Chapter 819 Times have changed

Chapter 820 Times have changed

Joseph was not too busy to be happy.

Because the Two Sicilies might just be a gesture to get a price from Austria. Their specific diplomatic direction will have to wait and see their actual actions in the future to determine.

However, even if it is just a verbal show of goodwill to France, it will help France increase its influence on the Italian peninsula, so it can be encouraged.

Talleyrand continued: "Your Highness, when I left Italy, Parma had formally lodged a diplomatic protest with Austria, demanding an explanation for the Argentau Legion's unauthorized entry into Parma's territory and compensation for losses."

Joseph almost laughed out loud.

The Archduke of Parma is quite good at dealing with things. In the past, the armies of the great powers came and went from him without daring to say a word. Now that he has just turned to France, he immediately did this to disgust Austria.

Well, it seems that Parma can also be encouraged.

After Talleyrand finished talking about his visit to Italy, Joseph smiled and nodded, saying, "You have accomplished your mission with excellent diplomatic wisdom and consolidated national interests. This is really admirable.

"Oh, by the way, I have read your budget report and there is no problem. You can settle directly with the tax director after returning to Paris."

Talleyrand's eyes immediately flashed with joy.

The so-called "budget report" is actually the report of the benefits he got in Italy this time.

Due to the rapid advance of the French army, the Italian states tried their best to please his diplomatic envoy, and the bribes were more and more.

On this trip back, he received millions in cash alone, as well as a lot of artworks, real estate and the like.

According to the previous promise of the crown prince, he can get a total of 230,000 francs in "commissions", well, this is the number after tax.

"This is all my job, Your Highness. It is my lifelong honor to serve you and France. "

Talleyrand bowed and gestured to the assistant foreign minister, Count Ségur.

The latter immediately took out a document and respectfully placed it in front of Joseph.

Talleyrand said with a proud expression: "Your Highness, this is the Italian diplomatic plan that I, Archbishop Brian, and Duke Broglie have jointly formulated. Please take a look."

"Oh? Diplomatic plan?"

Joseph opened it with interest and saw that the first page was a map of Italy, many parts of which were marked in white.

Talleyrand explained: "Your Highness, although our country has acquired a lot of territory in Lombardy, these places are not connected to our country by roads, and it will be very troublesome to rule.

"Fortunately, Genoa is still under our control, and we can easily replace members of the parliament. Next year, they will announce the annexation of Genoa to our country.

"Then let Sardinia give up Pavia, so that we can form a reliable national border in northern Italy.

"Of course, maybe we need to give Sardinia some compensation. Our idea is..."

Joseph then understood why there were abrupt white areas on the map of Italy. It turned out that these important ministers had already counted these places as French territory.

When he saw that Parma, Pavia, and even more than half of the Papal States were white, he couldn't help laughing and interrupted Talleyrand: "Please wait a moment. Why do you think we should expand in northern Italy?"

Talleyrand was stunned and said as a matter of course: "Your Highness, expanding territory is the fastest and most direct way to enhance national strength. Of course we need Italy."

Joseph nodded: "Okay, let's imagine that our country occupies most of northern Italy. What will happen then?"

Talleyrand was stunned again: "Happen? Ah, population increase, tax increase, and more sources of troops and ports..."

Joseph smiled and said: "You are wrong, we will reap endless riots and the hatred of Italians."

He also didn't say one thing, which was to help the Italians complete unification in the end.

Talleyrand said indifferently: "Your Highness, some people may be dissatisfied in the short term, but as long as some troops are stationed, it can be solved quickly."

Joseph sighed secretly. He thought that in history, it was the expansion strategy planned by you and Napoleon that eventually exhausted France's national strength, and now we still have to stick to this set of rules.

Times have changed.

Under the influence of the Enlightenment, the whole of Europe has generally begun to awaken the nation, and the progress in Italy is particularly fast. It is impossible for Italians to completely integrate into France.

He looked at Talleyrand and said, "Do you think the cost of maintaining stability in these places is higher, or the benefits obtained?"

"Of course it is the benefits, Your Highness." Talleyrand said, and added, "Oh, maybe the cost of stationing troops in the first few years will be higher, but after the riots are quelled, the benefits will increase rapidly."

Joseph said, "What if the British or Austrians send spies to instigate riots in a few years?"

Talleyrand said confidently, "We will definitely be able to suppress the riots. The combat effectiveness of the Italian army is extremely weak, not to mention the mobs."

Joseph shook his head, "You are wrong again. Endless riots are much more difficult to deal with than the army."

The Americans of later generations easily defeated the Afghan Slipper Army, but in the next 20 years, they threw in 2.3 trillion US dollars and finally withdrew in disgrace.

No mistakes in one song, one post, one content, one look!

Seeing Talleyrand's disapproving expression, he continued, "It takes at least 10,000 francs to quell a riot that costs 1 franc.

"Perhaps you can ask a few nobles in Turin or Parma if they are willing to be ruled by foreign countries."

Talleyrand could not help but fall silent.

There is no need to ask, just look at Milan and you will know that Austria has ruled there for nearly a century, but Italians riot almost every year. This is still the case when no one incites.

Joseph said earnestly: "Even if we can control northern Italy for ten or twenty years, what about later? There will definitely be an independence war there, dragging France into the quagmire of war.

"Perhaps, we should adjust our strategic thinking.

"The future world will no longer belong to the old colonial era."

Talleyrand asked subconsciously: "What is the future?"

"Economic colonial era."

"Economic...colonial?"

Joseph nodded: "In the future, national strength will be determined by industrial strength.

"And for industrial production, the most important thing is raw materials and markets.

"If the raw materials and markets of a region can belong to France, why do we need to occupy the land there?"

Talleyrand's eyes flashed with shock, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt that the prince made sense.

You know, administrative management and garrisoning costs a lot of money, and a riot is a bottomless pit of military expenditure.

He suddenly felt something was wrong: "Your Highness, if we don't occupy it, how can we guarantee that we can get the raw materials and market there?"