Chapter 412: Britain's New Strategy
Old Mr. Grenville sighed and continued to advise:
"But with the current mess... you might end up being the scapegoat for future disasters. I mean, the Marquis of Wellesley is an extremely capable politician, yet he found himself in a dire situation."
"You're absolutely right," Lord Grenville nodded seriously. "I've never been particularly outstanding; in terms of politics and strategy, I'm far inferior to the Marquis of Wellesley, and certainly not on par with the previous Foreign Secretary, the Duke of Leeds."
He gave a somewhat embarrassed smile. "To be honest, even now, I don't fully understand how the French managed to outmaneuver the Marquis of Wellesley."
"Then why are you—"
Lord Grenville straightened up and said, "But I did grow up among those brilliant individuals, so I learned one skill—to quickly recognize others' strengths."
"Hmm, and so?"
"What do you think has allowed France to remain undefeated in its dealings with Britain over the past two years?"
Old Mr. Grenville paused, then slowly shook his head:
"I'm getting old; I can't keep up with these international affairs anymore."
His nephew smiled and explained:
"Actually, I haven't quite figured it out either. But I've noticed that the French have one enormous advantage—they've had an incredibly favorable international environment for the past two years. This has allowed them to leverage external forces in everything they do. Meanwhile, we... well, we were recently criticized by all of Europe for 'encouraging revolutionary exports' in the Southern Netherlands."
If Joseph had heard this, he would have given Lord Grenville a thumbs up and explained that all of this was the result of careful planning—after all, history books can be a great guide!
Old Mr. Grenville's eyes narrowed as he slowly nodded:
"That's true. So, what do you plan to do about it?"
…
Versailles Palace.
In the spacious court theater, an excited murmur spread through the crowd:
"Wow, it's the Prince! He's really here!"
"He's so handsome; I'm melting…"
"The Prince looked at me! Did you see? He was looking at me!"
"Your Highness, you're perfect! Who could ever win your heart…"
Joseph, dressed in a blue and white costume, stepped onto the stage, first bowing to today's "birthday girl," Queen Marie, before beginning his performance.
After several rehearsals, he had overcome his initial awkwardness and confidently picked up the glass bottle on the wooden table, taking a big sip before looking at the bottle and exclaiming:
"It seems only Paris Cola can boost my alchemy efficiency!"
As soon as he finished his line, a group of servants, who had been waiting in the wings, began distributing beautifully crafted glass bottles to the nobles in the front rows.
The recipients curiously examined the bottles, noticing the "Paris Cola" label and the words "Royal Endorsed Beverage" printed below.
Realizing that this was the very drink the Prince had just enjoyed, they eagerly popped the caps and began to taste it.
"Ugh—" A duke couldn't help but let out a loud burp, feeling a wave of relaxation wash over him as the sweet taste lingered on his tongue. It was delightful.
Ignoring the slight impropriety of his burp, he quickly took several more gulps of Paris Cola, savoring the refreshing sensation that made him squint with pleasure.
This bubbly drink was simply marvelous! He decided on the spot that he would stockpile several crates in his cellar.
Meanwhile, the nobles in the back rows, who hadn't received any drinks, craned their necks, watching those in front enjoy the beverage, swallowing their saliva with envy.
It wasn't that Joseph hadn't prepared enough drinks; it was a deliberate strategy of scarcity—when something is hard to obtain, people often assume it must be the best thing ever.
In the center of the second-floor balcony, Louis XVI let out a burp of his own, raising his glass bottle to Queen Marie:
"You simply must try this. Our son never ceases to amaze me with these wonderful creations."
Shortly after, Alexandra, playing Anne, made her entrance, walking straight over to her cousin Hunter's side. She first reached out to touch the tall bookshelf:
"The family's precious alchemical texts must be stored in a bookcase made of synthetic boards to be truly safe."
Joseph nodded, "You're absolutely right. Synthetic board furniture isn't just sturdy and durable—it lasts several times longer than regular wooden furniture—and it's also naturally insect-resistant, which reduces the risk of books being eaten by pests."
"Where did you find such innovative and excellent furniture?"
"I've heard that a new furniture store called 'IKEA' just opened in the southwest of the Louvre district..."
The nobles who had seen other theater troupes perform this scene were stunned—this was completely different from before!
Weren't Anne and Hunter supposed to be discussing Level Five alchemy? How did the conversation turn to furniture?
But this "synthetic board furniture" sounded rather intriguing…
London.
10 Downing Street.
"Have a taste; this is one of my finest vintages." Pitt the Younger handed a glass of wine to his old friend. "So, as you were saying, how do we break France's diplomatic advantage?"
Lord Grenville inhaled the wine's aroma and smiled:
"First, we must not be too greedy. Trying to hold on to everything will only result in losing it all. Take the Southern Netherlands, for example. We spent a fortune and exhausted our diplomatic resources trying to wrest it from Austria's grasp, only to see France gain Luxembourg in the end."
Pitt nodded thoughtfully. "Go on."
"And that has pushed Austria towards France," Grenville continued. "It's time to give up on the Southern Netherlands.
"Austria will be grateful, and France will lose its significance.
"Meanwhile, Prussia pulling back to Silesia will put more military pressure on Austria, giving us an opportunity to mediate between the two nations.
"Once that's done, whether we steer Austria's focus towards Serbia or Poland, we can minimize their reliance on France.
"This is the kind of international situation we need. Direct confrontation with France will only deplete our resources. Using other nations' strengths to counter them is the right way to win."
"Abandoning the Southern Netherlands strategy…" Pitt took a deep breath. "This will intensify the Whigs' criticism of me."
"I'll do my best to convince the party elders," Grenville replied, raising his glass with a smile. "Once we curb the French momentum, they'll all be satisfied."
…
France.
Versailles Palace.
Louis XVI raised his glass bottle, offering it to his son, who was sweating profusely:
"Joseph, perhaps you could use a sip."
Queen Marie, smiling warmly beside him, added:
"My dear, you were wonderful! Oh, and Alexandra was excellent too—you two look so perfect together. I mean, on stage, of course."
(End of Chapter)
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