The War Court and Lap Pillow, Austria's Mandate of Heaven

Chapter 1561 French vs. English
Compared to the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations in Britain, the British would much rather see a Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations in the world.

Where the World's Fair is held is not important; what matters is the control over the World's Fair.

Prince Albert envisioned that by establishing a committee, the opportunity presented by hosting the World's Fair could be used to open the doors of countless countries.

If Britain can maintain its dominance, then the long-term benefits of openness from the Great Exhibitions are limitless.

What Prince Albert didn't say was that even if Britain declined, the Great Exhibition would still be profitable, which is why the British royal family was so interested in it.

Prince Albert secured a massive amount of investment for the committee, including from the Habsburg family. The decision to invest was naturally made by Franz, who, of course, wasn't interested in making money.

This can be seen as a path he left for his descendants, since Franz's path was not easy.

As Franz previously stated, collusion and the exchange of interests among European royal families are the norm.

However, the British government's ambitions went far beyond this. For the 1851 Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, all official documents, exhibit catalogs, and visitor guides were written in English.

It should be noted that almost all high-level summits and political negotiations in Europe previously used French, and even the Vienna Peace Conference and the St. Petersburg Peace Conference used French in public and multinational negotiations.

It's not just because French is relatively rigorous, but also because of France's powerful influence in politics, military, and culture over the past few centuries. History has continuity; even after Napoleon's defeat, French remained the sole textual language of the Treaty of Vienna.

As an aside, English is currently the primary language of communication at the United Nations, while French is the primary written language. No matter how much influence Britain and the United States have in the world, English cannot completely replace French.

The biggest problem with English is that its structure is not rigorous and it is prone to ambiguity. In other words, any language that is prone to ambiguity is not suitable as the writing language of international articles.

Therefore, Metternich, who could use French to engage in witty banter, was definitely a master of languages.

The French were naturally very resistant to the use of English throughout the event, and many French literary figures even wrote articles criticizing the British for it.

Napoleon III himself didn't think much of it, but the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs printed tens of thousands of French guides and leaflets overnight. They couldn't tolerate the British riding on their necks.

This even led to a fierce argument between Alexandre Colonna Walevsky and Napoleon III, with the former believing that French interests were paramount, while the latter argued that concessions to Britain were precisely for French interests.

The ultimate victor in this dispute was naturally Napoleon III, but Alexandre Colonna Walevsky also received a promise that he could take the necessary measures to protect French interests.

Therefore, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs only offered remedial measures and did not lodge a direct protest. However, the French government's inaction does not mean that the French people will pretend nothing is happening.

As one of the birthplaces of modern nationalism, France has long been known as a revolutionary base.

Public opinion quickly took hold in Paris, with various literary figures and social elites vying for attention. Even the great writers played the double standard, publishing articles in The Times and The Sun claiming:
"Language is the carrier of culture and the embodiment of a nation's soul. On a stage like the World Expo, using English as the sole official language is a disregard and contempt for the cultures of other countries!"

This is a massacre of European civilization!

"Dazzling glass, cold steel, shackles of self-interest."
The 26 letters of the English alphabet form a silent wall.

The glory of France suffocated in silence.
Oh, the grand gathering of all nations in London, is nothing but a solo performance by John Bull!

Victor Hugo's satire was even more incisive:
"Half a century ago, French cannons tried to promote a continental system in Europe; now England wants to promote a maritime culture with their printing presses."

Prince Albert's actions are as ridiculous as Napoleon's blockade!

Invited French scholars and religious leaders left London early in protest, while those who did not attend the Great Exhibition were even more defiant, publicly burning the British invitations in Place de la Concorde.

Angry citizens took to the streets in France, with large-scale demonstrations erupting in cities such as Paris, Marseille, Lyon, and Nantes. Meanwhile, booksellers in Paris and throughout France spontaneously helped print French guidebooks and leaflets, which were then shipped to London through various channels.

The reason it was Paris and France was because Parisians and French people at the time felt that they were quite different from each other.

Many multilingual translators, salespeople, linguists, and students travel to London at their own expense to act as French-speaking tour guides.

This matter has been a hot topic in French pubs and salons, and the French government and related agencies have received a mountain of petitions.

"My God! Are these people crazy? Do they really expect to see French menus in an English restaurant?"

Louis Napoleon asked, puzzled.

The high-ranking officials of the Second French Empire remained silent, because French menus were a must in high-end hotels in London, and not only in London, but at this time the vast majority of high-end hotels in Europe had French menus.

“We’re not crazy, the British are the ones who are crazy. They actually want to take our place. The British are indeed a bunch of pirates. They even want to steal our language.”

Public Education and Religious Affairs Secretary Félix Esquerro de Parrille angrily stated that, as an extreme conservative, although not a nationalist, he harbored a deep hatred for the British people.

The enmity between Britain and France has lasted for centuries, and it is not so easy to let go of it, especially since Napoleon III was not exactly a powerful monarch.

Louis-Napoleon had no good way to deal with this stubborn old man, so he could only try to persuade him gently.

“Lord Parrille, Britain is our ally, and we must put the interests of our nation first.”

“Your Majesty, if the British are our allies, they should not disregard the feelings of us French.”

Louis-Napoleon wanted to lash out, but he saw countless eyes staring at him, many of which held a hint of disappointment.

Louis-Napoleon knew that now was not the time to lash out. Too many people did not understand his actions, and continuing would only diminish his influence. Great people are always lonely.

Left with no other option, Louis Napoleon could only give a public speech, swearing on the honor of the Napoleonic family to the French people that everything he had done was for France, and promising to give the people a satisfactory explanation later.

The British were also helpless.

"Damn Frenchmen!"

John Russell had been suppressed for too long and no longer cared about the so-called gentlemanly image.

British officials looked at each other in bewilderment; they hadn't expected a World's Fair to cause so much trouble.

"Maybe we can."

Immediately, some people thought of making the royal family take the blame, since it was Prince Albert who proposed the plan for the World's Fair, so these problems should be solved by him.

"Idiots! The royal family has fallen, and you're standing in the wings? Do you really think the royal family is a rag? You self-righteous fools!"

John Russell couldn't help but curse, wondering when these high-ranking officials had stopped thinking about how to solve problems and started thinking about how to shirk responsibility.

However, solving this problem is easier said than done.