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

Chapter 1826 The action begins

Moreover, Franz really did spend a lot of money in the two duchies. In addition to opening granaries to distribute grain, distributing improved seeds, and reforming planting techniques, the expenditure on building water conservancy and roads was also enormous.

It's hard to imagine that in the 19th century, the two principalities still didn't have a decent paved road, and even the capital wasn't particularly luxurious; the whole country still had a medieval atmosphere.

The Austrian Empire had extensive experience in public works projects, and construction began directly during the off-season for farming.

It not only solved the problem of displaced people but also increased the income of local people and even opened up channels for goods from the Austrian Empire to enter the area.

After all, you can't buy things if you don't have money.

The locals had no aversion to paper money, mainly because they had hardly ever handled any money in the past. Even now, the locals only knew that these colorful paper notes could be exchanged for money, which is why they treasured them so much.

Franz's actions brought about a dramatic change in the lives of the locals.

After paying the land rent, everything else was theirs. Without the oppression of nobles and priests, they stood up straighter.

The bandits and outlaws gradually disappeared under the Austrian army's crackdown. Shops, schools, hospitals, and churches sprang up, and they felt they were living well, and everything else seemed to become less important.

Back in Vienna, 59-year-old Johan Kempen had a full head of white hair and a weathered face.

"I'm not even sixty yet, it's the perfect time to strive."

In fact, Franz was not wrong. The average age of senior bureaucrats in the Austrian Empire was almost sixty, so 59 was not too old.

However, Franz was not so concerned about this. After all, looking at the entire Austrian Empire, the average age of officials was only in their thirties, and the whole country was still very young.

Of course, there are also departments that are worried about age, namely the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, because of Franz's previous wars and reforms, as well as various cases that have implicated many elderly people.

At that time, the average age of the Austrian Empire's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was less than 30 years old. These young men had to start growing beards and beer bellies, and learn to speak in a pretentious manner in order to appear more mature.

Actually, things were alright within the Austrian Empire, since every department had a large number of young people, but it would be very troublesome when they went abroad or encountered foreign envoys.

Austrian diplomats were met with cold stares and visible hostility every time they appeared.

Initially, the young people felt that the Austrian Empire was surrounded by enemies, so they would often fly into a rage and start retaliating instantly.

But as time went on, this situation became more and more frequent, and even some countries with relatively good relations would occasionally express their dissatisfaction.

After the youthful enthusiasm cooled down, they began to reflect: Had they been too arrogant?

They soon discovered that no matter how well they dressed or how humble they were, they always managed to make the other person feel uncomfortable.

So the young people finally remembered their old folks at home, and the old folks' answers were all the same.

"A bunch of greenhorns, your position as diplomats is an insult to others."

Don't kids these days know the most basic principles of diplomacy?
The principle of reciprocity!

What would it be like if a group of kids in their twenties and thirties went to meet a seasoned diplomat from another country who is in his fifties or sixties?
Are you playing house with the kids?

Young people of your generation don't like to announce their titles, which only makes the other party feel slighted, or even that you are insulting their country.

"It's only because the Austrian Empire is powerful now; if it were in the past, this would be considered a diplomatic incident!"

The principle of reciprocity was an unspoken rule in the diplomatic community at that time. Although countries had varying strengths, diplomats were treated as equals.

This made diplomats proud of their status, but the Austrian Empire's overly young foreign ministry broke with this tradition.

Out of desperation, the young people at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs began hiring veteran actors from the Vienna Theatre to play diplomats.

These actors were impeccable in their behavior, but there are many more unspoken rules in diplomacy than just this.

How to say a toast, who extends their hand first when shaking hands, which hand to extend, the order of seating, the direction of the seats, and a whole bunch of obscure Latin allusions—these are things that no single actor can master.

Moreover, those senior diplomats can really openly deceive people, spouting allusions and history. If you can't keep up with their thinking, it's easy to fall into their language traps.

Young diplomats are also easily perceived as naive and are repeatedly tested, and are often seen as useless mouthpieces.

This issue relates to Franz, who delegated very limited authority to diplomats.

Especially in matters that determine the fate of the nation, even Foreign Minister Lord Habescu was like a mouthpiece.

The main reason is that in the past, there were no long-distance communication tools like the telegraph, so diplomats had a great deal of autonomy.

Often, it was a case of "a general in the field may disobey the emperor's orders," and they could even directly represent the emperor and government in deciding wars and dividing territories.

Even some consuls had the power to directly mobilize organized troops to launch attacks against weaker countries and colonies.

(This is what's known as gunboat diplomacy.)
Some people think Franz was a power-hungry beast, while others think that the reign of a wise and benevolent ruler was a divine revelation.

But in reality, this was an inevitable historical event; the telegraph changed the course of diplomatic history.

Once communication systems are deployed globally, the status of diplomats will decline further, and they may even become virtually unknown.

The Austrian Empire had simply completed the construction of its communication system ahead of schedule, which is why Franz appeared to be too autocratic.

However, from a historical perspective, after the widespread use of the telegraph, no diplomat with the same absolute power as Metternich or Palmerston has ever emerged again.

Franz was actually not concerned about the troubles of the Austrian Empire's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

After all, rules are made by people. As long as the Austrian Empire remained powerful, everyone had to abide by Austria's rules of the game.

Franz is undoubtedly dissatisfied with the existing rules, and he will break the rules and reshape the world sooner or later; it's just a matter of time.

Baron Johann Kempen von Fechtenstad was well aware of Franz's appointment, which was undoubtedly a huge scapegoat.

He knew very well that His Majesty's plans were terrifyingly grand; he could casually scare several ambitious people to death with just a few words.

"Your Majesty, is it really necessary to go to this extent?"

Franz did not answer directly, but instead asked a question in return.

"Are you scared?"

"How could that be? I'm overjoyed that my insignificant life can be dedicated to such a great cause."

John Cimpon's voice still trembled with excitement, and his breathing became heavier involuntarily.

"Don't worry. Once the operation begins, your family will be sent to a small island in Central America that is a military restricted area for protection."

No one can threaten their safety.

"Thank you."

Franz waved his hand.

"No need to thank me, on the contrary, I should pay tribute to those who went to their deaths."

Franz paused for a moment before continuing.

"The Austrian Empire had 21000 registered detectives."

There were 15 large prisons, 32 hard labor camps, 710 small prisons and detention centers, and a total of 13771 prison guards.

But these are just the surface figures; they also have gangs under their command, and local forces and families behind them.

Your enemy could be hundreds of thousands or even tens of thousands of people.

I hope you understand that from the moment you begin to act, every day could be the last day of your life.

These madmen dare to assassinate even the Empress, let alone a mere police chief like you.

Of course, I will transfer a regiment from the Royal Guard to protect your safety, and I will also have the local garrison military police fully cooperate with you.

"I need you to use all your strength to completely purge all the scum mixed in with the ranks, until the last moment of your life." "Yes, Your Majesty. It is my honor to serve you."

A week later, at the Vienna Police Headquarters.

Deputy Chief Krim is feeling pretty good lately; his boss has suddenly disappeared, and he can finally unleash his full potential.

On the table lay his spoils—a whole chest of gold and silver jewelry. Although it was tacky, he liked the tacky feeling.

Krim never accepted those scraps of paper; they were too light! He liked the feeling of weight; it gave him a sense of security.

He felt a great sense of accomplishment, especially when detectives entered the house and couldn't take their eyes off the boxes of valuables.

Deputy Chief Krim would simply say something.

"Country bumpkin."

When he first arrived in Vienna, he was always treated like a country bumpkin and suffered neglect and contempt. But things change, and now he, Klim, has finally become a man of high status.

The wine he couldn't afford back then is now only good for washing his feet; the food he couldn't afford is only good for feeding dogs; those who looked down on him were ruined by him and then trampled underfoot.

Now, even better news has arrived: Chief of Staff Kurt seems to have offended the Emperor and is likely to be dismissed; he hasn't been to work for many days.

Klim received a message yesterday ordering all Vienna detectives to report to headquarters.

According to his staff, this time it is likely that they will announce the handling of Kurt and the appointment of a new police chief.

Krim was undoubtedly the one closest to the position of police chief, and he was so excited that he stayed up all night at the Vienna headquarters.

It's important to understand that the so-called Police Chief was not just the head of the Vienna Police Department; he also managed the police and prison systems of the entire Austrian Empire.

Even if only a little bit of food leaks out between my fingers when I reach that position, it would be enough to fill me up right now.

At that moment, one of Krim's senior detectives walked in and said obsequiously.

"Sir, time is almost up, all the brothers are here."

A hint of displeasure flashed in Krim's eyes.

"Even at this point, you still won't call me Chief of Staff. Do you think Kurt can come back?"

"I'm telling you, he's gotten too close to the Home Secretary and has been dragged into the power struggle at the highest level. He's doomed!"

The senior detective was quick-witted and immediately changed his tune.

"Commander-in-Chief, you see, I haven't quite realized what's going on yet."

As he spoke, he quickly looked away, reached into his pocket, took out a gold watch, and put it into the box with a fawning smile.

A fierce glint flashed across Krim's face. He had already decided how this good-for-nothing would die; anyone who didn't have faith in him deserved to die.

Are you trying to fob me off with a broken watch? Can't you see my clothes? The Grand Master of the Austrian Empire is not to be insulted!

Krim quickly took his seat on the platform. There was no one around him, and everyone else could only stand below and look up at him. It felt so good.

"stand at attention!"

The men below were perfectly disciplined. Every one of them was a local tyrant outside, but they dared not make any small moves in front of him. Thinking of this, Krim couldn't help but look forward to the position of chief even more.

In fact, the detectives in the audience were quite dissatisfied with this deputy chief, not only because he was always extorting money and demanding bribes, but also because he often overstepped his bounds and ate alone.

But what can you do when someone is the deputy head? You can only say that rank matters. If someone tells you to stand, you have to stand; if someone tells you to bend over, you have to bend over.

Fortunately, they are all superior people in their own territories, and there are always people they can trample under their feet.

But who can tell me which bastard gave the order to come here and be exposed to the scorching sun, and to be manipulated by this pervert in front of me?

Not to mention disobeying, no one would dare to slack off even slightly.

The man on stage, Krim, is notoriously vindictive. He once demoted a senior detective six ranks for investigating cases arbitrarily.

This was considered lucky; usually, anyone who offended this deputy commander would die a horrible death.

Suddenly the earth trembled.

"earthquake?"

Some people panicked, but Krim shouted in great dissatisfaction.

"What's the panic! Go back!"

The rioting crowd immediately stopped; clearly, in their hearts, Krim's rage was more terrifying than any natural disaster.

Krim was certainly not some kind of fierce man who could remain unfazed even if Mount Tai collapsed in front of him; he simply understood that this was not an earthquake, but the sound of footsteps.

It was the sound of countless shoes landing in unison, Krim thought to himself.

"What a grand display! Is this some kind of show of force? Could it be that I'm not going to be the next Chief of Staff?"

He couldn't help but clench his fists.

Soon the doors of the Vienna Police Headquarters were pushed open, and a large number of soldiers carrying guns walked in.

The sound of the military boots with metal plates hitting the ground quickly subdued the ruthless characters in the compound who were feared by all.

"Get out!"

Krim roared like a lion.

Do you know where this place is?!

But even with his thunderous voice, the soldiers simply ignored him.

No matter how much Krim roared, the detectives didn't dare to move, each one like a terrified rabbit.

At this moment, two officers rode in on tall horses and spoke loudly.

"By imperial decree, the Vienna Police Headquarters is to immediately disarm and place all personnel under military control. Anyone who disobeys will be executed on the spot!"

Then came a series of clanging sounds as soldiers aimed their lever-action rifles at the crowd in the center.

At this moment, almost all the detectives, including Krim, were in a state of mental blankness; they didn't even know what they had done wrong.

These detectives had all lived a life of danger and were no strangers to conflict.

Some people instinctively reached for their waists, but they forgot one thing: what they were facing was a real army, not gangsters waving guns at them.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

A volley of gunfire rang out, followed by the rhythmic sound of reloading.

"Click, click."

Not everyone had that thought; the rest of the people only knew that a large number of people in the square had instantly collapsed.

"Lie face down with your hands behind your head!"

John Campion shouted, and the soldiers echoed him loudly.

By this time, only a few uncooperative individuals remained, and their fate was naturally to be executed on the spot.

The others were naturally bound, then hooded and sent to the military police station for interrogation.

Ultimately, their crimes will be determined based on the trial results and public identification. If they are proven innocent, they can be retained and may even receive a bonus and a promotion.