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

Chapter 1824 Plain Ink
This is actually related to the Austrian Empire itself. Because the country was too loosely organized, Austria had always implemented a strict household registration system and a pass system.

As mentioned earlier when discussing the German Customs Union, Austria's past Pinduoduo-like system resulted in numerous checkpoints and chaotic pricing.

In fact, the root cause is pretty much the same: the Austrian Empire itself was pieced together from multiple political entities, which left behind many historical problems.

In the past, it was very difficult for subjects of the Austrian Empire to move from one village to another, unless they were getting married. Otherwise, it required the consent and approval of various departments, which was more difficult than going abroad today.

In order to join the German Customs Union, Franz created a Neletanian Pass, a new type of pass that allowed unrestricted travel throughout most of the Austrian Empire.

After he ascended the throne, he established an identity card system to replace the original pass system, which allowed the people and wealth of Austria to circulate freely within the empire.

However, this has no effect on the Austrian police, who can check both passes and ID cards.

If they want to check your ID, isn't it enough to just have your ID on you?
Franz was incredibly naive! Austrian police can detain you simply because they suspect your ID card might be fake.

Unless they can find a lawyer or convince the other party that it is unnecessary, their power of detention is virtually unlimited.

During Franz's investigation, he even discovered that some people had been imprisoned for a full ten years without any interrogation or questioning.

The reason was that the policeman who made the arrest died of drunkenness shortly after bringing the person in.

And so, that ordinary person with no background became a neglected blade of grass.

As for those without ID cards, they would likely be arrested as homeless and sent on a ship bound for the colony.

Several playwrights who had returned from the colonies had this experience; they were simply taken out for a stroll and inexplicably dragged onto a ship.

Having spent nearly a decade struggling in the colonies before finally returning to Vienna, how could they not write down their experiences?

Then there's the protection fee, which is due to their considerable power and the fact that many regulations require subjective judgment.

This gives the Austrian police room for discretion, and the specific standards are entirely up to them. If you don't please them, you can forget about having a peaceful time.

Austrian police are equally willing to extort money from legitimate businesses, using similar tactics to those used against restaurants and hotels.

A mere "fire safety inspection" or "hygiene non-compliance" can shut down a business, resulting in losses far exceeding the bribes given to the Austrian police.

At that time, the Austrian police had the authority to supervise fire safety, while the fire department only had the authority to extinguish fires.

Franz then created the "Health Law," but due to its imperfections and lack of rigorous related laws and regulations, the power of health supervision was also stolen by these guys.

Savvy businessmen will naturally choose to pay a fine to avoid disaster, while family businesses or factories with strong backgrounds will not even come into their sights.

After all, nobles have their own council of elders, and once things get out of hand, there's no way to cover it up.

Besides this, there was also the issue of receiving salaries without working, a long-standing problem in the Austrian Empire. Essentially, a high-ranking police officer could falsely report numerous informants and then receive exorbitant intelligence fees.

Due to the existence of confidentiality agreements, the audit and supervision departments have no way to make confirmations.

In addition, various acts of framing and setting traps are also common.

Franz's comprehensive crackdown on gangs within the Austrian Empire led to many Austrian police officers replacing gang leaders, and with their help, those illicit industries actually grew stronger.

Various thieves, hooligans, prostitutes, swindlers, thugs, and even outlaws coexist with them, forming entirely new black empires.

By this point in the investigation, Franz's face was so dark it was almost dripping with gloom. How could there still be so many bastards after so many years of reform? They had even evolved.

Franz summoned Kurt directly, wanting to ask the Austrian Imperial Police Chief how the entire country's police system had become like this.

In fact, Franz had already swept through the Austrian police system before ascending the throne, and he had already solved many problems at that time.

But unexpectedly, in just ten years they have made a comeback and even intensified their efforts.

These days, the Austrian Empire's oversight agencies are operating at full capacity, and reports have piled up to fill an entire cabinet.

"Mr. Kurt, what do you have to say? What about the bright prospects you spoke of? What about the rule of law you mentioned?"

Note that Franz is referring to a country governed by the rule of law, not a country governed by the rule of law in the modern sense; the two are fundamentally different.

For example, the Qin Dynasty can be called a country with a rule of law, but it cannot be called a country under the rule of law.

Franz remembered a sentence in a high school textbook, but his memory of it was a bit hazy, so he just gave a rough retelling.

The rule of law means "ruling the country by law," while the rule of law means "governing the country according to law"—the former uses law as a means, while the latter uses law as the end itself.

That concludes the science popularization session.

Surprisingly, Kurt did not show any signs of tension or unease; on the contrary, he calmly looked at the reports.

"Your Majesty, I am very pleased. I feel that this is just the beginning."

Our staff did receive money, but they also provided them with conveniences. It should have been a mutually agreeable transaction.

I think these accusations are completely unfounded! True depravity is not about taking money to do things, but about ignoring other people's difficulties and the business opportunities right in front of them.

Those gentlemen who were willing to pay clearly possessed greater financial resources, stronger resolve, and were more reasonable.

In this world, being able to make money is proof of ability. They are born strong, and they deserve more opportunities and more survival.

We should not give opportunities to the weak and incompetent, who are incapable of seizing them anyway.

By doing this, we are merely accelerating the process of survival of the fittest.

The market is so great that ordinary citizens and police officers will find a perfect balance on their own.

The same applies to prisons. Why should those criminals enjoy the benefits of the empire's system? They should be held accountable for their actions!
Those prisoners were the scum of our country; our prison guards were just sending them to where they belonged.

Criminals and their families cannot afford to pay and are unwilling to work hard enough for their future; they deserve to be eliminated. We are healing this country by removing the corrupt so that new life can be created.

Your Majesty, do you know? I have supported the entire police system of the Austrian Empire with only one-third of the previous costs, and we have even made a profit!

We don't need your subsidies now! We can earn even more for this country! This round trip is equivalent to generating 200 million florins for the country, which is more than the annual fiscal revenue of the Kingdom of Prussia!
Your Majesty, I know you are a great emperor, but you cannot expect everyone to be a saint like you. The beggars in the slums, the farmers in the fields, and the lowly people in the mountains, they also want to be saints.

But if they really became saints, they would starve to death in the streets tomorrow.

Moreover, saints are terrifying; they only listen to their own hearts, and laws and systems cannot restrain them, much less fear your authority.

But what the Austrian Empire needed were loyal subjects, not uncontrollable monsters.

You only see that everyone in the Austrian police system is corrupt, but they not only don't spend your money, they also voluntarily hand over their ill-gotten gains, consciously maintain the country, and even kill the goose that lays the golden eggs when necessary.

A righteous detective might question your orders, like Mr. Hertz, who has been investigating cases he shouldn't be investigating.

Even after being demoted from the city's chief detective to a lowly suburban constable, he refused to give up because we couldn't stop him. But if a detective accepts bribes and does shady things, then he has essentially surrendered his soul to the country and to you.

Because this detective knows that if he is even slightly disloyal, you can destroy him at any time.

This process is absolutely just, and no one can question it. People will only praise your greatness and despise your shamelessness.

Based on such an anti-corruption mechanism, officials' loyalty to you is boundless.

To maintain what exists, they will fight with everything they have. These officials with some blemishes are far better than those moral guardians who only do their best.

Because they are risking their lives!

If you don't believe me, just look around and see if you can no longer see any rebels in China.

Everyone is working hard to protect their lives and jobs. They cherish the power they hold, so they will do everything they can to strike down those who undermine the empire.

Your Majesty, you are so benevolent, can't you even tolerate a speck of gray like us?

Seeing Franz remain silent for a long time, Kurt couldn't help but smile.

"Your Majesty, with your wisdom, you should have no difficulty in making a decision."

Franz let out a long breath and said slowly.

"You deserve to die!"

"Your Majesty, I don't understand. My loyalty to you is as clear as day! You can check my account; I have already turned over all my ill-gotten gains."

This is absolutely the best course of action for the Austrian Empire!

In fact, Franz had heard similar profound theories before, but the country that the great talent founded had only lasted 24 years.

He had thought that the Austrian police chief would at least make some excuses to get away with it, but he didn't expect Kurt to actually consider it an achievement.

Franz's hard work and long-term achievements were so easily overturned?
Kurt's rhetoric seems impeccable at first glance, especially for those with some experience and critical thinking skills, and may even become the truth in certain situations.

However, it was just a faint cloud to deal with someone like Franz who had been subjected to high-intensity PUA and forced brainwashing for many years.

Franz spoke slowly.

"Loyalty that can be bought with 'benefits' will inevitably be bought with even greater 'benefits'."

Every head that bows down out of fear will surely reveal its fangs when the fear disappears.

Your actions are nothing more than reducing the nation to a childish gangster game, and your so-called binding of interests is nothing but a foolish act of sacrificing yourself to a tiger.

When they've gutted the nation, do you think they'll stay and continue chanting loyalty, or will they switch sides? Or perhaps they'll find a new leader?

Kurt's pupils dilated in shock, and sweat poured down his forehead. He never expected that his perfect theory would be so thoroughly refuted.

Franz didn't even bother with the details; he directly crushed Kurt's most confident theories and logic, leaving Kurt speechless for a moment.

In fact, Kurt's words and actions cannot stand up to scrutiny. Is he trying to revitalize the country through corruption, accepting bribes, and engaging in shady production methods?
Africa should have been full of developed countries by now.

Moreover, is corruption a quantifiable indicator? Or can we expect all these corrupt officials to tell the truth?
It's true that paying over 100 million florins saved Austria tens of millions of florins, but who can guarantee its authenticity?

"Since you don't know what to say, let me analyze it for you."

What is the essence of corruption?
They prioritize public interests over private ones, enriching themselves at the expense of the public. Do you think these corrupt officials can build a good country?
No, they will only intensify their self-enrichment efforts and undermine the very foundation of Austria.

Take your favorite market as an example. If other competitors could be eliminated simply because of those bribery thresholds.

What do you think those businessmen and factory owners will do? Will they continue to improve product quality? Or will they curry favor with corrupt officials to gain the right to monopolize the market?

Technology research and development and the creation of new products require money and involve risks, but in the exchange of power and money, one doesn't need to consider so much, and the returns are directly visible.

If you were a businessman, what would you do?
This may be a bit far removed from your main job, so let's talk about the Austrian police system.

Rousseau's "The Social Contract" contains a parable that suggests when sheepdogs fail to protect the flock and even attack them, the flock will look forward to the arrival of wolves.

"If you continue to exploit the people like this, won't they turn against the Austrian Empire when the next crisis arrives?"

"Your Majesty, no one can threaten your empire, and we will absolutely not allow such a thing to happen!"

Kurt still wants to win a chance at survival by showing loyalty.

Franz not only refused to accept the flattery, but instead rebuked it angrily.

"But what if I'm gone? And don't take the blame for the entire country's achievements."

The rebels disappeared because the country was powerful enough that they saw no hope.

Those formidable enemies were all defeated one by one and trapped in their own cages.

These were won battle by battle, fought single-handedly by the soldiers of the Austrian Empire. It was all my doing; what does it have to do with your men?

He paused for a moment and then continued.

"Corruption and depravity are contagious. This garbage will keep replicating and iterating itself, and then change the entire system of the Austrian Empire, making it impossible for truly honest and kind people to survive."

The rest are all those "strongmen" you talk about, nothing more than a group of shameless scoundrels skilled at scheming and accumulating wealth.

They lack both the ability to solve problems and the awareness to sacrifice everything.

When the real crisis arrives, they will be the first to betray us.

Loyalty? They are only loyal to themselves. Responsibility simply doesn't exist in their eyes!

As for those obligations without any binding force, they are nothing but empty words used to embellish reality.

Let's take a step back and argue the worst. Using corruption as a pledge of loyalty might seem like a way to protect imperial power, but that's just a facade.

Franz stood up and patted Kurt on the shoulder.

"And you, my loyal minister, you are the one responsible for collecting incriminating evidence and distributing the spoils."

Kurt's heart pounded, he swallowed hard, and was about to explain when he was slammed against a decorative object on the table by a tremendous force.

Once, twice, three times.
Franz only released his grip and let the body slowly slide down his face when the splattered blood covered the table, when Kurt's body was completely silent, and when an alloy quill pen was completely embedded in his eye socket.

"You're not qualified to be a powerful minister."