Chapter 188: The Distinguished Roland

Indeed, Edward's purpose in coming here was to negotiate peace with France. However, instead of going directly to Paris, he had come to Amsterdam.

As two of the world's great powers, Britain and France both retained a basic sense of pride. The failure of the first peace talks had already cast a shadow over their relations. If this round of negotiations also failed, it would be a blow to the dignity of both nations.

Therefore, the British had first approached the Dutch this time. Their objective was clear: they wanted the Dutch to act as a bridge between the British and the French.

With the Dutch mediating, even if the British were eventually forced to sign a treaty unfavorable to themselves, they could claim it was to honor the Dutch, thereby mitigating the damage to their own dignity.

"Ambassador Edward, it's a pleasure to welcome you to the Netherlands. I am Dutch Foreign Minister Harpit." Outside the Royal Palace in The Hague, Dutch Foreign Minister Harpit was smiling warmly at British Foreign Secretary Edward.

In international diplomacy, an envoy's confidence is determined by the strength of their home country. If your country's power is strong, you can speak boldly abroad; otherwise, you must be cautious. This is perhaps the sad reality for smaller nations.

And the Netherlands was clearly a weaker nation, so Harpit naturally took a humble stance in front of Edward, the British ambassador.

"Hello, Minister Harpit. I have come today to seek the assistance of the Dutch government with a matter," Edward said arrogantly. Although he and Harpit held the same rank, the vast difference in their countries' power made Edward feel superior.

"Is it regarding the misunderstanding between Britain and France in Middelburg?" Harpit was evidently not foolish. As soon as Edward spoke, he guessed the purpose of his visit.

"Your Excellency, you are indeed wise. Yes, I have come regarding that matter. Recently, there have been some unfriendly incidents between our country and France, plunging all of Western Europe into conflict. Therefore, for the sake of peace in Western Europe, our country hopes that the Netherlands can also contribute its efforts," Edward declared righteously, a favorite tactic of British diplomats who always portrayed themselves as the champions of justice.

Upon hearing this, Harpit couldn't help but feel a tinge of bitterness. The British sure knew how to talk. Britain and France were both colossal powers; how could they possibly be swayed by the Dutch?

Thus, Harpit instinctively wanted to refuse.

"Sir Edward, our relations with the French are not exactly friendly. I'm afraid it's difficult for us to take on such a responsibility," Harpit expressed his concerns.

"No, no, Mr. Harpit, you've misunderstood. We don't expect the Dutch to negotiate on our behalf with the French. The primary negotiations will still be handled by the British Empire. Your country's role would simply be to mediate," Edward Grey explained with a smile.

"Well... even so," Harpit still hesitated.

"Mr. Harpit, you need not worry. This matter will not harm the Netherlands. On the contrary, if the Netherlands can indeed mediate the current conflict between Britain and France, your country will gain tremendous prestige," Edward quickly added, seeing Harpit's hesitation.

"That..." Harpit's initial refusal was quickly silenced. Edward's words were indeed tempting, especially for someone in Harpit's position as a foreign minister.

The Netherlands had long been a secondary power in Europe. Its limited national strength had prevented it from altering this status. However, if the Netherlands succeeded in mediating the Anglo-French conflict, the resulting prestige would be immense. This success would also greatly enhance Harpit's own reputation.

"Very well. But I need to report this to our king," Harpit finally agreed after a long pause. While the endeavor carried certain risks, the potential rewards far outweighed them.

"Of course. Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Harpit. To show our gratitude, the British Empire is willing to provide your country with £2 million as a gesture of thanks. Additionally, should you successfully persuade your king, we will personally reward you with £100,000," Edward Grey said, still smiling.

"Is that so? Thank you, Sir Grey. Rest assured, I will do my utmost to convince our king," Harpit responded, initially shocked by the sum but soon smiling himself.

£100,000 was no small amount. Considering that the Netherlands' annual GDP was just over £10 million, £100,000 represented one percent of the country's yearly output. The old adage "money makes the world go round" proved true once again. Harpit, previously hesitant, now felt invigorated by the promise of a substantial reward and confidently pledged to persuade the king to partake in mediating the Anglo-French dispute.

...

On March 15th, about a month after the start of the Anglo-French war, a sudden message arrived from the Dutch.

The Dutch claimed that the conflict between Britain and France severely affected peace in Western Europe. Both Britain and France are significant powers in Europe and should contribute to the peace of Europe. Therefore, the Dutch urged both countries to abandon the war and return to the negotiating table for talks.

"Governor Napoleon, what has happened? You seem very happy," asked Colonel Barrett, Napoleon's chief guard, curiously.

"Guess what? What do you think it could be?" At this moment, Napoleon was indeed in a good mood and even had the leisure to joke with Barrett.

"I guess it's a report from the Netherlands, and it must be a great victory led by Prince Roland," Barrett, a clever man, responded. He knew that Napoleon was only concerned about the war with the British. Given Napoleon's fondness for Roland, Barrett naturally directed the conversation towards Roland and the Netherlands. As expected, Barrett's guess was spot on.

Sure enough, Napoleon burst into laughter upon hearing Barrett's words.

"Hahaha! That boy Roland really surprised me. Look at this, it's a report just received from the front line. In this battle, Roland was the first to use a new tactic, something like doubling the gunpowder in a single shot. This tactic inflicted significant damage on the British."

"In short, our army achieved a very excellent result in this battle. It won't be long before we can encircle and annihilate the British forces entirely."

Napoleon said excitedly. Although the French navy performed poorly at the beginning of the war, fortunately, the army redeemed some of France's reputation; otherwise, the French would have been utterly humiliated.

"Really? Prince Roland is truly remarkable. I didn't expect him to achieve such outstanding results in his first command. No wonder you hold him in such high regard, Governor. If it were me, I couldn't have achieved such results even if my life depended on it," Barrett remarked.

As the saying goes, "Everyone loves a compliment." Since Napoleon favored Roland, Barrett naturally chose flattering words.

"Haha! Barrett, don't praise that boy Roland too much. If he hears this, his tail might just go up to the sky," Napoleon said with a smile, clearly in high spirits.

Although he kept "blaming" Barrett, his expression betrayed his true feelings.

This was not just because Roland had won a great victory but also because Roland was a descendant of the Bonaparte family. His current achievements, combined with Napoleon's own, proved the excellence of the Bonaparte bloodline.

Moreover, Roland was personally selected by Napoleon. Initially, many people were dissatisfied, thinking Napoleon was being nepotistic, but Roland's performance on the battlefield was enough to silence them.