Make France Great Again-Chapter 770 - 761: The Foolish Prussian Minister of Foreign Affairs
While Count Baur was waving the jewels and gold bars given to him by the Habsburgs around to accept bribes, Mantel of the Kingdom of Prussia was also not idle.
In his efforts to remove Maximilian from his position as Grand Duke of Warsaw, he found both the Gorchakov Envoy and the Neselrode Envoy in succession.
After learning from them that the next meeting would continue to oppose Maximilian as Grand Duke of Warsaw, he began to tirelessly visit various embassies, attempting to propagate the Austrian threat theory to garner support.
He first went to the Bavarian Embassy to warn the Bavarian Envoy, saying that if the Austrian Empire succeeded in having Grand Duke Maximilian inherit the title, their influence in the entire Central Europe region would greatly increase.
By then, it would be difficult for Bavaria to maintain its position as the third power in Germany.
Facing Mantel’s instigation, the Bavarian Envoy humbly responded that the Kingdom of Bavaria had never intended to be the third power in Germany and believed that the German Principalities should help each other within the framework of the Confederation, rather than undermining each other.
Seeing that the Kingdom of Bavaria was not complying, Mantel had no choice but to give up, and subsequently made up a reason to leave the Bavarian Embassy.
Watching Mantel’s departing figure, the Bavarian Envoy quickly dispatched a secretary to report the situation to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Austrian Embassy.
Between the Kingdom of Prussia and France and Austria, Bavaria could definitely weigh the pros and cons.
On the other hand, after leaving the Bavarian Embassy, Mantel found Earl of Clarendon, the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Britain.
He also propagated the Austrian Empire threat theory to the Earl of Clarendon, telling him that once the Austrian Empire integrated Poland, they would undoubtedly gradually weaken the Kingdom of Prussia’s influence in the German Confederation, thereby achieving centralization.
After patiently listening to Mantel’s argument, the Earl of Clarendon couldn’t help but doubt whether Mantel was in his right mind.
In the view of the Earl of Clarendon, the stronger the Austrian Empire appeared in Europe, the more it would align with the Kingdom of Britain’s offshore balancing diplomatic policy.
Because a strong Austrian Empire could very well provoke a combined opposition from France and Russia.
By then, wouldn’t the Austrian Empire have to beseech the Kingdom of Britain for help!
Though the Earl of Clarendon had already decided to continue supporting Grand Duke Maximilian as Grand Duke of Warsaw, he did not directly refuse him like the Bavarian Envoy.
Instead, he responded to Mantel with an ambiguous attitude.
As Mantel, the Prussian Foreign Minister, heard the ambiguous attitude of the Earl of Clarendon, he mistakenly believed that the Earl of Clarendon had changed his mind and decided to support them. He hastily thanked the Earl of Clarendon and presented him with the prepared gift.
[PS: At this time, Prussia’s diplomacy was basically at a level of being completely manipulated until Bismarck took office, after which Prussia’s diplomacy improved.
However, after Bismarck left office, Prussian diplomacy returned to its original starting point.]
The Earl of Clarendon unceremoniously accepted the gift and personally escorted Mantel out.
Leaving the British Embassy, Mantel felt he had secured Britain’s support, and obtaining France’s support should have been a sure thing as well.
After all, the selection of the Grand Duke of Warsaw had not been finalized because Valerovsky had suddenly called a halt.
From this point of view, the French Empire was also in a state of indecision regarding Maximilian inheriting the title of Grand Duke of Warsaw.
If Mantel could make a little more effort, he might just sway the French Empire to their side.
Feeling quite pleased with himself, Mantel arrived at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"Mr. Mantel, you’re here early! The meeting is scheduled for tomorrow!" the Secretary of State who was responsible for receiving Mantel reminded him.
"I’m here to meet with Minister Valves!" Mantel told the Secretary of State, "May I know where Minister Valves is now?"
"Minister Valves is still at the Tuileries Palace!" the Secretary of State answered Mantel, "I am not sure what business you have with him?"
"I’m here because of the issue with Poland!" Mantel implored the Secretary of State, "Could you possibly go to the Tuileries Palace and summon Minister Valves for me?"
"This..." The Secretary of State hesitated for a moment, then nodded to Mantel, "Mr. Mantel, please wait here for a moment!"
Having said that, the Secretary of State ordered someone to escort Mantel to a lounge, while he took a carriage to the Tuileries Palace to inform Valves of Mantel’s arrival.
As to whether Valves would come, that would depend on his own decision.
The carriage departed west from Ossai Pier, and soon reached a bridge. After crossing the bridge and continuing north to the Champs-Élysées, the Tuileries Palace Garden appeared in sight.
Since the Secretary of State’s carriage had not been pre-arranged for clearance, it underwent another inspection before entering the Tuileries Palace Garden, and finally arrived at the Tuileries Palace.
The Secretary of State, who alighted from the carriage, jogged into the hall to find the Royal Chief Steward Mo Ka’er.
"Chief Steward Mo Ka’er, where is Minister Valves now?" the Secretary of State inquired while panting heavily.
"Valerovsky is currently chatting with His Majesty in the guest room on the third floor!" Mo Ka’er replied to the Secretary of State.
"Could you please ask the Minister to come out?" the Secretary of State implored Mo Ka’er.
"What happened?" Mo Ka’er inquired.
The Secretary of State informed Mo Ka’er that Mantel had visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, specifically requesting to discuss the issue of Poland with Minister Valerovsky.
Mo Ka’er, after hearing this, nodded and said, "Alright! I’ll notify Valerovsky for you right away!"
Mo Ka’er quickly ascended the stairs to the third floor and arrived at the door of a closed guest room.
Through the crack of the door, Mo Ka’er could hear the sounds of laughter and merriment coming from inside. He knew it wasn’t ideal to enter at that moment, but there was no choice.
Thus, Mo Ka’er gently knocked on the door.
The laughter inside ceased abruptly after the knock, and after a moment, the voice of Jerome Bonaparte reached Mo Ka’er’s ears: "Come in!"
Mo Ka’er took a deep breath, pushed the door open, and entered, saying, "Your Majesty!"
"Mo Ka’er, is there something wrong?" Jerome Bonaparte, seated, inquired of Mo Ka’er.
"Your Majesty, the Secretary of State from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is here!" Mo Ka’er replied to Jerome Bonaparte.
"Secretary of State from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?" Jerome Bonaparte turned his gaze toward Valerovsky with a teasing remark, "Valerovsky, your person has come looking for you!"
Valerovsky showed a slight hint of embarrassment on his face, then bid farewell to Jerome Bonaparte, saying, "Your Majesty, please allow me to leave first!"
Jerome Bonaparte understood that the Secretary of State must have urgent matters for Valerovsky, so he nodded and replied, "Alright!"
Then he added, "Let Alexander stay here for now!"
"Yes!" Valerovsky rose, bowed to Jerome Bonaparte, and then departed.
On the way to the hall, Valerovsky inquired Mo Ka’er about the details.
Upon reaching the hall, Valerovsky immediately asked the Secretary of State, "Is the carriage still here?"
"The carriage is still here!" the Secretary of State hastily replied.
"That’s good!" Mo Ka’er nodded, and then he and the Secretary of State took the carriage back to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Upon entering the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Valerovsky asked the Secretary of State once more, "Which room is Mantel in now?"
"Please follow me!"
Under the guidance of the Secretary of State, Valerovsky arrived at the room where Mantel was, and met with him.
The two "warmly" shook hands and then sat in armchairs.
Sitting in the chair, Mantel did not jump straight to the main topic. He first apologized for the conflict that had occurred over the Luxembourg Duchy issue between the Kingdom of Prussia and the French Empire more than six months ago.
Valerovsky "magnanimously" indicated that these were bygones, and that he and Emperor Jerome Bonaparte had long since moved on.
Mantel once again thanked France for its magnanimity, then began to discuss the main topic.
"This time I came to discuss the issue of selecting the King of Poland with you!" Mantel stated directly to Valerovsky, "I believe that Grand Duke Maximilian should not be the chosen Polish monarch!"
Subsequently, Mantel provided his reasoning that if Grand Duke Maximilian were to become the Grand Duke of Warsaw, all of Poland would lean towards the Austrian Empire, and the French Empire, as the creator of Poland, would gradually lose its influence there.
"Mr. Mantel, Grand Duke Maximilian was personally selected by His Majesty the Emperor!" Valerovsky said to Mantel.
"I understand that your country’s goal is simply to have the Austrian Empire act as the vanguard against the Russian Empire!" Mantel said with a confident expression, "If I were to tell you that the Kingdom of Prussia could take the place of the Austrian Empire in opposing the Russian Empire, would the French Empire be willing to change the candidate for the Kingdom of Poland?"
"You?" Valerovsky looked at Mantel with suspicion, appearing not to believe that the Kingdom of Prussia could resist the Russian Empire.
Mantel immediately informed Valerovsky that the Kingdom of Prussia had earned the enmity of Russia because it did not assist the Russian Empire during the Crimean War, making it difficult for their relationship to return to its previous state.
Instead of continuing to ally with the Russian Empire, it would be better to join the French camp.
As long as the French Empire agreed not to let Grand Duke Maximilian serve as the King of Poland, the Kingdom of Prussia was willing to take the place of the Austrian Empire as the vanguard against the Russian Empire.
