Life of Being a Crown Prince in France-Chapter 743 - 651 Polands Big Brother
Chapter 743: Chapter 651: Poland’s “Big Brother
Chapter 743: Chapter 651: Poland’s “Big Brother
The main streets of Paris were now completely “asphalted,” looking smooth and comfortable, exuding a futuristic sense that transcended the era.
The carriage stopped in the “New Paris Commercial District” between Paris and the Palace of Versailles. Prince Poniatowski sighed, “I truly wish Warsaw could one day be as prosperous,” as he stepped out of the carriage and immediately noticed the newly built athletic field ahead, clearly modeled after the Roman Arena.
The surrounding buildings seemed sparse, and there weren’t many pedestrians, with only two wooden tracks leading somewhat desolately to the athletic field. Nonetheless, considering that this area had been forests and wastelands just three years ago, the speed of its development was quite fast.
Prince Poniatowski first followed the French officials who came to greet him into the athletes’ exclusive hostel to visit the Polish competitors participating in the sports meeting.
The accommodation and round-trip expenses for these athletes were covered by the French Government—as long as you met the registration performance, you could get this financial support.
Thus, a total of 18 Polish athletes had arrived in Paris. The hostel for athletes was bustling, and a French official beside the prince informed him with a smile that there were over 200 athletes from around the world attending the sports meeting.
It was worth noting that the first Olympic Games, held over a hundred years later, had just over 250 athletes. In the 18th century, when transport capabilities were still very primitive, this was an unprecedented grand occasion.
However, Prince Poniatowski’s mind was not really on the sports meeting. After offering some simple encouragement to the Polish athletes, he hurried off to the Palace of Versailles.
He knew that this trip to France could likely determine the future of Poland.
In the Royal Armory on the southeastern side of the Palace of Versailles, Prince Poniatowski met with the Crown Prince of France as planned.
Joseph had chosen this location to meet because it was less crowded and unremarkable. Moreover, the place was spacious and conveniently had items like maps and sand tables ready to use.
“It is a pleasure to see you again, respected Your Highness,” the prince said, touching his chest in salute, “His Majesty the King has asked me to convey his gratitude for the generous, selfless assistance you have given Poland.”
Joseph smiled graciously in return, then motioned for him to sit, “We are relatives, after all, no need for formalities.”
Louis XV had married a Polish princess, thus indeed, France and Poland were by marriage related.
“Time is precious, let us get straight to the point,” Joseph said, transitioning to a serious tone, “Firstly, you must remove the Prussian officers from your military.”
The prince nodded, “Yes, Your Highness, you mentioned this to me years ago, but they haven’t…”
Joseph really wanted to knock sense into this stubborn giant, thinking: who has a better understanding of history, you or me?
However, he had to suppress his irritation and opted instead for an excuse the Polish could not refuse, “As you know, the relationship between our country and Prussia isn’t too good, um, we’ve fought in the Southern Netherlands and Silesia in recent years.
“And when Poland faces invasion, our country will surely send military advisory groups, and even some volunteers to assist you.
“I think, they certainly wouldn’t want to encounter Prussians in the Polish military. The same goes for the Prussians, presumably.”
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Prince Poniatowski’s expression became grave and conflicted; the Crown Prince of France’s meaning was clear—he must choose between France and Prussia.
Joseph felt he was completely heartbroken for Poland; it was like dealing with children, having to coax them subtly.
Seeing the prince not responding, he continued, “Oh, by the way, I am planning to invest in Gdansk Port, starting with 3 million francs, and we will add more depending on the situation.”
“You know, our trade volume with the Germanic Region is increasing, and Gdansk will become an important hub for our goods,” Joseph remarked.
This time, Prince Poniatowski did not hesitate at all and nodded with a smile, “That’s wonderful. Ah, do you have any additional conditions?”
“There are no conditions. It’s simple—invest and acquire shares in the port,” Joseph replied.
Prince Poniatowski was overjoyed.
He had thought that France would demand some trade privileges or even the right to manage the port, just like Prussia.
But it turned out to be a mere investment!
He immediately nodded repeatedly, “Thank you for your generosity. I will have Count Mawahovski personally handle this matter to ensure your investment receives excellent returns.”
Poland was now investing all its resources in preparing for war, so naturally, he was pleased to see someone investing in civilian areas.
Joseph’s primary goal was to block the Prussian Army in Gdansk.
For Prussia, the significance of this port far exceeded the occupation of several Polish provinces.
Since the Poles did not guard against Prussia, he had to take matters into his own hands and help them.
At the same time, this deal was definitely a win for France.
Gdansk served as a shipping gateway to the Eastern European market. Although he claimed no privileges were needed, after the investment, at least French merchant ships could expect better services here, such as no need to queue for docking.
Furthermore, once war broke out, France would become Gdansk’s “good brother” for rescue. Even if France did not ask for privileges, the local congress would rush to offer them.
Joseph continued, “Moreover, I would like to help build an armory in Warsaw to produce Charleville flintlock guns and cannons.”
Prince Poniatowski was almost at a loss for words.
Poland’s military production capacity had always struggled to improve, mainly due to a lack of funds to invest in firearms and cannon foundries.
After the expansion of the Tarnovsk Mountain Silver Mine, the Polish Government’s finances were not as tight, but funding for building an armory was planned for three years later.
Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince of France addressed their urgent needs and directly invested in building the armory. If this factory could start production before the Russian invasion, it would significantly boost Poland’s confidence in facing the enemy!
It was known that Poland’s current self-sufficiency rate for firearms was less than thirty percent, and they had to import a large number of flintlock guns and ammunition from abroad, not to mention large cannons.
He then remembered another crucial matter and hurriedly asked, “Your Highness, about the funding for the armory… the Polish Government might not be able to contribute much.”
Joseph waved his hand nonchalantly, “No need to worry. The Bank of France Reserve will offer you low-interest loans, along with craftsmen and technicians. Of course, to avoid unnecessary diplomatic troubles, the funding and technical sources for the armory must remain strictly confidential.”
“That’s only natural, I can assure you.”
“Right, one more thing. The investments in both the port and the armory will be carried out in franc banknotes.”
