January 29, 1849.
In January, France always had longer nights and shorter days. At six o'clock, the sky was still adorned with countless stars. The gray-black sky and the howling cold wind shrouded all of Paris, instilling a vague sense of oppression and shivering, much like the current state of Paris.
Under the gray-black sky, the study room in the Elysee Palace was unusually lit. Through the candlelight emanating from the study, a silhouette could faintly be seen by the window; it was Jerome Bonaparte.
Wearing Napoleon's triangular hat, a blue-black Lev's formal suit, the Legion of Honor on his chest, and cowhide long boots, Jerome Bonaparte stood by the window, gazing at the sky that was about to break, then glanced at the gilded clock pendulum beside him.
The military parade was still more than four hours away. It was the earliest Jerome Bonaparte had woken up since becoming president, and it was also the first military parade in his presidential career.
