I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 415 Austria's Best Diplomat
Joseph nodded immediately and said, "Okay, I can go anywhere as long as it can make you feel at ease."

As it happened, he was preparing to go to Vienna even without Queen Marie's instructions.

He looked at his mother again: "Mom, what happened to make you so worried?"

"Alas, I have been taken care of by Madame Delvaux since the moment I was born." Queen Marie wiped her tears with a handkerchief and choked up, "She gave me meticulous care."

According to the tradition of European aristocrats in the 18th century, children were given to wet nurses to feed as soon as they were born. The seven children born to Queen Marie's mother, Maria Theresa, the previous ruler of Austria, were all raised by wet nurses and tutors.

So for Queen Marie, Madame Delvaux was almost like her mother in her childhood, and they had a very deep affection for each other.

It was precisely because Queen Marie lacked maternal love since childhood that she did not want her children to experience such pain. Therefore, she highly respected Rousseau's advocacy of "following the way of nature - mothers should feed their children themselves", and she was also the first mother in the European royal family to practice this concept. After her, feeding children by oneself gradually became popular among French women.

By the way, Rousseau promoted the idea of ​​"mothers raising children themselves" throughout his life, but he threw all five of his children into an orphanage (his wife Theresa survived), because he believed he was "absolutely free"...

"Mrs. Delvaux wrote to say she was in very bad shape... and she had a little granddaughter.

"The poor child's parents died of fever when he was very young, and he grew up with Madame Delvaux."

Queen Marie rambled on about Madame Delvaux's granddaughter, and finally said, "When the child grows up, she will be even more beautiful than her grandmother, and many young nobles will pursue her.

"And that beauty also brought her trouble. A year ago, a scoundrel named Walter began to harass her. Even though she refused many times, she was still harassed by him."

Joseph frowned and asked, "Doesn't the sheriff of Vienna care about this?"

"The sheriff dare not offend Baron Walter," Queen Marie looked at Madame Delvaux's letter, "He is the cousin of Maria Vitoluca, Grand Duchess of Tuscany."

Joseph was stunned for a moment before he connected the name with the corresponding identity: "Leopold II's brother-in-law?"

No wonder no one dared to mess with that baron - Leopold II was about to be crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

Queen Marie continued, “Baron Walter has a very bad reputation. Madame Delvaux is worried that no one in Vienna dares to take care of him, so she hopes that Camelia, oh, her little granddaughter, can come to Paris and I will provide her with shelter.

"You know, I can't leave the Palace of Versailles easily, so I hope you can go to Vienna and send my blessings to Madame Delvaux, and bring poor Camelia back."

"Well, don't worry, leave these things to me." Joseph nodded seriously.

……

half a month later.

Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna.

Accompanied by the band playing solemn music, Joseph, accompanied by Leopold II, walked between the guards of honor standing solemnly on both sides of the road.

"I didn't expect you to come in person." Leopold II seemed quite enthusiastic and gestured towards the main entrance of Schönbrunn Palace. "I have prepared a grand dinner for you."

Joseph thanked him politely, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then turned the topic to business:

"Uncle, you urgently summoned Archbishop Talleyrand this time. Is there something urgent?" Leopold II smiled politely.

"Haha, over the past six months, France has provided great support to our country on the battlefields of Silesia and the Southern Netherlands. Your Majesty asked me to express my sincere gratitude to France."

Joseph muttered to himself, if he wanted to express his gratitude, why not just give some florins? Why did he have to summon the French Foreign Minister?

As the dinner continued, Leopold II suddenly raised his glass and said loudly to everyone present:
"With the help of his French allies, General Leo has achieved a decisive victory in the Southern Netherlands! I believe that it won't be long before the rebels are wiped out and order will be restored in the Southern Netherlands."

He smiled at Joseph again:

"And the brave French soldiers will soon be able to return to their long-missed homeland."

Joseph smiled and raised his glass in response to the cheers of the Austrian nobles, but frowned in his heart - Leopold II seemed very sure that the Southern Netherlands rebels would be defeated. But he had not received any reports from the front line. Except for the Hanoverian army's change of guard a while ago, no decisive battle had taken place.

Leopold II continued his impassioned speech:

"In Silesia, our army gave the Prussians a severe lesson. In the battles of Liegnitz, Marshal Lacy annihilated nearly 10,000 Prussian invaders. His artillery almost turned the enemy's positions into scorched earth!"

The Austrian nobles immediately cheered again:
"Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"

"Marshal Lacy leads us to victory!"

"Cheers to the brave warriors on the Silesian front!"

Joseph suddenly became even more confused. Austria clearly had not made any progress in Silesia, so why did Leopold II talk as if it was about to triumph?

In this way, the banquet ended in an exciting and joyful atmosphere, followed by a dance. It was not until 11 o'clock in the evening that Joseph was finally able to return to his room.

Not long after, Talleyrand knocked on the door and came in, bowed hastily, and said solemnly:
"Your Highness, the situation does not seem good. Count Kaunitz wants to see you immediately."

Joseph nodded, motioned to Emmanuel to change into casual clothes for him, and quickly left Schönbrunn Palace following the two servants who had been waiting outside the house.

In the carriage, Talleyrand frowned and reported:

"Your Highness, according to the information I heard in Vienna, Charles II may soon withdraw to Hanover, and the Prussians will also announce that they will no longer intervene in the situation in the Southern Netherlands."

Joseph was surprised and asked, "How is this possible?"

"It is said that it was Count Frenz who single-handedly led the effort and persuaded Charles II and William II with a tiny benefit," Talleyrand said. "He was also recently awarded by His Majesty Joseph II."

Joseph sneered. If Karl II could be persuaded through diplomatic means, Prussia was in the middle of a war with Austria, so how could it be possible to easily reconcile with the Southern Netherlands?
"What do you think?" He looked at Talleyrand.

"It's definitely not Count Frunz. There must be someone else behind the scenes. But if it's true as the rumors say, our military presence in the Southern Netherlands will become extremely passive."

(End of this chapter)