After Richard Metternich once again left the Tuileries Palace, Jerome Bonaparte instructed Bashirio to go to the Sardinia Embassy and invite Prime Minister Cavour... no, it should be Minister Cavour, to come to the Tuileries Palace!

After an indeterminate amount of time, the sound of knocking once again reached Jerome Bonaparte’s ears, and Jerome Bonaparte, with his head lowered, faintly said, "Come in!"

The sound of the door opening reached Jerome Bonaparte’s ears, followed by Bashirio’s voice, "Your Majesty, I have brought Count Cavour!"

Jerome Bonaparte then raised his head, looking at Bashirio and Cavour behind him in the distance.

"You may leave now! I need to have a good talk with Cavour!" Jerome Bonaparte responded coolly to Bashirio.

"Yes!" Bashirio immediately bowed to Jerome Bonaparte, then left.

The door closed once more, leaving only Jerome Bonaparte and Cavour in the room.

"Count Cavour, come and sit!" Jerome Bonaparte pointed to the chair opposite him and said to Cavour.

Cavour obeyed Jerome Bonaparte’s instruction, walked step by step to Jerome Bonaparte’s opposite side, and then sat down.

After the two sat face to face for a while, Jerome Bonaparte opened his mouth to ask Cavour again, "Count Cavour, do you know why I have called you here?"

Cavour shook his head slightly, looking at Jerome Bonaparte with a somewhat bewildered expression, and said, "Your Majesty, I do not know!"

Seeing the confusion in Cavour’s eyes, Jerome Bonaparte couldn’t help but wonder if Cavour truly didn’t know.

"Alright! Since you don’t know, let me tell you!" Jerome Bonaparte began to relay the contents of the telegram that Richard Metternich had just described in the study, embellishing and editing it as he spoke to Cavour.

Cavour, upon hearing that Victor Emmanuel II wanted to rely on expanding the investigation members to solve the crisis facing Sardinia, suddenly realized that Victor Emmanuel II’s approach was indeed better than his simple reliance on the French Empire.

At this thought, Cavour couldn’t help but feel some regret for his mistakes in diplomacy.

In usual times, he always told Victor Emmanuel II that the Sardinian Kingdom’s method for unifying Italy was dependent on the contradictions between the international community.

Unexpectedly, this time, when the Austrian Empire invaded the Sardinian Kingdom, he had become so muddled that he forgot about relying on international mediation, instead blindly relying on assistance from the French Empire.

It indeed was a miscalculation!

"Count Cavour, Count Cavour!" Just as Cavour was deep in thought, Jerome Bonaparte’s voice came.

Cavour, snapping back to reality, hurriedly replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, I’m here!"

"Mr. Garibaldi, what do you think of your King Victor Emmanuel II’s proposal for a joint investigation?" Jerome Bonaparte said to Cavour with a cunning smile.

"Your Majesty, I don’t know when or where our King made this suggestion!" Cavour responded to Jerome Bonaparte, "However, I personally believe that a joint investigation is beneficial and harmless to the Sardinian Kingdom!

I trust the French Empire can fairly and impartially uphold justice for the Sardinian Kingdom!"

Nonsense! Of course, a joint investigation would benefit you all, but it would be detrimental to France! If you were to bring Britain in, that would be even worse! Jerome Bonaparte thought to himself.

Although Jerome Bonaparte knew that Victor Emmanuel II’s request for a joint investigation was indeed unfavorable for France, he couldn’t reveal it outright.

Thus, Jerome Bonaparte tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a contemplative gesture. After a while, he raised his head again and said to Cavour, "A joint investigation is indeed beneficial and harmless, but do you know why the Austrian Empire went out of their way to tell me about this matter?"

"Your Majesty, I do not know!" Although Cavour’s heart had already "guessed" what Jerome Bonaparte wanted to say next, he had to feign ignorance.

"The Austrian Empire hopes that I can align with them!" Jerome Bonaparte responded to Cavour.

"Your Majesty, please, you must not agree to the Austrian Empire!" Cavour hurriedly said to Jerome Bonaparte after listening.

"But the Austrian Empire said that if I can agree to their request, they are willing to provide France with certain conveniences regarding the Rhine Land issue!" Jerome Bonaparte used a false condition to deceive Cavour, believing that Cavour would not verify it.

Even if Cavour wanted to verify it, Jerome Bonaparte was confident that he could work with the Austrian Empire to deceive the Sardinian Kingdom together with France.

In this world, no country is averse to money.

As long as the French Empire is willing to spend money, then no problem is insurmountable.

Historically, for Savoy and Nice, France invested several hundred million francs, resulting in nearly ten thousand deaths, and offended the Pope.

Now, Jerome Bonaparte needs only to spend an interest-free loan of six hundred million francs to shut the mouth of the Austrian Empire, and he could possibly take Savoy and Nice. Such a deal is too worthwhile for him.

"Your Majesty, please do not be fooled!" Cavour hastily tried to smear the Austrian Empire, saying, "The Austrian Empire is only using false promises to deceive you!"

"Then, Mr. Cavour, is the promise you made to me a real promise or a false promise?" Jerome Bonaparte raised his eyebrows, revealing a sardonic smile while inquiring Count Cavour.

"I..." Cavour paused for a moment, then firmly stated, "Your Majesty, I can guarantee that as long as the Sardinian Kingdom can weather this crisis, we will definitely hand over Savoy and Nice to you!"

"Mr. Cavour, please remember your promise!" Jerome Bonaparte said seriously to Count Cavour, "The thing I hate the most is people who don’t keep their promises!"

"Your Majesty! Rest assured!" Cavour once again assured Jerome Bonaparte, though his heart was still pondering how to renege on France.

Immediately after, Cavour returned from the Tuileries Palace to the Sardinian Embassy in France. "Now, send a telegram to the Sardinian Kingdom, saying we have successfully obtained France’s support for our nation’s demand for an expanded investigation!

As long as France and the Kingdom of Britain jointly investigate, the Austrian Empire will have no reason to trouble us!"

"Minister Cavour, what about Savoy and Nice..." the Sardinian Ambassador couldn’t help but inquire Cavour.

Prime Minister Cavour sighed, saying to the Sardinian Kingdom, "Savoy and Nice can only be approached one step at a time!"

...

Turning attention to the Tuileries Palace, Jerome Bonaparte commanded Cavour once again to notify Richard Metternich.

"Send someone immediately to inform Richard Metternich that the French Empire will agree to the Sardinian Kingdom’s request for a joint investigation!" Jerome Bonaparte instructed Bashirio, "Also request their troops in the Lombardy Region to take action upon hearing the call from the French Empire!"

"Yes!" Bashirio hurriedly responded to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Also, now immediately summon Minister De Luyis and Chief of Staff Nie’er to come to me!" Jerome Bonaparte continued instructing Bashirio.

Bashirio departed again, and about half an hour later, Minister of Foreign Affairs De Luyis and Chief of Staff Nie’er arrived.

"Sit down!" Jerome Bonaparte stood up and invited De Luyis and Nie’er to sit on the sofa.

Then, Jerome Bonaparte informed De Luyis to express support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Sardinian Kingdom’s call for a multinational joint investigation.

De Luyis hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Your Majesty, won’t this affect our relationship with the Austrian Empire?"

Jerome Bonaparte shook his head and replied to De Luyis, "No, I informed the Austrian Empire in advance!"

"Understood!" De Luyis nodded in response to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Nie’er!" Jerome Bonaparte turned his gaze to Nie’er, "Now order the Alps Army to be ready to move at any moment!"

Nie’er was momentarily stunned, then asked Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, who should we fight?"

Jerome Bonaparte gave Nie’er a look and replied, "We will fight no one! Of course, if the Sardinian Kingdom refuses to keep its promise, you may also attack Sardinia!"

"Your Majesty, what promise is it?" Nie’er inquired Jerome Bonaparte again.

Jerome Bonaparte informed Nie’er and De Luyis of Cavour’s promise to cede Savoy and Nice in exchange for France’s protection of Sardinia against the Austrian Empire’s invasion.

"Your Majesty, rest assured! If the Sardinian Kingdom dares to renege, the French Army will make them regret it!" Nie’er assured Jerome Bonaparte.

"Alright! That’s all I have to say; you can return to your work now!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Nie’er and De Luyis.

A day later, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson announced that the French Empire supports the Sardinian Kingdom’s proposal for a multinational joint investigation.

Upon hearing this, the Austrian Empire’s troops stationed in border areas of the Sardinian Kingdom took action, with small isolated incidents playing out at the border between the Austrian Empire and the Sardinian Kingdom.

In the following days, the entire Sardinian Kingdom was on edge due to repeated provocations by the Austrian Empire.

Therefore, Cavour once again sought Jerome Bonaparte to plead for a solution.