Chapter 285: A New Curtain Opens
It wasn't because they were scared, but rather because the French Navy simply wasn't a match for the British. Back in the day, when France supported American independence, their fleet had to fight the British in the Caribbean. The French were beaten badly, losing much of their control over the Caribbean. In the end, they had to trade away vast tracts of North American land just to keep the sugar-rich colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti).
Joseph wasn't about to make the same mistake again by overcommitting to Mysore. The goal of getting involved in India was to drain British resources, not to deplete French ones.
The most critical task for France right now was industrial development. They had already sunk enormous amounts of money into kickstarting industries like steel, coal, textiles, and steam engines. They needed massive investments to expand these industries, and wasting money on a war would stall that progress.
In the end, it came down to France's weak finances. If they had the wealth of the British, Joseph wouldn't mind betting big in India.
Berthier suggested, "Your Highness, if we're only going to provide limited support, what Mysore needs most is a skilled commander. Perhaps we could send Major Lefebvre or Lieutenant Colonel Davout to India."
The Davout he mentioned was the commander of the Moulins Regiment, André Davout.
Joseph thought for a moment and shook his head. While both were competent commanders who could probably handle Cornwallis, the British general, the Mysore War would engulf most of India and was extremely dangerous due to its remote location. Joseph didn't want to risk his key officers on such a perilous mission.
But who else could they send? Among the old noble officers, there weren't many competent ones, and Joseph didn't know them well enough.
Suddenly, a name came to mind. Joseph looked at Berthier and asked, "What do you think about sending the Marquis de Lafayette to Mysore?"
Lafayette was a French officer who had secretly sailed to America in 1777 to join the fight for independence. He became a major general in the Continental Army, earning the respect of George Washington himself. In 1780, he played a crucial role in the Battle of Yorktown, helping the Americans defeat the British.
After returning to France, Lafayette was awarded the rank of brigadier general, but because he was a liberal, the French military aristocracy didn't like him, and he never received significant appointments. During the Revolution, he became the commander of the National Guard, making him the highest-ranking military official in France at the time. However, his power hunger and insistence on protecting the king eventually led to a falling out with the Jacobins, forcing him to flee the country.
Conveniently, Lafayette had previously faced Cornwallis in America and had always held his own. This gave him a psychological edge in any potential conflict with the British.
The staff officers discussed the idea in low voices before turning to the Crown Prince. "Your Highness, Lafayette's military command skills are undoubtedly proven, but he may be unwilling to take the risk of going to the Far East…"
The officer's tone was diplomatic. Lafayette had been reprimanded by the royal court for his unauthorized trip to America, and he had fallen out with the military, so he likely wouldn't listen to the General Staff's orders.
Joseph, however, smiled slightly. "You can tell him that if he helps Mysore win, just as he did in America, he could return to France as the Assistant Minister of War or even the governor of a province. I believe he'll take on the mission."
Joseph knew that Lafayette was ambitious and power-hungry. After fighting in America for years, he returned to France with only the rank of brigadier general and little else. If given the chance to advance his career, Lafayette wouldn't refuse.
Besides, the offer was somewhat of a long shot—while Mysore was powerful, Britain was becoming a global superpower. Tipu Sultan of Mysore might hold out for a few years, but a victory over the British was almost impossible.
Of course, if Lafayette did manage to achieve something extraordinary in the Far East, like defeating the British, Joseph wouldn't mind making him Assistant Minister of War. After all, that would be equivalent to toppling the biggest pillar of British power!
Berthier quickly jotted down the Crown Prince's orders in his notebook and nodded. "Yes, Your Highness. I will do my best to persuade the Marquis de Lafayette."
Afterward, Joseph and the staff discussed the military deployment in Tunisia until nightfall, when the meeting finally ended.
Back in his quarters, Joseph was so exhausted that he collapsed onto his bed without even taking off his clothes. After his long and bumpy journey from Tunisia, he was glad to finally get some rest.
Seeing this, Perna exchanged a glance with Émon, then carefully checked Joseph's forehead and wrist to make sure he wasn't sick. Satisfied, they gently adjusted him on the bed, covered him with a blanket, and quietly left the room.
The candles were extinguished. As Joseph slept soundly, he dreamed of a vast theater that covered the entire European continent. Under the watchful eyes of the gods, the enormous curtains, stretching to the horizon, slowly began to rise…
Holland, Amsterdam.
On the second floor of the temporary parliament building, British Foreign Minister Lord Wellesley surveyed the plain structure before addressing the Dutch Speaker, Cambellon. "I must say, I prefer the Count's Castle in The Hague. It exudes a sense of dignity and gravity."
The "Count's Castle" he referred to was the former Dutch Parliament building. After the Patriots gained power in the Netherlands, they moved the parliament to Amsterdam. The relocation was so rushed that the new parliament building hadn't even been completed, so this temporary building had to serve as their office.
Cambellon frowned slightly, sensing the British minister's criticism of Amsterdam's lack of "dignity and gravity." But he quickly forced a smile. "The Hague is in the past, Lord Wellesley. Besides, we'll soon have a new parliament building here in Amsterdam. Just two streets over, it will rival the Count's Castle."
Wellesley dismissed the comment with a casual smile as he followed Cambellon into the reception room and took a seat on the sofa. "Perhaps your parliament won't need to rush to build in Amsterdam."
Cambellon immediately thought of William V, the deposed Stadtholder. "What do you mean by that?"
"Oh, don't get me wrong," Wellesley waved his hand dismissively. "I'm just saying that the Dutch Parliament may soon need to discuss the location of the parliament with the voters of South Netherlands again. You see, Brussels is actually a pretty decent place too."
A flicker of understanding crossed Cambellon's eyes. "Lord Wellesley, I'm not sure I follow."
"With Brabant in such turmoil, surely the Dutch Parliament has some plans?"
(End of Chapter)
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