Chapter 594: Special Trade Plan
Fortunately, Joseph had already laid some groundwork in Poland.
For instance, he had instructed Prince Poniatowski on crucial matters for the future, supplied Poland with aid through the United States, and fostered the awakening of Polish nationalism.
However, he was also keenly aware that Poland in this era was extremely weak, having operated under the "liberum veto" system for a century and a half.
France, for now, could not directly interfere in Polish affairs; doing so would gravely offend Russia and Prussia, essentially helping Britain solidify the Anti-French Coalition.
Therefore, the only option was to maximize Poland's own strength. As long as Poland could hold out for a while longer, it would buy France crucial time to develop.
Prussia and Russia likely had another six months to a year before their war preparations were complete. This period had to be fully utilized to help Poland prepare its defenses...
Five days later.
As soon as Joseph returned to Paris, he went straight to Versailles, summoning Archbishop Brienne, Archbishop Talleyrand, Minister of Trade Bailly, Fouché, and other relevant ministers to his reception room.
Soon, everyone had arrived. He first had Fouché brief them on the situation with Prussia and Austria—during his journey back to Paris, Prussia and Austria had officially concluded a truce.
Once Fouché finished speaking, Archbishop Brienne immediately said, "In that case, we'll need to make some adjustments to our diplomatic policy regarding Austria."
Joseph raised a hand to interrupt him, stating his conclusion directly: "The current priority is how to help Poland resist the attacks from Russia and Prussia. Oh, and perhaps Austria as well."
Bailly looked somewhat surprised. "Your Highness, are you referring to Prussia? But Prussia and Poland are currently allied."
"Please trust me, Prussia is the most eager to invade Poland, even more so than Russia," Joseph declared. "As soon as Russia makes a move, they will immediately tear up their alliance..."
Over the next few hours, Joseph outlined his plan to help Poland resist the invasion, and the group meticulously refined the details.
Archbishop Talleyrand then closed his notebook and said to Joseph, "Your Highness, I shall depart for Warsaw tomorrow."
Joseph, however, shook his head. "We must minimize any trace of the French government in this matter. Therefore, you cannot be the one to go."
He looked at the individuals before him. "Does anyone have a suitable candidate to recommend?"
Bailly pondered. "Your Highness, I believe Bishop Sieyes could go to Poland. Oh, that's Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyes. He is meticulous in his actions and possesses unique insights into political maneuvering."
Upon hearing the name, Joseph nodded faintly.
Sieyes, one of the three leading figures of the Thermidorian Reaction. His political acumen was far more than mere "insight"; he was an absolute master of the craft.
Historically, he endured the rise and fall of every major revolutionary faction, remaining steadfast, and single-handedly orchestrated Emperor Napoleon's Coup of 18 Brumaire. Some even suspected he was the mastermind behind the overthrow of Robespierre's regime.
In this lifetime, with France's stable political situation, there had been no scope for his talents, so he remained merely the Archdeacon of the Chartres district.
Sending him to help Stanisław II control the Polish political landscape would truly make the most of his abilities.
Moreover, he had a church background, making it entirely plausible for the Catholic Church to find a pretext to transfer him to Poland, which would largely avoid attracting attention from other nations.
Joseph then turned to Eman. "Please send someone to Chartres to fetch Sieyes..."
Bailly quickly interjected, "Your Highness, Bishop Sieyes is currently right here at Versailles."
This was not surprising; French nobles and high-ranking clergy often enjoyed lingering in Paris.
Eman inquired about Sieyes's residence and immediately went to find him.
Before long, a man under fifty, with a gaunt face and little of the usual clerical demeanor, knocked and entered. He bowed to Joseph. "It is an honor to be summoned by you, Your Royal Highness. I am Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyes, and I am at your service."
By the time Joseph finished instructing him on the mission to Poland, it was already dusk.
The next morning, Sieyes set off for Warsaw, carrying the aid funds for Poland.
Joseph, feeling much more at ease, had lunch with his mother, then discussed his smuggling permit plan with Archbishop Brienne, Minister of Trade Bailly, Fouché, and the others.
Minister of Trade Bailly was clearly the most excited, his eyes practically gleaming. "Your Highness, I believe your idea is highly feasible. In fact, the British and Portuguese colonies are rife with complaints about their trade policies. If cheap goods were to arrive, many locals would surely jump at the chance to help us sell them."
"Among them, there would even be some very influential figures."
It was well known that both Britain and Portugal treated their colonies as "blood bags." Raw material prices in the colonies were suppressed as much as possible, while their own industrial goods were sold freely, no matter how high the price. Colonists had no choice but to buy them, as no other cheaper goods were allowed to be imported.
This naturally stifled any industrial development in the colonies, forcing them to remain mere sources of raw materials and endure consistently low living standards.
Archbishop Brienne, however, appeared very cautious. "Your Highness, such an action would be tantamount to declaring war on Britain and Portugal."
Joseph responded nonchalantly, "We will try to keep it as discreet as possible. As for declaring war, you needn't worry; I will naturally have a way to handle it."
Seeing the Crown Prince's resolute demeanor, Archbishop Brienne stopped pressing the issue and continued, "Your Highness, if this must be done, I suggest we concentrate the smuggling operations in Tripoli."
"That way, even if the British discover these activities, we can use the excuse of 'being far removed and difficult to manage effectively.' Besides, the volume of trade there is already quite substantial."
Bailly nodded in agreement, adding, "However, departing from the Mediterranean Sea for North America would certainly require passing through the Strait of Gibraltar. The British find it very convenient to inspect smuggling vessels there; you know, it's only a few dozen nautical miles wide, making it impossible to slip past."
"And your suggestion is?"
"We could designate Ostend, a port in the Southern Netherlands, as another primary smuggling hub. Although it's under Austrian rule, the residents there predominantly speak French."
Bailly smiled somewhat smugly. "I've been there; the locals barely acknowledge officials sent from Vienna, preferring instead to heed the Wallonian Business Committee."
The Wallonian Business Committee was currently entirely under French control.
"If there's a business that can generate significant profits, I believe the local populace would certainly be willing to comply with our management."räňO
"Furthermore, just over thirty kilometers from Ostend lies the port of Zeebrugge. If the British fleet becomes too aggressive in inspecting vessels at Ostend, smuggling ships can immediately divert to Zeebrugge to load cargo."
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