In the face of Jerome Bonaparte’s hint, Valerovsky’s expression and movements underwent changes akin to a Sichuan opera face change in just a few seconds.

Valerovsky’s hand clenched tightly due to his nervousness, and his gaze involuntarily glanced at the door.

Seeing no movement at the door, Valerovsky instinctively breathed a sigh of relief and then turned to Jerome Bonaparte, lowering his voice to inquire.

"Your Majesty, how did you know!"

"Mr. Count, in the distant East, there is an ancient proverb that says: If you want people to be unaware of all you’ve done, unless you haven’t done it!" Jerome Bonaparte spoke to Valerovsky with a slightly teasing tone.

Valerovsky understood that not only are his current actions under the Emperor’s control, but even all the past information has probably already been thoroughly investigated by the Emperor.

Otherwise, how could the Emperor possibly know about this matter.

Thinking of this, Valerovsky suddenly felt a chilling sensation spread throughout his body.

"Count, I actually don’t particularly enjoy probing into a subject’s privacy!

However, there are always some clever people who like to place it on my desk!

I have just learned a little bit!" Jerome Bonaparte said regretfully to Valerovsky.

"To be constantly watched by Your Majesty, truly an honor!" Valerovsky said to Jerome Bonaparte with a look of "surprise".

Although Valerovsky internally detested this invading monarch, he could also understand Jerome Bonaparte’s actions. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

After all, an excellent monarch is destined from the beginning not to maintain eternal trust in any of his officials.

Fickle affection is always a monarch’s privilege.

On the bright side, if a monarch continually keeps an eye on someone, it also proves that person still holds a certain place in the monarch’s mind.

After all, those abandoned by the monarch won’t be pursued by anyone else.

Valerovsky would rather become a person constantly remembered by the monarch than be a transparent person within the court.

Anyone abandoned by the court is destined to be abandoned by Paris’s social circle!

"So, Count, do you require my assistance!" Jerome Bonaparte said eagerly to Valerovsky, "I am very willing to help my subjects solve their life’s troubles!"

Jerome Bonaparte’s "enthusiastic" attitude made it impossible for Valerovsky to refuse.

He knew that if he continued to insist he didn’t need the Emperor’s "help", then what awaited him might be abandonment by the Emperor.

No monarch likes a subject who constantly disobeys.

"Your Majesty, I am indeed troubled by this issue!" Valerovsky said in distress to Jerome Bonaparte, "You should know the relationship between that child and me, while Louisa is my legitimate wife!

She, due to certain reasons, after giving birth to Eugénie, can no longer bear children!"

"Hmm! Hmm!"

Seeing Valerovsky so tactful, Jerome Bonaparte naturally responded in agreement.

"Although I don’t wish to cause conflict with Louisa over this matter, I also don’t want the Valerovsky lineage (here Valerovsky originally intended to say Bonaparte lineage, considering the legitimate Bonaparte lineage being right in front, he had to change to Valerovsky lineage) to be lost!

So I’ve been troubled about whether to acknowledge that child!" Valerovsky smiled bitterly as he spoke to Jerome Bonaparte.

Although Valerovsky initially wanted to handle the heir issue independently, upon careful thought he found this matter to be beyond his capacity to manage.

Not to mention Louisa Laurie’s father still holds power in the Pope State, rashly appointing a child could provoke his resentment.

Furthermore, Louisa Laurie is already part of Empress Augusta’s inner circle.

If chaos ensues, Louisa Laurie could certainly give Valerovsky a hard time.

[Historically, Louisa Laurie Corey did not cause trouble, most likely because she was the Emperor’s mistress.

Knowing she was in the wrong, Louisa Laurie Corey did not oppose Valerovsky on the heir issue, and Napoleon III, on this matter, provided some assistance to Valerovsky in legitimizing the child.

And Jerome Bonaparte had no interest in consorting with the wives of his subjects.]

Jerome Bonaparte nodded with a smile at Valerovsky and said, "You’re right! The noble bloodlines of the Bonaparte Clan and Valerovsky family should not be discontinued (Valerovsky looked surprised)!

I recall the child is still in Turin, isn’t he!"

"Your Majesty, that’s right!" Valerovsky quickly responded to Jerome Bonaparte, "He is still in Turin, with his mother!"

"Then bring him to Paris!" Jerome Bonaparte told Valerovsky, "A 16-year-old needs to receive proper high school and university education to better serve the Empire, doesn’t he?"

"Your Majesty, you are right!" Valerovsky replied excitedly to Jerome Bonaparte, "His mother also mentioned in her letter that Turin’s learning environment is far inferior to that of France!"

"Then why are you hesitating!" Jerome Bonaparte encouraged, "You should bring that child over as soon as possible and teach him to become a noble!"

"Your Majesty, about Louisa..." Valerovsky said to Jerome Bonaparte.

"I will handle things on Louisa’s side!" Jerome Bonaparte said, then added to Valerovsky as he thought of something, "However, that child can only be your adopted son!

He can inherit your title a hundred years from now, but for everything other than the title, you must discuss it with Louisa.

And with Eugénie, you must also do a good job!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Valerovsky followed Jerome Bonaparte’s instructions.

The originally complex inheritance issue was resolved in a few words between Jerome Bonaparte and Valerovsky.

After handling Valerovsky’s private matters, Jerome Bonaparte turned to discuss official business with Valerovsky.

Jerome Bonaparte told Valerovsky that he dispatched him to accompany Prince Monfort to the Austrian Empire.

The purpose was not only to attend Radetzky’s funeral but also to hope Valerovsky could befriend the Prussian Envoy to Austria, Otto von Bismarck.

[In the original history, Otto von Bismarck should have served as the Prussian Envoy to Russia, however, the Russian Empire is still in a civil war, so Von Bismarck was not sent to the Russian Empire, and after serving as the Envoy to Frankfurt, he turned to become the Prussian Envoy to Austria.]

"Otto von Bismarck!" Valerovsky muttered the name softly, remembering that during his tenure as Foreign Minister, he heard the name from the Emperor’s mouth.

"That’s right! According to intelligence from our Prussian Kingdom Embassy, the King of the Prussian Kingdom is about to depart this life!

And his successor is the present Regent King William Friedrich Ludwig!" Jerome Bonaparte explained leisurely to Valerovsky, "Once William Friedrich Ludwig inherits the throne, the Ambassador Bismarck is bound to become the Prime Minister of the Prussian Kingdom!"

"Your Majesty, why is it him?" Valerovsky suddenly blurted out.

Why? Because it was indeed him historically!!

Jerome Bonaparte muttered internally, maintaining his calm exterior as he explained, "Because the entire Prussian Kingdom couldn’t find a second person willing to take on this responsibility!"

Since Regent King William suppressed the rebellion in the Rhine Region with a firm hand, the entire Prussian Kingdom has been politically split into two.

One is the liberal camp centered around the Rhine Region, the other is the conservative Junker camp centered around the East Prussian Region.

In such a politically fragmented situation, the Prussian Kingdom is constantly in turmoil.

The political turmoil has incited economic turmoil, which has swept across the entire Prussian Kingdom, even affecting the various States within the German Customs Union.

Many States suffered not only from the American economic crisis but also from the Rhine land economic crisis.

Many companies and banks went bankrupt in this torrent, and the bonds listed in Frankfurt plummeted.

The Northern German States, led by Hanover, can’t say enough how much they resent the Prussian Kingdom.

To prevent the Prussian Kingdom from carrying out another large-scale suppression of the Rhine, which could lead to the Rhine crisis affecting the entire German Region.

The Hanover Kingdom righteously rejected the Prussian Kingdom’s request to change guards across its territory; the Prussian troops that were supposed to withdraw and replace from the Rhine land last October hadn’t left by December.

As the Regent of Prussia, William began to regret his rash suppression of the Koblenz Region. To make up for his mistakes, and also to ease relations with the Rhine Region.

(More importantly, to continue collecting taxes in the Rhine!

The entire Rhine land is fundamental to Prussia’s taxation, and without sufficient tax revenue, there would be no excellent army!)

Regent King William could only publicly announce that he would reconvene the Third Estate Meeting of the Prussian Kingdom in March this year.

Regent King William’s move did not face opposition from the Prussian military because the military also needed sufficient military expenditures.

Without the support of the Rhine land, the Prussian army simply could not continue its reorganization.

"Currently, he (William I) is already sitting atop a volcano ready to erupt at any moment, and any carelessness could blow him to smithereens!

Just like Louis XVI back then!" Jerome Bonaparte smirked with a gloating expression, "He needs a non-liberal Prime Minister to withstand the liberal fury, and this Prime Minister also has to maintain a close relationship with the Prussian military!

Among everyone, only Bismarck can do it!!"