Chapter 761: A New Landscape for the Low Countries
The two men chatted as they walked, soon reaching the officers' tent.
Once inside, Joseph gestured to Eman, who promptly served tea. He then addressed Thien:
"Please, have a seat.
"Regarding the nation-building plan we just discussed, once you've assembled the members for your first parliamentary election, France will sign a formal agreement with your parliament."
Thien eagerly accepted the teacup, nodding profusely. "Thank you for your assistance, Your Royal Highness!" he exclaimed. "I'll contact the members with utmost speed."
"Excellent. In that case, you should depart for Brussels as soon as you can."
Joseph paused, then added, "As I mentioned earlier, my army is fully capable of defeating the Austrians, and any British and Prussian forces that might arrive here.
"However, the Flemish people must also contribute to their own independence. Otherwise, your descendants will only be able to say when speaking of their country's origins, 'Our ancestors did nothing when our nation was founded.'"
"You are absolutely right, Your Highness," Thien responded eagerly. "I will rally as many Flemish soldiers as possible to resist the Austrian army.
Joseph smiled faintly. "Thank you for your advice," he said. "However, at this moment, every additional person means additional strength. I believe he is willing to contribute to the founding of Flanders. As Speaker, you should graciously accept anyone with a similar vision."
"Very well, I'll defer to your judgment," Thien conceded, nodding. "Then the soldiers you captured can be placed under his command. I'll return to Brussels tonight."
"Good. You may also select some soldiers to escort you," Joseph replied.
He had no fear that Thien would deceive him.
After all, few could resist the immense temptation of becoming a founding father. This would not only fulfill the centuries-old aspirations of the Flemish people but also, for very noble and grand reasons, secure him immense power and ensure he would be celebrated for generations.
And even if Thien truly slipped away, wasn't Scheyck waiting as a backup?
Joseph was confident that among the more than 2,600 prisoners in the camp, he could find at least ten individuals eager to become a founding father of Flanders.
At 6:00 PM, Thien, accompanied by three politically influential officers and eighty soldiers, hastened back to Brussels.
He wasn't concerned that the French would go back on their word, or that the French army would be defeated.
Because as long as he could leverage this conflict to unite the Flemish region's members of parliament, he could form a political force capable of bargaining with Austria.
Naturally, if France emerged victorious, he stood to gain even more.
Meanwhile, Scheyck's efficiency was also remarkably high.
Just three days later, he had rallied 2,000 Flemish prisoners from the Austrian ranks, who promptly pledged their allegiance to the French army.
Of course, Scheyck didn't possess such immense charisma; the primary reason was Thien's earlier address to the Flemish prisoners before his departure.
Shortly after, the skirmishers Joseph had dispatched returned to Wavre, reporting no signs of Prince Coburg deploying troops to rescue Count Radetzky.
In fact, Prince Coburg had only managed to rally fewer than 7,000 routed troops and was constantly apprehensive that the French would advance on Leuven to eliminate him. He was desperately appealing for aid from the British commander in Utrecht, the Duke of York, who was George III's second son, Frederick. He harbored no thought of launching an offensive.
Joseph waited two more days. Once the Artois Legion, Rethel Legion, and other veteran units had also arrived in Wavre, he ordered an attack on the town of Mafra.
The battle was swift and decisive. The newly aligned Flemish soldiers also participated, and in just one day, Count Radetzky surrendered.
Subsequently, over 4,000 more Austrian soldiers were sent to the prisoner-of-war camp, the vast majority of whom were Flemish.
Scheyck immediately became busy, beginning to "recruit" the Flemish Legion for Joseph.
Joseph instructed Lefebvre to draw mid-to-lower-level officers from the veteran French units and integrate them with the Flemish recruits. This allowed them to form two Flemish infantry regiments, one Flemish skirmisher battalion, and one Flemish cavalry battalion.
Indeed, the members of this cavalry battalion were the very Austrian cavalry unit that had previously been ensnared by the Dutch cavalry.
The entire Flemish Legion comprised over 4,700 men. While their morale and loyalty wouldn't be particularly high, it was certainly better than nothing.
Given that Wallonia was relatively wealthy, accommodating the logistics for a few thousand additional troops presented no strain whatsoever.
Without any extensive further rest, Joseph led his nearly 30,000-strong army on an advance toward Brussels.
As the capital of the Southern Netherlands, it served as the political nerve center of Austrian rule over the region. Should it fall, the entire situation in the Southern Netherlands would immediately be thrown into upheaval.
At this time, Brussels was defended by merely over 20,000 militarily weak Dutch troops, making it the opportune moment for its capture.
Concurrently, the Walloon Chamber of Commerce convened a grand full committee meeting in Namur.
Major General Gaillard, resplendent in his crisp white military uniform, straightened his collar and strode onto the rostrum at the front of the meeting hall.
Indeed, he had officially assumed the role of commander-in-chief for the newly formed Walloon Regional Defense Force. Following the abrogation of the "demilitarized zone" agreement, it was only natural for Wallonia to establish its own army.
Nearly 4,000 members of the former Walloon Police voluntarily joined the defense force. Donning custom-made French uniforms, they instantly transformed into soldiers.
Gaillard vigorously clenched his fists, declaring in a booming voice, "Everyone here must know that had His Royal Highness the Crown Prince not led his army to rescue me, I would have been killed by the Austrian army in Wavre!"
He deliberately omitted any mention of being captured, instead aiming to ignite the committee members' shared hatred of the enemy.
"Without a powerful France to support us, we will sooner or later be re-subjugated by the Austrians. The blood shed by our warriors in Wavre will have been entirely in vain!"
His words immediately drew vocal approval from over a dozen committee members who were also military officers.
A committee member from the Chamber of Commerce, a man in his sixties, rose to speak. "General Gaillard," he began, "Wallonia's current state of high autonomy is what brings us the greatest benefits. Joining France, however, would cause us to lose much. If I'm not mistaken, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince doesn't even approve of Wallonia forming its own parliament."
Joseph had indeed demanded the dissolution of the Walloon Chamber of Commerce and also disagreed with its transformation into a parliament.
While such local parliaments might be an acceptable model in other countries, he was convinced that, at least during his lifetime, no local assembly could foster regional development better than he could.
Chevènement, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, cleared his throat and rose. "Speaking of Wallonia's interests," he stated, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has actually pledged to invest in hundreds of kilometers of wooden railway construction here. Oh, and the rails will all be laid with steel."
A sudden silence fell over the meeting hall.
The vast majority of the committee members present owned industries related to coal mining or iron smelting. They understood perfectly how enormous the profits from laying hundreds of kilometers of railway tracks would be for them!
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