Prince Albert ultimately was not swayed by Jerome Bonaparte’s sophistry, but he did not want to get tangled in the issue of the Sardinian Kingdom either.

After all, the French Empire had completely occupied Savoy and Nice, and trying to make them relinquish it was practically impossible.

"Jerome, I don’t want to discuss the issues of Savoy and Nice any further!" Prince Albert responded seriously to Jerome Bonaparte, "However, I hope that in the upcoming naval negotiations, the French Empire can communicate with the Kingdom of Britain with integrity!"

Otherwise, I really don’t know how to persuade the Kingdom of Britain to continue trusting you!"

"Rest assured!" Jerome Bonaparte promptly assured Prince Albert, "I invited you this time with the intention of maintaining peace in the Mediterranean!"

"That’s good!" Prince Albert nodded.

Subsequently, Prince Albert also expressed his wish to Jerome Bonaparte to visit the French Imperial Fleet!

Faced with Prince Albert’s request, Jerome Bonaparte hesitated for a moment, and after a while, he finally responded to Prince Albert, "Alright then! After some time, we will go to Marseille together to visit!"

"Good!" Prince Albert responded eagerly to Jerome Bonaparte.

...

In the following days, Jerome Bonaparte and his spouse accompanied Prince Albert and his spouse for sightseeing in Paris and its surrounding areas.

Meanwhile, the French Minister of the Navy, Dico, and the British Secretary of the Navy were continuously debating the number of Anglo-French fleets in the Mediterranean.

Dico believed that the fleet stationed by France in the Mediterranean should be 90% of the British Mediterranean Fleet. His reasoning was that as a global power with national strength on par with Britain, the fleet stationed in the Mediterranean should reflect the French Empire’s stature.

However, the British Secretary of the Navy believed that the French Mediterranean Fleet should be limited to 60% of the British Kingdom’s fleet, as only this would ensure genuine peace and stability in the Mediterranean.

Thus, the back-and-forth arguments continued for several days until Jerome Bonaparte and Prince Albert returned from their tour of the province.

Jerome Bonaparte and Prince Albert also joined the debate between the English and French Navy Ministers.

"Jerome, I believe that the number of French Empire deployments in the Mediterranean should be slightly reduced!" Prince Albert said to Jerome Bonaparte.

"Albert, how much do you think our Mediterranean fleet should be compared to yours?" Jerome Bonaparte inquired of Prince Albert.

After a moment of contemplation, Prince Albert replied to Jerome Bonaparte, "65%. I think this figure is enough to allow the French Empire to maintain its influence while also ensuring peace in the Mediterranean!"

After hearing Prince Albert’s words, Jerome Bonaparte also showed a contemplative expression. After a long time, Jerome Bonaparte spoke to Prince Albert, "How about 75%! I believe only if the number of French Empire’s Mediterranean Fleet is 75% of the British Kingdom’s, can its influence remain intact while maintaining Mediterranean hegemony!"

Albert fell silent again, then he turned to his nearby Navy Minister, "What do you think?"

"Your Majesty!" The British Secretary of the Navy lifted his head and spoke firmly to Jerome Bonaparte, "The French Empire’s Mediterranean Fleet is only allowed to be 70% of the British Kingdom’s!

If the French Empire is unwilling, then there is no need to continue this negotiation!"

After hearing the British Navy Minister’s definitive statement, Jerome Bonaparte turned his gaze to Prince Albert, and Prince Albert also nodded to Jerome Bonaparte, "His attitude is my attitude!"

Jerome Bonaparte was silent again, and then he gritted his teeth and said to Prince Albert, "Fine! 70% it is!

However, I do not intend to destroy the excess fleet."

Then, Jerome Bonaparte informed Prince Albert that he would allocate the excess ships to the Far East, or directly sell them to other countries, hoping the Kingdom of Britain would not obstruct it.

Prince Albert graciously stated that he would certainly not block Jerome Bonaparte’s actions, as long as Jerome Bonaparte did not trade ships for territory, and Jerome Bonaparte also agreed to Prince Albert’s request.

Seeing that Emperor Jerome Bonaparte had agreed to reduce the fleet numbers, Minister Dico couldn’t help but have tears well up in his eyes. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

To him, every ship was his labor of love, and to have them all removed from the combat sequence through a negotiation as simple as this was truly heart-wrenching.

After Prince Albert and the British Secretary of the Navy left, a slightly mournful Minister Dico asked Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, are you truly ready to hand over Mediterranean hegemony to them?"

With his head lowered, Jerome Bonaparte remained silent for a long time before speaking to Minister Dico again, "Dico, so-called Mediterranean hegemony is inseparable from maritime supremacy!

If the French Empire cannot achieve naval supremacy, then Mediterranean supremacy is out of the question!

Even if we manage to suppress Britain in the Mediterranean, so what? The Kingdom of Britain can deploy all its fleets stationed elsewhere into the Mediterranean!

Thus, they’ll crush our fragile Mediterranean supremacy in one stroke. Mediterranean supremacy is just a fantasy!"

"Without France’s protection, what will happen to Egypt and the Suez Canal!" Minister Dico responded to Jerome Bonaparte. "Once the Suez Canal opens, we won’t be able to hold onto it!"

Jerome Bonaparte sighed and replied to Minister Dico, "Actually, I never expected Egypt and the Suez Canal to become France’s possession!

These two things will eventually be occupied by Britain."

"Then why did you..." Minister Dico asked Jerome Bonaparte with confusion.

"It’s precisely because Egypt and the Suez Canal are things the Kingdom of Britain is determined to get that I wanted to acquire them!

For the purpose of making them compromise in other areas with France and in exchange, we would compromise in Egypt!" Jerome Bonaparte explained to Minister Dico.

Minister Dico seemingly understood, nodded, and could only sigh heavily as he left.

...

Britain and France maintained a fleet ratio of 1 to 0.7 in the Mediterranean, swiftly reaching an agreement under the joint efforts of Jerome Bonaparte and Prince Albert.

Since this news was simply a disgrace to the people of Paris who had just accepted the annexation of Savoy and Nice.

Therefore, Jerome Bonaparte did not bring this issue to the public, and also restricted major newspapers within France from comparing the fleet numbers of England and France.

However, even though Jerome Bonaparte closely guarded against such issues, he could defend against domestic articles but not those from abroad.

With the covert push from the British Cabinet, all of Britain knew that the French Empire had compromised with the Kingdom of Britain on the issue of Mediterranean supremacy.

The Britons wore proud expressions, and thus began subscribing to such newspapers.

Soon, these Britons discovered a "treasure," finding a person named Marx hurling curses at Jerome Bonaparte in British newspapers.

As a result, some Britons took an interest in Dr. Ma.

After investigation, they found that Dr. Ma’s insults to Jerome Bonaparte were consistent over the years.

To "commend" Dr. Ma for his contributions, they began subscribing to the newspaper that frequently published Dr. Ma’s criticisms of Jerome Bonaparte.

As a result, Dr. Ma’s name began spreading when a small portion of the French newspapers slipped past customs checks and copied, then reprinted, the articles.

The entire Paris was secretly filled with articles unfavorable to Jerome Bonaparte, forcing Jerome Bonaparte to dispatch police to raid some "underground workshops," finally managing to suppress them before the situation spiraled out of control.

However, the news of Jerome Bonaparte yielding to Britain still managed to spread.

At this moment, Jerome Bonaparte and Prince Albert, the parties involved, were in Marseille. After arriving in Marseille, they rested for a night and then took a train to Toulon the next morning.

The two disembarked from Toulon Railway Station and immediately met with the Commander of the Mediterranean Fleet. Guided by the Fleet Commander, Jerome Bonaparte and Albert traveled by carriage to Toulon Military Port.

Upon disembarking at Toulon Military Port, Prince Albert was shocked to see the massive warships docked at the port’s docks and said to Jerome Bonaparte, "These..."

"What you’re pointing at is a warship recently developed by France!" Jerome Bonaparte introduced to Prince Albert, then continued, "Albert, I recall your Kingdom of Britain’s second ironclad is about to be launched!

No need to be so surprised!"

Prince Albert remained silent for a moment before replying to Jerome Bonaparte, "Our ports are nothing as grand as Toulon Military Port!"

"Would you like me to sell you a few?" Jerome Bonaparte joked with Prince Albert.

"No need!" Albert shook his head in refusal and then proudly said, "We will definitely build even more powerful warships!"