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

Chapter 1843 Napoleon III's Judgment
Although Franz's plan had taken shape, most people were unaware of what was happening.

A few trendsetters of the era seemed to sense something was amiss, but they, too, had no idea what was happening.

Ultimately, everyone assumed that the Austrian Empire was simply showing off its wealth, since the Habsburg family had been doing the same thing for centuries.

Driven by the desire to prevent Austria from stealing the spotlight, everyone increased their investment, eager to flex their muscles on this stage, even the smaller countries wanted to make their presence felt.

The Confederate roads underwent extensive repairs, as this was a matter of national pride; it would be too embarrassing for other states to see their dirt roads.

The outcome of the competition is hard to predict, given that there are major powers like Austria and Prussia ahead of us. Achieving a good ranking depends on both our opponents and luck.

However, the effects of road construction are entirely predictable; if it's built, the results will definitely be visible, and if it's not built, it will certainly be embarrassing.

For a time, all the German states were busy building roads, and it was also necessary to organize a grand opening ceremony while doing so, and to promote local products and customs.

The grand opening ceremony was not only a trade fair, but also a luxurious social event, where people from all walks of life would not miss the opportunity to make their mark.

Especially among nobles and artists (including musicians and actors), everyone would do their utmost to promote themselves.

Politicians, on the other hand, will boast about their achievements and sing praises to the government and leaders.

The casinos and brothels along the way were the happiest, followed by the hotels and inns, since they certainly wouldn't refuse business that was offered to them.

Furthermore, it will also drive a completely new industry. Tourism was not unusual in the Austrian Empire, but it was still a very novel thing in other states.

The public is the most excited, because they will witness one miracle after another, and may even have the opportunity to participate in them.

However, Franz's handling of the crisis was laughable to Britain and France, who were tired of happy endings with singing and dancing.

"A farcical war ended in a dramatic fashion."

Inside the Tuileries Palace.

Napoleon III said jokingly.

"Don't you think the Austrian way of resolving things is like a farmer who gets angry but doesn't dare to fight back, and then runs around blushing?"

Duke Morni clapped his hands and laughed.

"It's so similar! Why did the usually ruthless Franz Joseph I back down this time? It doesn't make sense to say that he was afraid of Denmark or Prussia."

Denmark is full of spineless cowards, and there seems to have been a coup. In Prussia, Frederick William IV suffered a stroke.
Was Frederick William IV faking a stroke?

Duke Morni frowned and pondered for a while, but it didn't make sense either, since the Austrian Empire's strength in the Near East Wars had completely surpassed that of ordinary countries.

The Duke of Morni was Napoleon III's half-brother, but to cover up the scandal (being an illegitimate child), his official identity was that of the son of the plantation owner of Saint-Domingue.

Therefore, the Duke of Morni's long tenure in an important position in the Second French Empire did not arouse public discontent, but in reality, it was a well-known joke in the court.

Napoleon III first shook his head.

"The Prussian government is in chaos, and Wilhelm the Shotgun is even preparing to replace his own staff, so the news is unlikely to be false."

Duke Morni was even more puzzled.

"William the Shotgunner is trying to seize power right from the start? That's a bit too illogical."

Napoleon III simply smiled.

"Do you know why he's called William the Shotgunner? It's because he's brainless. The more brainless he does these kinds of things, the more it proves that the news of Frederick William IV's stroke is true."

Otherwise, no sane person would agree with his actions.

"But this makes the Austrians' behavior even more inexplicable. They couldn't possibly be genuinely afraid of the Danes, could they?"

Napoleon III shook his head. The Duke of Morny's guess was obviously impossible, but he had a guess.

"Perhaps there are problems within the Austrian Empire again."

This was a bombshell, and the Duke of Morni immediately became interested.

"what is the problem?"

Napoleon III shrugged.

"I do not know either."

Before the Duke of Morni could speak, Napoleon III spoke again.

"But it must be something extremely important, otherwise Austria would not have let this opportunity pass."

"What you said is as good as saying nothing at all!"

Napoleon III smiled and said.

"The Austrian Empire has been investing a lot of troops in suppressing bandits. What kind of bandits do you think are worth such a crackdown?"

They're probably revolutionaries!
An emperor who fears his own people is utterly ridiculous!

Duke Morni continued to ask.

"But what kind of people can withstand such a massacre? They are probably already powerless to do so."

"No! The reason why the Austrian Empire could not eradicate the rebellion was that the root of the rebellion was not only within the country, but also in Russia, Prussia, Sardinia, and countless other places that did not want Austria to have peace."

Revolutionaries will keep pouring in from the outside, which is why Austria will never have peace.

Napoleon III was very confident in his judgment. In fact, he was about to hold a secret meeting with the Kingdom of Sardinia soon, the purpose of which was to figure out how to dismantle the Austrian Empire.

Russia is not united either; many high-ranking Russian officials are hostile to Austria. In fact, Russia has taken in many political exiles and outlaws from Hungary, Transylvania, and other Balkan countries, including the two principalities.

Napoleon III did not believe that the Russians were supporting these people out of kindness, nor that they were simply taking advantage of them. The biggest obstacle to Russia's westward expansion was the Austrian Empire.

Now that the Ottoman Empire, a traditional major enemy, was gone, Napoleon III did not believe that the Russo-Austrian alliance could continue.

The Duke of Morny was no fool; he immediately connected it to Napoleon III's southern tour.

"Your Majesty, has something truly serious happened?"

However, the Duke of Morny's excitement was fleeting, replaced by deep anxiety.

"But the British lost. Can we do it?"

When Napoleon III heard his half-brother say such discouraging things, a hint of displeasure flashed across his face, but he quickly returned to his usual tone and said...

"Who said we're going to fight the Austrians to the death right now? I'm just giving them a little hope. Anyway, nice words don't cost anything, so it doesn't hurt to say them."

"What if we need it someday?" Napoleon III changed the subject.

"Do you really think Austria's rule is very stable now? They even said the assassination of their queen was done by the Ottomans. Do you believe that?"

Nicholas I of Russia killed many people because of this incident. Austria, however, remained completely silent.

Are Austrians really that clean?

In fact, Nicholas I had many reasons for killing people. In addition to avenging his daughter, he also wanted to reduce the number of people opposing the relocation of the capital and raise funds for his relocation plan.

"As far as I know, there are quite a few anti-Russian factions within Austria, and there have been assassination attempts against the Empress before, but they all failed."

Furthermore, I received some special news: Said, the Austrian Empire's ally in West Asia, had died in his palace, and his sons were fighting fiercely for power.

Duke Morni knew that the Oman Empire was an important ally of Austria in the western Indian Ocean.

France had tried to win over Oman, and even in 1848, when Britain wanted to launch a major attack on the Austrian colonies, it ultimately gave up due to fear of the power of the Oman Empire.

In fact, from the perspective of the French, or rather most European countries, the Austrian Empire actually gained a foothold in the western Indian Ocean by taking advantage of the Omani Empire.

They knew very little about Oman, only that it was a traditionally powerful nation in the western Indian Ocean region and, like the former North African pirates, had a long tradition of plundering Western ships.

Spanning two continents, it controlled a massive fleet. According to their estimates, the Omani Empire was at least on par with the Ottoman Empire, and being further from Europe, it would be difficult to directly suppress it with military force.

In fact, Said has been using Austria's influence to his advantage all these years. Although he doesn't dare to rob openly as he used to, he still dares to collect tolls and have people disguise themselves as pirates to ambush small caravans.

Saeed was, after all, a great emperor in Oman's history. He was not so easily defeated. Initially, he was researching ways to defeat Austria. He bought weapons everywhere, hired instructors, and secretly expanded his army to prepare for war.

Said's actions convinced other European countries that the Omani Empire was a tough nut to crack, but only Said knew that the more he learned, the more desperate he felt.

In fact, infidel marriage is not only bizarre in Austria, but also a taboo in Oman.

However, things like honor, principles, and beliefs are utterly worthless in the eyes of someone like Said; he only knows that bowing down to the strong is not shameful.

However, to avoid unnecessary trouble, Said still claimed in Oman that Frederick had converted to Islam.

As for those who dare to question him, they are simply courting death. Said was, after all, a powerful emperor who dominated Oman for a time. He might not be able to defeat Franz and Friedrich, but dealing with the domestic critics would be a piece of cake.

However, to outsiders unaware of the truth, the ultimate result of all this was that the Omani Empire was at least on par with the Austrian Empire in the western Indian Ocean.

"A civil war? That's very interesting. Could it be that the Austrian Empire's sea routes to the East will collapse?"

Duke Morni asked with great interest, "The old king's mysterious death and his sons' fierce battle for the throne are exactly what I've always imagined."

"That's not necessarily the case, but the Austrian Empire will certainly want to keep this ally, so an expedition is inevitable."

Coupled with domestic turmoil and pressure from Russia, the Austrian Empire chose to handle the matter in such a ridiculous manner.

After hearing Napoleon III's words, the Duke of Morny was eager to try, but the Austrian Empire was too powerful at the moment, and France lacked allies, so he could only say one sentence.

"What should we do? Keep waiting?"

Napoleon III loathed the word "wait" because it reminded him of Alexander Colonna Walevsky's incessant chatter.

"No! We must create opportunities!"

Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna.

To be honest, Franz personally didn't care about the affairs of the Omani Empire, since it was often difficult to distinguish right from wrong in such internal matters of the Omani Empire.

Historically, Said left a will in advance, but for some reason, no will was left in this reign, making the struggle for the throne exceptionally fierce.

Emperor Sayyid the Great had 36 legitimate children in his lifetime, including 25 sons, all of whom were eligible to vie for the throne.

Thus began an unprecedented and brutal massacre at Muscat Palace, with blood flowing through the palace, the city, the sands, and the sea. The foundation laid by Said was being uprooted by his own sons.

Various ambitious figures within the Omani Empire emerged, making the internal strife even more bloody and brutal, with scenes of fratricide and maternal love constantly unfolding.

However, none of this really mattered to the Austrian Empire, because the Oman Empire, as an ally, was of very little value to the Austrian Empire at that time, and might even become a trouble or burden after the Suez Canal opened.

Oman is not a European country, so even if Franz wanted to mediate, the other side would have to be willing to listen to him.

At this moment, Friedrich and Princess Seneca appeared before Franz.

“I have an idea: I can let my son inherit the Omani Empire.”

Friedrich said with a solemn expression.

Franz couldn't help but facepalm.

"What's the idea of ​​Princess Sneka?"

Friedrich actually seemed somewhat surprised; just how confident was he in his acting skills? But Sneker was a truly restless woman; Franz got a headache just looking at her.

Ambitious and driven by strong desires, he demands an empire with every word—he's practically a reincarnation of Empress Wu Zetian.

Friedrich gave an awkward laugh.

"Don't worry, Franz Sneka. What she means is that Oman can become a vassal state of Austria."

Franz had little interest in this and even thought it would be a big problem later.

Franz knew that Friedrich was not good at dealing with women, and couldn't even make decisions at home, so he simply spoke directly to Seneca.

"Grand Duchess Sneka, are you sure you want to involve your son in this mess? I've heard that many of your brothers and sisters have already died in the chaos."

Sneka had her head bowed, her pale golden hair falling from her ears, and a hint of tears welling up in her eyes. Her delicate features made her look pitiful.

Her voice trembled slightly, and she spoke with a hint of sob in her voice.

"I have made up my mind. I am doing this for my brothers and sisters, for the millions of people of Oman, and for the future of the Omani Empire."

I'm willing to do this.

At first glance, she seemed to have made such a difficult decision, like a martyr.

But in reality, Seneca's trip was nothing more than for the throne of the Omani Empire, nothing more than greater power.

Sneka and Friedrich's eldest son is about to come of age, but he is nothing more than a shield for her.

Moreover, it was unclear whose son this eldest son was. Franz had promised Friedrich that he would take care of Seneca and brought her to Schönbrunn Palace.

This was a decision Franz would regret for the rest of his life. After Franz explicitly rejected Seneca's invitation, he witnessed a scene that shattered his worldview.

Princess Seneca was secretly seducing Archduke Franz Karl.
(End of this chapter)