Make France Great Again-Chapter 154: The Sinister Prime Minister and the Rookie Emperor
Chapter 154: Chapter 154: The Sinister Prime Minister and the Rookie Emperor
After understanding the basic demands of both parties, the subsequent negotiations naturally fell into place.
The parties, pleased with the results, tacitly shifted the topic. During this time, Jerome Bonaparte discussed the current issues in Rome with Baron Hubert and suggested that the Austrian Empire could use its influence alongside the French Republic to pressure the Pope to appropriately release some political prisoners.
Baron Hubert neither agreed nor disagreed. He merely told Jerome Bonaparte that it should be the responsibility of the Austrian envoy to the Pope. However, he would convey France’s opinion to Prime Minister Felix Schwarzenberg of the Austrian Empire.
At their parting, Jerome Bonaparte shook hands warmly with Baron Hubert: "May the friendship between the Austrian Empire and the French Republic reach new heights in the future!"
"Mr. President, I see that France is thriving under your wise leadership! The friendship between Austria and France will surely endure forever!" Baron Hubert responded to Jerome Bonaparte.
"For our friends, we welcome with fine wine! For our enemies, we gift rifles! Witnessed by God, France will share its glory and shame with its divine allies!" After Jerome Bonaparte delivered his final concluding remarks, he personally saw Baron Hubert off to his carriage.
Watching Baron Hubert depart, Jerome Bonaparte then asked Mokar by his side: "Mr. Mokar, are you interested in replacing me to make a trip to the German Region?"
Following beside Jerome Bonaparte, Mokar was first taken aback, then suppressed his inner excitement and nodded in response: "It would be my honor to be the envoy for the President!"
"Tomorrow, I will have Tocqueville prepare a letter appointing you as a special envoy! You will take the letter to the German Region!" Jerome Bonaparte issued the order to Mokar while walking towards the main hall of the Elysee Palace.
"Mr. President, what do I need to do in the German Region?" Mokar humbly asked Jerome Bonaparte.
Jerome Bonaparte stopped in his tracks, pondered for a moment, and then carefully replied: "You only need to promote European peace in the German Region, say nothing else!"
"Understood!" Mokar nodded in response.
"You may go home and prepare for a bit!" Jerome Bonaparte gave Mokar a half-day holiday to let him prepare at home.
Meanwhile, Baron Hubert, returning by carriage to the Austrian Embassy in France, immediately sent a telegram to the Austrian side.
The contents of the telegram specified Jerome Bonaparte’s demands and Baron Hubert’s opinion on those demands.
"...Your Excellency the Prime Minister, I believe the immediate priority for the Austrian Empire is to diminish Prussia’s prestige to prevent them from contesting Austria in the German Region. As for the issue of territorial compromise mentioned by Napoleon, the Empire can make appropriate compromises; we can initially agree to his opinions and make adjustments when the time matures! Of course, my suggestion is to avoid reneging if possible; the Empire can hand over part of the Rhine Region’s territory to France. Firstly, it can appropriately weaken Prussia; secondly, it may instill a sense of crisis in the South German States, bonding them closer to us. Thirdly, it can also provoke fear of France among other European countries, helping to unite other Great Powers...
President Napoleon also mentioned the issue of the Pope State. In my humble opinion, we should apply appropriate pressure on the Pope, allowing France to witness our influence. Currently, part of the French army is stranded in Rome, which is precisely thanks to your efforts, Prime Minister..."
[PS: Prime Minister Felix Schwarzenberg’s original plan was to have Pope Pius IX go to Austria, leaving France with a Pope State without a pope, thereby putting the French Army in an awkward situation. However, the Pope preferred to go to the French Republic rather than abandon his Roman base for Austria, leaving Schwarzenberg’s plan only half accomplished.]
This telegram was quickly sent to Vienna via a purposely built small telegraph station at the embassy.
The Vienna Telegraph Office, upon receiving the message sent by Baron Hubert, promptly dispatched someone to Mei Quan Palace to deliver the message.
Mei Quan Palace, Prime Minister’s Office.
Prime Minister Felix Schwarzenberg was seated on a sofa, while on his left, sitting on a folding chair, was Emperor Franz Joseph of the Austrian Empire.
In order to cater to this self-disciplined ascetic monarch, a folding chair was placed in every room of Mei Quan Palace.
"Your Majesty!" Prime Minister Felix Schwarzenberg cautiously inquired the 19-year-old emperor before him: "Were you satisfied with the recent meeting with King Frederick William (King of Prussia)?"
The meeting Prime Minister Felix Schwarzenberg referred to was the "family" meeting held on September 1 between King Frederick William IV of Prussia and Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria in the City of Teplice, Kingdom of Bohemia.
Since the participants of the meeting were all national leaders and it was a private gathering among monarchs, Prime Minister Felix Schwarzenberg was not eligible to attend the meeting, and thus was unaware of the contents of the talks.
Until Franz Joseph tentatively inquired upon returning from Bohemia to Vienna.
"It’s terrible!" Franz Joseph, still with a stern face, spoke to Felix Schwarzenberg, with no lack of resentment in his words: "King Frederick William pleads with me to respect the will of the German people. They also say Prussia hopes to make peace with Austria and jointly lead Germany forward."
"Your Majesty, please forgive my frankness!" Felix Schwarzenberg paused, reorganizing his words: "Just as there are not two suns in the sky, there cannot be two leaders in the German region either! If both Prussia and Austria assume leadership of Germany, then the region is bound to face division."
Franz Joseph nodded empathetically and then said, "King Frederick William told me that Prussia could help Austria manage the affairs of Northern Germany, while Austria could focus on managing Southern Germany."
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!" Felix Schwarzenberg, inherently driven by the ’I want it all’ ideology, said to Franz Joseph: "If Prussia’s conspiracy succeeds, the entire German region will fall into division! The Austrian Empire neither needs to, nor can it retreat; we need to rebuild the old German Confederation and then shatter Prussia’s delusions."
Franz Joseph inquired softly, "Prime Minister Felix, can we really defeat Prussia?"
In the years 1848-1849, the weakened army of the Austrian Empire had left a deep impression on Franz Joseph.
Faced with Franz Joseph’s doubts, Felix Schwarzenberg resolutely said, "Your Majesty, I believe our army can certainly crush the ambitions of the Kingdom of Prussia!"
As Felix Schwarzenberg was speaking, there was another knock on the office door.
Felix Schwarzenberg glanced at Franz Joseph beside him.
Franz Joseph said nothing but nodded slightly in agreement.
With Franz Joseph’s permission, Felix Schwarzenberg immediately responded to the door, "Come in!"
"Your Excellency Prime Minister, from..." Secretary Von Gentz, holding a message, hurriedly wanted to report to Felix Schwarzenberg as soon as he entered, but when he noticed Franz Joseph standing beside Felix Schwarzenberg, his expression froze instantly, and the words stuck in his throat were swallowed back.
"Continue!" Felix Schwarzenberg gestured for Von Gentz to proceed with the report.
Von Gentz swallowed, responding seriously, "Your Majesty Franz, Your Excellency Prime Minister, this is Baron Hubert’s telegram!"
Then he handed the message to Felix Schwarzenberg.
[In fact, this was a politically incorrect situation that neither Von Gentz, Felix Schwarzenberg, nor Franz Joseph paid attention to.]
"Baron Hubert?" Franz Joseph inquired curiously.
"Baron Hubert is the Austrian Envoy to France, currently seeking support in France!" Felix Schwarzenberg answered on behalf of Von Gentz.
A look of displeasure flashed across Franz Joseph’s face, and he sharply questioned, "Mr. Prime Minister, I remember just a month ago you said that France was an important enemy of the Empire? How come now you are seeking their support?"
"Your Majesty, in the realm of diplomacy, there are never fixed friends, nor fixed enemies. Our foreign policy is conducted based on ensuring our own security and interests.
A month ago, I mentioned that the French Republic might become an enemy of the Empire, but that does not mean we must remain in a hostile relationship with the French Republic.
Currently, we have quelled the challenges from the Sardinian Dynasty, reestablishing it as a barrier between us and the French Republic. Our relationship with the French Republic has thus returned to the state before the Sardinian rebellion, making the struggle against Prussia the most important matter before us," Schwarzenberg reorganized his words, attempting to make Franz Joseph understand why his "words and actions were inconsistent."
"Prime Minister Felix, you are becoming more like my teacher!" Franz Joseph repeated a comment he made more than a month ago about Felix Schwarzenberg.
"You flatter me!" Felix Schwarzenberg bowed to Franz Joseph and then unfolded the message.
"Your Majesty, the French Republic is conditionally agreeing to our demands!"
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