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

Chapter 1847 Lighting Up the Night
This disparity undoubtedly intensified the public's nostalgia for the Habsburg family.

In addition, a large number of Spaniards worked in the colonies of the Austrian Empire, and this group also served as idols to some extent.

Fernando VIII's move to side with Britain and France was more of a test, but it's clear he didn't understand the situation.

Fernando VIII's idea was to let the newspaper editors pave the way first, so that he could absolve himself of any problems that might arise.

But the problem is that such tricks are no match for Franz, who can tell at a glance what Fernando VIII is thinking.

On the other hand, Fernando VIII underestimated the impact of this event within Spain.

In fact, Spaniards really hate being represented, even though they are not as brutal, ignorant, and superstitious as the British describe them.

But they do really like to use violence to deal with people who create problems. For example, those anti-intellectual editors were dragged outside by an angry mob and beaten to death in the street.

They couldn't understand how criminals who slaughtered innocent people could be called heroes, nor did they care about the Italian independence movement, and they had no desire to be enemies with the Austrian Empire.

So the Spaniards did what they believed to be right, based on their own sense of justice.

In fact, the stereotypes about the Spanish being brutal, bloodthirsty, stupid, and superstitious were originally invented by the Dutch and then popularized by the British.

This stereotype is comparable to the American stereotype of Mexicans, with people readily labeling them as drug dealers, illegal immigrants, and "Mexicos."
Getting back to the main point, this matter should have ended there, but the editors didn't want to die, so they directly implicated Fernando VIII, who was behind it all, which made the public even more furious.

Many people were disgusted by the king's treacherous and ungrateful behavior, and some who were already unhappy or disliked Fernando VIII took to the streets to protest.

The protesters burned flags and threw stones and excrement into the palace.

This scene reminded Fernando VIII of his painful memories of Naples.

The result was that, despite the ministers' objections, the soldiers were ordered to open fire to disperse the crowd.

The soldiers' hesitation further insulted Fernando VIII, but fortunately, the captain of the court cavalry appeared in time and led the cavalry to disperse the crowd.

However, the matter was not resolved; instead, it exacerbated the animosity between the two parties.

At this point, Franz could no longer help Fernando VIII, since some things were difficult to explain, and the more he tried to explain, the more complicated things would become.

Moreover, it's best to let the other party offer help first; otherwise, you might not only waste your efforts but also make the other party look down on you or think you have ulterior motives.

Furthermore, Fernando VIII's value had to be reassessed at this point, and Franz no longer felt that Fernando VIII was a worthwhile pawn to invest in.

Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna.

Franz looked at the mountain of files and for the first time felt overwhelmed.

In fact, at the beginning of his reign, Franz only had a dozen or so major national affairs to deal with each day, and as the war subsided, he only needed to approve two or three things each day.

Therefore, Franz kept pushing himself further. In fact, because his vision, which far surpassed that of history, allowed him to easily penetrate the fog of history, his efficiency was far higher than that of the Imperial Council.

In the past, a matter that would have remained unresolved for years could be resolved by Franz in just one or two hours, or even a few tens of minutes, allowing him to pinpoint the crux of the problem and arrive at the optimal solution directly.

Moreover, having him handle the matter personally can help uncover as many flaws as possible, while also preventing people from being deceived or exploited by those with information asymmetry.

Although Franz sometimes went astray, his solutions were a remarkable improvement over the nonsensical ones of others.

However, this also resulted in the entire state apparatus becoming extremely dependent on Franz personally, greatly weakening the authority of Prime Minister Prince Schwarzenberg.

Even the entire Imperial Council couldn't make any decisions; often, Franz had to make the final ruling himself.

At first, Franz was able to manage things with ease and even had 1-2 days a week to enjoy a quiet life.

However, as the national system expands and grand strategies are implemented, the number of things Franz has to deal with is increasing exponentially.

Although he didn't need to attend to every little detail like ancient emperors, the problems he faced were often more complex, and some of them remained unsolved even more than a hundred years later.

Prince Sivarzenberg had done his best, but some things were indeed beyond his personal capabilities, and his judgments were very limited by the times.

Franz couldn't expect an ordinary person to have the perspective of a time traveler; instead, he had to offer the other person a few words of comfort.

"Your Highness, you have done very well. However, there are still some flaws."

This was actually a huge blow to a strong person, but unfortunately, he had to meet Franz.

At this time, Baron Johann Kempen von Fechtenstad's cleanup operation was still underway, and the expedition to Oman and the Tour de Germany Grand Prix were also taking place simultaneously.

Coupled with the turbulent international situation and the vigorous domestic construction, the number of events requiring the highest authority to handle suddenly surged to dozens, or even hundreds, every day.

The main problem is that the cleanup of the police system often uncovers other departments as well.

The simplest issue in the Tour de Germany Grand Prix is ​​the prize money, but in reality, it often involves the interests of multiple parties and requires coordination among them.

Franz had initially thought three months would be more than enough, but in reality, the infighting among the various states far exceeded his expectations. Furthermore, there were numerous conflicts between the states, and even some cities harbored deep-seated grudges.
The expedition to Oman goes without saying; any war is a test of a country's resilience, let alone one that involves circumventing the entire continent.

In fact, another reason why Franz was reluctant to get involved was that this problem would no longer exist after the Suez Canal opened.

Given the government's insufficient core processing capacity at the time, Franz decided to expand the bureaucratic system again.

"Your Majesty, expanding the decision-making system might erode our power structure, leading to an excessive decentralization of power, and even..."

Prince Schwarzenberg said with great concern.

"Your Highness, I know what you're going to say. That's why we need to expand the decision-making body while also establishing a new oversight body."

This is the only way to minimize the possibility of misjudgment and prevent individuals from abusing their power to deceive superiors and conceal the truth.

Franz believed that supporting institutions must be established simultaneously, otherwise it would be inducing others to commit crimes.

"Your Majesty, you may consider expanding your staff."

Prince Schwarzenberg offered his opinion, but in reality, Franz had tried it.

Unfortunately, due to Parkinson's Law, Franz added staff members to make himself appear busy and hardworking.

They not only spent more money hiring more people, but also created new jobs, new approval processes, and new meetings.

In the end, all that fancy stuff did not lighten Franz's burden; instead, it brought him some problems that didn't even exist in the first place.

If Franz hadn't been particularly proficient in this approach, he probably would have remained trapped in this vicious cycle forever.

"Simply expanding the staff team is useless; I am still just one person and there are only so many problems I can handle."

We need a new team and a new mechanism. Franz could only expand the decision-making circle and introduce competition.

Although the competitive mechanism may be cruel to those who have served the country their whole lives, it is the best and strongest people who are needed to shoulder the responsibilities of the entire nation.

If you can't endure hardship or suffering, then retiring is a good option.

Franz was not stingy with rewards for those high-ranking officials who were willing to relinquish power and retire.

Franz plans to appoint two deputy prime ministers to the prime minister, and two deputy ministers to each of the other eight ministers, who will also join the decision-making body.

In addition, to assist in decision-making, Franz temporarily recruited a group of technocrats to help with the process.

The capable among these people will stay, while the incompetent and lazy will leave, and then a new core will be gradually selected.

At the same time, Franz will decentralize some power, leaving less important matters to lower-level agencies. The main thing is that the oversight agencies must keep up, so as to reduce errors and corruption.

In fact, such a concentrated outbreak of events is not common, but it is essential to be prepared.

Solving problems by temporarily adding decision-making bodies is both inefficient and irresponsible.

Franz could not simply wash his hands of the matter; this was determined by the national system and the actual situation of the country, and he himself would not allow such a situation to occur.

Rest is essential after a busy day, but Franz seems to have difficulty finding true peace.

"Frantz, there's a ball tonight, you should attend."

"Mother, there are many important national events happening lately."

Mrs. Sophie's face was full of distrust.

"Those ministers work at night? And what are you busy with in bed?"

Franz reluctantly got up; to be honest, he had absolutely no interest in those kinds of parties.

Too many rules, no fun at all.

Just like when he went to the horse farm before, Franz couldn't understand what was so fun about riding horses, and he had to pretend to enjoy it.

Besides having to endure long periods of posed photos, he also had to make horseback riding feel like a military parade.

Moreover, the racecourse is also a social arena, where some trivial matters are even more annoying than the power struggles between nations.

At night, the main gate of Schönbrunn Palace is lined with ornately decorated carriages, and richly dressed men and women walk along the path into the palace.

The electric lights on both sides of the road were a novelty, since most people at that time still used kerosene lamps or gas lamps for lighting.

Because of the surge in kerosene and natural gas production caused by the exploitation of oil in the Austrian Empire, kerosene prices would likely have plummeted if Franz hadn't taken forceful measures to control the situation.

The extremely low price of kerosene actually hindered the development of electric lights, as it was still much cheaper than electric lights even when the labor cost of lighting them was taken into account.

Even though electric lights were already very advanced in the Austrian Empire at this time, officials still opposed replacing gas lamps with electric lights.

Because the cost is too high, and it would also cause a large number of lamplighters to lose their jobs, the renovation is also a considerable expense.

Therefore, electric lights are now mainly used in royal palaces, government departments, and military and royal properties.

Franz thought this would set a good example, but the Austrians seemed to accept class differences rather quickly.

People were very envious, but they still chose the cheaper gas lamps and kerosene lamps.

The most awkward problem is that the fewer people use electricity, the more expensive it becomes, and the more expensive the electricity becomes, the harder it is for appliances to become widespread.

Left with no other choice, Franz had to start with the nobles. He specially prepared a light show in Schönbrunn Palace to create a "seller's show" to arouse the purchasing desire of the nobles and elites, and then gradually popularize the products.

The palace was filled with crystal chandeliers that emitted an unprecedentedly brilliant light, illuminating the room as if it were daytime. Even the best candles and kerosene lamps could not compare to it, just as fireflies are compared to the bright moon.

"His Majesty the Emperor and His Majesty the Empress have arrived!"

When Franz and Olga appeared together, the men and women present naturally bowed and curtsied. Although self-restraint, dignity, and elegance are essential in high society, many people still couldn't help but show expressions of awe, worship, or fanaticism.

"May God bless His Majesty and His Majesty the Queen."

The deafening roar almost caused the glassware inside the palace to resonate.

Franz raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and the scene immediately fell silent.

"My people. You have all seen this, this is the electric light. It is the perfect combination of science and faith. With it, we can defeat humanity's greatest enemy for thousands of years—darkness!"
We Austrians don't seek a sun that never sets; we create our own sun!

Shouts immediately rang out.

"Long live your Majesty!"

"Long live the Empire!"

"I promise you: within ten years we will light up the entire city of Vienna! Within twenty years we will light up all the cities! Within thirty years we will light up the entire country!"

May God bless the Empire! May light shine forever upon the world!

The cheers erupted again, even more enthusiastic than before.

Franz raised his hand to signal the band to play, and cheerful music began.

Franz continued.

Let's enjoy the present moment!

The ball officially began, and the young men and women eagerly entered the center of the dance floor, while the truly important figures gathered in twos and threes to discuss the state of the world.

Meanwhile, many younger members of the family met with truly powerful figures under the guidance of their elders, while ambassadors from other European countries watched the scene unfold with trepidation.

Not to mention the novelties they could hardly comprehend, the tropical fruits and large quantities of seafood on the table alone were enough to shock them.

Keep in mind that this is Vienna, an inland city thousands of miles from the tropics and far from the coast. Moreover, these items are not just for show; they are quickly replaced after someone takes some to eat.

Such extravagance could only occur in a semi-feudal country, but it also demonstrated the immense wealth of the Austrian Empire to some extent.

If they truly want to wage a war of attrition, they must consider whether their country is truly qualified. Perhaps cooperation is more advantageous than hostility.
Normally, the emperor and empress would lead the dance, but Olga had not yet recovered and Franz was not interested in dancing, so the two simply sat on the sidelines.

(End of this chapter)