The Fox of France

The day after receiving orders from Madrid, Ambassador Juan once again visited the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs to meet with Foreign Minister Talleyrand.

At this point, Talleyrand was already well aware of Juan's purpose. The Ministry of Truth had handed him organized intelligence the day before. Having reviewed reliable documents supposedly obtained from a contact in Spain, Talleyrand mentally applauded Lucien and promptly went to meet Napoleon, discussing and preparing their response.

In the opulent reception room of the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Juan met Foreign Minister Talleyrand again.

"Your Excellency, I am tasked with presenting a proposal to your country," Ambassador Juan said.

"My friend, I am all ears," Talleyrand replied, spreading his hands.

"We wish to purchase a quantity of arms from your country," Juan stated.

"That's not an issue," Talleyrand smiled. "We are allies; our arsenal is open to our friends."

"However, Your Excellency, you are aware that at present, we might struggle to produce such a large sum of money," Ambassador Juan added.

"That is not a problem; we can loan you the money," Talleyrand smiled. "For our allies, we are always willing to offer reasonable assistance within our means. I know several bankers, and I believe, given Spain's status and reputation, favorable loan conditions can be obtained from them."

Indeed, Spain's economic state wasn't much better than pre-revolutionary France. Before the French Revolution, King Louis XVI had resorted to borrowing from bankers to sustain finances. However, he overextended himself, failing to repay, resulting in a cycle of borrowing anew to settle old debts. In modern times, this might not be a bad strategy, like some nations nowadays.

However, there was a significant difference in this era—the interest rates for loans were generally much higher. While modern nations might secure loans with an interest rate of two to three percent, here, rates could soar as high as twenty-three percent if things went awry. Such rates, coupled with the influence of the mightiest forces in the universe, made this tactic unsustainable.

In this era, dealing with bankers was akin to dealing with usurers. The interest rates for loans were not a minor concern; they could reach twenty-three percent with an ounce of conscience. Such rates, combined with the influence of the most potent forces, made this approach untenable. The inevitable consequence would be a default on the debt, making future borrowing arduous and conditions stricter.

While Spain hadn't reached Louis XVI's level, its credit in the debt market was mediocre. This meant that even borrowing would demand higher interest rates, attracting lenders only if offering more significant interest rates—a "favorable loan condition" claim was misleading.

Regarding French government aid, well, the Napoleonic Code explicitly stipulated France's adherence to free markets and trade, without governmental intervention.

Of course, this was theoretical. In reality, the expanding Franco-Bank Alliance was assuming a central bank-like role. Considering the Bonaparte family's status in this alliance, they could easily align the union's actions with France's policies. Some even argued that it wasn't the alliance aligning with France, but rather the government aligning with the union.

In essence, Talleyrand's words sounded good, but whether borrowing from the French or English, the interest rates wouldn't likely be low.

"Our King does not intend to accumulate excessive debt as it burdens our people," Juan remarked. "His Majesty is a benevolent ruler, unwilling to burden his people excessively."

"It's not about avoiding burdening the people but fearing that the Spanish populace might initiate a revolution akin to the French," Talleyrand thought to himself. Aloud, he said, "Your country's King has an admirable heart for his people. I believe your people, under your King's wise leadership, will overcome these minor hardships."

It sounded pleasant, but the actual implication was, "I cannot assist you; you're on your own. Your fate lies with you."

"Your Excellency, we have another proposal," Ambassador Juan said.

"I am all ears. We have always been willing to assist our allies when an opportunity arises," Talleyrand replied.

"Your enthusiasm in exploiting allies is quite noteworthy," Juan thought inwardly, but his smile remained genuine.

"We plan to sell a portion of our territories in North America to obtain necessary funds," Juan stated.

"Ah," Talleyrand feigned surprise. "Which areas does your country intend to sell?"

"We plan to sell Florida. Does your country have an interest in it?" Juan replied.

At present, Florida belonged to Spain, yet American influence there was substantial. If the land were sold to the Americans, they'd gain a strong foothold in the Caribbean. This wasn't good news for France, especially as they aimed to develop Louisiana and expand northward. Hence, both Talleyrand and Napoleon agreed yesterday that it was unwise to let this land fall into American hands.

However, they also saw selling Florida as a means to pressure France into offering more money. Losing Florida would bring the Americans closer to the Caribbean, posing a greater threat to Spain's interests.

Moreover, Spain's claim to sell Florida aimed to further provoke tensions between France and the United States. Though Florida belonged to Spain, it had been under British rule just twenty years ago. The primary population there was Anglo-Saxon. Despite legally being Spanish, the Spanish couldn't control the territory. If no other intervening forces appeared, it was only a matter of time before it fell into American hands.

If this land were to end up in French possession, given France's current strength, American infiltration would be difficult. This would inadvertently secure other Spanish territories, particularly Cuba.

"Florida? That area is rich. Your government should profit significantly from it. Selling it off now, isn't that regrettable?" Talleyrand questioned. "Moreover, due to the demographics in that region, to be honest, our interest isn't substantial."

The American navy was not yet capable of severing the link between France and Louisiana. So, when Joseph discussed Spain's intention to sell Florida with Napoleon, he emphasized that even if Florida fell into American hands, the immediate threat would be relatively limited. Assuming control of the area would bring about a slew of problems. Thus, Talleyrand's current stance was not just bluffing to drive up the price.

"If your country isn't interested, then we'll have no choice but to sell this land to the Americans," Ambassador Juan said.

"This is your internal affair; we do not wish to interfere," Talleyrand responded. "However, given our alliance, we are willing to assist your country in this matter. I believe any transaction, with only one buyer, finds it challenging to fetch a good price. We can cooperate to create an appearance of keen interest in purchasing Florida, helping raise its price. Of course, this would antagonize the United States, for which we would require compensation."

This request surprised Ambassador Juan, but he inquired, "What kind of compensation do you require?"

"We also hope to purchase some of your country's lands in North America. We wish to acquire several ports on the Pacific to expand our trade routes. Since our trade with the Far East has been disrupted since our setbacks in India, we seek to re-establish it through this route. Thus, we hope to buy the Panama region. Additionally, for facilitating whaling activities in the Pacific, we wish to purchase San Francisco and San Jose from your nation."

The strategic importance of

Panama didn't need elaboration—even without a canal. As for San Francisco, it had a name familiar to many Chinese: "Old Gold Mountain." This name stemmed from a shallowly buried gold mine nearby, inciting a famous gold rush. Joseph had seen numerous Western films in his previous life involving these regions. If they could secure these territories through the Mexican revolution, it would undoubtedly be a profitable move.

Convincing Napoleon and Lucien to support him wouldn't be difficult. Previously, he had dispatched exploration teams to North America under the guise of the French Academy of Sciences to study its geology and flora and fauna. Then he informed Napoleon, "Our people have discovered gold deposits near San Francisco."

This wasn't a lie since Joseph had specifically sent these exploration teams to these locations.

"Captain Jones of the exploration team discovered gold particles in the rivers near San Francisco. But he's cautious and hasn't disclosed this secret. Hence, it remains undisclosed. Right now, these areas are wilderness; acquiring them at this juncture won't cost much and is undoubtedly profitable," Joseph explained to his two brothers.

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