Chapter 313: The Real Target
Joseph nodded and continued, "What about the situation in Saxony?"
Talleyrand replied, "When I left Vienna, the agents had already set off for Dresden. By now, they should have made contact with General Maurice."
General Maurice was the commander of the Saxon army.
Joseph motioned for Talleyrand to sit down. "Are the people you're using reliable?"
"Rest assured, they were selected by the Intelligence Bureau. I brought them to Saxony through diplomatic channels, and they are true Bavarians—they don't even speak French."
"You've done well," Joseph said with a smile. "Oh, by the way, you've done an excellent job maximizing the efficiency of the funds when you bribed the Austrian Interior Minister's assistant and the Baden negotiators. That's commendable. So, you can keep half of the income from selling intelligence in the Netherlands and Saxony as bonuses for you and your subordinates."
Joseph said this casually, but Talleyrand felt a chill in his heart.
During his recent bribery campaign in the German states, due to the difficulties involved, he hadn't pocketed a single coin. When the Crown Prince said, "maximizing the efficiency of the funds," he was clearly referring to this matter. This meant that Joseph might be fully aware of whether Talleyrand had embezzled any funds.
Thinking back to his previous dealings in America and Russia, where he had taken bribes... Talleyrand swallowed hard, cold sweat forming on his forehead. He was wrestling with whether to confess to Joseph when he heard the Crown Prince say, "In diplomacy, bribery often plays a role. As long as you report it when you return, it's fine. After all, you put in the effort to get money from foreign governments, so you can keep part of it as a bonus. But remember, don't let the pursuit of money interfere with your work."
Talleyrand was taken aback. Was Joseph saying that he should continue accepting bribes from foreign governments, but as long as he reported it, he could keep a portion as a bonus?
He glanced at Joseph, seeing the Crown Prince's serious expression, and felt a wave of relief. He wouldn't have to worry about making money anymore.
He then thought of the recent profits from "selling intelligence," and couldn't hide the smile on his face.
Following Joseph's instructions, Talleyrand's agents had first gone to the Netherlands and sold the information that "the Austrian main force in Luxembourg had retreated to Vienna" to Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick, commander of the Prussian army, for 16,000 florins. Then, they sold the news that "Austria was gathering a large army to attack Silesia" to Saxony for 20,000 florins.
In total, they had made 36,000 livres. And just like that, Joseph had given half of it to Talleyrand as a bonus. How could he not be thrilled?
Serving the Crown Prince was clearly the best decision he had ever made!
Talleyrand forced himself to focus, pledging his loyalty to Joseph before continuing with business: "Your Highness, before I left Vienna, Leopold II summoned me. He hopes that France can exert influence on Russia to ensure they don't interfere in the war in Silesia."
Joseph nodded slightly, thinking that Leopold II's political acumen was indeed sharp, immediately considering the Russian angle.
Catherine the Great had long sought to involve Prussia and Austria in partitioning Poland, so she certainly wouldn't want these two nations fighting each other. But how could Joseph persuade her to stay out of it?
After pondering for a while, Joseph looked at Talleyrand and said, "It seems you'll have to go to St. Petersburg again. When you meet the Empress, tell her..."
After giving detailed instructions, Joseph added, "I'll also coordinate with you from here. You'll need to adapt based on the news you hear."
"Yes, Your Highness, I won't disappoint you!"
After Talleyrand left, War Minister Duke de Broglie and Berthier entered Joseph's study.
They presented their military deployment plan, with the Chief of Staff explaining, "Your Highness, as per your instructions, Austria will deploy a 35,000-strong corps, primarily consisting of the Lorraine, Champagne, and Rhine regiments. We've also selected soldiers from the northern regions who speak German."
Duke de Broglie looked slightly nervous. Although the Crown Prince had previously told him he could decide which units would go to Austria in exchange for his support for the deployment, the units he had chosen were largely ones he had connections with. He feared the Crown Prince might object.
But Joseph simply nodded and smiled, "Very good, these units are quite suitable."
In truth, Joseph had intended to send the old guard to Austria all along. If they won some battles, he could use that to demand concessions from Vienna. If they lost, the deaths of a batch of stubborn military aristocrats would do no harm—any talented individuals in those old units had already applied to transfer to the Imperial Guard, leaving behind the obstinate or incompetent ones.
Relieved, Duke de Broglie signaled Berthier to continue.
Berthier quickly said, "Your Highness, according to the latest reports from Vienna, the Austrian army will be ready to launch their offensive in about three weeks."
Mobilizing nearly 100,000 troops was an incredibly complex task, not something as simple as clicking and dragging in a game. In reality, before attacking an area, strategic preparations had to be made, accounting for enemy supply routes, logistics, and lines of advance and retreat. The troops had to be moved to positions where they could quickly threaten these points while maintaining secrecy. As the army moved, logistical support had to follow, and domestic resources and personnel had to be mobilized.
Only when all these elements were in place could the main forces begin their offensive. The fact that Austria could make all these preparations within a month and a half was quite impressive.
Joseph then asked the question that concerned him the most, "What about the Imperial Guard?"
"Your Highness, the supply depots north of Verdun have been completed, and supplies will be fully stocked within a week," the Chief of Staff replied. "To facilitate logistics, we've even built a wooden railway from Lorraine to Verdun, though it will take more than three months to finish. Currently, the 1st and 2nd Imperial Guard Corps, along with the Moulins Corps, totaling nearly 20,000 troops, are fully assembled and ready for action."
A gleam of amusement flickered in Joseph's eyes.
He wasn't particularly interested in the war in Silesia. The Netherlands was his real focus!
France's most powerful military force, the Imperial Guard, was fully deployed there, waiting to deliver a massive surprise to the Prussian troops stationed in Luxembourg when the war in Silesia reached its peak.
By then, Emperor Joseph II wouldn't have any troops available and would be forced to seek help from France, the nearest military power to the Netherlands.
Joseph had even given Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick a "reminder" to pay attention to the weak Austrian forces in Luxembourg.
(End of chapter)
Friends, if you want to read chapters in advance, subscribe to my patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/johanssen10