A treasure trove of coal

What Karl II was unaware of was that Joseph had implemented a rotation system to ensure the Royal Guard Legion maintained sufficient strength and morale. Two regiments were stationed in each of the two important towns the South of Brussels, 1,000 men were left in the central area for guard duty, and Hussars were sent out to scout, so only half of the troops were on standby, while the other half were engaged in daily training north of Namur.

They switch sides every month and a half.

In addition, he recruited 5,000 locals in Wallonia to form the "Walloon Guard" to assist in the war in Brussels. In the French part of the Southern Netherlands, there were plenty of people willing to serve the Crown Prince of France if they were paid a little money.

In other words, under the current stalemate, 7,000 Royal Guard Legion soldiers, plus 5,000 temporarily recruited ragtag troops, are enough to deal with the enemy's demoralized 40,000-plus men.

Recalling the humiliation of his capture, Karl II angrily ordered the officers in front of him to go back and reorganize their troops, and to launch another attack on the French Army three days later.

After the Hanover generals left in fear, Karl II gradually calmed down. He had personally experienced the formidable fighting power of the French Army south of Brussels; he had been defeated before the two sides had even clashed directly.

The battle over the past month has proven that with only his own limited forces, plus the Southern Netherlands "peasants" whose companies can barely stand in formation, it will be difficult to win this battle.

He sighed deeply, sat down behind his desk, and wrote a letter to his brother-in-law, King George III of the United Kingdom, pleading for help.

Originally, he was sent to intervene in the situation in the Southern Netherlands at the request of George III, but now it has become his own war.

After putting the letter into an envelope, he felt it wasn't secure enough, so he picked up his pen again and wrote a letter to British Prime Minister Pitt the Younger Jr. The core content of the two letters was basically the same: to ask United Kingdom to send troops to reinforce Brussels.

While Karl II was anxious about the war situation, Joseph was reviewing the recruitment examination results of the "Southern Netherlands Military Supplies Preparatory Committee" that had just been submitted.

Yes, Joseph II agreed to France's request to procure logistical supplies in the South Southern Netherlands almost without hesitation, and ordered Austria officials in the Southern Netherlands to cooperate fully.

He also wrote back, highly praising the decisive role played by the French Army in suppressing the Southern Netherlands Rebellion and in striking down invading forces such as Prussia and Hanover. At the end of the letter, the Holy Roman Emperor mentioned that Luxembourg would be given as a token of gratitude for France's military contribution.

Joseph then ordered the establishment of the "Military Supplies Preparatory Committee," which effectively took over the taxation, Finance, and commerce of Wallonia. After monopolizing financial power, the administration of Wallonia was basically decided by the Preparatory Committee —any local official who disobeyed could forget about getting paid the following month.

The committee's senior officials were all transferred from France, while the middle and lower-level officials were all locals from the Wallonia.

Joseph, drawing on his previous experience with the Tunisia "civil servant recruitment exam," also held a recruitment exam in Wallonia. He claimed that it was to "select capable individuals to quickly gather urgently needed supplies for the front lines," but in reality, he was using it to win over the Wallonia elite.

As he had predicted, the Nobility and capitalists of Wallonia flocked to the examination, completing it with remarkable efficiency in less than three weeks.

Joseph looked at the names of the 103 selected individuals, and the positions Foret to them by the committee chairman, who was also the former Assistant to the Municipal Commissioner of Rethel, France, and gently shook his head.

Upon seeing this, Foret felt a pang of anxiety and quickly stepped forward, bowing slightly, and asked, "Your Highness, is there something inappropriate about these positions?"

Joseph waved the documents in his hand. "Can 103 men really ensure the supply of materials to the front lines? If logistics falter, we could lose the war at any moment!"

Foret paused, startled. "You mean...?"

"We need at least 300 positions responsible for collecting supplies to be on the safe side."

Although Chairman Foret looked completely bewildered, he had no objection since the Crown Prince was willing to pay the salary. "Ah, yes, Your Highness, I will begin the adjustments immediately."

Joseph wasn't short of money; rather, the people recruited in this exam were essentially the core of his future bureaucratic team managing Walloon, and 300 people were far from enough.

He then looked at Flotte Viscount, the "skilled mage" who had personally delivered intelligence and Oats to the Royal Guard Legion earlier. "There are also 30 positions available. Please discuss with the other 'coordinators' and recommend some talented individuals to me."

Flotte Viscount is currently the committee's coordinator in Mons, essentially equivalent to a deputy mayor. As a representative of the Wallonia Nobility power, he will undoubtedly nominate influential figures within Wallonia.

This is tantamount to France and the Walloon people forming a community of shared interests. Even if Austria doesn't want to relinquish Wallonia in the future, these people will be the first to oppose it.

"Thank you for your trust!" Flotte Viscount bowed, patting his chest, and said excitedly, "I will do my utmost to select the most outstanding talent for you!"

"Then I'll have to trouble you." Joseph smiled and nodded, then added, "Oh, and regarding the establishment of the ' Wallonia Coal Industry United Company,' I'll also need your cooperation with Chairman Foret."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The so-called Wallonia Coal Industry United Company is a company established by the French Reserve Bank to acquire or control Coal Mine in the Wallonia. Due to the impact of the war, Coal Mine prices have experienced a precipitous drop in recent months, making it the best time to invest.

However, unlike small Luxembourg, the French Reserve Bank was unable to buy all the Coal Mine, so Joseph brought in Investor from France and Wallonia to jointly invest in the company.

Of course, the decision-making power had to be in the hands of the French Reserve Bank. As the largest investor, and with the support of the Military Supplies Preparatory Committee, the French Reserve Bank was easily elected as the "sole veto power board member."

Before long, the Wallonia's enormous coal reserves, comparable to those of Germany's Ruhr Area, will become a powerful support for France's Industrial Revolution.

As the Coal Industry United Company receives a steady stream of orders from France, the Wallonia investors, distributors, and workers who profit will become even more dependent on France.

Instead of heading straight to Paris to negotiate with France on India interests as the Prime Minister had requested, the United Kingdom Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marquess Wellesley, planned to sail through Amsterdam and brave the war to reach Brussels.

He knew very well that he had far too few bargaining chips to negotiate India with the France, so he hoped to find some leverage on the front lines in the Southern Netherlands.

However, he had barely disembarked when he received news that Karl II had appealed to the United Kingdom for help.