The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 196

Chapter 196: Fouché’s Strategy

The Intelligence Division of the Bureau of Security Affairs was tasked with collecting and processing intelligence to develop operational plans, which were then handed over to the Action Division for execution.

This highly professional and specialized division of labor was unprecedented among intelligence agencies of the 18th century.

Three hours later, the Intelligence Division had produced two plans. After listening to their presentation, Fouché quickly selected the second plan and ordered its immediate execution.

The members of the Bureau’s Action Division sprang into motion.

Several operatives headed to Paris to prepare. Thanks to the efficient rail transport system, they returned to the Palace of Versailles before nightfall.

At 7 p.m., three Action Division operatives disguised as musicians received a few "tools" and proceeded directly to Mrs. Garland’s music hall on the second floor of the West Wing. Armed with impeccably authentic credentials, they encountered no obstacles along the way.

In the marble courtyard, dazzling fireworks lit up the sky as music filled the air.

In the crowd, Mrs. Garland, her face alight with pride, offered a slight bow. Queen Marie Antoinette smiled as she placed a feathered headdress, symbolizing the championship, atop Mrs. Garland's coiffure.

Just half an hour earlier, Mrs. Garland had claimed an unsurprising victory in the song and dance competition by performing an excerpt from her mentor Mozart's newly composed opera, The Magic Flute.

The assembled nobles and commoners erupted into cheers, shouting Mrs. Garland's name. Over half of them had bet on her victory, and their substantial winnings only heightened their elation.

Meanwhile, the three "musicians" had pried open the door to Mrs. Garland’s music hall. Slipping inside, they locked the door behind them and quickly moved to the spacious balcony.

They carefully surveyed the scene below. By now, darkness had fallen, and most people were gathered in the marble courtyard, paying no attention to the music hall. The three operatives promptly dismantled three thick wooden rails from the balcony, replacing them with identical-looking ones taken from their instrument cases...

That evening, as the champion of the singing competition, Mrs. Garland was scheduled to perform at King Louis XVI's birthday ball, so her music salon had been closed for the day.

The Hall of Mirrors glittered with light as Louis XVI’s birthday celebration officially began. Royals and dignitaries from across Europe filled the room, their expressions reverent as they watched the French king and queen perform the opening dance in the center of the hall.

When the music ended, Louis XVI, his face flushed, nodded politely to the guests before hastily retreating to the second-floor balcony, visibly exhausted.

The royal steward then delivered a lengthy birthday address. Following this, Mrs. Garland sang a classical ballad, King Louis, dedicated to Louis XVI:

"Louis, my king, rally the troops,
The lords and riders take the stage.
Louis, my king, your call rings out,
Who shall join you on distant campaigns?
The devout arise, their duty embraced..."

Below, Joseph quietly glanced at the financial report Eymond had just obtained from the royal steward.

As expected, the song and dance competition, marred by Mrs. Garland’s "bug," had cost the betting pool several thousand livres. However, the fencing competition proved a surprise: Baron Vémorel, the second captain of the Queen’s Guard, had defeated two favored contestants to win the championship, generating over 100,000 livres in betting revenue.

Combined with the 100,000 livres raised through the lottery, the total barely covered the 260,000-livre cost of the birthday celebrations.

As the ball progressed, one performance followed another, including a piano piece by Godoy and several court musicians.

Fortunately, the ladies of Versailles were gradually learning that the Crown Prince disliked dancing. Rumors of the queen’s chosen fiancée for the dauphin—a fiercely protective young lady—kept potential suitors at bay.

Joseph, meanwhile, sought out his diplomatic target for the evening. The man, a shrewd and capable-looking forty-something, was Joan Derik van de Kampelen, Speaker of the States General of the Netherlands and a leading figure of the Patriot Party.

That night, Kampelen also served as the envoy of Stadtholder William V of the Netherlands. The States General, wary of William’s potential compromise with France, had independently appointed him to represent the Dutch at the king’s birthday celebration.

Kampelen greeted the French Crown Prince with great deference, recognizing that France had been a financial backer of the Patriot Party and that, without the "French volunteers" last year, Prussian forces might have taken Rotterdam.

However, since the Netherlands’ crushing defeat in the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War five years earlier, they had reluctantly entered into an alliance with Britain. Although the Patriot Party opposed British influence, they were wary of drawing too close to France.

“Ah, Your Highness, you are radiant this evening!” Kampelen exclaimed, bowing low as he offered his effusive compliments.

Joseph took two glasses of wine from a servant’s tray, handing one to Kampelen as he gestured toward a quieter corner.

“I have long wished to meet you, Mr. Speaker. Would you mind speaking with me privately?”

“Of course, Your Highness, it would be my honor.”

In the secluded corner, Joseph raised his glass in a toast.

“Mr. Speaker, allow me to begin by congratulating our nations on the successes we’ve achieved against the Barbary pirates.”

Kampelen nodded in agreement.

“May the Mediterranean routes grow ever safer.”

In truth, the Dutch contribution had been minimal—a small frigate and some funding—strong-armed by France.

After a few pleasantries, Joseph turned the conversation to business.

“Your nation’s two most important companies, the Dutch East India Company and the West India Company, seem to be struggling. Would that be accurate?”

Kampelen frowned slightly and nodded.

“Yes, Your Highness. Frequent wars have drained the finances of the Dutch provinces, reducing demand for overseas goods. As a result, both companies often operate at a loss.”

“Does your parliament have any plans to improve their situation?” Joseph pressed.

Kampelen grimaced.

“That would be difficult, Your Highness. Trade volumes are what they are.”

Joseph cut to the heart of the matter.

“The real problem is that the British have monopolized many trade routes and continually undermine your colonies.”

“That… is certainly a factor,” Kampelen admitted.

Joseph sighed dramatically.

“Once upon a time, the Dutch were the rulers of the seas, dominating the world’s oceans with unparalleled success.”

“...” Kampelen remained silent, his head bowed.

Joseph observed his expression before smiling.

“Mr. Speaker, perhaps we could join forces.”

“Join forces?” Kampelen’s eyes narrowed in realization. He shook his head. “Your Highness, with all due respect, the Netherlands lacks the strength to confront Britain.”

“I believe you misunderstand me,” Joseph clarified. “I’m referring to a purely commercial partnership.”

“Do you mean with the two trade companies?” Kampelen asked.

Joseph nodded.

“Exactly. The French East India Company is also struggling. I propose that our nations combine our three companies, pooling resources to expand operations. Together, we may yet revive their former glory.”

Joseph understood the Dutch Navy’s potential. During the earlier Anglo-Dutch Wars, the Dutch fleet had held its own against Britain, causing significant disruptions. However, in their current weakened state, the Dutch had abandoned aspirations of naval supremacy.

Still, the Dutch had a natural talent for commerce. With the right opportunities, they might once again flourish as the maritime carriers of the world.

More importantly, a resurgent Netherlands would inevitably become Britain’s nemesis on the seas. At worst, France could use its army to pressure the nearby Dutch into respecting French interests.

As Cardinal Richelieu, France’s first great statesman, had said: France could only achieve its ambitions by fostering a strong Netherlands to counter Britain.

Joseph now sought to rebuild the Netherlands, even giving them a push toward success.

For instance, by using the struggling French East India Company as bait, he could bind Dutch and French interests together, helping the Dutch expand their trade routes and restore their strength.

For a maritime nation like the Netherlands, greater influence would necessitate a powerful navy. And given the competitive nature of global trade, the Dutch Navy would naturally become an enemy of the British Navy.

Kampelen’s eyes lit up briefly, but he quickly frowned.

“Your Highness, with the current state of Franco-Dutch trade, even a merger would yield limited profits. The most lucrative colonies are in British hands, and the remainder belongs to Spain.”

Joseph smiled faintly.

“You need not worry. France is prepared to contribute trade privileges from some of our resource-rich colonies to the new company.”

At present, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea were untouched by European colonization. The former promised vast sheep pastures, a strategic resource in this textile-dominated era. The latter was rich in minerals, offering significant profits.

Just these two regions alone could sustain the new Franco-Dutch “East India Company.”

Additionally, both countries could develop northern Australia alongside Britain’s efforts on the eastern coast.

With Dutch trade connections in Japan and territories like Guyana, careful management could yield enormous revenues for both nations.

Of course, such profits would inevitably attract British hostility. But by that point, cutting off the Dutch would mean threatening their survival, forcing them to fight Britain.

Kampelen, startled, asked:

“Which colonies are you referring to?”

After the Seven Years’ War, France’s overseas holdings were few. How could they have anything left to offer?

Joseph replied with a slight smile:

“That will be revealed once the joint East India Company is established. But I can guarantee these territories will be exceptionally productive, exceeding the Dutch’s current earnings in the Far East.

“Furthermore, I must remind you: if the Patriot Party fails to provide for the Dutch people, they may well turn back to their Stadtholder.”

Noting Kampelen’s hesitation, Joseph offered another enticing proposal:

“With extensive trade cooperation, I could promise a mutual non-aggression pact between our nations.”

Kampelen’s eyes lit up completely.

For centuries, Britain at sea and France on land had posed the greatest threats to the Netherlands.

France’s invasions under Louis XIV had left an indelible scar on the Dutch psyche, deterring them from fully aligning with France.

But if France could guarantee Dutch security, it would be a monumental strategic advantage for the Netherlands.

Kampelen finally nodded firmly.

“I will convey your goodwill to the States General and the two companies, and I will do my best to promote this partnership.”

After all, the Dutch East and West India Companies were independently operated joint-stock companies. The States General could only offer recommendations.

Joseph nodded with a smile before turning his gaze to the ball.

“Perhaps we should include Austria in our partnership. You know, their Ostend Company once yielded immense profits before British pressure forced its closure. They must surely want to revive their East India Company.”

He was referring to the Austrian Ostend Company, an overseas trading firm from the Southern Netherlands. Though it had lasted only ten years, it had been Austria’s sole successful foray into overseas trade.

More importantly, all parties involved—Austria, the Netherlands, and France—had suffered at British hands.

Kampelen was stunned by the boldness of the idea, pausing for a moment before responding.

“Your Highness, under the Anglo-Austrian Treaty, the Ostend Company cannot be reestablished.”

Joseph shrugged with a smile.

“What Ostend Company? If the Austrian Archduke invests in the Franco-Dutch joint East India Company and grants it certain trade privileges, that wouldn’t violate the treaty, would it?”

Kampelen chuckled. The French Crown Prince’s creativity was astonishing. A tri-national joint-stock trade company was bound to flourish!

Joseph felt a twinge of regret, as his uncle, Austrian Archduke Joseph II, had not attended the birthday celebration due to health issues. His envoy was ceremonial and lacked authority. Otherwise, Joseph would have used this opportunity to discuss not just the joint East India Company but also Silesia and even the unification of Germany.

The celebration continued through the night. Following the charity auction, dawn began to break, and the revelers finally dispersed.

As originally planned, both domestic and foreign birthday gifts for Louis XVI were auctioned, with the proceeds directed toward disaster relief.

At the auction, many nobles also donated jewelry, ornaments, and fine garments for sale.

In total, over two million livres were raised. Before the assembled citizens of Paris, it was announced how much grain would be purchased and where it would be sent.

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