Chapter five hundred and ninety-first, the cunning Metternich
When Prince Albert asked for this sentence, Jerome Bonaparte's face showed a hint of astonishment. After a while, the surprise disappeared, and a smile appeared on his face again.
"Because in the hearts of my children, France is a brother of the British Kingdom, a fighting partner! Our two army armies fought with Sardinia and the Ottomans in the Crimean Peninsula with the most vicious Russian troops.
, and achieved excellent results. The naval forces of our two countries fought in the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea to protect the fairness of Europe... I told my children that this world should not be a world where the weak are preyed on by the strong;
A world of peaceful development, a world of European coordination... I sincerely hope that France and Britain can continue to work together to fight for fairness in Europe in the future!"
As soon as Albert finished speaking, Jérôme Bonaparte immediately began to applaud.
Others in the ballroom also reacted, and thunderous applause rang out in the ballroom.
After a while, with Jérôme Bonaparte's solemn announcement, the ball at the Louvre officially began.
As the protagonist of the ball, Albert danced several dances with Queen Victoria amidst the elegant music.
Until the arrival of Franz Joseph, Prince Albert let go of Victoria's hand and looked at the Austrian Empire's advisor, Prince Metternich, with a smile: "Prince Metternich, what can I do for you?"
"Prince Albert, I wonder if you are willing to condescend..." Metternich asked Albert if he would like to find a secluded place to discuss something.
"Of course!" Prince Albert nodded to Metternich immediately, and then walked down the dance floor with Queen Victoria and came to a slightly secluded place. Franz Joseph also stood
There.
Prince Metternich tactfully told Prince Albert that the Austrian Empire hoped to obtain a loan from the Kingdom of Britain.
"If the Austrian Empire itself meets the conditions, Britain is certainly willing to provide the Austrian Empire with a considerable loan!" Prince Albert politely refused Prince Metternich's request and told Prince Metternich that he did not want to be in the ballroom.
Discuss political issues.
Seeing that Prince Albert was in no mood to continue the discussion, Prince Metternich had no choice but to confess to Albert.
"If the Austrian Empire is willing to make some concessions on the Danube issue..." Prince Albert tactfully persuaded the Austrian Empire to give up its claim to the Danube Principality.
After all, the Danube River in the hands of the Ottoman Empire and the Austrian Empire were not of the same nature at all.
In the former case, the British Kingdom could still use its national power to crush the Ottoman Empire and force it into submission.
In the case of the latter, the British Kingdom can only calmly discuss navigation issues with them.
After all, the Austrian Empire can be considered the first-class power in Europe.
When the Kingdom of Britain deals with second-rate (Sardinia) and third-rate (Kingdom of Two Silesia) powers, it can conduct diplomacy without any concern for their feelings.
In its attitude towards first-class powers, the Kingdom of Britain has always adhered to the principle that issues that can be resolved within the framework will never be resolved outside the framework; issues that can be resolved through diplomacy will never be resolved through war.
It is really difficult to defeat a first-class power. During the Napoleonic Wars, the British Kingdom was deeply in debt, which some people still remember vividly.
Because of this, the French Empire endorsed the Austrian Empire and handed over the Danube Principality to the Austrian Empire without the consent of the Ottoman Empire’s top government (at that time, except for the foreign minister, most of the Ottoman Empire’s top officials were pro-British.)
At that time, the British Kingdom did not instigate high-level government opposition.
Instead, they worked with France to suppress the high-level government and forced them to agree.
Faced with Albert's conditions, Prince Metternich would naturally not agree. The benefits brought to the Austrian Empire by the navigation of the Danube River are long-lasting, and the loan needs to be repaid!
[ps: From this perspective, although the aid provided to the Soviet Union by the Lend-Lease Act implemented by the United States of America during World War II was not used at the critical moment (guess the large amount of aid after the Stalingrad War), at least it was
There is no need for repayment from the Soviet Union, and it is more conscientious than Britain.]
"Prince Albert, please forgive me for not being able to agree to your conditions!" Prince Metternich still maintained a neither humble nor overbearing attitude, Albert responded.
"Then there is nothing I can do! After all, Mr. Metternich, you also know! Britain is different from France and Austria. The rights of the royal family are restricted by the cabinet!" Prince Albert randomly found a reason to excuse Prince Metternich.
Immediately, Prince Metternich, Franz Joseph, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria parted ways.
Franz Joseph, who didn't say a word from beginning to end, asked Prince Metternich in a low voice: "Mr. Metternich, what's the point of doing this! If I were Albert, I probably wouldn't be here."
Agree on all occasions!"
"Your Majesty, the reason why I discussed investment with Prince Albert in the ballroom was not just for investment!" Prince Metternich responded to Franz Joseph with a winning expression on his face.
"What's that for?" Franz Joseph asked curiously.
"Your Majesty, I will tell you after the banquet is over! What you have to do now is to go to His Majesty Jerome Bonaparte..." Prince Metternich once again told Franz Joseph.
Franz Joseph and Prince Metternich came to Jerome Bonaparte, and Prince Metternich repeated to Jerome Bonaparte what he said to Prince Albert.
"Mr. Metternich, I don't want to talk about it at this time! If you really want to talk, we can talk about it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow!" Jerome Bonaparte replied to Prince Metternich:
"This issue cannot be decided by simply talking here!"
"Yes! Your Majesty!" Prince Metternich said goodbye to Jerome Bonaparte.
Jérôme Bonaparte, who was watching Prince Metternich leave, could not help but mutter: "What on earth is going on with Metternich? Why are you talking about this issue at this time?"
After a while, when the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Prussia appeared in front of Jerome Bonaparte and made insinuations about what Prince Metternich had talked about with him, Jerome Bonaparte realized that Prince Metternich’s