Seeing that Albert did not take the bait, Cavour could not help but feel a little disappointed. However, Prince Albert's response was also what Cavour had expected.
After all, the most taboo thing in the diplomatic field is to follow the opponent's train of thought, otherwise you will unknowingly fall into the opponent's rhythm.
Since Albert did not want to raise the topic, Cavour decided to "help" Prince Albert look directly at the bayonet hidden under the friendship between Britain and France.
Cavour clasped his hands and whispered to Prince Albert with a serious expression, "However, I personally think that this canal is in the hands of the French Empire, which is not something worth celebrating for the British Kingdom!"
Prince Albert frowned involuntarily after hearing Cavour's response.
It can be seen from Albert's expression that he is disgusted with Cavour's behavior of putting all problems on the table.
Because this would force Albert to face these complex problems, making him feel like he was being forced into a corner.
"Mr. Cavour, who owns the Suez Canal doesn't seem to have much to do with you!" Prince Albert said with a hint of alienation in his tone, pointing at Cavour, "
What's more, you and the kingdom behind you have no right to decide the ownership of the Suez Canal!
When will the Kingdom of Sardinia have the right to control the Suez Canal, it will not be too late to discuss this issue with me!"
Although Prince Albert's voice is not loud, every word and every sentence shows the superiority of the British Kingdom.
This made Victor Umberto, who was quietly listening to the conversation, feel a pressure that was about to come.
Victor Umberto understands that the sense of superiority exuded by Prince Albert is not superiority in blood. If it is really based on ancient blood, the Savoy royal family with a history of nearly a thousand years is not inferior to the Hanover royal family at all.
However, for monarchs, what determines the status gap between them is not how long and glorious the history of the family is, but how many bayonets you have in your hand that can serve you and how large your territory is.
Although the Kingdom of Sardinia has always been at the top of the list of medium-sized countries, for the rulers of the Kingdom of Britain, which controlled half of the world, the Kingdom of Sardinia was at best insignificant.
If France had not shown an aggressive posture in the Mediterranean (Napoleon III:???), the status of the Kingdom of Sardinia in Prince Albert's heart would probably be lower than that of countries in the Arab region.
At present, Cavour is desperately trying to sow relations between Britain and France, which in Prince Albert's mind is an act of transgression.
Cavour certainly understood what Prince Albert was thinking at this moment, and he replied to Albert in a neither humble nor condescending manner, "Your Majesty, the Kingdom of Sardinia is indeed not qualified to decide the ownership of the Suez Canal!
However, the Kingdom of Sardinia has the ability to determine the ownership of rights in the Western Mediterranean!
Whether the ownership of rights in the Mediterranean Sea will affect the ownership of the Suez Canal, I think no one knows better than your Majesty!"
After hearing Cavour's response, Prince Albert showed a solemn look on his face.
Indeed, Cavour was right. The position of the Kingdom of Sardinia made them qualified to participate in the struggle for hegemony in the Mediterranean. This qualification did not give them the ability to compete with Britain and France, but when Sardinia
When the Kingdom of Sardinia joins one of them, the rights in the Mediterranean will gradually tilt towards the side that owns the Kingdom of Sardinia.
If either France or Britain can crush its opponents in the Mediterranean, then the role of the Kingdom of Sardinia will once again be close to nothing.
However, this possibility is basically 0.
The French Empire cannot give up its hegemony on land for the hegemony of the Mediterranean, and Britain cannot give up its hegemony across the entire territory for the hegemony of the Mediterranean.
Thinking of this, Prince Albert's attitude also relaxed a lot. He nodded and said to Cavour calmly, "Mr. Cavour, I admit that the Kingdom of Sardinia can indeed influence a person under certain circumstances.
The situation in the region.
However, as far as I know, the Kingdom of Sardinia has been following the French Empire. In the eyes of other countries, you have become a vassal state of the French Empire."
"Your Majesty, Sardinia has never been a vassal state of the French Empire!" Cavour said to Prince Albert in a strong tone.
From Cavour, Prince Albert seemed to see another Palmerston.
"The reason why the Kingdom of Sardinia is willing to follow the footsteps of the French Empire is because we believe that the French Empire can inherit the glory of its ancestors (the Napoleonic Empire) and help the Italian nation escape from being enslaved by the Austrians!" Cavour said loudly to Albert
The prince said, "Emperor Napoleon closely connected the Italian people and created a brilliant crown for the Italian nation, which made the divided Italian country become a whole again. Every Italian, including me,
No nation will ever forget the contribution made by Emperor Napoleon
It is precisely because we believe that the Emperor of the French Empire, Jérôme Bonaparte, is an emperor who shares the same ideals as his uncle, Emperor Napoleon, that we are willing to continue to believe in him as we originally believed in Emperor Napoleon!
I believe that he can help the distressed Italian nation and make it a whole again like his uncle did!"
"Mr. Cavour, the speech you just gave was so wonderful!" Prince Albert praised Cavour.
Then he changed the subject and said teasingly, "But you shouldn't tell me such a wonderful speech!
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! It is to the emperor in Paris. I believe that after hearing your impassioned speech, the emperor will definitely make up his mind to help the Kingdom of Sardinia unify Italy, and then
Bring the crown to the head of the monarch you serve with your own hands!"
Faced with Albert's insinuation, Cavour did not care. He replied to Prince Albert in a frank tone, "Your Majesty, the reason why I tell you about the relationship between the Kingdom of Sardinia and the French Empire is that
I just hope that the British Kingdom can believe that our Italian nation is a nation that repays its kindness and the Kingdom of Sardinia will never forget its friends!!
Any country that helps us will be rewarded thousands of times by the Kingdom of Sardinia!"
"So, your Kingdom of Sardinia wants to abandon the French Empire and turn to us!" Prince Albert asked Cavour bluntly.
Cavour was silent for a long time, and then said tactfully to Prince Albert, "The current situation in the Apennine Peninsula is still under the control of the Austrian Empire and the French Empire. The Kingdom of Sardinia is just a small country in the Apennine Peninsula and does not dare to offend.
Any country!"
"Then Mr. Cavour, what's the use of what you just said!" Albert asked back, "If you want to make the Kingdom of Britain believe that the Kingdom of Sardinia is a country that repays its kindness, you have to come up with something.
Real benefits!
I can't hold a blank check and let my people and cabinet believe that the Kingdom of Britain offended the French Empire and the Austrian Empire for the sake of Sardinia. This is completely a bad deal!"
From a rational point of view, what Prince Albert said was not wrong. No monarch would rashly offend a big country for the sake of a small country.
In today's Europe, the reason why some medium-sized countries exist in this world is entirely based on the principle of balance among the continental powers.
The role of these countries is to act as a buffer zone for major powers, so that the two major powers can have more sense before launching a war.
How could a major country declare war on another country over a buffer zone?
What's more, the Kingdom of Sardinia does not want to completely surrender to the Kingdom of Britain. They want to move between the French Empire and the Kingdom of Britain.
After listening to Prince Albert’s question, Cavour said to Prince Albert, “Your Majesty, I understand that your country does not want to get too involved in the Italian issue!
But today's Italian Peninsula not only involves the interests of several kingdoms in Italy, but also involves the interests of your country!
If the Italian region remains divided, then the French Empire will easily gain hegemony in the Mediterranean region!
Regardless of whether the Kingdom of Britain recognizes it or not, France has now become the uncrowned king of the Mediterranean.
No country, including our Kingdom of Sardinia, dares to resist the French Empire!
We can only crawl at the feet of the French Empire and become a vassal state in your mouth!
And once the Suez Canal is connected, the French Empire can completely expand its sphere of influence from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean!
French warships will cross the Suez Canal and reach the Indian Ocean!"
Every word of Cavour was like a bullet hitting Albert's heart, and Prince Albert's face showed a sad look involuntarily.
The British Kingdom is most worried about this. Once the Suez Canal is opened to navigation, French warships will plunge directly into the Indian Ocean. India, which symbolizes the bright pearl of Britain, will be directly exposed to the French warships. This is absolutely impossible for the British Kingdom.
accept.
Of course, the British Kingdom does not yet know that the depth of the Suez Canal after it is dug is destined to be unable to meet the needs of warships.
However, this did not prevent Britain from harboring the greatest malice towards the French Empire.
"Mr. Cavour, I personally sympathize deeply with the situation of the division of the Italian peninsula!
But how can you guarantee that the Kingdom of Sardinia will not continue to rely on the French Empire after ending the division of Italy!"
