The Fox of France - Chapter 263 (Patreon)

Chapter 263: Deterrence

Stanton initially thought that by carefully reviewing the evidence and verifying the timing of the incident, he would be able to identify the suspects. However, as he investigated, he discovered that nearly all the peripheral members of the "Torpedo Research Group" could provide alibis confirming that they had not spent extended periods alone with technical data.

As for those who couldn't establish their alibis, Stanton asked Hilbert for guidance, to which Hilbert replied, "You don't need to investigate this person, you understand."

Stanton immediately understood that this individual might have indeed passed on information to the outside, but the direction of the leak was not towards France. Thus, there was no need to investigate him.

Following the general logic, the potential mole could only be among the core research personnel. If these individuals were French spies, obtaining critical technology would be relatively straightforward. They frequently interacted with this technical data, and they often authored the technical materials themselves. If they wanted to leak critical information, they wouldn't need to steal it; they could simply write it down when they returned home.

Stanton began to focus his scrutiny on these research personnel. He looked for any recent financial anomalies, such as receiving a sudden windfall or experiencing financial difficulties for some reason. However, this line of inquiry proved fruitless.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the Royal Counterintelligence Investigation Unit hadn't managed to uncover any reliable, useful information. Conventional methods seemed to be increasingly ineffective.

But the pressure on Stanton from the Prime Minister was mounting. With the consent of the Prime Minister's secretary, Stanton was forced to employ less conventional methods. Of course, Stanton assured the Prime Minister that these methods wouldn't leave any physical marks or evidence.

Once these methods were employed, results started to emerge. All the research personnel, from the group leader to the members, without exception, confessed to being French spies.

As for the peripheral individuals, aside from the informant in Downing Street, the others also admitted to being French spies.

Regarding the more critical task of implicating certain individuals, this was not an issue at all. If the Prime Minister required it, even if these individuals claimed they were in contact with Jesus, that could be arranged.

Of course, the only problem was that the testimonies were chaotic and contradictory. However, after some time spent organizing and aligning these statements, the issues disappeared. At least, when looking at the case files, it was compelling evidence.

On the other hand, the "Royal Counterintelligence Investigation Unit" reportedly made some progress and managed to implicate certain important figures. Stanton wasn't entirely sure about the subsequent developments, but shortly after presenting the results, he received another summons from the Prime Minister. In the Prime Minister's office, he encountered another prominent figure, His Royal Highness George Augustus Frederick, the Prince of Wales.

The Hanoverian dynasty had a longstanding tradition of father-son enmity. Almost every king and Prince of Wales (the British heir apparent) of the Hanoverian dynasty despised each other. King George I and his successor, King George II, were bitter foes. King George II and the current King George III were at odds, and King George III and the current Prince of Wales had a similarly mutual antipathy.

King George III had publicly ridiculed his son, stating that he was a fool and a libertine (at least the latter was true), and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales had also candidly remarked, "My father is often quite mad." However, speaking the truth is often the most hurtful. Thus, the Hanoverian dynasty's cherished tradition continued without fail.

In most Eastern countries, such intense mutual animosity between the heir and the king would likely lead to a change in the heir. However, in the Hanoverian dynasty, where they placed great importance on hereditary monarchy and were constrained by Parliament, as long as the heir didn't plot against the king, the king couldn't replace the heir. Additionally, apart from the queen, the other kings of the Hanoverian dynasty were not particularly competent, so the Hanoverian dynasty's heirs always managed to outlive their kings due to their age advantage.

Since the king had always been closely affiliated with the Tory party, it was only natural that His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales had a good relationship with the Whigs. (King George III often thought that his son's debauchery and libertinism were influenced by the Whig libertine Fox.) Now, at this juncture, the appearance of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales here strongly indicated the Prime Minister's current stance.

The Prime Minister's current political position, particularly his stance on supporting the war, had diverged somewhat from the traditional Tory party that had originally catapulted him to the position. He had aligned himself with a group of New Tories who had earned money through the textile bank, self-styling as the New Tory Party. To counter the pressure from the traditional Tories, the New Tories had built a close relationship with the Whigs. At the very least, as long as they could secure the Whigs' support, Small Pitt's attempt to launch a vote of no confidence in him in Parliament would fall short of the necessary votes.

"Eiseng, my dear friend," Prime Minister Addington warmly addressed Stanton, "allow me to introduce you to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who will be your superior at the Sixth Investigative Division."

This arrangement seemed quite reasonable, at least on the surface. As the future king, the Prince of Wales should have some knowledge of these matters. However, the Prince of Wales wasn't particularly interested in Stanton's work; he merely offered a few polite words before taking his leave. For the Prince of Wales, this position meant nothing more than an additional source of income, and everyone knew that he was in dire financial straits.

King George III couldn't remove the Prince of Wales from his position, but he had other ways to discipline his wayward son: by denying him money. The king employed various means to reduce the prince's allowances, effectively cutting off his funds. The Prince of Wales was a libertine, and if he had no money to spend, how could he maintain his extravagant lifestyle? King George III believed that he held the Prince of Wales by the purse strings. The prince would either have to submit to his father or curb his extravagant habits.

However, King George III miscalculated. Since the Prince of Wales' position was unassailable, and he was not only younger but also healthier than the king, it was widely known that one day George III's reign would come to an end, and the Prince of Wales would ascend to the throne.

Knowing that the Prince of Wales would eventually become king, many were willing to lend him money, even if the king refused to give him a single penny. So, the Prince of Wales had accumulated substantial debts but could still borrow money continually without resorting to Jewish moneylenders.

Of course, relying on loans was far from ideal. Having one's own wealth was a desirable prospect. Moreover, the New Tory Party was seeking to secure its position, and the Prince of Wales aligned himself with these New Tory figures.

As for the outcome of the case, after a secret trial by a military tribunal, most members of the "Torpedo Research Group" were taken out for target practice. Those individuals implicated in the case files provided by Stanton mostly emerged unscathed. Similarly, those implicated by the Royal Counterintelligence Investigation Unit's findings faced no consequences. It was reported that both sides had reached some consensus on certain matters, successfully ushering in a "Deterrence Era."

While this event held significant importance, it mostly unfolded behind the scenes, leaving the majority of the British population unaware. At this time, the primary concern for most Britons remained the "Bath Exhibition" orchestrated by the French "Seven-Penny Union."

Under the onslaught of the "Seven-Penny Union's" advertising campaign, the "Bath Exhibition" had become the foremost interest of British merchants. However, it wasn't just the merchants who were intrigued by the "Bath Exhibition." For instance, Figgins' faction was keenly interested in a specific medical commodity featured in the advertisements—a steel forceps. Women, on the other hand, were captivated by various French accessories.

Even the rural landowners had their eyes on the "Bath Exhibition." They cursed the French for the information that suggested their grain prices were relatively low. At the same time, they began scrutinizing the prices of woolen fabric and contemplating whether to convert more of their farmland into pastures, possibly evicting their tenants.

After some calculations, these landowners reached a common conclusion: if the actual transaction prices at the "Bath Exhibition" were in line with the advertised estimates, then sheep farming would undoubtedly be more profitable than wheat cultivation.

Some prudent landowners decided to wait until after the "Bath Exhibition" to make their decisions, while others, eager and impatient, began evicting their tenants and placing sheep in their fields. Fortunately, now that the "respectable folks" engaged in trade knew that Britain would not initiate war in the short term, the textile industry resumed its expansion, creating a high demand for urban laborers. These evicted tenants wouldn't starve immediately, although they might end up working themselves to death beside the textile machines within a few years.

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