章 98: Chapter 98: A Meeting for the Prince
Chapter 98: A Meeting for the Prince
Somial felt a wave of humiliation wash over him in the meeting hall, his whole body trembling with anger. Yet, he had no choice but to rise and storm out, his face dark with fury.
Once the golden doors were shut again, Queen Marie sighed and turned to Brienne, asking, "Archbishop Brienne, who do you think would be suitable to succeed as Minister of Justice?"
Brienne immediately replied, "Your Majesty, the current Court Advisor, Baron Breteuil, is competent and loyal. He studied law at the University of Paris and would be a good fit for the position of Minister of Justice."
This was the result of careful consideration by both Joseph and Brienne. Breteuil was skilled in diplomacy and had strong political abilities. Most importantly, he was a close relative of the king and very loyal to the royal family. In history, during the most dangerous time when Louis XVI was planning to escape Paris, it was Breteuil who tirelessly worked on behalf of the king and never betrayed him.
Queen Marie nodded. "Have him come to see me later."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Brienne replied.
Joseph discreetly glanced at the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vergennes. He was the next target. Once Vergennes was removed, it would be like pulling out the political teeth of Duke Orléans.
Brienne then picked up another document and read, "The second item on the agenda. Since the High Court has relinquished its authority over press censorship, the Prince suggests establishing a Bureau of Press and Publications to manage these matters."
Duke Orléans snorted in displeasure, keeping his head down and saying nothing. He had been utterly defeated in the recent "pamphlet war," and now, with the loss of press censorship, he could no longer hope to control public opinion. In the span of just twenty minutes, he had lost an important political ally, followed by the collapse of his control over public discourse. Today's cabinet meeting was a nightmare for him.
"Hmm, this is excellent," Queen Marie said, clearly pleased.
Since she had married into the French royal family, she had been constantly slandered by the press. Today, she finally saw a ray of hope.
Brienne signaled to Monnot, "The Bureau of Press and Publications is closely related to internal affairs, so I suggest that Count Monnot manage it."
Monnot immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I will ensure that those vulgar and shameless articles disappear from the world!"
Queen Marie smiled approvingly, praised Monnot briefly, and then signed the document.
Brienne continued, "The third item on the agenda. The Prince has submitted a report stating that the signing of the Eden Treaty has greatly harmed France's interests, especially in the textile and steel industries, which are now nearly impossible to sustain. Therefore, the Prince suggests that we quickly restart Anglo-French trade negotiations to amend the treaty and prevent further deterioration."
Duke Orléans finally saw an opportunity to push back and sneered, "Your Highness, you make it sound too simple. The British have gained enormous benefits from the treaty. Why would they agree to amend it?"
Joseph glanced at him and then bowed slightly to the Queen. "Your Majesty, I am absolutely confident that I can persuade the British."
Before the Queen could ask how, he added, "Even if we fail to reach an agreement, we lose nothing by trying."
All the cabinet ministers, except Duke Orléans, immediately expressed their support. These ministers were either Joseph's political allies or had a vested interest in the matter, so there was no way they would disagree.
Queen Marie also nodded slightly and asked, "Archbishop, do you have any specific negotiation terms prepared?"
Brienne quickly placed a document in front of her. "Yes, Your Majesty. These are our intended negotiation goals. The two core points are: first, to push for a reduction in British tariffs on alcoholic beverages—including wine, beer, and spirits—to below 10%."
The ministers, hearing this for the first time, were immediately filled with anticipation. Alcohol, especially wine, was a cornerstone of France's exports, but it faced fierce competition from Spain, Tuscany, Venice, and other regions. If Britain were to lower import tariffs on French wine, it would greatly enhance the competitiveness of French wines.
Brienne continued, "Second, we aim to increase tariffs on British industrial goods to 25%, but with an annual reduction of 3%, bringing it down to 5% after seven years."
The Minister of Foreign Affairs immediately stood up to oppose, "5%? Absolutely not! This would leave France's industry completely unprotected!"
Joseph smiled and said, "Even at the current 12% tariff, our industry can't compete with the British. It would be better to give our factories some breathing room and encourage them to switch to other industries, which would reduce our losses. Besides, lowering industrial tariffs significantly is the only way to get the British to reduce tariffs on alcohol."
Of course, Joseph didn't mention the rapid improvement of France's industrial capabilities, especially with Duke Orléans in the room.
The Queen hesitated and looked at Brienne. "Archbishop, do you agree?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. This is the most advantageous strategy for us at the moment," Brienne said, although he was somewhat puzzled by the details. Nevertheless, his unwavering trust in the Prince led him to support these terms.
"The other negotiation points include a proposal for Britain and France to jointly establish a fleet to combat smuggling."
The ministers were stunned, thinking they must have misheard. Britain and France forming a joint fleet? It sounded almost fantastical!
But this was exactly the effect Joseph wanted. The British would see this as a sign that France was abandoning its ambitions for naval supremacy, while the crackdown on smuggling would benefit France more. Every year, smuggled British industrial goods severely undermined French industry because they entered the country tariff-free, making them much cheaper than domestically produced goods.
If this term were agreed upon, it would essentially mean that the British navy would be protecting French industry. The British would gain prestige, and the French would gain tangible benefits—a win-win situation.
Brienne continued, "Additionally, we will request that Britain sell 1 million pounds of wool annually at a fair price to Le Havre."
Since France's defeat in the Seven Years' War, it had lost many overseas colonies, leading to a wool shortage, which was detrimental to the development of the textile industry.
Of course, Joseph wasn't sure if the British would be so generous, but given the cooperation on the joint fleet, they might at least offer 500,000 pounds of wool.
After discussing the trade negotiations, Brienne moved on to the next agenda item: "The Prince suggests introducing a Patent Law and a Company Law."
Since these laws were essential for the development of the industrial sector by the capitalist aristocracy and posed no threat to the old nobility or the common people, Queen Marie quickly signed the document and ordered it to be presented to the King for his signature.
As for the High Court, not only did they lack any justification for rejecting these laws, but even if they had one, under the scrutiny of the Royal Supreme Court, they would have no choice but to approve the registration of the laws.
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