Chapter 154 The Insidious Prime Minister and the New Emperor
After figuring out the basic demands of both parties, the next negotiation will be a matter of course.
Both parties who had obtained a satisfactory result tacitly changed the subject. During this period, Jérôme Bonaparte discussed the existing problems in Rome with Baron Huboy, and hinted that the Austrian Empire could use its influence to work with the French Republic.
Put pressure on the Pope to force him to appropriate some political prisoners.
Baron Huboy neither agreed nor objected. He just told Jérôme Bonaparte that this should be the responsibility of the Austrian ambassador to the Pope. However, he would convey France's opinions to Felix of the Austrian Empire.
Prime Minister Schwarzenberg.
On the occasion of parting, Jérôme Bonaparte shook hands cordially with Baron Huboy: "I hope that the friendship between the Austrian Empire and the French Republic can reach a new level in the years to come!"
"Your Excellency, I see that France is prospering under your wise command! The friendship between Austria and France will last forever!" Baron Huboy responded to Jérôme Bonaparte.
"To our friends, we have wine to welcome us! To our enemies, we have shotguns to give us! Under the witness of God, France will share weal and woe with its allies of God!" Jérôme Bonaparte made the final conclusion.
After speaking, he personally sent Baron Huboy to the carriage.
Jérôme Bonaparte, who was watching Baron Huboy leave, turned to ask Mokar beside him: "Mr. Mokar, are you interested in taking my place on a tour of the German region?"
Mokar, who was following Jérôme Bonaparte, was startled at first, then suppressed his excitement and nodded in response: "It is an honor for me to be able to serve as an envoy to the president!"
"Tomorrow I will ask Tocqueville to prepare a letter of appointment appointing you as the special envoy! You take the letter of appointment to Germany!" Jerome Bonaparte gave the order to Mokar while walking towards the main hall of the Elysee Palace
.
"Your Excellency, what do I need to do in the German region?" Mokar asked Jerome Bonaparte respectfully.
Jerome Bonaparte stopped, thought for a moment, and replied carefully: "You only need to preach European peace in the German region, and there is no need to say anything else!"
"Yes!" Mokar nodded in response.
"You go back and prepare first!" Jérôme Bonaparte gave Mokar half a day's leave to go home and prepare.
On the other hand, Baron Huboy, who returned to the Austrian Embassy in France by carriage, immediately sent a telegram to the Austrian side.
The content of the telegram stated Jérôme Bonaparte's appeal and Baron Huboy's opinion on Jérôme Bonaparte's appeal.
"...Your Excellency Prime Minister, I believe that the Austrian Empire's top priority is to defeat Prussia's prestige so that it cannot compete with Austria in the German region. As for the territorial issue mentioned by Napoleon, the Empire can make appropriate compromises, and we can agree to his request first.
Opinions, when the time is ripe, certain adjustments can be made! Of course, my suggestion is that it is best not to regret it. The empire can hand over part of the land in the Rhineland to France. Firstly, it can appropriately weaken Prussia, and secondly, it can make
The people of the South German states have a sense of crisis and unite more closely around us. Thirdly, it can also arouse the fear of France in other European countries and help unite other powers...
President Napoleon also talked about the issue of the Papal States. In my humble opinion, we should put appropriate pressure on the Pope to make France see our influence clearly. Now a part of the French army is trapped in Rome. This is your credit, Prime Minister.
…”
[ps: Felix Schwarzenberg’s original plan was to have Pius IX go to Austria, leaving France with a Papal State without a pope, thus putting the French army in an embarrassing situation. Who knew that the Pope would rather go to the French Republic?
Unwilling to abandon his Rome and go to Austria, Schwarzenberg's plan was only half completed.】
The telegram was quickly sent to Vienna via a small telegraph station specially built by the embassy.
After receiving the message from Baron Huboy, the Vienna Telegraph Office quickly sent people to Schonbrunn Palace to deliver the message.
Prime Minister's Office at Schonbrunn Palace.
Prime Minister Felix Schwarzenberg is sitting on the sofa, and on the camp chair to his left is the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph.
In order to cater to this strict ascetic monarch, every room in Schönbrunn Palace was equipped with a marching chair.
"Your Majesty!" Felix Schwarzenberg asked cautiously to the 19-year-old emperor in front of him: "Is this meeting with King Frederick William (King of Prussia) still satisfactory to you?
"
The meeting Felix Schwarzenberg was talking about happened on September 1, when King Frederick William IV of Prussia and Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria met in Teplitz, a city in the Kingdom of Bohemia.
Have a "family sex" meeting.
Since the participants in the meeting were all national leaders and it was also a private gathering between monarchs, Felix Schwarzenberg was not qualified to participate in the meeting, so there was no way to know the content of the conversation.
It wasn't until Franz Joseph returned to Vienna from Bohemia that he made tentative inquiries.
"It's terrible!" Franz Joseph still faced Felix Schwarzenberg with a straight face, his words full of complaints: "King Frederick William begs me to respect the wishes of the Germans.
They also said that Prussia hopes to make peace with Austria and jointly lead Germany forward."
"Your Majesty, please forgive me!" Felix Schwarzenberg paused and reorganized his words: "Just like there are no two suns in the sky, there cannot be two leaders in Germany! If Prussia
If both Germany and Austria serve as the leaders of Germany, then the German region will definitely face the end of division."
Franz Joseph nodded empathetically, and then said: "King Frederick William told me that Prussia can help Austria manage the problems in North Germany, and Austria can concentrate on managing South Germany."
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely not possible!" Felix Schwarzenberg, who had the idea of "I want it all" in his bones, said to Franz Joseph: "Once Prussia's conspiracy succeeds, the entire German region will fall into
Split! The Austrian Empire does not need and cannot retreat. We need to re-establish the old German Confederation and then severely crush Prussia’s delusions."
Franz Joseph asked in a low voice: "Prime Minister Felix, can we really defeat Prussia?"
In 1848-1849, the weak army of the Austrian Empire really left a deep impression on Franz Joseph.
Facing Franz Joseph's doubts, Felix Schwarzenberg said unswervingly: "Your Majesty, I believe that our army will be able to defeat the ambition of the Kingdom of Prussia!"
While Felix Schwarzenberg was talking, there was a knock on the office door again.
Felix Schwarzenberg glanced at Franz Joseph beside him.
Franz Joseph did not speak, but nodded slightly in agreement.
Felix Schwarzenberg, who received Franz Joseph's permission, immediately responded to the door: "Please come in!"
"Your Excellency, Prime Minister, from..." Secretary von Genz, holding a letter, was eager to report to Felix Schwarzenberg as soon as he entered the door. When he noticed Felix Schwarzenberg,
When Franz Joseph stood next to him, his expression suddenly froze, and he swallowed the words that were stuck in his throat.
"Go on!" Felix Schwarzenberg signaled to von Genz that he could continue his report.
Von Genz swallowed and responded with a serious expression: "Your Majesty Franz, Your Excellency the Prime Minister, this is a telegram from Baron Huboy!"
After saying that, he handed the letter to Felix Schwarzenberg.
[In fact, this is a kind of political incorrectness. Von Genz, Felix Schwarzenberg and Franz Joseph did not pay attention to this detail. 】
"Baron Huboy?" Franz Joseph asked doubtfully.
"Baron Huboy is the Austrian minister to France and is now seeking support in France!" Felix Schwarzenberg answered on behalf of von Genz.
There was a hint of displeasure on Franz Joseph's face, so he asked sharply: "Mr. Prime Minister, I remember that just a month ago, weren't you still saying that France was an important enemy of the empire? Why do you want to do so now?
Seek their support?”
"Your Majesty, there are never fixed friends or fixed enemies in the diplomatic field. Our foreign policy is based on ensuring our own security and interests.
A month ago I said that the French Republic might become an enemy of the Empire, but this does not mean that we have to remain hostile to the French Republic.
Now, we have quelled the challenge posed by the Sardinian Dynasty to us, and have once again made the Sardinian Dynasty a barrier between us and the French Republic. Our relationship with the French Republic has also returned to what it was before there was a rebellion in Sardinia.
Before, the struggle with Prussia had become the most important thing before us." Schwarzenberg reorganized the language, trying to make Franz Joseph understand why his "words and deeds were inconsistent."
"Prime Minister Felix, you are really becoming more and more like my teacher!" Franz Joseph once again repeated the comment he made to Felix Schwarzenberg more than a month ago.
"You are overly complimentary!" Felix Schwarzenberg bowed to Franz Joseph, and then opened the folded letter.
"Your Majesty, the French Republic has conditions to agree to our demands!"
