The Fox of France

Early the next morning, before the sun had even risen, Metternich arrived at the French military camp. He was escorted by a group of French cavalry and once again found himself in Napoleon's headquarters, where the general was having breakfast.

"You're here quite early," Napoleon said with a smile.

"That's because I'm on your time now, General. I have to make the most of it," Metternich replied, tipping his hat and taking a seat at Napoleon's table.

"Why don't you join me for breakfast? We can talk while we eat," Napoleon suggested.

"Thank you," Metternich replied. A diligent soldier brought him a plate of breakfast.

"Mr. Metternich, coming here so early, I assume you have some good news for me regarding the peace conditions?" Napoleon inquired.

"In principle, both the Grand Duke and I are not opposed to the peace conditions you've proposed. However, we have some additional requests that we'd like to discuss with you," Metternich replied, sitting up straight.

Napoleon raised an eyebrow, seemingly uninterested, and checked his pocket watch. "I hope you're not here to waste my time with endless back-and-forth negotiations, one proposal, one counter-proposal, and so on, only to end up wasting my time."

"General, I assure you, our proposals align with your demands," Metternich said.

"Let's hear it then," Napoleon said, not appearing too interested and nonchalantly examining his watch.

"General, your country's technological advancements are unmatched worldwide, and we would like to purchase certain technologies from your nation. We also wish to have the same rights as your citizens in terms of technology patents," Metternich explained.

"We have patent laws in my country. If you want to acquire patented technologies, you can negotiate with the patent holders," Napoleon replied, seemingly unconcerned.

"But most of the patents we are interested in acquiring are in your possession," Metternich continued.

"In principle, that shouldn't be a problem. As for the specifics, you can discuss this with my brother, Joseph Bonaparte. If he's willing to sell, he will; if not, he won't," Napoleon said, handing off the matter to Joseph. If Joseph refused to sell, their request would be denied.

"Besides, we hope that your country can impose certain restrictions on the export of weapons," Metternich added.

"No, that's not possible," Napoleon immediately responded. "That would harm our commercial interests. It's out of the question."

"We can guarantee that government orders from our country can compensate for any potential loss, and your country's related enterprises will even gain greater profits," Metternich countered.

"It's not a matter of money. It involves our business reputation and our political integrity. Our business reputation and political integrity are worth much more than just a sum of money," Napoleon stated firmly.

"But this would constitute interference in our domestic affairs, which goes against the principle of 'respecting each other's territories and sovereignty, and not interfering in each other's internal affairs,' as outlined in the peace treaty between your country and the Kingdom of Spain. I believe these two principles should hold more importance for our political integrity," Metternich argued.

"You're right, we must adhere to these two principles. However, these principles are of lower legal status than the 'Declaration of Human Rights,' and the principle that 'human rights supersede sovereignty' derived from it. We are concerned that if we prohibit the civilian arms trade, it may lead to humanitarian crises in some regions. I hope your government can understand our legitimate concerns," Napoleon explained.

The two engaged in a heated debate over this issue. Finally, Napoleon proposed, "How about this? In the spirit of compromise, let's set aside this dispute for now. We can issue a joint statement in which we pledge that France will not seek to implement a long-term policy of selling weapons to certain areas in your country. The weapons we sell to these regions will not exceed the performance and quantity levels supplied in recent years following the peace agreement. We will also be prepared to gradually reduce arms sales to these regions, eventually leading to a final resolution. What do you think? This is the most significant concession I can offer."

"General Bonaparte, we have one more request," Metternich continued.

"What's the request?"

"Some influential figures in our country would like to have the opportunity to invest in the 'Military-Industrial Consortium,'" Metternich replied without a hint of emotion.

Napoleon pondered for a moment and replied, "The Military-Industrial Consortium is an enterprise alliance, but there isn't an entity called the 'Military-Industrial Consortium' or its stocks. You can invest in some of the companies within the consortium, as long as you obtain the consent of the other shareholders. That shouldn't be a problem."

"Aren't your family the largest shareholders?" Metternich asked.

"In some of the companies, yes, but our share in the entire consortium isn't exceptionally high," Napoleon explained, then asked, "So, can we consider that we've essentially reached an agreement?"

"Yes, General," Metternich replied.

Napoleon checked his watch and said, "Because this negotiation consumed more of my time, I now need more compensation, both for France and personally..."

And so, on that very day, Archduke Charles and General Napoleon Bonaparte signed an agreement on the peace between their two nations. According to this agreement, both countries would reestablish peace and forge closer trade relations. Meanwhile, the Austrian forces would withdraw from all French and allied territories, offering profound apologies to the people who had suffered during the war. Austria also pledged not to allow anyone or any group to engage in activities threatening the security and stability of France using Austrian soil.

Releasing Austria in this manner and signing a treaty without territorial concessions or indemnities naturally stirred some controversy within France. However, Le Monde de la Science, a newspaper that had been well-prepared for this outcome, swiftly published articles analyzing the current military situation. They pointed out that getting Austria to leave the war as quickly as possible was of great significance to France's ultimate victory. Furthermore, France didn't leave empty-handed; at the very least, the royalists hiding in Austria would now need to find another refuge.

If anyone else had signed this treaty, they might have been labeled a traitor, despite Le Monde de la Science's efforts to defend them. However, considering that the signatory was none other than General Napoleon Bonaparte, a military hero who had just achieved a great victory and repeatedly saved the Republic, there was little anyone could say. Some might whisper in hushed tones that General Bonaparte might need more guidance in diplomatic matters, even though his general direction appeared sound.

After signing the treaty, Archduke Charles promptly led his army out of Luxembourg, retreating to Kaiserslautern. Meanwhile, Napoleon left all the British cannons and over 10,000 experienced Northern Army soldiers under General Soult in Luxembourg to maintain vigilance over Austria. He then led the rest of his forces toward Prussia.

A week later, Napoleon's army neared Cologne, where the Cologne garrison surrendered without a fight. Napoleon stayed in Cologne for a day, where he met the first batch of Prussian envoys seeking peace. However, the Prussians' sincerity for peace didn't move Napoleon. Consequently, he continued his eastward march, advancing with unstoppable momentum. Half a month later, his forces reached the vicinity of Hanover and encountered a newly assembled British and Prussian coalition army led by Field Marshal von Mollendorf.

The coalition army had roughly 100,000 soldiers, but due to their recent loss of elite troops in the Battle of Verdun, most of them were untrained recruits who also lacked weaponry. They were even in short supply of the new Minié rifles, and old-style smoothbore muskets were scarce. Their cannon numbers were far fewer than Napoleon's. The outlook for this battle was indeed grim for the British and Prussians.

That very afternoon, Prussian envoys arrived in Napoleon's camp, bearing the authorization of King Frederick William III. However, Napoleon's peace terms had grown even harsher since his time in Cologne. He began by demanding the Prussians pay 150 million francs, acknowledge France's control over the Rhine River basin, including Hanover, and immediately declare war on Britain.

The last demand, declaring war on Britain, was something the Prussians would have readily agreed to without blinking. Recognizing France's control over the Rhine River basin was also not an issue. However, the 150 million franc indemnity was impossible for the Prussians to pay, even if they sold all their possessions. The truth was, their agreement with the British had been largely influenced by financial crisis at home.

The Prussian envoys pleaded with Napoleon to show leniency and explained that they simply couldn't afford such a sum. In response, Napoleon offered a solution: France would lend the money to Prussia, with all their national taxes as collateral. In essence, all financial power would be transferred to the French.

Finance is the foundation of all governance, and without it, a nation was essentially crippled. The Prussians had no choice but to refuse such terms. In a fit of anger, Napoleon shouted, "Let the cannons and rifles debate with you!" He promptly dismissed the Prussian envoys.