Chapter 293 Crossbow Operation (1)

After the military parade, Yannick and Pétain came to the Palace of Versailles, located in the southwest suburbs of Paris.

The Palace of Versailles is one of the famous palaces in Paris and one of the five largest palaces in the world (the Forbidden City, the Palace of Versailles in France, the Buckingham Palace in the UK, the White House in the US, and the Kremlin in Russia).

There is a historical anecdote about the construction of the Palace of Versailles. In 1661, Louis XIV, who lived in the old Palace of Versailles and the Palace of Fontainebleau, was invited by Fouquet, the Minister of Finance, to attend a banquet in his newly built mansion. The magnificence of Fouquet's mansion angered Louis XIV. Three weeks later, Louis XIV imprisoned Fouquet for corruption and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Jealousy prompted Louis XIV to plan to build a luxurious palace. Almost all the builders of the Palace of Versailles were the people who built the mansion for Fouquet, so the two buildings are similar in structure and style.

"It's really magnificent, worthy of being the most outstanding example of French classical art." Yannick walked slowly in the corridor of the Palace of Versailles, looking at the surrounding artworks, and couldn't help but sigh.

After walking for a while, they came to the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles.

The Hall of Mirrors, also known as the Mirror Gallery, is regarded as a "treasure of the palace" in the palace of King Louis XIV of France. The word "mirror" is because there are 17 huge mirrors on its walls, and each mirror is composed of 483 lenses.

The design of this Hall of Mirrors is very exquisite. The 17 mirrors are placed appropriately. The mirrors in any position can fully reflect the dome of the Hall of Mirrors. In addition, these mirrors have another advantage, which is to bring the sunlight outside the window and the scenery of the imperial garden into the hall. Even in the daytime, the room is still bright. At the same time, the mirror reflects the beautiful scenery in the garden, just like being in the flowers indoors. The entire hall is decorated mainly with gold inlays and mirrors, with large crystal chandeliers. As long as you stand in the center, you can reflect different selves in each mirror.

Imagine that when the ball was going on, the brilliant lights illuminated the Hall of Mirrors. Everyone danced while looking at the scenes in countless mirrors. It was like a fantasy, bringing the royal family members the ultimate enjoyment. Yannick couldn't help but sigh again. "The French people are really a nation that knows how to enjoy themselves."

Noticing that Pétain looked a little embarrassed, he smiled and explained. "Marshal Pétain, I don't mean to humiliate you. I just simply appreciate these artistic treasures."

At the end of World War I, Germany became a defeated country. France designated the Hall of Mirrors to sign a peace treaty, the famous "Versailles Peace Treaty". The supplies of the delegates at that time are still preserved here to commemorate the glory of the French and this important ceremony. "If I wanted to humiliate you and France, I would have ordered the 'Foch carriage' in the museum to be pulled out and dragged to the Compiègne Forest, where a surrender ceremony would be held." On November 11, 1918, French Marshal and Allied Commander-in-Chief Ferdinand Foch signed an armistice agreement with German representatives in the Foch carriage at the Leidau Station in the Compiègne Forest in northeastern France on behalf of the Allies. After the war, the Foch carriage was placed in a museum.

"Marshal, do you know the difference between a politician and a politician?"

Pétain shrugged. "The difference between a dog and a drowned dog? Those in power are called politicians, and those who are drowned or about to be drowned are called politicians?"

Yannick smiled. "Your Excellency, Marshal, has an interesting opinion. In simple terms, politicians represent the interests of themselves and their groups, while politicians represent the interests of the country and citizens. In the words of the Ming Dynasty, politicians would rather let the world down than let the world down, while politicians would not have to rely on their own efforts to succeed. "Politicians come to the stage for their ideals, and want to use their own power to change procedures that are not in line with social operations, improve the political system, and seek benefits for the public. Politicians can do what they know is impossible, and they do not have to rely on their own success. They are people with a big picture; while politicians come to power just to get to power, and they seek the interests of themselves and their own small groups. They often fight for fame and fortune without making progress. This is the so-called meat-eaters!

"Since Marshal Pétain wants to be a politician, I have to offer enough benefits. 500,000 barrels of oil a day for ten years. But it will take a year to cash it."

Pétain raised his eyebrows. "Then you are writing a blank check."

Yannick said very seriously. "So far, my checks have never failed. The compensation will be reduced by 50 million per day. I will send you 50,000 coins per day for ten years."

"..." Pétain thought about it seriously, and it seemed to be true. When the Crown Prince boasted that he could destroy France in six weeks, many people thought it would become the best joke of the year, but what happened?

"You can also refuse. I won't embarrass you, the Marshal, militarily. But in terms of economy, even if you are a true patriot, you have to consider how the country will live, right? Now that Charles de Gaulle has started to stir up trouble abroad, I guess your country's original overseas colonies will maintain a "goodwill" neutrality, or directly surrender to Britain?

In this one-sided situation, your country's domestic economy is naturally not much better. Maybe you can also experience the life that the German people have experienced, and taste what a piece of bread that sells for tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of francs tastes like."

After a long silence, Pétain spoke. "Eighty thousand barrels of oil."

"..." Yannick saw the flicker in Pétain's eyes from the corner of his eye. It seems that the marshal is very uneasy? Are you worried that you are asking for too much and I won’t agree?

He had seen a sentence in the book "Things about the Ming Dynasty" before. "Interests, only sufficient interests, can have the magic to drive people. This is the true face of this world, extremely cruel, but extremely real."

And a sentence from the British Prime Minister Palmerston in the 19th century became the foundation of British diplomacy. "A country does not have permanent friends, only permanent interests." (There are no permanent friends, only permanent interests)

Yannick deeply agrees with these words. As long as there are enough interests in this world, some people can sell everything. The reason why he didn't sell out at the moment is not because of loyalty, but because the return rate of betrayal is not high enough. As long as the return rate is ridiculously high, even his own father can sell out.

So he agreed very happily. "No problem, 100,000 barrels, ten years. And the 50 million compensation that was just reduced daily is on the surface. I can reduce another 50 million secretly. As for how to use it, I won't ask at all." In other words, he would not ask if Pétain took the 50 million to embezzle himself.

At this time, in the British Empire across the Channel, a group of senior officials in the Prime Minister's Office in London were discussing fiercely. "That world's fourth-ranked navy must not be handed over to the Germans, otherwise Britain will be finished!"

Others shared the same view. The British Empire was now on the verge of death. If the French Navy could be incorporated, there might still be a chance to turn the tide.

However, some people questioned this idea. After all, the French Navy had declared neutrality (Yannick did not mention the plan to accept French naval warships in order to trick Britain). Would it push the French Navy to the side of the Germans if they took action at this time? That would make life even harder for the British Empire.

That being said, no one dared to guarantee that the French Navy's declaration of neutrality was true. What if the French Navy used a delaying tactic and turned to Germany at the most critical moment, wouldn't the British Empire be even more passive?

Driven by this idea, all members planned to launch a unified sneak attack on the French Navy to prevent French warships from falling into the hands of the Germans.

Churchill sighed deeply. "That old fox Pétain has really given us a huge problem. I hope our French friends won't hate us for too long. Is Sir Cunningham ready?"

Sir Cunningham is the commander of the British Mediterranean Fleet, and what he has to do now is to deal with the French fleet in Toulon Harbor.

Sir Charles Forbes nodded. "Yes, the 'Ballista Plan' is ready."