Joseph, however, seemed to have more to say, waving his hand emphatically, “Regrettably, the northern shore of the Black Sea still harbors Ottoman fortresses. Only by swiftly leveling them can we ensure the stability of ports vital for Black Sea trade.”
“Afterward, Russia should press forward into the south bank of the Danube River, seizing control of the river’s estuary from the hands of the Ottoman Empire!”
“And on the east coast of the Black Sea, Georgia—a small country under Russian protection—is still occupied by the Ottomans at the Black Sea outlet and faces the suppression of the Persians, urgently awaiting Russia’s rescue,” he added seriously.
Looking earnestly at Paul, he continued, “If necessary, France stands ready to provide support at any time!”
Crown Prince Paul was stunned; the French Crown Prince seemed even more aggressive than his own mother. Except for the southern coast of the Black Sea—Ottoman territory—he had designated almost everything for Russia. Had there been outsiders present, they might have mistaken him for the Russian heir.
In fact, Joseph was merely reiterating the historical Russo-Turkish Wars. These places represented coveted interests for Russia, an aspiration no Russian could resist.
Sure enough, Paul nodded in excitement, “This is also His Majesty the King’s…”
Joseph quickly added, “It’s His Majesty the King’s intention; please be sure to convey this to Her Majesty the Empress.”
As the French Crown Prince, his words carried ample diplomatic weight. Read exclusive content at empire
Russians are straightforward, valuing directness both in gratitude and revenge.
Paul, too, responded immediately with a reciprocating gesture, “I assure you, we will also support France’s actions in North Africa whenever necessary!”
After parting with the Russian heir, Joseph returned to his private quarters only to find the servants at a loss, surrounding the Spanish Crown Prince—who was clearly drunk, his hair a mess, and his demeanor utterly dejected.
Upon seeing the French Crown Prince return, Antonio promptly stood up with his glass, eyes reddening again.
Joseph could only shake his head, drinking a few glasses with him and quietly patting his back in comfort.
Soon, Antonio collapsed into drunkenness. Joseph instructed the servants to carry him to bed and as he turned around, he saw Fouché approaching quickly, saluting, “Your Highness, should we continue to monitor the second floor of the south wing?”
He was referring to the surveillance of the Spanish Crown Princess.
“No need,” Joseph shook his head. Antonio had proven himself ineffective, and there was little Joseph could do about it.
He glanced at Antonio and offhandedly said to Fouché, “Is there a way to give him the courage to deal with that unfaithful woman?”
Fouché paused, then whispered, “Your Highness, dealing with that woman might be troublesome, but dealing with her lover should not be difficult.”
“Oh?” Joseph inquired, “And how do you intend to do that?”
With an excited and cold smile, Fouché replied, “Destroying him should be easy, and it shouldn’t cause too much trouble.”
Joseph frowned; he disliked resorting to such “dirty” tactics, to the point that he instinctively overlooked this option.
However, he then remembered Antonio’s pained expression and narrowed his eyes. Godoy was just a minor guard with no significant background; perhaps a straightforward approach might be most effective.
He looked at Fouché, “Can you ensure it is foolproof?”
“Rest assured, it will appear to be an accident; no one will suspect,” Fouché reassured him.
“Tomorrow is His Majesty the King’s birthday; don’t cause too much commotion,” Joseph cautioned.
“Yes, Your Highness, I understand,” Fouché responded.
At lunchtime, a tall and handsome man in his thirties encountered Joseph in the corridor and immediately stepped forward to greet him.
Eman quickly informed him in a low voice, “Your Highness, this is Prince Poniatowski of Poland.”
Joseph nodded slightly but deliberately turned his face away, ignoring the Polish prince and leaving him in awkward observance as he proudly walked away.
With eyes everywhere in the Palace of Versailles, and having chosen to align closely with Russia, Joseph needed to keep a distance from Poland.
Prince Poniatowski wasn’t too upset; after all, Poland was in decline, riddled with deep-seated problems, especially since it had just lost a vast territory to Russia, Prussia, and Austria a decade earlier. It was quite normal for a great power like France to look down on them.
But just as he turned the corner of the staircase, a strange young man suddenly greeted him and handed him a note.
Prince Poniatowski gripped the note in surprise, only unfolding it when he was alone. It was from the French Crown Prince, inviting him to meet at a certain place outside the Palace of Versailles at two o’clock that afternoon.
The midsummer afternoon was intensely hot, particularly as it had been a while since France saw any rain.
Wiping sweat from his brow, Prince Poniatowski was about to check the time again when he saw two “gemstone” carriages—the latest French fashion—stop beside him.
Moments later, inside the carriage, Joseph eyed the rather valiant-looking Polish prince and smiled, “I apologize for meeting you like this. However, please believe that our ensuing conversation is of utmost importance to you and to Poland.”
Joseph was well aware that the current King of Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski, was unreliable. Back then, his rise to the throne of Poland was due to his affair with Catherine, supported by the Empress herself[Note 1].
Perhaps due to Catherine’s overwhelming dominance in his previous life experiences, even after becoming King, he remained in great fear of her.