"Let me think about it again!"
Elevating another Bonaparte to a "divine seat" could indeed help ease the class tensions throughout France, especially in gaining military approval for the Republican Government, even if such approval is always unreliable at crucial moments.
In fact, the actions of the French Army during the three dynasties have already confirmed this, yet Lamartine still seeks to win them over, despite knowing the military is unreliable.
In some non-critical moments, the military’s stance can make the government’s foundation more solid.
However, considering Louis Napoleon’s actions during the Orléans Dynasty, Lamartine still harbors some distaste for Louis Napoleon deep in his heart.
Elevating a restorationist to the "divine seat" of the Republic is indeed the greatest irony.
"Governor, we don’t have much time left!" Thiers "kindly" reminded, "I’ve heard those insurgents have already started planning a second uprising!"
Thiers’ words struck a chord in Lamartine’s heart.
The Republican Government truly does not have much time left.
"Mr. Thiers, thank you for your visit today!" Lamartine expressed his gratitude to Thiers once again.
Then, Lamartine issued a polite dismissal to Thiers: "Mr. Thiers, I will seriously consider your suggestion! Now I have some meetings to attend, so I won’t keep you here any longer!"
"Of course!" Thiers shrugged, nonchalantly saying, "The Governor needs to worry about the fate of all of France, it truly is exhausting!"
Was it Lamartine’s illusion or not, but he sensed a hint of sarcasm in Thiers’ words.
Guided by Shangbo, Thiers left Lamartine’s residence.
At the moment of parting, Thiers didn’t forget to "advise" Shangbo: "Mr. Shangbo, please take good care of Mr. Lamartine! The French Republic has elevated Mr. Lamartine to the position of Governor, while he brings unprecedented pressure! If this pressure cannot be transformed into momentum, it will only crush Mr. Lamartine completely!"
"Who wouldn’t say so!" Mr. Shangbo, empathizing, nodded, "Since the establishment of the Republic, the Governor has not had a good night’s sleep for a long time!"
"Believe me! The Governor will soon sleep well!" Thiers displayed an inscrutable smile.
"I hope so!" Shangbo, evidently not understanding Thiers’ meaning, was solely focused on making Lamartine the first official President, completely unaware that a conspiracy was silently brewing.
A black carriage appeared in front of Thiers, and as he climbed into the carriage, he bade farewell to Shangbo: "Then I’ll take my leave!"
Shangbo also politely expressed regret for Thiers’ departure, and when his gaze inadvertently swept over the carriage, he saw a pair of black long boots inside.
There should be someone else in the carriage.
The carriage door closed, the coachman gently pulled the reins, and the signaled horses slowly drove away from Lamartine’s apartment.
"Mr. Thiers, we meet again!"
As Shangbo suspected, there was indeed someone in the carriage.
"Representative Rue!" Thiers also politely called out to the person opposite him.
[Eugène Roué: French lawyer and politician, Bonapartist, constitutional and legislative assembly member during the Second Republic (1848-1849), intermittently served as Minister of Justice from 1849-1852; supported Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, resisted leftist opposition, proposed the abolition of universal suffrage in 1850, and drafted the constitution of the Second French Empire in 1852.]
Thiers understood that this Representative Rue, only in his 30s, was a Bonapartist, and held a high position among the Bonapartists.
"Mr. Thiers, thank you for your support of the Bonaparte Faction!" Eugène Roué verbally expressed gratitude to Thiers.
"Representative, there’s no need for such cheap verbal gratitude!" Thiers, similarly, spoke bluntly: "The reason I’m helping you is because you can bring me corresponding benefits! If you and the young man behind you can’t bring me sufficient benefits, I will not hesitate to discard you!"
Thiers’ blatant declaration of dominance did not provoke any emotional reaction from Eugène Roué.
The 34-year-old lawyer, with the demeanor of a mature politician, continued to smile, "Mr. Thiers, it’s our honor that you ! We are also willing to do our utmost to assist Mr. Thiers! If you really decide to abandon us, we will have no complaints! It’s your right as the party leader, but..."
Rue’s tone shifted from gentle to stern, his expression growing sinister, "Are you really willing to let those revolutionaries destroy the entire country, those despicable rioters trampling over us! They not only want to seize power, they also want to confiscate our property, which we’ve worked hard to earn over the decades!"
Thiers certainly would not be willing, from the moment he entered Paris, he had decided to integrate into Paris’s high society and become a revered figure.
It took him over 30 years, going through several life-and-death trials to reach his current status, and those rioters wanted to strip him of everything through a revolution!
This was absolutely unacceptable!
"You should understand, my choices are not limited to just you!" Thiers seemed still unmoved.
"I know you will choose an executioner, who will lead France, and then eradicate those mobs!" Eugène Roué’s expression was one of inevitability, "The executioner should be a member of the military!"
Thiers’ expression shifted slightly, as he regarded Eugène Roué with cold eyes.
"Mr. Thiers, please don’t look at me like that!" Ruby spread his hands, displaying an innocent expression, "France is already in chaos, and the only way to resolve this chaotic situation is to rely on the military! The soldiers will be a sharp knife, excising the tumor named rebellion!"
"I admit, you’re right! We (referring to the Order Party) indeed have such thoughts!" Thiers candidly admitted the Order Faction’s "plot," "Only the military can quench this revolutionary fire!"
"Mr. Thiers, have you considered that a military leader who suppresses the mob today might tomorrow turn the bayonet towards the National Assembly? At that time, what means will the National Assembly have to stop a Napoleon?" Eugène Roué inquired.