Jerome Bonaparte swiftly entered the study, closed the door, and assumed a humble posture, offering a hand-kiss salute to the elderly man before him.
[Kissing the ring on Pope Pius IX’s hand as a sign of piety. Some devout believers of lesser status would kneel before Pope Pius IX and kiss his boot. Every year during the carnival, a group of devout followers is summoned by the Pope. This kind of activity has become quite commonplace.]
Pope Pius IX remained silent, patiently waiting for the completion of this hand-kiss salute by the second generation of the Bonaparte family.
"Your Majesty!" said Jerome Bonaparte after completing the hand-kiss, stepping back to continue showing due respect to this "God of the Human World."
"Child of the Bonaparte family!" Pope Pius IX’s face bore a smile, his eyes immersed in reminiscence: "In my youth, I had some connections with you! Back then, I served as a lieutenant in your uncle’s army, following the Imperial Army on campaigns far and wide! Thinking back now, it indeed is something worth reminiscing!"
Jerome Bonaparte quietly listened to Pope Pius IX’s recollections, initially shocked, but then regaining composure, he respectfully responded, "That is our honor!"
"So..." Pope Pius IX shifted his gaze to this rising star of the Bonaparte Clan before him. Having once served in Emperor Napoleon’s Guard Army and witnessed Emperor Napoleon in person, Pope Pius IX couldn’t help but acknowledge this guy’s appearance had some resemblance to Emperor Napoleon. Without careful observation, one might mistake him for Emperor Napoleon reborn: "You have offered a gem from your family, hoping to obtain something from me, from the Holy See..."
A trace of bewilderment flashed in Jerome Bonaparte’s eyes; he didn’t seem to have offered any gem!
Could it be Lucien Louis?
Never mind, he would inquire after the meeting.
"It is out of sincerity towards the Holy See!" Jerome Bonaparte maintained a facade of "I am a Son of God."
"I believe in your piety!" Pope Pius IX "satisfactorily" nodded, inwardly adding: your piety probably resembles that of your uncle!
"Of course, we hope Your Majesty can spread the gospel to France!" Jerome Bonaparte subtly sought support from Pope Pius IX.
"That would be difficult!" Pope Pius IX feigned difficulty, shaking his head with a sigh, "You should know that France is not a kingdom anymore; it has now become a republic!"
"The republic has no regulations preventing Your Majesty from spreading the gospel there!" Jerome Bonaparte continued.
"Alas!" Pope Pius IX sighed again, saying, "You are not the only ones asking me to spread the gospel!"
Jerome Bonaparte naturally understood Pope Pius IX’s meaning. For a Pope who emerged from thousands of missionaries, it was impossible to be swayed by mere sentiment. What he previously said was merely to give himself the illusion of sincerity. The other two factions he mentioned are probably the Count of Chambord and Louis Philippe.
"Your Majesty, the remaining two parties cannot assist you in the short term!" Jerome Bonaparte decided to lay his cards on the table: "As of now, the Austrian Empire’s situation is critical; the Apennine Peninsula is already shrouded in unrest, and it might soon descend upon the Papal State!"
Pope Pius IX’s expression shifted from transcendence to contemplation.
Jerome Bonaparte seized the moment and continued, "Your Majesty! I heard that the Austrian Empire has already agreed to mediate, and once the mediation succeeds, they will inevitably have to cede some territories to the Sardinian Dynasty. By that time, Austria will have to withdraw from the Apennine sphere of influence. Can the expansionist Sardinian Dynasty tolerate a divided Apennine?"
Jerome Bonaparte paused, observing Pope Pius IX’s increasingly gloomy face, and said, "By then, the Sardinian Dynasty will undoubtedly strike at both Your Majesty and the Kingdom of Naples! How can the Papal State, without the protection of Austrian armies, defeat the Sardinian Dynasty!"
"I must excommunicate the Sardinian Dynasty!" Pope Pius IX said in exasperation.
"Your Majesty! Once the Sardinian Dynasty decides to unify the entire Apennine, excommunication would be a negligible matter to them!" Jerome Bonaparte remarked to Pope Pius IX from a historical perspective.
Pope Pius IX also understood this truth. It was no longer the Middle Ages; excommunication no longer inflicted real harm on a nation.
The choice between full control of the Apennine Peninsula and a trivial excommunication was obvious.
"How can you assure me that you will secure power?" Pope Pius IX confronted Jerome Bonaparte forthrightly.
"Your Majesty, the entire French countryside now holds one name in high regard!" asserted Jerome Bonaparte confidently, raising a finger: "Bonaparte! As long as universal suffrage remains in France, the Bonaparte name will rise!"
"What if not?" Pope Pius IX countered.
"Then, Your Holiness will face a scenario of isolation and helplessness!" Jerome Bonaparte said as he spread his hands: "In such case, the republican government might grant you a place to stay, and only a place to stay! If you choose us, then the French Army will be your loyal ally!"
Pope Pius IX remained silent, and Jerome Bonaparte knew he was weighing the pros and cons of this matter.
Jerome Bonaparte waited quietly for Pope Pius IX’s response.
After a while, Pope Pius IX spoke again, "I can transmit the gospel within France!"
"Thank you for your generosity!" Jerome Bonaparte smiled.
"But not now!" Pope Pius IX added: "You need to show me your capability!"
As expected, no rewards without work!
A better aware Jerome Bonaparte didn’t expect his rhetoric to secure Pope Pius IX’s blessing, nor would he agree even if Pope Pius IX wanted to grant him one now.
It was currently a "sensitive period" for the French provisional government, and he didn’t want to draw attention from Cafenak.
"Of course, we will not disappoint you!" replied Jerome Bonaparte to Pope Pius IX. Then he retrieved a stack of manuscripts from his coat to hand to Pope Pius IX.
"What’s this..." Pope Pius IX eyed the stack of manuscripts curiously.
"This is another gift I present to Your Majesty!" Jerome Bonaparte replied to Pope Pius IX.
Since becoming Pope, no one had ever sent him such a gift, which intrigued Pope Pius IX as he flipped through the contents of the manuscripts.
The first page of the manuscript boldly titled it as a tentative "Catholic Economic Ethics."