The Fox of France

Just as Talleyrand had disclosed to the Spanish, the Austrians were indeed attempting to negotiate with the French, and their conditions were similar to what Talleyrand had suggested: Austria was willing to exchange the Rhenish region for Lombardy.

In fact, the government was quite intrigued by the Austrian proposal. Acquiring the Rhenish region would mean extending the French borders to the banks of the Rhine, providing a relatively secure natural boundary to the north. On the other hand, Lombardy, separated from mainland France by the imposing Alps, would be administratively challenging.

Even Joseph acknowledged that the Rhenish region held more value than Lombardy. It wasn't just about the natural border; it was also about valuable resources. In this era, the Industrial Revolution had not fully taken hold, and the significance of crucial resources for the nation was not yet evident. However, as a time traveler, Joseph knew that Italy was a resource-poor country, lacking the essential coal and iron mines crucial for the first wave of industrialization.

If there was one country in Europe with abundant mineral resources, it was Britain. They possessed both coal and iron mines. France had relatively significant iron deposits in Lorraine, but coal resources were not ideal. Lorraine had a small coal mine, a mere vestige of the Saar coal mine, and it was the largest coal mine in all of France.

If an agreement with Austria were to be reached, it would mean that the abundant coal mines of the Saar region would fall under French control. This would essentially provide France with the necessary resources for the first industrial revolution.

However, at this moment, both Joseph and Napoleon were against this proposal. The reason was simple: even if the Rhenish region were gained, it would belong to France and not the Bonaparte family. On the other hand, Lombardy, while not becoming part of France, would remain under the control of the Bonaparte family.

Joseph couldn't voice this reason openly, but any matter could have a noble pretext if one wanted. So, Lucien stood up in the council and delivered the following speech:

"For too long, the people of Italy, like the people of France, have suffered under the oppression of the Church and the feudal aristocracy. Now, we have defeated the priests and nobles who rode roughshod over them and have brought freedom and liberation to the peasants and commoners.

The entire Italy, the people of all Europe, they all await us, just as fields parched by a long drought yearn for dark clouds and thunderstorms. It is for this reason that when our armies advance in Belgium, the Belgian people rise in revolt in response to us. When our armies pursue the fleeing Austrian forces in Italy, the Italian people welcome us with bread and wine. They provide us with food, act as guides - why do they do this? Because they see us as their liberators! Why have we achieved resplendent victories? It's not only because the entire French people stand behind us, but also because our armies, wherever they go, gain the support of the local people!

If, at this time, we abandon the Lombard people who have just, with our help, gained freedom and liberation, and push them back into the furnace of feudal despotism, I must ask, how will the people of Europe view us in the future? When those feudal states unite again to attack us in the future, can we expect the people of Europe to stand by our side?

Moreover, how reliable is this so-called 'peace'? Do our enemies genuinely desire peace?

No, they do not! I believe any reasonably intelligent person can see that our enemies harbor the same hatred for the French Revolution as they always have. They still shelter the traitors and exiles of France, they still support that pretender who calls himself the King of France, and in their propaganda, they still label us rebels. Anyone with eyes can see that they do not desire peace; they only want a respite to lick their wounds and regain strength. Once they feel they have healed, they will bare their teeth against us once more!

Gentlemen, I, like all of you, love France deeply; I also, like all of you, love peace. Because we, the French, are lovers of peace. But we, the French, are not fools! To betray our loyal friends for a peace that is destined to be torn apart, a peace that betrays every moral and military principle, is not something that the French can accept.

No, never! To accept such a peace is not only a betrayal of our allies, but also a betrayal of the ideals of France, a betrayal of France itself!"

Lucien's speech was indeed remarkable, but what truly made it influential was the attitude it represented. This attitude was clear: "The Rhenish region is ours, and Lombardy is ours. We will not give up either! If they want peace, they must accept this peace; otherwise, let the war continue!"

Of course, since this faction opposed this peace and demanded a "what's mine is mine, and what's yours is mine" kind of peace, it was up to them to achieve it.

As for how to achieve it, some suggested that it would be best to prioritize equipping the Northern Legion's troops with new weapons to enhance their combat capabilities and secure greater victories.

Alfred, a parliament member, proposed this idea, and it gained substantial support. Obviously, these individuals did not want to see Napoleon alone achieving too much glory, and they wanted to balance his accomplishments with those of Joubert and Mureau in the north.

Joseph and Lucien understood this, but they had no reason to oppose the proposal. Firstly, the northern front was indeed the primary battleground, and the equipment should have been prioritized there if not for the intense fighting in Italy. Secondly, Carnot also supported this view. Lastly, it was a matter of business, which meant money!

However, Joseph's military-industrial complex had a far less impressive production capacity than its grand name suggested because its production methods were still quite outdated. Steam engines and the Industrial Revolution had not yet made their way into military factories.

Joseph from the previous life had witnessed steam engines, at least the cylinder steam engine, being phased out. He only had a general idea of how they worked, and he was mostly ignorant of everything else.

This led to a paradox where the weapons produced by the "military-industrial complex" were incredibly advanced, but the methods used to manufacture them were still quite outdated, at least in Joseph's eyes.

To address this issue, Joseph instructed Lucien to suggest that other armories should be allowed to produce the new rifles under a licensing arrangement. In reality, the technology behind the Minié ball was rather simple, and once these rifles became widespread in the army, the secret couldn't be strictly guarded. Not just domestic manufacturers, even the Austrians, Prussians, and British would eventually learn about this technological secret. It would just take some time for them to equip their armies.

Furthermore, at this point, France didn't have a patent system. This meant that Joseph's competitors could also, over time, produce rifles that met military requirements. Even though Joseph could ensure that he profited the most from this arrangement through his influence in the military, others could still find ways to court non-Bonapartist generals, securing a share of the market.

Therefore, Joseph, with his knowledge from the future, devised a plan. He would use their technological advantage to create a cartel alliance, a plan that would ultimately help him build an industrial monopoly.

In general, the establishment of a technological cartel alliance requires a patent system. For someone like Joseph, a time traveler, patents were extremely crucial. Lucien had already proposed the establishment of a patent system in parliament. However, the proposal failed to pass, with a difference of about a dozen votes more against it than in favor.

This was a setback for Joseph, but launching a military coup over this defeat would be excessive. Joseph had a plan - he wanted to first attract some influential arms dealers who had the power to influence parliamentary voting through a technological alliance. Once these arms dealers joined the alliance, establishing a patent law would become a matter that greatly benefited them.

Once the patent law passed, this alliance would be tied even more closely, and the Bonaparte family, holding the source of the technology, would undeniably become the leaders of this cartel. Combined with Napoleon's influence in the military, Joseph believed he could transform this technological cartel into a conglomerate unified by technology patents and sales channels.

At that point, because there was no independent source of technology and sales channels, even if the companies within the alliance remained legally independent, all their economic activities would be subject to the headquarters' will. At that time, the "military-industrial complex" might truly live up to its name.