I Am the Crown Prince in France

Chapter 407 Negotiations between France and Britain, the super disgusting Talleyrand

"Ha! I thought we would not meet until after Christmas Mass." Talleyrand pointed to the side of the corridor with a smile on his crutches, "This way, my old friend."

The Marquis of Wellesley followed silently, but secretly cursed in his heart. If it hadn't been for that idiot Cornwallis's poor performance on the battlefield, he wouldn't have had to rush to Paris to be ridiculed by the damn French!

He walked a little further and suddenly felt something was wrong. He turned around and looked around:

"Your Majesty, Archbishop, are you going in the wrong direction? This does not seem to be the direction to the Peace Hall."

According to French practice, important negotiations at the Palace of Versailles are usually held in the Peace Hall.

Talleyrand turned his head and showed an apologetic expression:

"Unfortunately, Your Majesty the Marquis, the Peace Hall is about to hold a signing ceremony between the Paris Gas Industry Company and the Paris City Hall for the installation of gas street lights.

"Well, you see, the Gas Industry Company has already made an appointment there. It's the same if we go to other places to talk."

Wellesley almost couldn't hold back his curse words. This damn lame man, did he mean that he, the dignified foreign minister of the British Empire, could not compare with any gas company?

Talleyrand continued enthusiastically:

"Oh, by the way, Your Majesty the Marquis, the first installation ceremony of the gas street lights will be held in Paris on the 15th of next month. I sincerely invite you to attend. It is definitely an event not to be missed."

"I will consider it." The British man squeezed out a few words through his teeth with a sullen face.

Soon, the French and British diplomats took their seats in a small reception room.

Talleyrand seemed to be very interested in the topic of gas street lights, and talked endlessly about the advantages of gas street lights:

"That's how interesting this thing is. Oh, by the way, you can't guess that after the installation of gas streetlights in Paris and Lyon, which city is the third to light up the night sky with gas streetlights?"

"..."

"It's the city of Tunisia!" the lame man said proudly, "Isn't it surprising? Well, after all, the threat of gangsters in Algiers is no longer a concern, so many investors are interested in the development prospects there. Tunisia The Duke will come to Paris in person to sign a contract with the Gas Industry Company."

"Ahem -" the Marquis of Wellesley had to interrupt Talleyrand to continue using the gas street lamp, "Your Excellency, Archbishop, you know the purpose of my visit this time. It is time for our two countries to clarify some misunderstandings. .

“While the Algiers ‘bandits’ brought disaster to Tunisia, the Mysore gangs in the Far East also caused considerable losses to the British East India Company.

"I think we should cooperate to deal with gangsters."

Talleyrand smiled and waved:

"Thank you for your kindness, but our troops have given the Algiers and Moroccans a hard lesson, and there is no trouble in northwest Tunisia.

"By the way, what's the situation with the East India Company now?"

Wellesley sighed in his mind, why Moroccans are as stupid as Cornwallis! This time some gains must have been lost in order to salvage the situation in India—indeed, the British Parliament had authorized him to make substantial concessions.

He did not answer the lame man's words and instead said:

"Your Excellency, Archbishop, our country will condemn the gangs in Tripoli and support your country in the necessary counterattack against them."

Poor Benjiour was defined as a "gangster" by him. The implication is to accept France's expansion of power into Tripoli.

"A very wise decision!" Talleyrand smiled and nodded, "However, the Algiers bandits also caused serious damage to our Tunisia. You know, Her Majesty the Queen has decided to declare war on Algiers. I think The UK should also express support for this action.”

Wellesley immediately said: "No, this is not appropriate..."

Forget about Tripoli, the land is fertile, and he will never accept Algiers, which is nearly twice the size of Tunisia, becoming France's sphere of influence.

Talleyrand interrupted him directly:

"As far as I know, Carnatic lost half of Tiruchirappalli two months ago. Maybe we can wait and see, maybe Mysore will suddenly be inspired by God to withdraw its troops. ”

Wellesley took a deep breath and threatened:

"Your Majesty the Archbishop, I heard that your country's merchant ships have frequently traveled to the Pacific Ocean recently. Perhaps they need the British Royal Navy to ensure that the waterway is open."

Talleyrand naturally knew that he was threatening to attack French merchant ships. That was the fleet transporting wool from New Zealand. However, he shrugged nonchalantly:

"I don't know what you are talking about, but I have heard that the Russian fleet is suddenly interested in Pacific trade."

That's right, the ships of Gemini Company all fly Russian flags, and most of the sailors are also Russians.

Wellesley paused for a moment, then said coldly:

"Those ports in the Pacific are equally unsafe."

He is threatening to directly attack the trade nodes. Although the UK does not yet know who the French and Russian merchant ships are doing business with, with the strength of the Royal Fleet, they will be able to find out if they want to.

"I don't care." Talleyrand spread his hands, "The pirates can give it a try."

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince told him that the Maori people on New Zealand Island did not need French protection at all. The British would have to use at least half of the country's military strength and spend more than five years to capture it.

Such a huge consumption is absolutely unacceptable to Britain.

Wellesley repeatedly tried to confirm that the cripple was not bluffing, and he couldn't help but secretly complain in his heart - the cards in his hand had basically been played.

He stood up suddenly and gritted his teeth:

"Archbishop, if you continue to be so aggressive, then the only thing you get is a war!"

Talleyrand looked at his exasperated expression and knew that he had almost touched the bottom line, so he immediately waved his hand and signaled:

"Relax, my dear Marquis, at least we have to punish the Moroccan gangs entrenched in Annaba. After that, the Mysore army attacking Carnatic may really be inspired by God."

Wellesley said angrily in his heart: Damn cripple, they are Muslims, God will not pay attention to them!

However, he slowly sat back in his chair: "If it is limited to Annaba, maybe we can still discuss it..."

At 5 pm, Wellesley returned to London with one hand covering his aching stomach and the other holding the text of the preliminary agreed "Non-Interference Treaty". He handed the document to the parliament for review and signature with a gloomy face, but he was already thinking about what to do after resigning as the foreign minister.

Yes, after taking over the mess of the Duke of Leeds, he was full of confidence and thought he could turn things around, but he found that he suffered more than his predecessor.

Last year, the Duke of Leeds resigned because of the improper North African strategy, and he was bound to follow suit.

"Maybe I can go to India and tell Cornwallis how to solve the trouble there." He muttered softly.

He gradually fell into a passive position after sending troops from Mysore, so he must make up for it from Mysore.