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Chapter 192: The Winds of Europe, Part 2
🕑 Added 2025-01-15 22:06:19 +0000 UTCChapter 192: The Winds of Europe, Part 2
Talleyrand nodded thoughtfully, "Yes, Your Highness, reclaiming Silesia is a shared dream among Austrians, from nobles to commoners."
Joseph continued, "And there's also Bavaria. If not for Prussia's interference, Austria might have already acquired that land. In truth, both Prussia and Austria want to be the true rulers of the greater German region, which is why they keep a close eye on each other. If Austria had our support and no other external distractions, they would gladly crush Prussia, even if it meant exhausting their entire nation's resources. Because if they succeed, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire would truly control the empire."
In the Middle Ages, the Holy Roman Empire was indeed the dominant power in Europe, encompassing territories from the Netherlands to eastern France, from Italy to Hungary, including Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and western Poland. However, under the influence of the Papacy, the empire began to implement the system of Electors. In the 14th century, Emperor Charles IV issued the Golden Bull, formalizing and solidifying this system. As a result, the Holy Roman Emperor became a "representative" elected by the Electors, leading to a gradual weakening of imperial power, while the independence of the empire's constituent states grew stronger.
By the 18th century, the empire had fragmented into two giants—Prussia and Austria—along with a multitude of smaller states like Württemberg, Bavaria, Saxony, Hesse, and Hanover. The Habsburg family had monopolized the imperial throne for over a century, with the Archduke of Austria serving as the Emperor.
At the same time, Prussia, leveraging its linguistic and ethnic ties with the German states, also sought to unify the German region. In fact, about half a century later, Bismarck would essentially realize this dream.
But for now, Austria, with its imperial title, had a better chance of reviving the glory of the Holy Roman Empire. The two powers were constantly at each other's throats over the empire's "inheritance," engaging in frequent wars but remaining relatively evenly matched.
Joseph returned to his earlier point, "And Poland is an unexpected factor. If Russia launches a large-scale annexation of Poland, and Poland is unable to resist, Prussia and Austria will have no choice but to turn their attention eastward."
"Because they cannot sit idly by while Russia monopolizes such a large share of Poland's wealth. They have only two options: either jointly support Poland in resisting Russia or join Russia in the partition and tear off their own pieces of Poland."
"Whichever option they choose, Prussia and Austria will develop significant common interests, possibly even forming an alliance. This would drastically reduce Austria's willingness to go to war with Prussia. In the worst-case scenario, their newly formed alliance could look for another target, such as France. You can be sure the British would be delighted to see this happen and would actively encourage it."
Hearing this, Talleyrand's expression grew serious. He had to admit that the Crown Prince had a deep and far-reaching understanding of the situation.
Joseph continued, "So, we must create a 'barrier' between Prussia, Austria, and Russia, and that barrier is Poland. As long as Poland remains intact, Prussia and Austria will inevitably refocus on the German region. Competing over the German territories will generate irreconcilable conflicts between them!"
In fact, Joseph had even more long-term plans that he hadn't mentioned. He intended to help Austria achieve its "Holy Roman Dream" and even promote the idea of a prosperous, invincible Holy Roman Empire. Meanwhile, France would continuously profit from Austria's wars to unify the empire, ideally gaining territories west of the Rhine River, making the Rhine France's natural barrier.
At that point, the most prominent power in Europe would be the Holy Roman Empire under Austrian rule. Given the British penchant for disrupting European affairs, they would not sit idly by and would likely form a coalition against the Holy Roman Empire. Whether Britain formed a "League of Anti-Rome" or rallied the already weakened Prussia while inciting revolts among the annexed German states, France could sit back, watch the conflict unfold, and seize opportunities to benefit.
For a powerful nation, the best strategy is to quietly develop while letting others fight to the death. When everyone else is battered and bruised, you become the undisputed leader without lifting a finger.
Historically, Napoleon violated this principle. Although he was a brilliant military leader who conquered nearly all of Europe, he ultimately exhausted France's resources and was dragged down by a coalition led by the British.
Joseph, knowing how history unfolded, would be a fool to repeat the same mistakes. In strategy games, even the most inexperienced player knows the value of cautious development. Consider how later America rose to global dominance: by staying out of World War I and II until the major powers had worn themselves out. Then, with minimal effort, it reaped the rewards and became the world's superpower.
Talleyrand pondered, "Your Highness, should we reject the Russian Tsar's demands concerning Poland?"
Joseph shook his head immediately, "We must maintain good relations with Russia to maximize the dismantling of the Anglo-Russian trade network. Besides, Russia's raw material exports are something we need."
Talleyrand was slightly confused, "But didn't you just say…"
Joseph smiled, "Unless France forms an alliance with Poland, whether we support Russia's demands or not, we cannot stop their advance into Poland. We can publicly support Russia while secretly strengthening Poland's resistance, but this requires us to remain behind the scenes and use a 'white glove.'"
"A white glove?"
"Oh, I mean a country that can handle Poland's affairs on our behalf. The United States is a good candidate, and the Ottoman Empire could also be considered."
Talleyrand nodded internally. The United States and Russia were both raw material exporters and had little reason to fear each other due to their distance. The Ottoman Empire, on the other hand, was Russia's long-standing enemy and had a history of cooperation with Poland.
Joseph sighed, "Of course, the most important factor is Poland itself. Given their current state, they probably couldn't resist Russia for even a month."
He recalled that the second partition of Poland by Russia, Prussia, and Austria was likely to occur in about five years, with Russia turning on Poland as soon as it concluded its war with the Ottomans.
To help Poland "stand up" within just five years would be a daunting task.
After discussing the broader European strategy, Talleyrand continued his report on his trip to Russia:
"The Russian Tsar is very keen on expanding Russo-French trade and hopes we can make better use of the Russo-French Trade Agreement to increase our trade volume. Oh, and she also expressed great support for your Gemini Trade Company, promising to grant Count Bobrinsky the monopoly on fur exports from the Russian Far East as a gift to the company."
Joseph couldn't help but smile. Catherine the Great was a cunning fox. She framed a gift to her illegitimate son as a gift to the Gemini Trade Company, making France owe her a favor. But the fur trade in the Far East was indeed lucrative, and the company's annual profits from it would be substantial.
Talleyrand added, "Your Highness, there's one more thing. During my last audience with the Tsar, she repeatedly expressed her admiration for you and hinted at the possibility of a royal marriage between our two nations."
Joseph rubbed his temples. Being the Crown Prince was truly exhausting—almost all of Europe seemed to be concerned with his marriage prospects...
However, a Franco-Russian marriage would involve many complex issues, and he hadn't thoroughly considered this matter yet. For now, it was best to hold off on any response. After all, given his young age, he still had two years before he needed to seriously think about marriage, according to European traditions.
After chatting with Talleyrand for a while longer, Joseph let him retire to rest.
As Talleyrand left the drawing room, he couldn't help but be astonished. The young Crown Prince, despite being in Paris, had already mapped out the future of Europe for the next decade with remarkable clarity. How did he do it? Perhaps, in a few decades, France would be led to unprecedented heights by a great king who would go down in history.
At 9:50 PM, during the grand banquet hosted by the King, Joseph once again saw the Spanish Crown Prince and his wife.
Joseph glanced over at Aymon, who quickly leaned in and whispered, "Your Highness, everything is arranged. Monsieur Fouché has also sent some men to assist."
Joseph nodded, reassured by the steward's efficiency. He smiled and walked over to Antonio.
After the customary greetings, Joseph sat to the left of the Spanish Crown Prince, and the palace's master of ceremonies tactfully rearranged the seating.
Joseph started the conversation with mechanical topics and soon brought up the subject of a new boring machine: "You know, the British have done extensive research in this area. Their machines can bore holes with a margin of error less than the thickness of two sheets of paper. The King personally made adjustments, and now that boring machine is the most precise in all of Europe."
Antonio's eyes lit up, "Oh, dear Joseph, you must show me this unparalleled machine!"
"Of course," Joseph replied, intending to "distract" him and create "opportunities" for others. "After the banquet, I'll take you to the royal workshop. There's plenty of interesting stuff there."
"Thank you so much!"
A trumpet sounded from the east side of the hall, and the ceremonial officer tapped his staff on the ground as the noble servers brought two large and two small soups to the table.
According to court etiquette, conversation was no longer allowed at this point, and everyone quietly began eating.
Joseph pondered the upcoming plan while catching a glimpse of Antonio enthusiastically swirling the partridge soup in front of him. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly—he was truly going out of his way for this family relative!
Over an hour later, the banquet ended, and the Spanish Crown Prince eagerly pulled Joseph toward the royal workshop.
The Crown Princess, however, said she wasn't interested in such things and wanted to attend the gambling party instead.
Antonio, without a second thought, happily parted ways with her. At that time, it was common for European nobles to pursue their own interests separately.
Crown Princess Louisa, with Godoy in tow, headed for the gaming hall. Along the way, she couldn't help but blush at the couples she saw in various corners and behind pillars, engaging in intimate moments.
The French are truly bold! she mused, feeling a warmth in her cheeks as she entered the gaming hall.
With soft music playing in the background, Louisa sat down at a card table, breathing in the scent of high-quality incense as she began to play.
After about half an hour, she started to feel hot all over. Her mind kept drifting back to the scenes she had witnessed in the hallway, and she found herself parched.
"The fireplace in this place is too warm!" she muttered, tossing her cards aside and deciding to get some fresh air. As she turned, her gaze fell upon her lover, whose face looked particularly handsome tonight.
Louisa stepped outside the hall, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Godoy and whispered, "So, is everything arranged?"
He smiled and nodded, "Don't worry. I've got Juan and Negro keeping an eye on things. Everything will go smoothly."
Louisa grinned with satisfaction and asked, "Is there a suitable place?"
"Plenty of options. The French like to indulge their desires immediately...ahem, so they've set up numerous rest rooms nearby, with no servants around."
Louisa was about to ask him to lead the way when she suddenly thought of the cozy, luxurious bedroom arranged for Antonio in Versailles. A smug smile tugged at her lips.
"No need, follow me."
Meanwhile, in the royal workshop, where Louis XVI was still entertaining guests, the space had become Antonio's private domain. He moved from one exhibit to the next, marveling at each piece as if he were in a treasure trove, completely absorbed in the experience.
Not long after, a rather plain-looking servant delivered drinks and beverages, whispering something to Aymon at the door. Seizing a moment when the Spanish Crown Prince was engrossed in examining a rotating clock, Aymon quietly reported the situation to Joseph.
"Oh? Playing that wildly?" Joseph smiled meaningfully. All his efforts to arrange "entertainment" for the Spanish Crown Princess had paid off; she couldn't resist the temptation.
Indeed, everything Louisa had seen earlier was part of Aymon's plan. Even the incense in the gaming hall was laced with special additives. Given her licentious nature, how could she possibly restrain herself?
What Joseph hadn't expected was that she would audaciously choose to rendezvous with Godoy in her shared bedroom with Antonio. Of course, Louisa had been very cautious, assigning two men to keep an eye on Antonio, ready to warn her if he showed any signs of returning.
But this was Joseph's territory. Their little tricks were child's play to the agents of the Bureau of Police. The two men had barely set out before they were shadowed by agents.
(End of Chapter)
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