(Chapter to)
Sweat kept falling from his chin, and after a while, the white shirt was completely soaked in sweat. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Friedrich William III showed a smile that was uglier than crying, and said, "Your Majesty Andresi, you are not joking." Holding the draft peace treaty proposed by France , Friedrich William III felt that his hands were being straightened. Not only him, but also his two ministers, Earl Claude, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Clausewitz, Chief of General Staff of the Prussian Army. It's just that Clausewitz is now surrounded by incomparable anger. As a Prussian soldier, he can't defend the country, and he has to be insulted like this. His anger can be imagined.
"Do you think I'm joking?" Xiao Jie replied seriously.
"Your Majesty Andresi, don't go too far. If we do what you ask, will we still be a country in Prussia?" Clausewitz's anger finally broke out.
For this Prussian military genius who was hailed as the "sage of soldiers" in the West by later generations, Xiao Jie still admired him very much, but he was not French, and he was particularly patriotic, so no matter how talented he was, Xiao Jie only I can regret it. "If you don't want to agree, then just pretend we didn't say anything, and there's no need to continue this negotiation." Xiao Jie said indifferently.
"Hmph!" Clausewitz stood up immediately, turned around and wanted to leave, but was stopped by Friedrich William III: "Sit down, Clausewitz." Then he turned to Xiao Jie Said: "I'm very sorry, Your Highness Andresi, we lost our composure." Clausewitz didn't dare to disobey Friedrich William III's order, so he sat down angrily.
"Your Majesty Andresi, do you think we are having a good discussion? Your request is really difficult for us to satisfy?" Claude said with a smile on his face.
"Really? But I think these requirements are very common?" Xiao Jie pretended to be stupid.
"Your Majesty, you want us to pay 2 billion francs in war reparations. Isn't that too much? You know that our country's annual fiscal revenue is about the same?" Claude said with a smile on his face.
"I didn't ask you to take it all at once. I just asked you to pay 100 million francs a year. I don't think the Kingdom of Prussia can afford 100 million francs, right?" Xiao Jie said coldly.
"But you still asked for 10% interest? That's higher than the bank's loan interest rate." Claude said with a bitter face.
"Oh my God! You owe me money. Is it wrong for me to charge some interest? Although the interest rate is a bit high, you have to understand that we are not borrowing money from the bank individually, but paying war reparations between countries. " Xiao Jie said impatiently.
Helpless, Claude had no choice but to look at Friedrich William III, hoping that he could make up his mind. Friedrich William III was also full of frustration at this time. From the conversation between Xiao Jie and Claude just now, he also saw Xiao Jie's toughness, and he knew that today's matter might not be able to get better .
"Your Majesty Andresi, this war is our fault, so we are willing to compensate your country 2 billion francs, and the same plan you proposed to pay 100 million francs a year with 10% interest per year." Finally However, Friedrich William III still chose to compromise.
"However, Your Majesty Andresi. You proposed to separate nearly half of the western part of Prussia from Prussia and establish five duchies to form a buffer zone between the two countries. Can you change this? After all, it is Nearly half of Prussia's territory. If I agree, then I will definitely not be able to explain to the Prussian people." Friedrich William III begged in a low voice.
"That's your business. Well, I'm tired. The next negotiation will be in charge of the three of you, Gregor, Otov and Dougal. I'll go back and have a rest first." Xiao Jie was very impatient Said. Then he turned and walked out of the conference room. Only Friedrich William III was left and they watched him leave with angry eyes.
"Okay, Friedrich William III Next, the negotiations will continue. Regarding your question just now, I can tell you clearly that in order to ensure peace between our two countries, it is very necessary to establish a huge buffer zone Yes. After all, your country is known as the number one army in Europe, so we have to be careful!" Gregor laughed, and his words were full of ridicule towards Prussia. What is the number one country in the European army? It's all shit, isn't it beaten by us?
"Your Excellency Gregor, is there no room for any change?" Friedrich William III asked with some unwillingness to give up.
Gregor nodded: "These are His Majesty's intentions, and we have no right to change them."
Seeing that nothing could be violated, Friedrich William III had no choice but to sit back in his seat decadently.
"Then you propose to garrison troops in Berlin, and limit the development of our country to only two legions, an army of 80,000 people, and require the French to serve as middle and lower-level officers in our army. What is the meaning of this?" Crowe Savitz said angrily.
"I think we have explained this very clearly. The garrison in Poland is just to protect the safety of your government and royal family. As for the stationing of officers in your army, it is just to strengthen the relationship between our two countries. It's just military exchanges." Dugel frowned and replied. Because he can't get used to Clausewitz, as a defeated general, how can he be so arrogant?
"Our Prussian army can be completely responsible for our Prussian security, and we don't need your help," Clausewitz said coldly.
"I'm sorry, you have no choice. I don't want to go around in circles with you. You should also understand that Prussia has been completely occupied by our army, and you have no choice at all now. Now, your only choice is to make a peace treaty." Sign it, or refuse to sign it, other than that, there is no other choice." Dugel has completely lost his patience now, and he doesn't want to waste it like this anymore.
"That's right, although you have occupied Prussia, the great Prussian people will not submit, they will always resist your rule." Clausewitz said proudly. He is very clear about the various small-scale battles against French rule that broke out in Prussia recently. Because most of the members of the guerrillas were former Prussian troops.
"Your information is very accurate. The guerrillas in Prussia have brought us a lot of trouble recently. However, they will not live long. I am not afraid to tell you that the 1st French Army and the 2nd Army of our country will soon be killed. We are going to Prussia, do you think those weak guerrillas will be able to withstand our Thunder offensive?" Dougal said with a big laugh.
Clausewitz's face immediately turned gray. Prussia's current large and small guerrillas add up to a maximum of 20,000 to 30,000 people. It is okay to harass the temporary French garrisons in Prussia. One way out.
"His Majesty Friedrich William III, if you have no doubts, please sign the peace treaty." Gregor also began to urge. He didn't have much patience.
Friedrich William III did not answer. He is now caught in a contradiction. If he compromises, he will definitely be reviled and starved by the Prussian people, and he will even be overthrown. But if there is no compromise, then he may have to stay abroad forever, and there is no hope of returning to Prussia. As for the restoration of the country, that is also a distant dream.
"Friedrich William III, just to remind you, if you don't agree, then we have to support other people, such as your younger brothers, I believe they are very interested in succeeding the king of Prussia, even if This Prussia has already lost half of its territory." Gregor finally threatened.
When Friedrich William III heard this, he immediately panicked, not knowing that his younger brothers have always coveted his throne~www.mtlnovel.com~ If there is support from France, then they will definitely be able to replace him He became the new king of Prussia. Considering this, Friedrich William III decided to compromise: "Okay, Mr. Gregor, I will sign, but I have an additional request, and I hope your country can agree."
"Please tell me, I need to know what the request is before I can answer you." Gregory said with a smile on his face.
"My request is actually very simple, that is, France must give up its support for my younger brothers, and admit that I and my direct descendants are the only kings of Prussia. In addition, if an uprising against me breaks out in Prussia, I will I hope your country can help me suppress the uprising, and of course, I will pay your country a certain reward." Friedrich William III spoke out his request, and now he is already making plans for the future.
"No problem. I don't need to ask His Majesty Andresi for this. I can clearly agree to your request. You must know that we have always supported you. If you agreed from the beginning, we would not be able to find your brother." Please rest assured, from now on, we will immediately stop contact with your younger brothers." Gregory assured.
Friedrich William III thanked him and signed the peace treaty. Since then, the threat of Prussia to France has been completely lifted.