Chapter 175: The British's Rude Demand

The political landscape of the European continent was ever-changing, with new events occurring daily. One recent major event was the French invasion of the Netherlands, which captured the attention of all Europe. The French military, as always, executed their campaign with precision, decisively defeating the Dutch forces and occupying the Netherlands. This military action showcased French strength and deterred any ill-intentioned countries in Europe.

Initially, other nations believed that with the French occupation of the Netherlands, the situation would settle down. However, what happened next once again drew the eyes of all nations. No one had expected the British to act so rashly, sending their army directly to the Netherlands to confront the French. While some astute government officials understood it was likely a misunderstanding, most were content to watch the drama unfold.

Following the British-French standoff, neighboring countries immediately dispatched intelligence officers to Middelburg. They were keenly interested in how the situation would develop, adopting an almost voyeuristic interest in the unfolding events.

Amid this spectacle, both Britain and France felt the pressure intensely. Middelburg had become a powder keg, just waiting for a spark to ignite a catastrophic explosion. Under such immense pressure, both countries were urgently seeking a resolution to the crisis.

War was out of the question. Both Britain and France were in similar situations, having just emerged from the aftermath of previous conflicts with strained resources and manpower. With war off the table, negotiations were the only viable option.

Consequently, the foreign ministries of Britain and France swiftly went into action.

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Paris, Champs-Élysées.

The Champs-Élysées was one of the busiest streets in Paris and also the route to the French Foreign Ministry. Sir Tom, the British Ambassador, was traveling in his carriage along this road, heading for the French Foreign Ministry. His mission was to negotiate with the French government to resolve the crisis.

"Ah, this is vexing. Those army fellows have managed to cause me a great deal of trouble," Sir Tom grumbled impatiently.

The actions of the British army this time were truly embarrassing. What was supposed to be a supportive operation ended up with the supporting target being obliterated without their understanding. Instead, they charged straight into a heavily guarded French area and were caught in a tight spot by the French army.

Thinking about this, Sir Tom began to doubt General Balmoral's command abilities. How did that guy become a general?

It was easy to imagine that General Balmoral would face severe punishment upon his return home after this incident.

Sir Tom's carriage passed through the busy Champs-Elysee Street in Paris and finally entered the gate of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs after a corner.

"Sir Tom, we've arrived at the Foreign Ministry," a servant called out softly from outside the window, bringing Sir Tom's thoughts back to the present.

"So soon?" Sir Tom muttered, still groggy from his thoughts. Whether it was the speed of the carriage or the difficulty of the task ahead, he hadn't fully prepared himself. As he stepped out of the carriage at the French Foreign Ministry, he still hadn't decided how to broach the conversation with Talleyrand.

"Fortune favors the bold," Sir Tom muttered to himself in English, with an equivalent Chinese proverb. "Let's go in and see."

"Sir Tom, it's good to see you again," greeted Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, the French Foreign Minister, who had been waiting for him outside.

"Oh, Your Excellency Talleyrand, I'm glad to see you too. Recent events have caused some tension between our two nations, but I hope it hasn't affected our friendship," Sir Tom said warmly, approaching Talleyrand with a friendly demeanor. Such diplomacy was part and parcel of his job.

"Of course, Sir Tom. Our friendship has stood the test of time, and nothing that happens between our countries will change that," Talleyrand replied with a smile.

"Well then, Sir Tom, don't stand outside chatting. Come inside with me," Talleyrand warmly invited Sir Tom to follow him inside.

"Is Napoleon not here today?" Sir Tom asked as they walked inside.

"The Consul is currently at the War Ministry. As you know, because of some unfriendly actions from your country, the situation between our two nations is somewhat tense. Therefore, we are making some preparations, just in case," Talleyrand replied as they walked.

Despite the sweet words exchanged earlier, today's meeting had only one topic: the conflict between England and France in Middelburg.

"Oh, no. Mr. Talleyrand. I think you and your government have misunderstood. The British government definitely doesn't want to have a conflict with your country. This is a misunderstanding... a misunderstanding," Sir Tom repeated over and over again.

"A misunderstanding?" Talleyrand echoed Sir Tom's words.

But then Talleyrand's tone shifted as he began to question Sir Tom sternly, "And what about your country's clandestine support for the Dutch rebel leader Bragi, inciting internal unrest in our country? Is that also a misunderstanding?" Talleyrand stared at Sir Tom, his expression turning serious.

"A misunderstanding, of course! That's definitely a misunderstanding," Sir Tom stammered, shaking his hands as he tried to defend himself. While the British were experts at stabbing each other in the back behind closed doors, how could he bring up such matters now?

"Your Excellency Talleyrand, please believe me. The British government would never do such a thing. We were deceived by Bragi and Duke d'Enghien," Sir Tom began, shifting all responsibility away from his government as if the British were tragic victims.

"Hmph, I hope reality matches what you say. So, what does your country plan to do next? Since your country has admitted it's a misunderstanding, it should be your government's responsibility to resolve this misunderstanding," Talleyrand scoffed.

Although he knew they were all talking nonsense, it wasn't a good time to start a war, so France could only pretend not to understand. Right now, it was crucial to resolve the crisis in Middelburg so that France's external situation could stabilize and its domestic economy could begin to recover.

"Of course, that's why I'm here today, to negotiate with your country to resolve this misunderstanding," Sir Tom said with a smile.

"Then what do you propose?" Talleyrand countered.

"I just received news that your navy has moved north to intercept our maritime supply lines. This is a very bad signal, which could lead my country to believe that yours is preparing for war. This might provoke an overly aggressive response from my military. So, I propose that in order to smoothly resolve this misunderstanding, your government allows your navy to move south. This would open a route for our forces to withdraw," Sir Tom proposed.

"What? Am I hearing this correctly? You've illegally entered our territory, and now you're demanding my navy to withdraw first?" Talleyrand's expression immediately turned grim upon hearing Sir Tom's words. This demand was unacceptable to both him and France.

For a country to illegally enter another country's territory without the request of its own government was a blatant act of provocation. Now, not only was Britain not backing down, but they were also demanding that the French navy withdraw first. If France were to agree to such an unreasonable demand, how would the other European countries view France?

"Sir Tom, this is a highly unreasonable demand. We absolutely cannot agree to it. I hope that when you meet with Consul Napoleon later, you won't bring up such unreasonable demands in front of him. Otherwise, these negotiations will be very difficult to continue," Talleyrand said coldly, looking directly at Sir Tom.