Persuading

Carlo understood that if he couldn't persuade his father now, not only would his plans for the Austro-Prussian War vanish, but even his hard-won control over his own assets would once again fall under Vittorio Emanuele II's supervision.

Looking at Vittorio Emanuele II's stern expression, Carlo organized his thoughts: "Father, I believe there's no harm in letting General Garibaldi prepare the army in advance at this time.

A war between Prussia and Austria is inevitable, and as Prussia's ally, we will certainly be involved.

Austria is also our enemy. If we wish to reclaim the Venetian region through this opportunity, we must be prepared beforehand, rather than hastily engaging once the war breaks out."

Vittorio Emanuele II nodded, quite satisfied that Carlo could understand these matters.

However, satisfaction aside, when it came to General Garibaldi regaining command of the military, Vittorio Emanuele II was not easily swayed.

"Continue," Vittorio Emanuele II said, his face expressionless, still looking at Carlo with a stern demeanor.

"Father, you know that General Garibaldi enjoys immense prestige among the Italian populace and can easily raise a formidable army of tens of thousands.

If we can leverage this, we could deliver an unexpected blow to the Austrian forces in the Venetian region, perhaps accelerating our progress in reclaiming it," Carlo continued.

Vittorio Emanuele II rubbed his brow and asked, "More than the impact these tens of thousands of soldiers might have, I am more concerned about the harm they could bring to the Kingdom."

"That is precisely what you need not worry about, Father," Carlo said with a smile.

Seeing Vittorio Emanuele II's surprised look, Carlo knew his words had struck a chord and quickly added:

"Once the war between Prussia and Austria breaks out, you can proactively order Garibaldi to join the fight against Austria.

If Garibaldi's army achieves good results, the credit will naturally be yours. But if Garibaldi fails in the campaign against Austria, the public's disappointment will have nothing to do with you, will it?"

This strategy was not unfamiliar to monarchs; it involved positioning oneself to share in the credit while avoiding responsibility.

However, this did not entirely dispel Vittorio Emanuele II's concerns.

"My child, you don't understand how terrifying Garibaldi's popularity is among the people. If his prestige increases further, it would be a fatal blow to the entire House of Savoy," Vittorio Emanuele II said earnestly to Carlo.

Garibaldi's popular support already posed a threat, and he had even flirted with republicanism in the past.

This was a significant danger for a monarchical state, and it was precisely why Vittorio Emanuele II risked sending a contingent of soldiers to "protect" Garibaldi.

"But he is nearing 60, Father," Carlo replied.

Garibaldi was aging, which was the only thing Vittorio Emanuele II found comforting.

In this era of abysmal medical technology, even in Europe, the most developed region in the world, the average lifespan remained a mere 30 to 40 years.

Yes, the average lifespan in Europe at this time was only in the early thirties. Reaching nearly 60 years old, like Garibaldi, was uncommon, which was why Vittorio Emanuele II felt relatively at ease.

Looking at Carlo, who repeatedly presented compelling arguments, Vittorio Emanuele II gazed at him for a long time before finally managing to say, "My child, I admit you have a talent for diplomacy."

"So, do you agree, Father?" Carlo asked, a hint of joy in his voice, unable to contain his eagerness.

"I need to discuss this with the cabinet. Some matters are not solely decided by the King, do you understand, Carlo?" Vittorio Emanuele II's feelings were complex as he looked at Carlo, who still couldn't hide his emotions.

But regardless, Carlo's display of intelligence was beneficial to the royal family. Vittorio Emanuele II needed more allies to help him stabilize royal authority, especially his own flesh and blood like Carlo.

"Furthermore, even if the cabinet agrees, the country has no funds to help Garibaldi rebuild his army. That's all, whether the cabinet agrees or not, this matter is no longer your concern, Carlo. Someone will notify Garibaldi of the outcome. Your primary task now is to complete your studies at the military academy," Vittorio Emanuele II said, patting his son's head, finally returning to his role as a father.

After this conversation, Vittorio Emanuele II's expectations for Carlo's growth increased even further.

Although there was only one crown prince, it didn't mean a future crown prince wouldn't need close aides.

If both Amadeo and Carlo could grow into excellent military commanders, the Kingdom of Italy would face a wonderful future: the entire Royal Italian Army would be under the control of the royal family, and the House of Savoy's position would be even more secure.

"I understand, Father," Carlo nodded.

Carlo also knew that he couldn't directly convince Vittorio Emanuele II to agree to let Garibaldi re-establish an army.

Although Vittorio Emanuele II stated he would seek the cabinet's opinion, if the biggest opponent of Garibaldi himself didn't refuse, the Italian government likely wouldn't reject the opportunity to gain tens of thousands of troops for free.

As for Garibaldi's military talent, Carlo had no doubts.

Historically, in both the Austro-Prussian War and the subsequent Franco-Prussian War, Garibaldi had demonstrated outstanding military prowess.

It could be said that the current Garibaldi was the last fig leaf of the Italian Army. At least the armies led by Garibaldi could hold their own against the forces of Prussia, France, and Austria.

If Garibaldi could be mobilized to participate in the war right after it broke out, perhaps the performance of the Italian army on the southern front wouldn't be so dismal.

This could have a significant impact on the entire Austro-Prussian War, allowing Italy to gain more from the conflict and further solidifying the House of Savoy's position.

If this suggestion yielded good results, Carlo believed that some of his future plans would proceed more smoothly, especially in persuading Vittorio Emanuele II.

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