Life of Being a Crown Prince in France - Chapter 1227 - 1132: Inciting Conflict

Chapter 1227: Chapter 1132: Inciting Conflict

Carlo Botta quickly appeared at the door.

But when he learned that the person in front of him was Count Costantino, who was quite influential in politics, he hurriedly invited the latter into the villa politely.

As Costantino sat down on the sofa, he curiously asked, “Mr. Botta, it seems that someone upset you just now?”

Upon hearing this, Botta’s face immediately turned red again. He turned around, took out a book from the study, and threw it in front of him, gritting his teeth, “Look at this, what have these arrogant and ignorant Milan people said?

“They actually claim they are the art center of the Apennines, and that there is no real art in other places.

“Oh, and they say Tuscan is only spoken by country folks, while Lombard is the truly elegant language. Hmph, they just copied a few French words, it’s simply a linguistic hybrid!”

Costantino raised the book in surprise and saw the cover printed with gold letters: Great Milan.

He flipped the book open, and from the table of contents, it became clear that it was a book on the history of the Milan Duchy.

To his surprise, the starting time in the directory was 700 AD!

He couldn’t help but frown and subconsciously said, “The Milan Duchy should have been established by the Visconti family in the 14th century…”

“You’re correct!” Botta felt as if he had found a kindred spirit, “In the 8th century, Milan was just a few impoverished villages, yet they dare claim it was the embryo of the Milan Duchy!

“They even say that at that time, other places in the Apennines were only inhabited by barbarians.

“How ridiculous! It’s widely known that Florence has existed since the Roman Empire was established, and has always been a metropolis since then!

“Furthermore, the book also claims that Florentines have always been cowards who succumb to the forces of Southern Italy, which is sheer nonsense…”

Costantino frowned again and turned to the spine of Great Milan, where it was printed Rossi Pastori as the author.

This was a famous historian.

“How could Mr. Pastori have such a perspective?”

“Due to arrogance and ignorance!” Botta was infuriated by this book, “I’ve already decided, I must write an article to refute this guy in the shortest time possible, and make him apologize to me in person!”

Costantino paused for a moment and deliberated, “But I heard that you were recently working on Italian History.”

“I’ll finish it once I’ve educated those ignorant Milan people.” Botta shook his head, “But right now, I simply don’t have the mood to do serious work.”

Costantino had no choice but to join him in cursing the Milan people together, agreed to return in two months, and reluctantly bid farewell.

What he didn’t know was, immediately after Botta finished writing the rebuttal article against Pastori, someone helped print over ten thousand copies at a very low price and sold them all over Milan.

And before Pastori had any response, a large group of Milan authors and thinkers wrote articles to “return the favor” to Botta.

The articles that were well-written among these rebuttals were also printed in large quantities and sold back to Florence at low prices.

Two months later, the verbal battle between Milan and Florence had reached a white-hot stage, if it weren’t for the government’s suppression, both sides might have organized men to brawl with each other.

Yes, that book Great Milan was indeed written by Baron Scheller on Joseph’s behalf.

Having experienced the network era of the 21st century, he clearly understood that reaching consensus among different groups was extremely difficult, but inciting opposition was the easiest thing.

Back then those regional biases would randomly start, and everyone in the discussion would forget what they were initially doing and begin to engage in mutual regional attacks.

The Young Italy organization wanted to use the concept of Italian nationality to unite various countries, let’s see if it can overcome regional opposition—

The pattern is very simple, just create a topic, and fervently praise the people of a certain place while belittling another place. Those praised will mostly support you fervently while those disparaged will angrily retaliate.

Then a topic will emerge on the attacked side, praising another place while belittling the previous attacker.

The praised place subsequently joins the fray.

Soon, the entire Northern Italy will be torn apart. Trying to make “the heroic Milanese” and “cowards” form one nation?

The Milan nobles will first have to lash out at you.

Even if the regional opposition topic doesn’t heat up, Joseph has prepared a large pile of topics like “language opposition,” “monarch versus republic opposition,” and others waiting in line.

Then it’s about establishing the national identities of each country.

“We Milan trace our lineage from the Milan Duchy, having nothing to do with your Florence Duchy, Parma Duchy, or similar places.”

“What ’we’re all Italians’?”

“How could great Milanese possibly belong to the same category as those lot?”

“When the Young Italy organization conducts ’Italian Unification’ lectures in various countries later, they will likely be beaten by the audience.”

“In fact, it won’t take long before people inside their organization participate in the verbal battle.”

Because, which normal person can refuse a verbal fight?

…

Luca Republic.

In the Duke’s Palace, the office location of the Elder Council, the Luca Governor Alberto Ariosto was stunned as he looked at Talleyrand, stammering, “Are you, you saying declare war?

“But our country only has over 500 soldiers, otherwise we wouldn’t…”

He wanted to say “wouldn’t even be able to fight against rioters and let French convoy’s goods be burned,” but found it too humiliating, so he forcibly changed it to “unable to even deal with an army of a single province of Naples.”

Yes, earlier Talleyrand advised him to declare war against Naples on the grounds of “funding rioters to cause disturbances, nearly sparking Luka-Frank war.”

The Security Bureau has already arrested more than a dozen middle and upper-level members of the Young Italy organization—ensuring there’s solid evidence, even if temporarily there isn’t any, Lavallette will let someone help find evidence for them. So the Luka High Court quickly completed the trial, with most of these people being thrown into prison on charges like “violent assault,” “robbery,” “embezzlement,” among others.

Yes, absolutely nothing like “treason,” “inciting riots,” etc., which obviously have implications of political persecution.

Afterward, the Security Bureau leisurely interrogated them, among them, two managerial persons had both gone to Naples to discuss delivering weapons.

Lavallette immediately dispatched people secretly to Napoli under the guise of Luka police, finding the source of weapons, persons involved, and other key evidence.

Luka holding these things is sufficient to declare war against Naples.

————

In 1386, Gian Galeazzo Visconti (reigned 1353-1402) became the lord of Milan, consolidated domestic civil taxes, and used military force to annex territories externally, successively seizing Northern Italy and Central Italy’s Verona, Padua, Pisa, Siena, etc., making Milan a feudal state capable of rivaling the Venice Republic, Florence Republic, and the Pope State.

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