint James King Street.
Unbeknownst to Jerome Bonaparte and Percy, the mansion on Saint James King Street also received an unexpected guest at this moment.