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

Chapter 1656 Unexpected Visitor
Although he was prepared, Count Séchenyi was still taken aback by the scene tonight. Various luxurious carriages filled the entire square, and even in the cold winter outdoors, he could smell the scent of high-end perfumes.

Royal families and heads of government from various countries, dressed in magnificent gowns, entered first under the strict protection of guards, followed by the nobles of the Austrian Empire, and then high-ranking officials of the Empire and local celebrities of Vienna.

Finally, there are the musicians and music critics.

As for ordinary audience members who have bought tickets, they need to enter the venue in advance. This is mainly for safety reasons, on the one hand to avoid congestion, and on the other hand to facilitate screening.

Of course, there's also the intention of having ordinary viewers act as the atmosphere-creating group.

To be honest, although Franz himself wasn't particularly musically accomplished, he was quite looking forward to this concert, after all, it would be a chance to witness history.

However, just as Franz sat down, Bordeaux rushed in in a panic.

Franz instinctively looked toward the escape route. Although it seemed absurd, it wasn't impossible that someone might take this opportunity to launch an attack on the Royal Opera House.

However, Bordeaux's next words made Franz's scalp tingle.
"Your Majesty, the Tsar has arrived."

"I'm sooooooooooooooo!"

Franz immediately swore. Yes, the news was so explosive that even he hadn't expected it.

The Radetzky March had already begun playing on stage, and Nicholas I had arrived before Franz.

"Oh, my dear son-in-law, and His Majesty the Emperor of the Western Roman Empire."

Nicholas I opened his arms and hugged Franz tightly, who immediately got into character.

"God help you, what wind has blown you here, Your Majesty the Great Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire?"

Nicholas I answered.

"No one wants to miss this grand event, right?"

Franz gestured for Nicholas I to speak, and then addressed Olga.

Who is this chubby girl?

Olga said very reluctantly.

“It’s me, Father. I’m so sorry you didn’t recognize me right away.”

Nicholas I burst into laughter at Olga's embarrassed expression.

"Haha, what a silly child! He believes everything I say!"

Olga scolded playfully.

"Father, be serious!"

Nicholas I suddenly became serious.

"I do have some serious business to discuss this time, so please excuse me for a moment."

The atmosphere in the private room suddenly became somewhat awkward. Although Nicholas I was Franz's father-in-law, he was, after all, the monarch of another country.

All eyes turned to Franz. He knew this day would come sooner or later, but he didn't expect it to come so directly.

Franz nodded, indicating that everyone could leave.

"Can I stay?"

Olga asked in a low voice.

"Don't be so rude. Men are discussing national affairs, what are women doing here? Get out."

In the end, only Franz and Nicholas I remained in the box.

Neither of them spoke, but instead looked at the stage, though neither of them seemed to be paying attention to the music.

After a long silence, Nicholas I finally spoke. "Frantz, the current event is truly magnificent. So I guess you certainly wouldn't want to miss the next grand event in the East."

"Your Majesty, I am very grateful for your kind invitation, but neither Austria nor Russia is ready at the moment."

Nicholas I clearly misunderstood, and he said quite generously.

"Of course, we have a year, which is more than enough time to prepare for anything."

Franz was speechless for a moment.

"Your Majesty, as far as I know, the rebellion within your country has never been eradicated. In the future, these small problems will become quite troublesome and deadly."

Franz was telling the truth, and Nicholas I was well aware of it, but the latter had truly done his best; he had been doing everything in his power to quell the domestic rebellion.

Nicholas I sacrificed a great deal for this, yet the results were still far from ideal. The Balkan problem remained unresolved, the Caucasus issue continued to escalate, and the Poles were increasingly restless.

Besides, there are some people in Russia who are always ready to deliver a fatal blow to the country, and Nicholas I does not have as many supporters as he imagined.

In reality, because Nicholas I bore the brunt of the nation's misdeeds, there were many who wished for his immediate and sudden death.

Although Nicholas I did not know what was going on, he could already feel the malice approaching.

However, Nicholas I still said...

"What does it matter if I die, as long as it helps to reclaim Constantinople for Europe?"

Franz shook his head.

"Your Majesty, you had better understand that if you die, this war will surely be lost, and not only Russia will suffer, but Austria will also be doomed."

Nicholas I said solemnly.

"I don't think I'll lose. The Ottomans are already easily defeated, and their so-called new army is just a bunch of empty shells."

As for the British, they were far away in the North Sea, and Britain itself was in a bad situation, so it was impossible for them to spare no effort to help the Ottomans.

"As long as we hold out, the British will surrender before us, and once we capture Constantinople, whether they surrender or not will be out of their hands."

Nicholas I clearly did some research, especially on the Ottomans; the Russians may have had more detailed intelligence than the Austrians.

Franz had actually heard about the Ottoman army's new force, and it seemed that this new army was not as good as the one under Magid I. He wondered where the British had spent their money.

However, it is certain that the Ottoman Empire's defensive capabilities were not as strong as they boasted, but no one knows exactly how weak they were.

Such information was meaningless to Franz; he didn't need the praise of winning, he wanted to know exactly where the victory lay.

As for taking Constantinople before the British, it's not impossible, but it would come at a considerable cost.

Most importantly, this did not align with the Austrian Empire's strategy. Franz's primary objective was to secure benefits for the Austrian Empire, not to help Russia win the war.

"Although the British are somewhat troubled, they are still the world's leading naval power in name only. It won't be easy to launch a surprise attack on Constantinople right under their noses."

Moreover, even a centipede with a hundred legs does not die easily; although the Ottoman Empire has declined, it is too early to say that we can completely ignore them.

Whether or not they were officially in service on paper, the fact remains that the Ottoman Empire still had 500,000 troops. Even if they were just 500,000 pigs, that would still be a force to be reckoned with.

Franz's words displeased Nicholas I.

"Young man, are you scared already? Where is the courage you had when you personally led the army to quell the rebellion? I've always thought you and I are the same kind of people."

Before I ascended the throne, my brother also left me a mess: the Imperial Guard had rebelled. Those damned fellows stood in the square in front of the Senate, demanding my abdication, and I, like you, chose to fight to the end.

That's how Russia got to where it is today, and I hope you can recall the courage you had back then. This is very important for monarchs like you and me; we are the chosen ones, and all enemies are nothing but chickens and dogs before us.

"As long as we are determined, we can defeat any opponent."