As the first ray of dawn on the second day cast upon Jerome Bonaparte’s bedside, he, having completed his washing and grooming with difficulty, ordered Letty to head to Piazza Venezia early in the morning to inform Lucien Louis of his residence.
At nine in the morning, after waiting for over an hour, Letty finally met the hurriedly arriving Lucien Louis.
"Your Highness, hello!" Captain Letty saluted Lucien Louis before him, as he would offer due respect to every member of the Bonaparte Clan.
At the moment Letty bowed in salute, he did not observe the awkward demeanor and fleeting gaze of Lucien Louis.
"Hello, Mr. Letty!" Lucien Louis also greeted Letty.
"This is the Prince’s residence address. If there is any progress, you can find the Prince at this address!" Letty handed a note to Lucien Louis.
"Alright! I understand!" Lucien Louis nodded slightly.
Then, Letty handed a note worth one hundred and fifty thousand francs to Lucien Louis and said, "This is from the Prince for Your Highness! It is essential to win over the clergy around the Pope! You can exchange the equivalent amount in gold at the Rome Bank!"
The bills from the bank of the Rothschild Clan were synonymous with credibility throughout Europe.
Taking the bill, Lucien glanced at the amount and was startled, hurriedly refusing, "I cannot accept such a large sum of money!"
"The Prince said so! If it’s not enough, more can be added!" Captain Letty disregarded Lucien Louis’s refusal and did not take the bill offered by Lucien Louis.
Realizing there was no way to refuse, Lucien Louis could only accept the bill from Letty and assured Letty that he would arrange a meeting between his uncle and His Holiness the Pope as soon as possible.
"Then, I’ll trouble you! His Highness the Prince will be awaiting your news at the hotel!" Letty saluted Lucien Louis once more and then turned to leave.
Lucien Louis watched as Letty disappeared into the crowd.
"Is he my cousin’s attendant?" A voice came from behind Lucien Louis.
"Father!" Lucien Louis turned to look at Charles Bonaparte behind him.
Ever since Lucien Louis met Letty, Charles Bonaparte had been secretly observing Letty, only revealing himself after Letty had left.
Lucien Louis handed the bill Letty gave him to Charles Bonaparte.
Gazing at the amount on the bill, Charles Bonaparte remarked, "My cousin really resembles the Emperor of the past!"
"Are you referring to his audacity?" Lucien Louis inquired.
"No, I mean his ability to spend money!" Charles Bonaparte jested, "He is just like the Emperor of yore, extravagant and unthrifty!"
"Then what should we do with this bill?" Lucien Louis directly showed the bill to Charles Bonaparte.
"Hmph!" Charles Bonaparte snorted coldly and said, "Think of it as compensation from my cousin to us!"
"Father..." Lucien Louis reminded Charles Bonaparte, "How should we contact the Pope!"
"Leave that to me!" Charles Bonaparte took over Lucien’s task, "All you need to do is report to your uncle for the final time!"
"But..." Lucien Louis wanted to say something.
"Don’t worry! I’ve been in Rome for over 20 years and have some connections!" Charles Bonaparte confidently said.
Lucien Louis then remembered that his father had been in Rome for nearly 20 years and had far more connections than he did.
Even when he was baptized into the church, it was his father who invited Bishop Murezal.
"Then I’ll trouble you! Father!" Lucien Louis said to Charles Bonaparte.
"Alas!" Charles Bonaparte sighed and said, "Perhaps it is the mission bestowed upon us by the Bonaparte Bloodline! Since it is God’s will, I must obey!"
With that, Charles Bonaparte instructed Lucien Louis to return home first while he alone would open the path to the Pope.
Watching Lucien Louis return to the Bonaparte Palace, Charles Bonaparte hailed a carriage.
Riding the carriage, Charles Bonaparte soon arrived at the vicinity of Palazzo della Cancelleria.
[The Chinese translation is This is the Palace of the Academia of the same name, the secular government institution of the Pope, where the first and only Prime Minister Pellegrino Rossi was born.]
At this time, the outside of the Academia Palace was already crowded with people, holding banners swaying back and forth, with "Democracy, Freedom" written in black ink on the banners.
"Sir, I can only take you this far!" The coachman said to Charles Bonaparte.
Expressing his gratitude to the coachman, Charles Bonaparte exited the carriage.
Witnessing the main entrance of the Academia Palace being blocked, Charles Bonaparte opted not to enter through the main entrance. He maneuvered through the crowd to the side entrance of the palace.
Two guards blocked his way.
Briefly straightening his attire and with a stern face, Charles Bonaparte said, "I am Prince Cono, Charles Bonaparte, invited by Bishop Muzarelli for an audience at the palace!"
[Carl Emmanuel Muzarelli: April 19, 1797—1856, Italian clergyman, appointed by Pope Pius IX as a senior committee member in 1846, responsible for public education and issuing publications for the Pope State.]
The two guards dared not delay for a moment and swiftly made way.
Charles Bonaparte was thereby allowed entry into the Academia Palace.
Once inside the palace, relying on his memory, Charles Bonaparte quickly arrived at the office of Bishop Muzarelli. He knocked on the door to Bishop Muzarelli’s office.
"Come in!" Bishop Muzarelli’s aged voice called from within.
Charles Bonaparte pushed open the door and entered.
Wearing white clergy robes, Bishop Muzarelli looked at Charles Bonaparte in surprise.
Striking first with words, Charles Bonaparte said, "Honorable Bishop, I beg your pardon for this unexpected visit! I come to discuss something of utmost importance!"
Putting down the book in his hand, Bishop Muzarelli looked at Charles Bonaparte and said, "My friend, I am honored to listen!"
"Your Excellency, how do you view the current situation in Rome?" Charles Bonaparte inquired of Bishop Muzarelli.
"Under His Majesty’s guidance, devout Rome..." Bishop Muzarelli resorted to the formulaic language.
"Your Excellency, the people gathered outside the palace don’t seem devout!" Charles Bonaparte immediately exposed the formulaic "lie" of Bishop Muzarelli.
"They are merely lost sheep, who, given time, will find their way back!" Bishop Muzarelli continued to fabricate confidently.