After discussing the small incident at the Tuileries Palace, let us turn our attention back to the Tuileries Palace.

At this moment, under the "selfless" devotion of the Imperial Family with a year’s expenses and the encouragement of 10 million francs, a portion of the Legislative Corps members cast affirmative votes for the proposal to sell 80,000 hectares of state-owned forest. The proposal passed by a relative majority of 140 to 120 votes.

[The entire Legislative Corps has 275 seats. Excluding the 8 votes left by Favre, there are 7 abstentions.]

Subsequently, France’s Vice Speaker Bijou struck his wooden gavel twice on the table, saying solemnly.

"I announce that this proposal is officially passed on January 16!"

Instantly, the entire Bourbon Palace resounded with applause like raindrops.

Half a minute later, the applause gradually subsided.

Bijou spoke again, "Representatives, let us move on to the next."

In the ensuing three hours, Ash Fulde discussed national debt interest, military expenses for army and navy, and revenue collection fees with the Legislative Corps. Aside from some differences on military expenses, other resolutions were passed with an absolute majority.

[Some members believed that the army and navy would spend a total of 500 million francs!

That sum occupies a quarter of France’s total budget!

However, when Achille Fuld presented the Kingdom of Britain’s 1858 military expenses (22.5 million British Pounds converted to francs equals 556 million francs), the members present had nothing left to say!

In this era overflowing with national pride, no member dares to openly declare France inferior to the Kingdom of Britain!]

Even the slightly contentious military expenses were passed by the Legislative Corps with a relative advantage of 170 affirmative votes.

Three hours later, accompanied by Vice Speaker Bijou’s announcement of "adjournment," the annual report of the Legislative Corps concluded perfectly.

Representatives seated in the circular meeting hall left their seats in order from left to right, departing through the corridor paved with a red velvet carpet on the right side of the Bourbon Palace.

Once the members left this emblem of the Empire’s supreme power and authority, they were immediately targeted by journalists waiting near the Bourbon Palace.

These journalists, faster than a cannonball, surrounded the members at lightning speed, loudly questioning them about occurrences at the Bourbon Palace.

If these journalists asked in private settings, then some members discontented with the Empire would willingly disclose what happened in the Bourbon Palace anonymously.

However, this is a public venue!

According to Second Empire laws, all members cannot disclose the contents of the Bourbon Palace in public settings.

Any members violating this law face certain criminal penalties; some may be directly stripped of their membership.

No members dare to infringe this law.

Moreover, they are unaware of how many of these journalists questioning them harbor discontent toward the Empire, or are engaging in undercover enforcement!

The members exiting the Bourbon Palace resolutely replied to journalists trying to lead them astray with "No comment"!

Nevertheless, a single "No comment" did not quell the journalists’ curiosity. Some experienced ones decisively abandoned some loyal Empire and centrist members, instead trailing behind Republican Faction delegates and Mountain Faction representatives.

This group following the Republican Faction and Mountain Party firmly believed they could extract from these members what transpired in the Bourbon Palace.

As long as any of these members let something slip, they could obtain firsthand information swiftly and release it immediately.

Of course, this approach might have certain impacts on members who let information slip.

But what concern is that to them!

They are merely journalists; their job is to report "truthful" information.

Whether this information would adversely affect the individuals involved is not within their concern.

When the Imperial Faction and centrist members saw journalists gather around the Republican Faction and Mountain Party delegates, they breathed a sigh of relief and quickly took a carriage to leave the Bourbon Palace.

The Republican Faction and Mountain Party members, surrounded by journalists, endured repeated questioning.

"What do you think of this year’s annual meeting at the Bourbon Palace?"

"Why was Favre expelled from parliament, what mistake did he make within the assembly?

Is it political persecution or another reason?"

...

Facing journalists’ questions, this group of members could only choose to respond evasively.

"No comment!"

"You can ask Representative Favre why he was expelled from parliament!

He can give you the answer you’re seeking!"

...

However, such evasive answers couldn’t satisfy the reporters. They blocked the path of the legislators, making it impossible for them to move forward.

At this moment, Minister Achille Fuld and Vice Speaker Bijou appeared side by side at the main entrance of Bourbon Palace.

Looking at the opposition lawmakers blocked by reporters at the foot of the stairs, a smirk of schadenfreude appeared on Achille Fuld’s lips.

Bijou, standing alongside, immediately understood. He leaned towards Achille Fuld and whispered, "Mr. Fuld, did you arrange for these reporters?"

"Sort of!" Achille Fuld replied ambiguously.

At that time, he simply informed certain individuals in the Paris press that after the Bourbon Palace meeting, reporters could freely roam near the Bourbon Palace without being driven away by gendarmes and police cars.

Unexpectedly, the reporters actually took his word seriously.

"Now they’ve blocked the entrance. Should we disperse them?" Bijou once again asked Achille Fuld.

"Of course!" Achille Fuld, having minorly reprimanded the opposition, nodded in response to Bijou.

Then, Bijou summoned the captain of the guards stationed around Bourbon Palace to his side.

"Summon a company of soldiers immediately and disperse those reporters completely!" Bijou pointed towards the reporters and lawmakers in the distance as he spoke.

The captain looked at the nearby reporters and lawmakers, cautiously asking Bijou, "Vice Speaker, our soldiers are quite rough. What if, during physical contact, they accidentally injure the reporters? That wouldn’t be good!"

"Fool!" Bijou cursed quietly, "Just don’t use force!

Even if you need to, as long as they initiate, you can fully defend yourself!"

The captain immediately understood Bijou’s intent, quickly stood to attention, and saluted Bijou, "Understood!"

After a while, a well-trained company appeared, lined up in the garden outside Bourbon Palace, each soldier holding a curved fork (riot fork).

The reporters blocking the entrance of Bourbon Palace were equally startled upon seeing the soldiers and their riot forks.

"Dear reporters, my soldiers and I do not wish to harm you!

However, our mission is to maintain order at Bourbon Palace, and your blocking of the entrance has seriously disrupted the order!

Therefore, I implore you to leave immediately!" the captain sternly addressed the reporters, "If you refuse to leave, my soldiers and I will take unconventional measures to force you to leave!"

With that said, the captain ordered his soldiers to advance towards the reporters.

Upon receiving the order, this group of soldiers, holding riot forks, marched steadily towards the reporters.

The timid reporters, seeing the soldiers advancing, immediately scattered in all directions to escape.

The Republican Faction and Mountain Party lawmakers, "rescued" from the reporters by soldiers, also glanced coldly at these Empire "accomplices."

They would not forget that it was with the army’s assistance that Jerome Bonaparte was able to overthrow the Republic and establish his Empire.

"Gentlemen legislators, you are now free! Please return and do not linger at the entrance of Bourbon Palace too long!" the captain courteously addressed the lawmakers.

The lawmakers from the Republican Faction and Mountain Party also took carriages and left Bourbon Palace one after another.

After resolving the Bourbon Palace blockade incident, the captain returned to Bourbon Palace to report to Bijou, "Speaker, the reporters and lawmakers have left Bourbon Palace!"

"You’ve worked hard!"

Bijou commended briefly, then headed to Tuileries Palace with Achille Fuld to report.

After the carriage left Bourbon Palace, it traveled in a north-northwest direction, crossed the Concorde Bridge and Concorde Square, and then turned west-southwest, finally arriving at Tuileries Palace.

Bijou and Fuld, alighting from the carriage, were led by Royal Chief Steward Bashirio, who had been waiting for them, to Jerome Bonaparte.

At this moment, Jerome Bonaparte, having just been "chastised" by Augusta, showed a joyful expression upon seeing Bijou and Achille Fuld.

Immediately, Jerome Bonaparte eagerly asked, "Did the Legislative Corps approve the government’s budget? Was the 80,000-hectare national forest proposal passed?"

Achille Fuld and Bijou exchanged a glance, Bijou spoke to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, I’d ask Minister Fuld to describe the entire process at Bourbon Palace to you!"

"Minister Fuld, please go ahead!" Jerome Bonaparte turned his gaze to Achille Fuld.

Achille Fuld vividly narrated everything that happened at Bourbon Palace to Jerome Bonaparte, including his conflict with Favre.

After hearing Achille Fuld’s account, Jerome Bonaparte nodded with satisfaction and praised, "Minister Fuld, you’ve done well!

I am pleased to have a minister like you in the Empire!"

"Your Majesty, this is merely my duty!" Achille Fuld replied modestly.