บท 152: Chapter 152 Victory Banquet
"Ah! It's all because of those damn Turks. If they hadn't started the war, Britain could have joined Austria in opposing France. If Britain and Austria, these two powerful nations, had united, France would surely have been suppressed without even a chance to turn over," Sir Tom muttered.
From a British perspective, he attributed all the blame to the Turks, and rightly so.
"If not for the arrogant Sultan Mahmud II of Turkey, who ambitiously sought to challenge Britain's rights in Egypt, Britain wouldn't be in such a tense situation. They could have allocated more resources to counter France."
"It's all the Turks' fault; they've messed everything up," Sir Tom said angrily.
As Sir Tom cursed the Turks, the carriage soon arrived at the Palace of Versailles. French Foreign Minister Talleyrand was outside the palace with his entourage, welcoming the arriving guests.
"Your Excellency Talleyrand, congratulations to you," Sir Tom smiled as he got off the carriage.
"Ambassador, welcome. Peace has returned to Europe, and Britain has made a significant contribution. I believe the people of Europe will remember everything Britain has done," Talleyrand smiled back. Diplomatic niceties were a basic skill for any diplomat.
Just as Sir Tom was exchanging pleasantries and about to enter, his attention was suddenly drawn to a carriage that arrived unexpectedly.
This carriage was drawn by four white horses, all robust and well-fed, with thick, luxurious coats. Clearly, they were high-quality horses. The carriage itself was exceptional, crafted from fine wood and adorned with gold patterns.
Most striking was the white double-headed eagle flag hanging from the carriage roof. This was the flag of the Russian Tsar.
"Strange. Why are the Russians here? Could they have some relationship with the French?" Sir Tom thought. As a diplomat, he had experienced many intrigues and conspiracies, so upon seeing the Russians, Sir Tom's thoughts immediately turned to a negative direction.
"The scenery here is nice. France is truly beautiful, unlike Russia," he said aloud.
Finally, under the gaze of everyone, a man stepped down from the Russian carriage. He was dressed in luxurious attire, with blonde hair and blue eyes, a typical Slavic appearance.
"Ah, it's a pleasure to see you, Prince Barclay!" Talleyrand greeted warmly, walking over and shaking his hand.
"Your Excellency, congratulations on your victory. I believe it is truly a great triumph. Your country, after a period of decline, has awakened, and I am confident that in the near future, France will once again stand at the pinnacle of Western Europe," Prince Barclay expressed his closeness to France without reservation. In fact, this was also France's established goal. Due to its geographical distance from the center of Europe, Russia had always been excluded by the various European countries, so Russia had been trying its best to integrate into the European family. In history, Russian kings and the upper class had desperately studied European etiquette for a period of time, aiming to integrate into European society. And Prince Barclay's visit to France this time was aimed at improving relations with France. Russians respected strength, and France's demonstrated power in the war was worthy of Russian respect.
Sir Tom frowned as he observed all this. Britain had always prided itself as the hegemon of Europe, the defender of world peace. What he wanted was for Britain to dominate the world. However, Talleyrand and Prince Barclay's conversation made Sir Tom somewhat worried. If France and Russia were to join forces, it would undoubtedly threaten the hegemony of the British Empire. France's army was too powerful, and Russia's army was not weak either, especially their Cossack cavalry, which was renowned as the best in the world. If these two countries were to unite, Britain's dream of dominating Europe would become a daydream, and the whole of Europe would fall under the iron hooves of France and Russia. Even the British, with their powerful navy, would not be able to stand alone.
"We absolutely cannot allow the French and Russians to join forces," Sir Tom muttered to himself. Such a scenario would be a disaster for the entire Britain.
"Ah, what am I thinking? Am I being too nervous? It's all because of the French-Austrian negotiations that have consumed too much of my energy," Sir Tom chuckled to himself, shaking his head.
Relying solely on the conversation between the French Foreign Minister and the Russian Prince to conclude that the two countries might form an alliance sounds like pure fantasy. If I were to submit this report to the Cabinet, my immediate superior, the Duke of Edward, might even personally sail from London to Paris just to give me a good scolding.
...
After a brief exchange, Talleyrand led Prince Barclay into the banquet hall. French officials and members of high society continued to arrive at the Palace of Versailles, each wearing a warm smile on their face. However, these seasoned individuals were all skilled actors. Their smiles appeared sincere, but they were nothing more than superficial gestures of politeness.
However, just as the banquet was about to commence, the Austrian diplomat Izvér came late. To everyone's surprise, he arrived alongside the Dutch Stadtholder, Count van Bragel. According to reports, the two even arrived at Versailles in the same carriage.
This turn of events sparked speculation among the attendees.
It's worth noting that although the Netherlands was a vassal state of Austria, the relationship between the two had always been strained. The Dutch had revolted against Austrian rule multiple times, leading to a longstanding animosity between them.
For instance, the former Austrian Emperor Franz I even dispatched troops to suppress them. However, due to the long distance and unfamiliar terrain, the Austrian army suffered a humiliating defeat. This debacle not only tarnished the reputation of the Austrians but also brought their relationship with the Dutch to an all-time low.
"Are the Dutch and Austrians forming an alliance? Someone, go inform His Excellency the Stadtholder," Talleyrand instructed a staff member while receiving guests outside.
Now he finally understood why the Austrians had readily agreed to cede their Dutch territories to France during the treaty negotiations; they were waiting for this moment.
But now, the relationship between the two countries seemed to be warming up again. Upon reflection, it was understandable. After all, there are no permanent enemies between nations; only everlasting interests.
Despite their relationship plummeting to an all-time low after the war, the arrival of the French seemed to have brought these feuding brothers back together.
To fend off the French "aggression," they were cooperating closely at this moment to deal with France, and this was something everyone could think of.
"Hmph, do these foolish Dutch think they can stop the mighty French army like this? They're thinking too simplistically. France has a hundred ways to reclaim your Netherlands," Talleyrand thought to himself.
After 7 o'clock in the evening, the banquet officially began. French First Consul Napoleon delivered a speech at the banquet. Napoleon claimed that France was a country longing for peace, and all French people were peace-loving. For thousands of years, the French had rarely launched expansions abroad, and it was the same now. If they could coexist peacefully, it would undoubtedly be the best option. Napoleon appealed for peace, emphasizing its preciousness and urging everyone to cherish it.
After the speech, the attendees applauded Napoleon warmly. However, many diplomats wore a subtle smirk on their faces. Was France truly a peace-loving country?
It's worth noting that France's current territorial extent didn't just fall into their laps; it was acquired bit by bit by their predecessors, the Bourbon dynasty. Wasn't it the Bourbon dynasty that was overthrown by angry citizens due to bankruptcy caused by wars with the British?
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