Make France Great Again-Chapter 604 - 595: Not a High Price

Chapter 604: Chapter 595: Not a High Price
When Franz Joseph asked Jerome Bonaparte what conditions were involved, Jerome Bonaparte immediately understood that Franz Joseph was intrigued. A five hundred million franc low-interest loan was enough to make any monarch bow their head.
However, after Franz Joseph finished speaking, he added, "If France wants to use the Austrian Empire’s entry into the war as a loan condition, then I must refuse!"
"Rest assured! Our conditions are not like that!" Jerome Bonaparte slowly said, "The Austrian Empire only needs to stir up some commotion in the Danube Duchy, such as holding a military exercise to attract the attention of the Russian Army in the border area. That will be sufficient! The rest, you don’t need to worry about!"
"A military exercise is very likely to become a war!" Franz Joseph said to Jerome Bonaparte with concern, "I must apologize, but I do not..."
Before Franz Joseph could finish his sentence, Jerome Bonaparte rudely interrupted him, "Franz, my brother! In this world, there’s no such thing as gaining benefits without taking risks. The Austrian Empire cannot do this or that. It’s hard for us to believe that the Austrian Empire sincerely wants to ally with us!"
"Indeed!" Prince Albert interjected once again, "We can’t be the ones fighting hard at the front for European peace while the Austrian Empire does nothing and just follows behind us, enjoying the benefits we bring!"
"We are merely asking you to conduct a military exercise in the border areas, not to confront the Russian Empire!" Jerome Bonaparte spoke again to alleviate Franz Joseph’s worries.
He told Franz Joseph that if he was truly worried about the Russian Empire launching an attack on the Austrian Empire due to the exercises on the Russo-Austrian border, England and France could guarantee Austria. If Russia attacked the Danube Duchy, England and France would immediately form an intervention force to help them jointly resist the invasion by the Russian Imperial Army!
With his concerns dispelled, Franz Joseph recalled the prospect of industrialization described to him by Prince Metternich, as well as the five hundred million franc low-interest loan promised by Jerome Bonaparte.
"Alright! I agree with you!" Tempted by the low-interest loan, Franz Joseph finally agreed to the conditions of Jerome Bonaparte and Albert. He turned his gaze to Prince Albert, saying, "Mr. Albert, I hope Britain can also provide a loan of the same scale as France to aid in the construction of the Austrian Empire!"
Prince Albert hesitated for a moment, then tactfully informed Franz Joseph that his authority only allowed him to offer the Austrian Empire an eight million British Pounds loan, equivalent to two hundred million francs.
"That will do!" Franz Joseph nodded to Prince Albert.
Subsequently, Franz Joseph requested a one-billion military loan from Jerome Bonaparte and Prince Albert regarding "the possibility of the Russian Empire launching a war against the Austrian Empire due to the Austrian Empire’s military exercises in the Danube Duchy."
Jerome Bonaparte and Prince Albert agreed without hesitation to Franz Joseph’s request.
After all, if the Russian Imperial Army chose to attack the Danube Duchy, the Austrian Empire’s four hundred thousand troops would become their most loyal allies, significantly advancing the timeline for defeating the Russian Empire.
Having concluded their business, Jerome Bonaparte and the others emerged from the inner chamber. Queen Victoria was the first to speak, "Have you finished your discussions?"
"It’s done!" Prince Albert responded to Queen Victoria.
"Then can we serve the food now?" Augusta inquired of Jerome Bonaparte.
"You haven’t eaten yet?" Jerome Bonaparte said, surprised.
"Not yet!" Augusta shook her head.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s serve the dishes!" Jerome Bonaparte ordered the servant standing at the doorway.
The servants quickly went to the kitchen to deliver the dishes, and Jerome Bonaparte, along with the others, sat directly across from Augusta and her group.
After a while, several servants entered the room pushing small wooden carts. Each cart was divided into three levels: upper, middle, and lower, with one or two dishes on each level. The top level also had an unopened bottle of Bordeaux Wine and whiskey.
The servants placed the dishes from the carts in front of Jerome Bonaparte, with five dishes (caviar, French escargot, foie gras, ...) as well as a bottle of Bordeaux Wine and whiskey in front of each person.
"Wine or whiskey?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Prince Albert and Franz Joseph.
"Whiskey (Albert)/Wine (Franz Joseph)" Prince Albert and Franz Joseph answered one after the other.
Subsequently, Prince Albert and Franz Joseph exchanged a smile.
"And what about you, lovely ladies?" Jerome Bonaparte asked Augusta and the others.
"I’ll pass!" Empress Augusta, pregnant, shook her head in response to Jerome Bonaparte.
"I don’t want any either!"
"Nor do I!"
Victoria spoke with Elizabeth.
Jerome Bonaparte hesitated for a few seconds, his gaze oscillating between the wine and the whiskey, ultimately choosing the wine.
The attendants opened the whiskey and wine, pouring drinks into the glasses of the three monarchs.
A glass of deep amber whiskey and two glasses of crimson wine were placed on the dining table, Jerome Bonaparte made a gesture of invitation.
Prince Albert and Franz Joseph took their respective drinks, and Jerome Bonaparte likewise placed the wine in front of him.
"May the friendship between our three countries last forever, and likewise, may you and your partners remain healthy and eternally happy!"
Jerome Bonaparte stood up and raised his glass to Prince Albert and Franz Joseph.
Prince Albert and Franz Joseph also stood and lifted their glasses. The clinking of the three goblets produced a crisp and pleasant sound as the three slowly sat back down and drank their glasses of wine in one go!
The entire banquet lasted for an hour and a half, and the well-satiated three took the carriages prepared for them to leave the castle.
Albert and Queen Victoria returned to the Louvre, and Franz Joseph and Princess Elizabeth, together with Empress Augusta, returned to the Tuileries Palace, while Jerome Bonaparte had to proceed alone to the military camp.
Shortly after Franz Joseph, with a slightly tipsy body, entered the room, a knock on the door was heard from outside.
"Who is it?" Franz Joseph, sitting on the sofa, asked coolly.
"Your Majesty, it’s me!" Prince Metternich’s voice came from outside the room.
"The door is unlocked! Come in!" Franz Joseph responded to Prince Metternich.
Prince Metternich entered the room and approached Franz Joseph, bowing and admitting fault, "Your Majesty, I am guilty!"
"Mr. Metternich, please sit!" Franz Joseph gestured to Prince Metternich.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Prince Metternich straightened up and then sat beside Franz Joseph, explaining, "Your Majesty, I really didn’t know that there would be Russian Imperial prisoners in the French Empire’s parade! Had I known, I wouldn’t have let you attend for anything!"
"Mr. Metternich, this was already several hours ago! At first, I was indeed a bit angry, but now I am not angry anymore!" Franz Joseph waved his hand, speaking to Prince Metternich.
Hearing Franz Joseph’s response, Prince Metternich breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t want all his hard work maintaining the Austria-France collaboration to become a mere illusion because of this incident.
"Just now, Jerome and Albert promised me that France and England would provide the Austrian Empire with low-interest loans of 500 million francs and 8 million British Pounds, respectively, in the coming years!" Franz Joseph said excitedly to Prince Metternich.
Looking at Franz Joseph’s cheeks flushed from the alcohol, Prince Metternich was somewhat suspicious whether his Emperor was speaking drunken words.
Is it conceivable for France and England to willingly provide the Austrian Empire with low-interest loans unconditionally? Just thinking about it seemed somewhat unreliable!
"Your Majesty, did His Majesty Jerome and Prince Albert attach any conditions to these loans?" Prince Metternich asked tactfully.
He was somewhat afraid that Franz Joseph might be caught in a trap laid by Jerome Bonaparte and Albert together.
"They said the Austrian Empire must conduct a military exercise in the Danube Duchy to apply certain pressure on the Russian Empire! Only then would they be willing to provide aid to the Austrian Empire!" Franz Joseph responded, barely suppressing the urge to hiccup, to Prince Metternich.
The condition wasn’t outrageous! Prince Metternich finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Your Majesty, I have a suggestion; I wonder if you are willing to hear it!" Prince Metternich said to Franz Joseph.
"What suggestion?" Franz Joseph inquired curiously.
Prince Metternich told Franz Joseph that once this parade is heard by Nicholas I, Nicholas I will undoubtedly feel angry over the Austrian Empire’s outright betrayal, and the relationship between the Austrian Empire and the Russian Empire will turn from friends to foes.
Since restoring the relationship between Russia and Austria would be futile, the Austrian Empire might as well use the might of the French Empire to deter the Russian Empire.