Make France Great Again-Chapter 836 - 827: The Prussian Threat Theory, Part 2
After the coronation ceremony ended, the three monarchs, Maximilian, Franz Joseph, and Jerome Bonaparte, rode together in a convertible carriage back to the Polish Royal Palace amidst cheers from the Warsaw crowd.
The same evening, a grand banquet was held at the Polish Royal Palace. Besides the three monarchs, Polish ministers and generals, envoys from the German Principalities, Britain, Spain, Naples, and the Russian Empire also attended (the Russian Empire had two envoys). They were all sent to celebrate the establishment of the Kingdom of Poland.
As King, Maximilian met with each foreign envoy one by one, thanking them for acknowledging Poland’s independence.
Meanwhile, Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph were also surrounded by a crowd of people.
Around 7 in the evening, the guests took their seats as called by the palace staff.
The three men, Jerome Bonaparte, were seated at the head of a rectangular dining table, with the rest of the attendees seated at their pre-assigned positions.
The banquet officially began, and palace servants brought dish after dish of exquisite food to the table.
Maximilian and the others began eating and drinking, and the dinner lasted until around 9 in the evening.
Following dinner was a ball.
Those present paired up with various dance partners and gracefully danced to the elegant music.
After one dance, the attendees in the ballroom began exchanging partners.
The three, Jerome Bonaparte, did not participate in the ball; they sat quietly at the edge of the ballroom, watching the "elves" dance gracefully in the center.
After a while, Maximilian asked Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph if they wished to join the dance in the ballroom.
Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph both shook their heads in refusal, and Maximilian, with his dance partner, joined the dance in the ballroom.
Meanwhile, Jerome Bonaparte and Franz Joseph began discussing the current situation of the Russian Empire. "Franz, who do you think will be the ultimate victor of this civil war in the Russian Empire?"
"The victor of this Russian war does not depend on Golitsyn or Alexander. It depends on your French Empire and the Kingdom of Britain!" Franz Joseph bluntly responded to Jerome Bonaparte, "As long as your two countries decide which faction should win, that faction will be the victor in this war!"
"You’re right!" Jerome Bonaparte candidly replied to Franz Joseph, "The decisive influence on this war does indeed lie with England and France, but this war will soon end.
Even if we try to delay, it will only be postponed for a few more years.
I can assure that once the internal conflict is over, the Russian Empire will experience remarkable growth!"
Franz Joseph looked at Jerome Bonaparte with a scrutinizing gaze, as if to say: Isn’t the development of the Russian Empire what the French Empire wants to see?
Jerome Bonaparte shrugged and said to Franz Joseph, "I admit that in the near future, the French Empire is certain to aid the Russian Empire’s skyrocketing economy. However, even if we don’t assist the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Britain will definitely fill the gap and help them.
Because the return on investment in an industrialized nation far surpasses the risk it entails.
Moreover, I must use high returns to subsidize the subjects within France.
Thus, investing in the Russian Empire is an inevitable trend.
But what I’m saying now isn’t just about this! What I want to emphasize is that once the Russian Empire receives funding from us and Britain, they will quickly rise.
I expect within 20 years, they will re-emerge, and the resurgent Russian Empire will certainly be stronger than it is today.
At that time, their focus will undoubtedly return to their lost territories..."
"Jerome, what exactly do you want to say?" Franz Joseph looked sharply at Jerome Bonaparte, his tone somewhat harsh.
"Franz, don’t look at me like that!" Jerome Bonaparte shrugged, still maintaining an open demeanor, "I’m just analyzing the situation for you! If you’re unwilling to listen, then I won’t say anymore!"
Franz Joseph fell silent for a moment before speaking again, "Go on!"
"Franz, let me ask you one more question!" Jerome Bonaparte said solemnly to Franz Joseph.
"Please go ahead!" Franz Joseph responded equally solemnly.
"Do you believe the Kingdom of Prussia will obediently remain under the Austrian Empire?" Jerome Bonaparte asked in a calm tone.
Although Jerome Bonaparte’s voice was not loud, it made Franz Joseph’s heart tremble.
The Kingdom of Prussia has always been a major threat to the Austrian Empire within the German Confederation. As the second in the German Confederation, it has vaguely hinted at parallel status with the Austrian Empire, which leads the Austrian Empire to constantly seek to weaken this Prussian thorn. However, there has never been an appropriate reason.
Finally, the Aumitz War came, but it ended in failure due to the intervention of the Russian Empire.
"This seems to have nothing to do with France!" Franz Joseph responded indifferently to Jerome Bonaparte.
"How can you say there’s no connection? After all, I’m also the Grand Duke of Luxembourg and a member of the German Confederation!" Jerome Bonaparte argued confidently with Franz Joseph.
Upon hearing Jerome Bonaparte’s intention to interfere in the German Confederation, Franz Joseph exclaimed excitedly, "Now that the Kingdom of Württemberg is under your control, what more do you want to do!"
"Franz, don’t get excited!" Jerome Bonaparte hastily calmed Franz Joseph’s emotions, "I don’t want to do anything! I’m just worried about the rise of the Kingdom of Prussia; the Crimean War showed me the power of industrial mobilization.
When I re-evaluate a country’s war potential through industrialization, I find that Prussia’s war potential is fast approaching that of France."
"This... this can’t be!" Franz Joseph’s first thought was that Jerome Bonaparte was joking.
France’s military capabilities have been proven in the Crimean War, so how could the mere Kingdom of Prussia be a match for France?
"Franz, what do you think is the most important thing for a country?" Jerome Bonaparte asked with a serious expression to Franz Joseph.
"The military!" Franz Joseph responded without hesitation.
"And what else?" Jerome Bonaparte continued to ask.
"Finance!" Franz Joseph continued.
"Yes!" Jerome Bonaparte nodded in agreement with Franz Joseph, "You are very right! A country’s most crucial components are the military and finance, but they don’t appear out of nowhere; they must be maintained through taxation.
Take the French Empire, for example; its tax revenue mainly comes from indirect taxes from small and medium merchants and farmers.
And these taxes are primarily used in the heavy industry system.
Since France’s domestic coal production cannot meet demand, we must import coal from Britain and Sweden.
However, the Rhine Land in the Kingdom of Prussia does not have this issue. The Rhine Land has abundant coal, sufficient to meet the Kingdom of Prussia’s needs, allowing them to avoid relying on government subsidies for heavy industries like steel production as the French Empire does.
This gives the Kingdom of Prussia substantial potential in heavy industry, even slightly surpassing France.
In time, it will inevitably leverage its economic advantage to become a balancing force in all of Europe!"
Franz Joseph’s expression gradually became grave. If Prussia really could develop as Jerome Bonaparte described, it would surely seek an equal standing with the Austrian Empire within the German Confederation.
At that point, where would the Austrian Empire stand?
Seeing Franz Joseph’s silence, Jerome Bonaparte continued, "However, the Kingdom of Prussia has a crucial weakness: the lands on its eastern and western sides cannot be completely cut off by the Kingdom of Hanover.
Therefore, for the Kingdom of Prussia to unify Northern Germany, it must cut off the Kingdom of Hanover, which is in the way."
"The Kingdom of Britain will certainly stop the Prussian Kingdom’s actions!" Franz Joseph placed his hope on Britain.
"If the Kingdom of Prussia can serve the purpose of restraining our two countries, then I believe Britain might be more than willing to overlook the actions of Prussia!" Jerome Bonaparte rebutted Franz Joseph.
"The entire German Confederation would not agree with the annexation by the Kingdom of Prussia!" Franz Joseph insisted to Jerome Bonaparte once more.
"Then it’s even simpler! Just crush the entire German Confederation!" Jerome Bonaparte said lightly, "A country whose industrial mobilization matches ours can easily collapse the Austrian Empire and the South German States! Not to mention, at that time, the Kingdom of Prussia might also have the help of the Russian Empire.
The things lost on the Crimean battlefield, they will surely seek to replenish.
And the contention between Prussia and the Austrian Empire will become their breakthrough!"
"I don’t believe the French Empire would remain indifferent," Franz Joseph questioned Jerome Bonaparte word by word.
"Franz, you’ve forgotten about Britain!" Jerome Bonaparte spread his hands, a playful smile on his lips, "As long as the Kingdom of Prussia allies with the Kingdom of Britain, we will face a defeat like the Seven Years’ War.
At that time, the powerful military of the Kingdom of Prussia will destroy the Austrian Empire’s dominance in the German Region, and they will integrate the German Region to contend with France."
"So, what do you intend to do?" Franz Joseph asked Jerome Bonaparte.
