CHAPTER 1 Jerome Bonaparte Comes to Faithful London
8:00 am on April 22, 1848.
A clipper ship loaded with cargo and passengers set off from Calais across the English Channel, broke through the white fog that dispersed on the sea level, and arrived in the waters near the London dockyard in the early morning.
On the watchtower of the dock, the signalman responsible for reporting the entry of ships into the port not only gave the signal to the moving ships to allow entry into the port, but also reported the news of the ships entering the port to the people below the watchtower. The London dock, which had been silent all night, welcomed it now.
First order of business today.
"You pigs and trash! If you don't want to be unemployed like other docks, please do something!"
At the dock on the shore, dock workers in shabby and dusty clothes, under the shouts of the rude dock supervisor, gathered their tired bodies after having just moved and sorted the goods, but did not have time to rest for a while, and boarded the small boat prepared at the dock.
Although their faces were full of numbness, their bodies still moved involuntarily.
It was not easy to find jobs in the 19th century, let alone that we are still in a special period now. If something goes wrong at all, what awaits them is unreasonable layoffs.
Redundancy means slow death for a dockworker, who has seen many bodies floating down the Thames in the days since the economic crisis.
Roommates who were laughing and laughing together one day may become homeless the next day because they are unemployed and unable to pay the rent.
Not to mention them, even those gentlemen who usually wear beautiful clothes are always facing the risk of unemployment or even death.
In the past few days, they have seen countless bodies floating on the Thames, wearing black jackets with their heads facing the water and their backs to the sky.
Listening to them, these people are usually opportunistic guys.
It is the purest wish in the heart of every dock worker that he must not be fired.
…
Under the guidance of the observation deck, the small boats parked on both sides of the London dock slowly sailed into the narrow distributary channel. Each small boat and large ship entered the port smoothly, the anchor was slowly lowered, the bow girder was separated from the stays, and the main sail and the secondary
The sails were furled one after another, and the ship used the remaining power to continue driving for a certain distance until the thick iron anchor completely sank into the water.
Several small boats gradually approached the cargo ship and the sailboat, and the wooden inclined ladder dropped from the sailboat to the small boats.
Passengers on the plywood slide from the ramp to the boat under the command of the sailor, and then take the boat ashore.
Passengers left the ship and boarded the boat one by one, until the last young man arrived.
At this time, he was smiling and shaking hands with the sailors surrounding him.
The sailors were so excited when they were held by the young people that they kept chanting words such as "Long live the Emperor" and "Long live the Empire".
"Cough...cough..."
A clear cough came from behind the sailors. Almost all the sailors knew that the owner of the sound was the captain of the ship. Then the rough voice of the first mate came: "You have to surround the guests.
When! Have you all forgotten your responsibilities? Go to work quickly!"
The sailors who originally surrounded the young man dispersed after hearing Dafu's rough voice, and many sailors had expressions of regret on their faces.
The captain and first mate came to the young man and said respectfully, "I'm very sorry for what happened just now! Your Highness the Prince!"
The young man whom the captain called the prince looked to be only twenty-three or four years old. He had a slender figure, his flowing golden hair swayed in the sea breeze, and his black pupils and angular face looked very much like that person.
"Sir!" The young man smiled and stretched out his hand, and said sincerely: "The empire has ceased to exist for many years, and I am no longer a prince! I prefer you to call me Napoleon Jerome than the title of prince.
.Bonaparte【1】!”
"Your Highness..." The captain held little Jerome's hand like a child seeing a new toy and said: "Oh no! Forgive me for calling you Jerome, my father was originally a member of the Imperial Guard.
I grew up listening to the emperor’s stories since I was a child..."
The captain told little Jerome about how his father became a member of the emperor's army, experienced Leipzig with the emperor, and was forced to retire after the battle because of an injury to his right foot...
"When I learned that you were on the ship... I really didn't know how to face you... My father always taught me..." The captain chattered like a flood that turned on the faucet, talking about how his family was the emperor.
The history of conquest.
Jerome listened quietly to the captain's words, nodding from time to time.
The captain's eloquent words continued for nearly half an hour, until the first mate standing aside gently touched his body with his elbow.
The captain reacted and quickly apologized to Jérôme.
Jerome nodded and said: "Thank you for everything you have done for the empire. The Bonaparte family will not forget his supporters!"
After saying that, Jérôme took out his pocket watch from his coat pocket. It was already a quarter past nine.
There is less than 2 hours left before the meeting.
"I'm sorry! Please allow me to excuse you. I'm going to meet with my cousin! Breaking an appointment rashly is not what a gentleman should do!" Jérôme said with a hint of apology in his tone.
"No...no...I was rude!" the captain also apologized.
Under the watch of the captain, first mate and all the crew, Jérôme Bonaparte left the sailboat and jumped into the small boat leading to the London dock.
Little Jérôme, who was sitting in the stern of the boat, looked at the countless small boats going back and forth on both sides of the river, with a hint of confusion in his eyes.
It has been nearly 4 months since he traveled through time, and there is still a vague barrier between him and this world.
Everything in front of me seems so illusory, but it actually exists.
The water of the Thames is many times dirtier than it was in the 21st century, and there is an unspeakable pungent smell in the air.
Those who advocate fresh air should really come here to take a look at the pure fresh air of Angsa in the 19th century.
Little Jerome complained silently in his heart.
As the boat continued to move forward, the pungent smell became stronger and stronger.
Sitting on the boat and looking far into the distance, you can see rows of tall "chimneys" emitting white smoke.
This kind of smoke is sulfur dioxide after coal combustion. If it were the 21st century, emissions like this would only attract the attention of environmental workers, and rectification and shutdown would be just around the corner.
In the 19th century, this was a symbol of the strength of an empire.
The giant beast called industry is spreading its ferocious fangs in an attempt to devour the entire world.
Notes: 1. Napoleon Jerome Bonaparte (September 9, 1822 - March 17, 1891), the son of Jerome Bonaparte and the nephew of Napoleon.