Looking at the sluggish naval chief designer in front of him, Jérôme Bonaparte frowned slightly.
He originally wanted to scold Dico in a stern tone for not taking care of his body, but when he thought that Dico was also doing it for the development of the French Imperial Navy, the original words of reprimand turned into a sentence of faint concern.
“Minister Dico, please don’t overtax your body in the future!
Your body belongs not only to yourself, but to the entire French Empire!"
Dicko, who originally expected to be scolded by the emperor, could not help but feel warm after hearing the emperor's concern. He quickly showed a smile and said to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty, I know my body very well, so you
No need to..."
Before Dico could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a heavy feeling in his chest.
"Cough...cough...cough..."
Continuous coughing sounds came from Dicko's mouth. Dicko, who was originally facing Jerome Bonaparte, quickly covered his mouth with his hands, and then consciously turned his head to one side to prevent the splashed saliva from being contaminated by the heat.
Rome Bonaparte.
Seeing this, Jérôme Bonaparte quickly took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Dicko, and then shouted out the door.
Basilio rushed into the room. He looked at Dico who was coughing and the anxious-looking emperor and immediately understood the situation in the room.
"Your Majesty, I'm going to call the doctor right now!"
Having said that, Basilio hurriedly left the room and went to seek help from the doctor.
Jérôme Bonaparte stood up from the sofa and continued to look at Dicko, who was coughing.
A terrible disease suddenly appeared in Jerome Bonaparte's mind.
Did Dicko have tuberculosis?
Jerome Bonaparte couldn't help but secretly thought.
If Dicko really has tuberculosis, it will be difficult for Dicko to continue to serve as Lord of the Admiralty in his current condition.
Although Dicko was indeed crucial to the development of the French navy, Jérôme Bonaparte was more concerned about Dicko's health.
Tuberculosis is a disease that would have threatened an "old man" like Dico, who is approaching his fifties, even a young adult if something went wrong.
More importantly, treatments for tuberculosis simply ceased to exist in the 19th century.
Dicko can only cultivate his character as much as possible, only in this way can he extend his life.
However, for a man like Dicko who loves the Navy more than his own life, this method is undoubtedly more uncomfortable than killing him.
After a while, Dicko finally stopped coughing. He looked at Jerome Bonaparte again, with an apologetic expression on his face.
"Your Majesty, I'm really sorry! Maybe it's because I stayed up late yesterday, which caused some abnormalities in my body!
Just take a rest and you'll be fine!" Dicko explained to Jérôme Bonaparte, seemingly trying to downplay the fact that he was physically weak.
"Minister Dicko, let's wait for the doctor to tell you!
I am more willing to trust the doctor's judgment than your own diagnosis of the disease!" Jerome Bonaparte responded to Dicko calmly.
Dicko also understood that his reasons were too high, so he had no choice but to agree to Jerome Bonaparte's arrangement, and at the same time silently prayed in his heart that he would not be ill.
Because the empire will never allow a sick minister to work while sick.
The doctor hasn't arrived yet, so Minister Dick immediately changed the subject.
"Your Majesty, you called me here from the Admiralty. What are your orders?"
Jérôme Bonaparte did not directly inform Dicko of the maritime exercise plan, but asked Dicko, "Minister Dicko, from the time we signed the Mediterranean Naval Agreement with the Kingdom of Britain to now, how far are you from the goal you set?"
!”
"Your Majesty, the current number of the Imperial Navy still exceeds the number of naval fleets agreed with the Kingdom of Britain!" Dicko chose to use vague words to respond to Jerome Bonaparte.
As for the "treasures" in his hands, Dicko was actually not willing to sell them.
"How much is the distance? I need an accurate data!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Dicko in an unquestionable tone.
Dico slowly raised three fingers and replied to Jerome Bonaparte with a look of pain on his face, "About 30%!"
After hearing Dicko's answer, Jérôme Bonaparte immediately understood that Dicko had not strictly implemented the agreement at all.
Originally, in the Mediterranean, the number of British warships and French warships was only a few warships apart.
After the Anglo-French naval treaty was signed, according to the treaty, the proportion of Britain and France should be 70% of that of Great Britain.
At present, Dicko's navy is still more than 30% away from the agreed number, which means that the number of French navy is still the same as that of Britain in the Mediterranean.
During this year, Dicko did not try his best to promote the Navy.
"You are really good at hiding it!" Jérôme Bonaparte said with a hint of reproach in his tone, "If I hadn't asked specifically, were you going to cover the treasure in your hand until it was rusty?
"
"Your Majesty, it's not my fault!" Dicko shouted to Jerome Bonaparte as if he had been greatly wronged. "I also want to sell all the navy in my hands as soon as possible, but unfortunately no country is willing to take over them.
!
Every armored ship is the hard work of the empire, I can’t sell them cheaply!”
After listening to Dicko's explanation, Jérôme Bonaparte immediately agreed with Dicko's words.
However, when I thought about it again, it became clear that Dicko's words were untenable.
Not to mention areas outside the Mediterranean, just take the countries in the Mediterranean region as an example. Both the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Spain have a certain pursuit of naval fleets.
The Ottoman Empire needed to rely on its navy to maintain tranquility in the Black Sea region and at the same time defend the fruits of the Crimean War.
Although the Kingdom of Spain has fallen significantly behind the European average after industrialization, it also needs a certain amount of warships to maintain its colonies!
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! If you make them all by yourself, with the current corrupt government of the Kingdom of Spain, the price of making one ironclad ship yourself is enough to buy two or three.
What's more, the Kingdom of Spain does not have the technology to manufacture ironclads at all.
Only Britain and France in the entire Europe have this technology, and only France has mature ironclad ship technology.
The current British Kingdom has turned to the direction of more (artillery) and thicker (armor) under the deception of Jerome Bonaparte.
It will take at least several years to reverse this thinking.
As long as the price of Dico is fair, the Ottoman Empire and Spain are willing to pay for the warships.
"Minister Dicko! Since you feel that you can't open up sales for French warships, I have an idea. I don't know what you think!" Jerome Bonaparte squinted his eyes and showed a sly smile at the corner of his mouth.
Looking at the fox-like emperor in front of him, Dico knew that the warship in his hands might not be saved.
"Your Majesty, tell me!" Diko, whose heart was bleeding, had to show a submissive expression on his face.
Jérôme Bonaparte immediately pointed to the sea map on the table and said to Dicko, "I want to hold a military exercise in the Mediterranean!
When the time comes, I will invite military attachés from all countries to visit this maritime military exercise!
As long as this military exercise is successful, there is no need to worry about the lack of sales of warships!"
Dicko looked along the sea area pointed by Jerome Bonaparte, with a surprised expression on his face. After a while, he opened his mouth and responded to Jerome Bonaparte, "Your Majesty
, do you want to land in Sardinia in the name of maritime military exercises?"
"Of course not!" Jérôme Bonaparte shook his head and responded to Minister Dicko, and then said to Minister Dicko, "I just want some people to understand that your father will always be your father!"
Dicko immediately understood what Jérôme Bonaparte meant, and he hurriedly stated that he would organize a naval military exercise within a short period of time.
"Yes!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded.
Later, Dicko asked about the military attachés invited by Jerome Bonaparte.
Jérôme Bonaparte chose military attachés from the Kingdom of Spain, the Ottoman Empire, the Austrian Empire, the Russian Empire (the government of Alexander II), the United States of America, and the King of Patagonia.
At first, Dicko didn't feel strange after hearing about Spain and Austria.
When he heard that outside the United States of America and the Kingdom of Patagonia, his expression immediately became particularly confused.
Especially the so-called Kingdom of Patagonia, Dico had never even heard of it.
"Your Majesty, which country is the Kingdom of Patagonia?" Minister Dico hurriedly asked Jerome Bonaparte.
"A country with an indigenous establishment in South America!" Jérôme Bonaparte responded to Minister Dicko.
"Can they really afford warships?" Dicko couldn't help but say to Jerome Bonaparte.
"I'm sure they can afford it!" Jérôme Bonaparte replied to Dicko firmly, and then added, "Because the leader of this country is called Friedrich Bonaparte!
"
Minister Dick instantly understood what Jérôme Bonaparte meant. This so-called country established by the indigenous people seemed to be a shell colony of France.
I don’t know when the emperor got in touch with the indigenous people there and obtained the ownership of the land!
"If the King of Patagonia is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, then I have no objection!" Minister Dico replied to Jerome Bonaparte with a smile, "His Royal Highness has a wealthy father!
Even if he can’t pay the cost of purchasing the fleet, I don’t think your Majesty will just sit idly by!”
"Cough...cough" Jérôme Bonaparte pretended to cough twice and sighed softly, "Alas! Who knows that I am a father who loves children, and Fredrich likes big toys, I
Even if I try my best, I still have to buy it for him!
By the way, the French Empire should not forget to give away some experienced naval officers when the time comes!
If a kingdom wants to build a strong navy, officers are also essential!"