The Shadow of Great Britain

420: Chapter 239: The Great Century (4K4) 420: Chapter 239: The Great Century (4K4) London, Westminster, 4 Whitehall, Greater London Police Department.

Louis Bonaparte, clutching a stack of files, bustled between the halls of Scotland Yard, receiving occasional nods and greetings from colleagues as they tipped their hats to him.

Although he had been working at Scotland Yard for a month, the officers’ curiosity about him seemed only to increase.

Every newly joined young officer at Scotland Yard would more or less inquire about him.

For a member of the Bonaparte Family to become a police officer was already sensational news, not to mention Louis Bonaparte was a strong contender for the next leader of the Bonaparte Family.

Since Louis Bonaparte’s elder brother, who had joined him in the Carbonari uprising, had died in Italy, and his uncle, the former King of Spain, Joseph Bonaparte, was quite old,

the current head of the Bonaparte Family, Napoleon’s direct son, had always been frail.

Thus, this young man who had been overlooked within the Bonaparte Family had quietly risen to be the second in line to inherit leadership.

In other words, as long as he could maintain his health and live long, he had every chance of assuming the lead of the Bonaparte Family.

As the officers of Scotland Yard passed by Louis Bonaparte, they saw him as no different from usual, courteous and gentle, although his demeanor subtly revealed his noble heritage; however, it never felt overbearing, sometimes making people forget he was a member of the royal family.

What the officers did not know, however, was that in the inner pocket of his tailcoat, he carried a still-warm letter, which he had just received that morning.

The letter was sent from Vienna, Austria, by his cousin, the only legitimate heir of Napoleon, the grandson of Austrian Emperor Francis I through his mother, Duke Francois Joseph Charles Bonaparte of the Austrian Empire.

Dear Louis,

How have you been lately?

It may sound funny, but when we last parted, I was four and you were seven; honestly, I can hardly remember what you looked like.

But for some reason, perhaps because of our blood relation, I still care about you and everyone in the Bonaparte Family.

Recently, my aunt and uncle wrote to me telling me they had found you in London.

God bless, I am relieved that you were not buried by the cannons of the Apennine Peninsula.

Though I am younger than you, it might not be appropriate for me to say this, but I do hope you live a long life.

Louis, from the perspective of maintaining family members, I think your impulsive action to join the Carbonari uprising was reckless.

However, from a young man’s perspective, I can fully understand your impulsiveness.

Louis, about this, I even feel somewhat jealous; you could stand under the sky of the Apennine Peninsula and proudly declare yourself a proud Bonaparte, but I could not do the same.

In the court of Vienna, there have always been conflicted feelings towards me; they see me as having the noble blood of the Habsburg Family and the Bonaparte Family, yet they hesitate to speak about my father’s deeds before me.

Indeed, they almost never mention Napoleon’s great achievements to me.

From a young age, I was brought up with the training that I am a member of the Habsburg Family, taught to hate France and view the French soil as an adversary.

I was once confused, and I thought about embracing this identity they were forcing on me, but when I actually tried to assimilate, I suddenly realized that they did not truly see me as a noble member of the Austrian Habsburg Family.

They would flatteringly refer to me as a prince of Austria, yet behind my back, they call me “Little Napoleon.”

My heart felt as if it were being torn apart, and I could hear my soul screaming.

From that moment on, I finally understood that I am not any member of the Austrian royalty, nor do I belong to the Habsburg Family; I am just a noble prisoner shackled by the Habsburgs.

From that time, I began frantically trying to make up for what I had missed, eager to learn more about my father and the land of France.

But they wouldn’t let me, they even barred me from entering the royal library in Vienna to prevent me from discovering the truths I wished to know.

To achieve this, I voluntarily undertook military training and started requesting to join the Austrian Army from my maternal grandfather.

I was finally able to glimpse the past of the French Empire through the military teachings and battles, and on the tactical sand table, I learned of the glorious achievements of the Bonaparte Family.

After I had completed the full course of military education, my grandfather appointed me as the captain of the 16th Regiment of Hungary, but Metternich still did not trust me; my troops were stationed in Hungary, but they set up my headquarters not far from the imperial palace in Vienna.

But I am not disheartened; I have done my utmost to prove to them that my efforts do pay off.

Maybe you know, my body is weak, but I can compensate with my mental strength.

I fell ill several times, but each time I recovered, I immediately rushed back to attend to military affairs.