Life of Being a Crown Prince in France

Si Haike saw that General Tain had been subdued, and only then did he crawl up from the ground. He circled around Tain fearfully, then replaced his expression with a flattering smile and said to Joseph, “Honorable Crown Prince, please grant me two days, and your Flemish Army will be fighting for you on the battlefield.”

Tain scoffed from the side, “Hmph, as long as I am here, no Flemish will ever serve the French!”

Joseph glanced at him briefly and then asked Si Haike, “Is this Mr. Tain particularly influential in your military?”

“Yes…” The latter nodded instinctively but quickly shook his head, “Ah, no, Your Highness, you see, General Tain’s family will pay his ransom. That is why he displays this so-called loyalty and courage here.

“Most soldiers, on the other hand, do not wish to stay here as prisoners. It means no pay and long, hard labor. I can persuade them.”

Joseph looked at him with interest, “And you? Why don’t you have someone ransom you?”

“Uh, well… my family is rather impoverished, and besides, I greatly admire you…”

Tain sneered, “Because this coward abandoned his position and fled yesterday. If he returns to Brussels, all that awaits him is a military tribunal.”

A French Army soldier raised his rifle threateningly towards Tain and barked, “Shut up!”

Joseph narrowed his eyes slightly and gestured to the soldier, “Oh, allow this general basic dignity, release him.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

The soldiers loosened their grip on Tain, but continued to watch him vigilantly.

Joseph first ordered Si Haike to be taken to the prisoner camp, then turned his gaze to Tain, “General Tain, perhaps we can cooperate. Ah, come to my tent for some tea.”

Tain puffed out his chest proudly, “You can save your scheming. No Flemish will ever be commanded by a French speaker!”

Interestingly, he said all of this in French.

Of course, at the time, French was the fashionable language of nobles throughout Europe; any refined aristocrat would learn a bit.

Joseph chuckled softly, with a hint of mockery, “And yet the Flemish accept being commanded by German speakers.”

“This, no…”

Tain appeared somewhat embarrassed and weakly argued, “You know, we fought back against them…”

Joseph nodded, “Hmm, and then chose submission.”

Tain almost shouted, “What choice did we have?”

Joseph suddenly leaned forward, lowering his voice, “Do you truly want the Flemish Region to free itself from Austrian rule?”

Tain scoffed coldly, “Only to fall under French rule instead?”

“Certainly not,” Joseph replied sincerely, “My proposal is to establish a Flemish Republic.”

Tain still sneered, “You mean a puppet state under French ‘protection’?”

Joseph shook his head, “No, completely independent, with its own congress and military, without French troops stationed there, and also without Austrian, Prussian, or other foreign troops—an entirely sovereign Flemish Republic.”

Tain froze for a moment and sighed, “That’s simply impossible.”

“What if France provided support? I mean comprehensive military and diplomatic support.”

“Really?” Tain’s eyes sparkled with excitement, but he immediately suppressed any emotion and looked at Joseph warily, “Why would you want to help the Flemish?”

“Brussels,” Joseph replied, “I want Brussels.”

“Ha-ha!” Tain suddenly laughed, slapping his knee, “You truly are a young man of ambition. Ha-ha, Brussels?

“Without Brussels, what do the Flemish have left?”

The Flemish Region is essentially Brussels, Antwerp, Luneburg, and the northern part of Ghent Province, north of the Scheldt River.

Brussels accounts for just 20% of the area but contributes nearly half of the Flemish Region’s economic revenue. How could the Flemish willingly let go of it?

Joseph smiled faintly, “You’d still have Zeeland, Breda, and Scheveningen.”

Tain frowned, “You must be joking. Those are all Dutch territories…”

He suddenly realized something, his eyes widening as he looked at Joseph, “Holland? You mean for us to take Holland…”

Joseph nodded matter-of-factly, “The area south of the Val River would become the Flemish Republic’s core territory.”

“But that’s utterly unrealistic.”

“No, as long as you can find a suitable political leader in the Flemish Region and convene a congress, France will handle the military matters for you.”

Joseph was well aware that the Flemish Region had a population of over 1.4 million Dutch speakers. Their conflicts with the Walloon people were deep-rooted and made future governance practically impossible.

If France forcefully annexed the region, it would lead to endless protests and uprisings.

It would likely also provide foreign powers with leverage against France, particularly the Netherlands, whose people shared close ties with the Flemish and could easily incite unrest.

Thus, letting them establish independence was a far better option.

If the Flemish took possession of the three southern provinces of the Netherlands to build their nation, they would inevitably clash with the Dutch in perpetual conflict. Their only dependable ally would be the power that helped them achieve independence—France.

The Dutch animosity, meanwhile, would be directed not at France but at the Flemish Republic. In matters requiring diplomatic resolution, they might even seek France as a mediator.

The Flemish would face no ethnic or linguistic obstacles in ruling over the southern provinces of Holland. With the Val River serving as a natural barrier, regaining those territories would be exceedingly difficult for the Dutch.

Most importantly for France, if the Flemish acquired Zeeland, they would control the Rhine River’s access to the sea!

If France directly controlled it, they’d become a target for hostility from Britain, Prussia, Austria, and almost all German states along the Rhine.

By creating the Flemish Republic, these geopolitical pressures would fall squarely on the small nation.

France could influence Rhine River trade through the Flemish Republic whenever needed, without bearing the burden of geopolitical tension.

Tain confirmed in disbelief, “You mean, complete Flemish independence—without French troops, appointed officials, or diplomatic oversight…”

Joseph continued, “Nor interference in trade, education, press, or anything else. All I want is Brussels.”

This time, Tain could no longer contain his excitement.

The Flemish had resisted Spanish and Austrian domination for centuries, and now, at last, they saw a chance for freedom and independence!

For such a goal, giving up Brussels might be an acceptable compromise. After all, the southern provinces of the Netherlands offered greater area and economic value compared to Brussels.

He bowed slightly to Joseph, “Your Highness, you mentioned inviting me for tea?”

“Indeed.” Joseph had a horse brought for Tain, “This way, please.”

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

Soon, the two were riding side by side. Joseph pressed on, “So, regarding the congress, do you have anyone in mind to recommend?”

Tain patted his chest proudly, “Actually, Your Highness, I am a member of Antwerp’s congress myself.”

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