I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 421 Wallonia Special Trade Zone

Madame Delvaux's funeral was quite simple.

The old lady didn't have many friends when she was alive. In order to avoid offending Baron Walter, they basically cut off contact with the Delvaux family. At this time, only seven or eight people came to say goodbye to her.

However, the appearance of Joseph made Father Koch, who was originally a little listless, immediately become serious, and his voice became more solemn when he read the Holy Scriptures.

Camelia, in a black dress, stood aside with a dazed expression, staring at her only relative in the world with her red and swollen eyes without blinking, seeming at a loss.

It was not until the priest finished the blessing and began to burn incense in front of the body that she seemed to suddenly understand and burst into tears.

Joseph rushed forward to comfort the helpless girl:
"Madame Delvaux is watching you from heaven, she is not separated from you..."

After the cumbersome ceremony, Madame Delvaux's coffin was carried to the nearest church by servants, and Camelia finally calmed down because she was exhausted.

As soon as Joseph walked out of the manor gate, he saw Talleyrand coming towards him and saluted him:

"Your Highness, it's not easy to find you."

The Foreign Minister looked at the black coffin again and made the sign of the cross on his chest:

"May God have mercy on this poor soul."

"That's the Queen's nurse." Joseph also made the sign of the cross and asked Talleyrand, "What's the matter with you?"

Talleyrand came closer:
"Yes, Your Highness. Baron Turgut invited me to a meeting, probably about the reinforcement of Silesia. Do you think there is anything I should pay special attention to?"

Joseph nodded slightly. This was to pave the way for the formal signing of the agreement between him and the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. The main things would usually be discussed at this time.

"I will transfer the Guards Corps to Silesia. You can tell Baron Turgut that we will definitely achieve the necessary military breakthrough. However, France will remain in a state of not declaring war."

Not declaring war would make it easier to withdraw at any time. After all, France is not here to fight for Austria.

When Talleyrand heard that His Royal Highness the Dauphin was going to mobilize his elite troops, he immediately felt confident in asking the Austrians for a price and quickly wrote it down in his notebook.

Joseph continued: "Furthermore, I will see to it that Russia does not interfere in Silesia."

A look of surprise flashed in Talleyrand's eyes, and he lowered his head to write it down.

This may not seem like a big deal, but it was enough to affect the direction of the Silesia War. Back then, Catherine II only mobilized 4 troops to gather westward, but before they arrived, the battle for the Bavarian throne came to an abrupt end, and Prussia and Austria immediately returned to the negotiation table.

Moreover, the Crown Prince spoke with such confidence, as if the Russian Tsar would definitely do what he said.

"As for our request, there is only one," Joseph looked at the Minister of Foreign Affairs and lowered his voice, "and that is the Wallonia region."

Talleyrand nodded and wrote it down, then hesitated and said:

"Your Highness, given the current atmosphere in Vienna, this may not be easy to do." Right now, the whole of Austria is immersed in the frenzy of regaining territory. Although the area of ​​Wallonia is not large, if Austria loses even one town at this time, it will arouse strong opposition at home.

"Your concerns are very reasonable." Joseph nodded thoughtfully, but soon smiled, "Then let's try another way, for example..."

He saw from the corner of his eye that the funeral procession had gone far away. He sighed helplessly, told Emmanuel to go on his behalf, and then told Talleyrand in detail about his plan:

"For example, setting up a special trade zone..."

Schönbrunn Palace.

In Joseph II's bedroom, Leopold II's eyes flashed with surprise:
"You mean to say that the French have promised to send a powerful corps into Silesia, and that they will bear most of its expenses?"

It's not that Joseph was poor and generous, but he knew that with the current financial situation of Austria, if he had to bear the military expenses of the Guards, he might not be able to hold out for long. Although the number of the Guards was not too large, the cost was quite high - first of all, the salary of the soldiers was much higher than that of ordinary troops, and then the replenishment and maintenance of various new equipment, and even the daily diet was much more expensive than other troops.

Baron Turgut nodded and said, "Yes, Your Majesty. Archbishop Talleyrand also said that the coalition forces will surely achieve a strategic breakthrough."

Leopold II couldn't help but clench his fists: "If France can really convince Russia to wait and see, we will have great hope of regaining Silesia!"

Joseph II, who was lying on the hospital bed nearby, also made an "eh" sound and a rare smile appeared on his face.

Turgut continued, “Your Majesty, but the French have always been reluctant to declare war on Prussia, and they obviously don’t want to get too deeply involved.”

"It doesn't matter." Leopold II waved his hand nonchalantly. "As the war situation changes, we have many ways to keep them in Silesia."

Dozens of ideas to tie France to the Austrian chariot flashed through his mind in an instant, and he couldn't help but smile. His sister still lacked political experience. Once involved in the war, it would not be easy for her to get out.
If Joseph were there, he would probably smile back.

He naturally knew that it was difficult to get off the pirate ship, but he also remembered clearly that in less than three months, Joseph II would be called to heaven by the Lord.

At that time, Austrians would first hold a funeral for the old emperor, and then the new emperor would be crowned on the throne - you know, the coronation of Austria is not a simple matter. Leopold II had to go through the process of the electors choosing the emperor, be crowned as the Holy Roman Emperor, and then start his long journey, being crowned as the monarch of Hungary, Bohemia, Croatia, Transylvania, Mantua, Galicia, Lodomeria and the Austrian Netherlands...

What? You want to be lazy and not go to a place? Then you will lose the legal basis for ruling there, and believe it or not, next year some nobles will try to fill the vacancy themselves.

(Just look at the emblem of the Holy Roman Emperor to see how complicated the "title" is.)
Therefore, Austria would certainly not have time to continue the war, and Joseph would be able to take the "idle" French army back to Paris after attending the coronation ceremony of the Holy Roman Emperor - you can't let your master take a break for half a year and let us French fight Prussia, right?
After confirming the bright prospects of the Silesia campaign, Leopold II looked at Baron Thugut:

"And what about France's demands?"

"Archbishop Talleyrand said that many French people had previously invested in Wallonia, so they hoped that it could become a 'special trade zone'."

"Special Trade Zone?"

"Oh, that means both France and Austria can invest and trade there, and the administration of the Wallonia region will be managed by the Chamber of Commerce," said Turgut. "At the same time, in order to ensure fair trade, there will be no permanent military presence there, and the Wallonia Police Department will be responsible for public security."

(End of this chapter)