Chapter 940 Louis Philippe’s Choice
"Your Majesty, it has been eighteen years.
Archduke Karl replied.
In fact, the meeting between the two parties eighteen years ago was not pleasant.
Louis-Philippe had just ascended to the French throne through the revolution, and Archduke Charles brought not a blessing but a threat.
After all, Austria is an imperial country, and it does not want an alien to appear around it.
However, due to the limited national strength of the Austrian Empire at the time, and the fact that the great powers had their own agendas, those threats became a joke.
Today, eighteen years later, they are already on the same side, and they laugh off the past.
"Please don't call me your Majesty anymore. I am no longer the King of France. I am the Count of Paris, but they kicked him out.
I am now only the Duke of Alsace-Lorraine.
I can keep the rights I hold now, thanks to Archduke Franz."
Louis Philippe specially arranged his words, but there was really nothing suitable, so he seemed a little embarrassed.
However, he was still very grateful to Franz. After all, escaping to Alsace-Lorraine did save part of the power in his hands and avoided the same fate as Louis XVI.
Since Louis Philippe did not flee to England as he had in history, and the French provisional government was in a state of confusion, they very much hoped to step on the former French king again to boost morale.
Repeated attacks and assassinations convinced Louis Philippe that the Second French Republic would not let him go.
So Louis Philippe did not refuse the invitation to Innsbruck.
Although his two sons are still on one side of Algeria, it is simply wishful thinking to counterattack the French mainland with that little force.
"Your Majesty, this is what we should do. In this difficult time, we should help each other instead of adding insult to injury."
"You are absolutely right! Archduke Franz, I think your invitation to come here must be more than just a visit to this industrial city, right?"
"Of course. This is also for your safety."
"haha, really?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. On your way here, we have eliminated at least three groups of assassins for you."
Franz shouted to the door, "Mr. Bordeaux, please bring people in."
After a while, Bordeaux came in with a man who was tied up.
"This is?"
Louis Philippe still had this point in the city, he just asked seemingly casually.
But this was within Franz's expectation, he said calmly.
"Take a closer look. You must be familiar with this person."
Louis-Philippe took out his reading glasses from the box and examined them with pretended indifference.
But he quickly widened his eyes, and then spoke in a tone that was shaking with anger.
"Are you Girard?"
The tied man kept his head down and said nothing.
Girard Fres, one of Louis Philippe's most trusted captains of the guard.
"In Bern, they are going to blow you up with a bomb in your hotel."
Colonel Bordeaux explained that after all, it was a crime committed by an acquaintance. If he did not explain it clearly in time, he might be misunderstood by Louis Philippe as something else.
As soon as Bordeaux said it, Louis Philippe immediately remembered that there was indeed noisy downstairs that night in Bern, and then there was a gun battle on the street, which kept him awake all night.
And Girard Fleiss has obviously gone to England
Could it be that the British want to assassinate him?
Louis Philippe obviously thought too much, and Girard Fleiss should have gone to England to complete the tasks assigned by the former to the latter.
However, Girard Fleiss had long been targeted by the French Provisional Government, who instigated him to rebel on his way to England, and learned of Louis Philippe's route of action.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. Please forgive me!"
When Girard Fleiss heard Louis Philippe's voice, he immediately prayed as if grasping at straws.
The reason why Louis Philippe came close to him before, and he didn't realize it was because the interrogation method in this era basically relied on torture.
Beating someone unconscious is just routine practice.
However, Louis Philippe did not want to pity this kind of guy who was seeking glory from the seller. No matter for whatever reason, Gilard Fleiss betrayed Louis Philippe's trust.
"Don't call me Your Majesty, go find your new master!"
Louis Philippe kicked Girard Fleiss away.
Bordeaux also wisely asked the prisoner to be taken down, then exited the room and closed the door outside.
"These damn scum! I've already left France and they still won't let me go!"
"When you get here, you are safe for the time being. The clutches of the Second French Republic cannot be reached for the time being.
But I want to solve the problem once and for all.”
"You want to help me counterattack France? Wait until I return to Paris."
Louis Philippe's old face showed an excited look, which made Franz speechless for a while.
"Sorry, our country is currently facing internal and external difficulties and cannot help you. However, there is still a way to keep the Second French Republic occupied."
"any solution?"
"Misfortune is diverted to the east."
"Dirty the disaster to the east?"
"Yes, Belgium used to be your protectorate. But now the Second French Republic wants to annex Belgium. You don't want your daughter and your son-in-law to be displaced, right?"
"This? What can I do?"
Louis Philippe was clearly mistaken again.
"You only need to transfer this interest to the German Confederation, and everyone will thank you.
And from now on, you no longer have to worry about the Second French Republic going against you, because no matter whether France wins or loses in Belgium, they no longer take into account other abilities. "
"But once the war in Belgium ends, won't I become their primary target?"
Louis Philippe said with some embarrassment.
"No, Your Majesty. Believe me, no matter whether we win or lose this battle, the Second French Republic will cease to exist."
"Why?"
"Do you remember what excuse they used to oust you?"
"Agricultural harvests are poor, industry is depressed, and the economy is in a serious decline. A large number of people are unemployed and have no food to eat."
"So has anything changed now?"
Louis Philippe thought for a moment.
"No."
"Then naturally someone will replace them."
"Can"
Louis Philippe was still hesitant. He was not sure whether everything in front of him was good for him or bad.
"Whether they win or lose, they will need a group of scapegoats. At least the Second French Republic will no longer exist
And we can solve Algeria’s food problem. "
The previous tirade did not impress Louis Philippe, who was not interested in the analysis of the situation.
However, Franz's last sentence spoke to his heart. Louis Philippe's two sons were divided in Algeria.
But after all, Algeria is just a barbaric land (compared to France). If they cannot solve the food problem, they will have no choice but to surrender sooner or later.