The astute Pierre Bonaparte also noticed Jerome Bonaparte’s gaze, and he quickly bowed his head as a sign of reflection.
Jerome Bonaparte’s gaze lingered on Pierre Bonaparte only for a moment before shifting elsewhere.
"Father, cousin, I kindly ask you both to closely monitor the actions of the Parliament! Right now, the power in France is mainly concentrated in the hands of Cavaignac and the National Assembly!" Jerome Bonaparte did not issue orders to Prince Old Jerome and his cousin in a commanding tone but requested them in a negotiating manner.
The erring Pierre Bonaparte responded submissively to Jerome Bonaparte, "Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Understood!" Prince Old Jerome replied lazily.
If it weren’t for wanting his son to become President, he would not bother going to the National Assembly to listen to those tediously long speeches, he would prefer to enjoy himself at the Opera House instead!
"Colonel Flerri, you will stay at the Rhine Inn for a while! If someone comes looking for me, be sure to pass the message to me immediately!" Jerome Bonaparte assigned the liaison task to Flerri.
This was evidently not a good task for Flerri, who wanted to stay by Jerome Bonaparte’s side, but he had no choice but to agree.
"As for you, Senator Eugène!" Jerome Bonaparte patted Eugène Roué on the shoulder and said, "During the time before the election results are announced, accompany me in visiting some eminent figures in Paris. We must maintain regular contact with these people!"
Jerome Bonaparte deliberately emphasized the words "eminent figures." To outsiders, this might seem like Jerome Bonaparte’s emphasis on the local high society of Paris, but in Eugène Roué’s ears, he clearly heard the Prince’s dissatisfaction with them.
"Yes!" Eugène Roué accepted Jerome Bonaparte’s "appointment," meaning that during this period, he could replace Percy as a close confidant by the Prince’s side.
Once all the tasks for the Bonapartes were assigned, Jerome Bonaparte turned and said to Princess Mathilde, "Sister, I’m going to visit Mr. Victor Hugo, care to join?"
Mathilde was momentarily taken aback, then shook her head and said, "Better not!"
"Eugène, let’s go!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Eugène Roué.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Eugène Roué nodded in response.
Jerome Bonaparte and Eugène Roué left the temporary meeting venue together. Those remaining exchanged looks and subsequently departed one after another.
"Eugène, do you know where Senator Hugo lives?" Jerome Bonaparte slowly descended the stairs while inquiring the following Eugène Roué.
"Of course!" Eugène Roué responded without hesitation.
"Alright!" Jerome Bonaparte replied once more.
Reaching the ground floor, Jerome Bonaparte gave the innkeeper a friendly smile and then left the inn.
Standing by the roadside, the two raised their hands, and a black carriage swiftly came to a halt in front of them.
Jerome Bonaparte and Eugène Roué entered the carriage one after the other and instructed the coachman to head to Vosges Square, which was Victor Hugo’s current residence; from 1832 to 1848, Victor Hugo resided at Vosges Square.
The carriage set off again towards Vosges Square.
At the very moment Jerome Bonaparte was heading to Vosges Square to visit Victor Hugo, Victor Hugo, living at Vosges Square, was also discussing Jerome Bonaparte.
Vosges Square Hugo Mansion.
This was Victor Hugo’s most leisurely day. At the moment, he was sitting on a sofa with legs crossed, reading the newspaper. Without the endless parliamentary squabbles over trifles, without editors and opera house owners urging for drafts, everything was so quiet and peaceful. Of course, contributing to this serene scene was not only the environment itself but also the melodious piano sound from the piano room, played by Victor Hugo’s youngest daughter, Adèle Hugo.
A cup of coffee and a stack of newspapers were enough to occupy Hugo for the entire day.
However, Hugo’s tranquility didn’t last long before it was disrupted by his "unfortunate" second son, François Hugo.
François Hugo carefully approached Victor Hugo and whispered mysteriously, "Father, do you know? Paris might be on the brink of change!"
"Hmm?" Victor Hugo paused, his deep eyes turning towards François Hugo, "What is it?"
"Prince Jerome Bonaparte has returned!" François Hugo said to Victor Hugo.
"Who did you hear that from?" Victor Hugo asked again.
"Didn’t I attend the soirée Baron Achille Fuld hosted yesterday?" François Hugo explained to Victor Hugo.
"Why would you attend that guy’s soirée?" Victor Hugo frowned, his expression showing disdain for Baron Achille Fuld.
"Father, wasn’t I doing it for the sake of our newspaper?" François Hugo raised his voice in response to Victor Hugo.
"Keep it down!" Victor Hugo softly scolded, "Don’t disturb your sister’s piano playing!"
François Hugo then realized his sister’s presence, and immediately covered his mouth.
But it was too late by then, the piano music in the room had abruptly stopped after François Hugo raised his voice.
The piano room door opened, and a girl with puffy hair dressed in a white long dress appeared, it was Adèle Hugo.
"Father, brother, are you arguing again?" Adèle Hugo asked, leaning against the doorframe.
"No! Sweetheart, continue playing the piano!" Victor Hugo said tenderly, with a smile through his bushy beard.
"Alright!" Adèle Hugo nodded, turning to go back to the piano room.
Victor Hugo gave François Hugo a reproachful glance.
François Hugo awkwardly smiled, then lowered his voice, "Isn’t our ’Current Affairs’ always in a deficit? I thought I’d help you find a generous banker! Just happened that Baron Achille Fuld was hosting a soirée, so..."
"Did you find a generous banker?" Victor Hugo asked with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
"Not really!" François Hugo smiled awkwardly, then changing the subject, "But, at the soirée, I saw Mathilde Bonaparte along with Jerome Bonaparte! I didn’t expect people of their stature to attend Baron Achille Fuld’s soirée!"
"And then? What did you hear?"