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

Chapter 1864 Clearing Inventory

"You're kidding me! The Austrians just say they want to pass through, and then they just do it?"

The Holy Roman Empire used this tactic quite often in its dealings with Italy throughout history!
"If the Austrian army were to land in Cape Town, could those blacks and opportunists in the colonies possibly stop them?"

What the Earl of Derby didn't say was that, aside from whether the guys in the Cape colonies could hold them off, it was uncertain whether they would even resist.

At this time, Britain was in a poor state, while the Austrian Empire was on the rise.

It's hard to say whether those profit-driven individuals would choose to surrender outright, given the Austrian Empire's formidable regular army and its vast market.

At least the Earl of Derby didn't think those colonial scum would fight to the death for Britain.

The Earl of Derby's staff were also deeply worried; they would never have believed that the Austrian Empire would send troops to the colonies to help quell a rebellion.

Even if it were true, what if it turned out that the British government was behind it? Wouldn't those Austrian soldiers turn around and destroy the Cape Colony?
"Your Excellency, we absolutely must not allow the Austrians to land. We British only have less than two regiments in the Cape Colony. If we really fight the Austrians, we have no chance of winning at all."

The Earl of Derby was also taken aback upon hearing this and quickly asked.

"Didn't you say before that there were ten or twenty thousand people?"

The staff could only speak in hushed tones.

“We still have more than 10,000 Black auxiliary troops. Those Black soldiers are okay at dealing with natives, but they can’t even handle the Boers, let alone the regular army of the Austrian Empire.”

To be honest, Austria, a land power, was the biggest headache for the Earl of Derby. The previous Near East War was the best example. The British army was defeated on the battlefield and had no chance to fight back and could only surrender at lightning speed.

How many people did the Austrian Empire send?

The Earl of Derby's question was difficult to answer because the intelligence was chaotic and there was no accurate information.

"Your Excellency, according to the Military Intelligence Service's estimates, the Austrian Empire's expeditionary force should number between thirty and fifty thousand."

In fact, the British were somewhat bewildered at this point, as the Austrian Empire did not yet have the capacity to deploy 50,000 soldiers to the Cape colony at once.

In fact, at that time, no country other than Britain had this capability.

"What ideas do you have?"

"We can send reinforcements to the Cape colony and also call up the local militia."

"Nonsense! Why should we fight the Austrian Empire on land?"

We should send our navy to intercept them en route! As long as we sink the Austrian fleet, even a million-strong army won't save them!

The Earl of Derby felt he had heard these words before, and he did not believe that England could defeat Austria at this time.

As mentioned earlier, the success rate of maritime interception at this time was very low. Even when the Austrian Empire blocked the outlet in the Mediterranean Sea, it took them nearly a thousand nautical miles to intercept the enemy.

The Earl of Derby did not want to demoralize his team, but he also did not think that going to war was a wise move.

“Tell Earl Harris that we are willing to sell the Eastern Cape colony for thirty million pounds.”

This includes all ports and anchorages.

After speaking, the Earl of Derby seemed to have used up all his strength, for now neither Britain nor he himself had any way out.

He lit a cigar and only broke the silence after smoking it down to half its original size.

"Please have General Henry Pelham, the Secretary of War, come here."

Henry Pelham arrived quickly, feeling uneasy, fearing that the Earl of Derby was about to clash with the Austrians in the Cape colony.

Not even Henry Pelham, let alone the Duke of Wellington, could guarantee it if he came back from the dead.

"General Pelham, General Pelham"

It took the Earl of Derby several shouts for Pelham to come to his senses.

"Your Excellency, what brings you here?"

"I've called you here to tell you something: I don't care what methods you use or what price you pay, you must get the Americans to accept peace talks."

"The Earl of Derby said with a solemn expression."

"The British Empire has no way out. I hope you can fulfill your duties."

"Your Excellency, we lack more than just time; we have suffered heavy troop losses and are inadequately supplied."

The Earl of Derby exhaled two heavy puffs of smoke.

"You can recruit soldiers and allocate resources however you like within a year. We now have 30 million pounds, which is enough for your military expenses for a year."

Henry Pelham, however, was not moved by the Earl of Derby's magnanimity; instead, he curled his lip in disapproval.

Thirty million pounds is a lot of money, but the Americans are truly willing to pay any price. The current situation on the battlefield cannot be reversed by thirty million pounds.

The Earl of Derby seemed to have seen through Henry Pelham's thoughts, and he added.

"If that's not enough, we can add more funding. In short, I want results, not just a victory, but land! A treaty!"

It is an outcome that no one can deny or interfere with.

At this point, Henry Pelham was finally certain of one thing: the Earl of Derby was serious.

Henry Pelham had long wanted to make a big splash, but he needed to clarify a few things first.

"Your Excellency, there are some things I must explain in advance."

The current situation on the battlefield is very unfavorable to us. This war can no longer proceed as planned at the beginning. We may not even be able to take half of the original thirteen North American colonies, and we may not even be able to hold onto the occupied territories we have now.

These words were undoubtedly a heavy blow to the Earl of Derby. If he could, he would have liked to expand his gains, but he did not expect his opponent to be so direct.

In fact, everyone had sensed some things long ago, including the Earl of Derby himself, who knew that some things were no longer possible, but he was unwilling to say it.

At this point, Henry Pelham merely punctured this false facade.

"Thank you for your honesty, General Pelham."

Just as the Earl of Derby finished speaking, Pelham spoke again.

"Secondly, we may suffer huge casualties and costs, and I hope that you will not give up due to public pressure at that time."

The Earl of Derby nodded. This war had already staked too much on it, and now was not the time to lose heart, much less to be swayed by those pens.

"Finally, I need an international environment free from interference from other countries."

We cannot fight multiple countries simultaneously on the North American continent, especially adversaries of the level of major powers.

Finally, Pelham's true feelings were that he felt Britain's battle lines were too long and that it was constantly getting caught up in some inexplicable wars, diverting its strength.

If they cannot concentrate their forces, then there is no chance of victory on the North American battlefield.

"That's all I have to say. I stake my military honor on finding the most suitable person and the most suitable method to achieve victory."

“I have faith in your abilities.” Having come this far, the Earl of Derby had nothing more to say. He still had one matter to settle: the deal concerning the Eastern Cape colony.

The negotiations between James Harris and Lord Habescu went smoothly, a cash-on-delivery transaction.

However, the British ultimately did not want Austria to benefit from the deal, so 20 million pounds had to be paid in gold and silver, while the remaining 10 million pounds could be paid in banknotes.

In fact, the British logistics department does not dislike the expected banknotes; in fact, they would love to exchange all that money for expected banknotes.

The reason is simple: prices in the Austrian Empire were generally cheaper than in Britain, as were shipping costs, transportation efficiency, and product quality.

Most importantly, it offers greater operational flexibility.
In contrast, businesses in the UK have a more complicated situation. They not only have to consider intricate relationships, but also have to prevent these guys from passing off inferior goods as superior ones.

On February 10, 1859, Britain officially and legally transferred the Eastern Cape colony to the Austrian Empire for £2 million.

The most pressing question within the Austrian Empire upon hearing this news was whether the war would continue.

Franz was also helpless when faced with the crowds shouting war all day long outside the palace; the Austrians' enthusiasm for war seemed too high.

"Your Majesty, our expeditionary force is ready."

Prince Schwarzenberg said.

"Let's cut the number in half."

Franz's words put Prince Schwarzenberg in a difficult position.

"Your Majesty, these people were all carefully selected. Telling them they are no longer needed is inappropriate."

Prince Schwarzenberg paused before speaking.

"I'm afraid these hot-blooded young men will cause trouble."

Prince Schwarzenberg was telling the truth; people in this era are more impulsive and have less reverence for life.

Especially since most of these young people have received military training, if they really cause trouble, it could be a big deal.

Franz smiled. He didn't think anyone would actually dare to cause trouble in Vienna, but it wouldn't be good to keep people quiet.

"How about this? Let's add another item on the spot. Hold a banquet, and if you can finish eating and drinking within the specified time, you'll pass."

Prince Schwarzenberg truly couldn't understand Franz's selection methods; was he trying to choose a bunch of good-for-nothings?

Are you serious?

"Of course. Let them compete publicly to avoid any resentment."

Soon a dining competition began in the central square. The 20,000 selected soldiers were somewhat puzzled. In fact, they only knew that some of them would be eliminated today.

I was only told while sitting at the table that we had to compete in eating and drinking.
Some people said they were Puritans and therefore couldn't drink alcohol; these people were paid to leave the venue.

The remaining people looked at each other in bewilderment. Soon, the food was served: a whole roasted chicken, a whole roasted fish, a kilogram of vegetables, and 0.5 kilograms of bread.

There are also two-liter bottles of wine. The first person to finish all the food wins. If they don't finish, the prize is calculated based on the weight of the remaining food.

Limited to two hours.

“5、4、3、2、1！”

With the timer running out, the competition officially began.

Twenty thousand people began a frenzy of eating and drinking, leaving behind a scene of utter chaos.

"Your Majesty, what can be concluded from this comparison?"

In fact, the imperial high-ranking officials present all had this question, because this kind of competition seemed to have no meaning other than being a waste. Could it be that anyone who can eat and drink can fight?
Or is it that we need a group of people who can eat and drink to do something?
Baron Brooke couldn't help but say.

“This is a complete waste. I can’t eat that much in a day. The Empire’s spending is too much. We should save some.”

The other ministers nearby sneered, thinking to themselves.

"It's only a few coins, but the emperor spends money like a flood bursting its banks."

"Which celebration hasn't cost more than this?"

Count Latour, however, thought the question was too childish. In his youth, he could drink ten glasses of beer, let alone two liters (two large glasses). How could one chicken be enough? He could eat a whole goose, plus two large steaks.

Count Latour couldn't help but hum softly as he thought of his youth, and the others, unaware of what was going on, all looked at the Minister of War.

"It's nothing. I was just lamenting that I'm getting old. If I were twenty or thirty years younger, I would definitely want to have a go at them."

The crowd looked at them with disdain. They had no interest in the soldiers' tedious competitiveness; they just wanted to know what the emperor was up to.

At this point, Franz finally spoke.

"The main purpose of this is to defuse their anger. Once they are well-fed and watered, they will naturally have no energy to cause trouble."

Once they sober up, the main force should set off.

Everyone looked at Franz with puzzlement.

"This is based on scientific evidence. Sufficient food can directly meet people's basic needs, bring pleasure and a sense of security, and reduce human aggression."

When all the blood goes to the stomach, you naturally don't have the energy to get angry.
Everyone could only marvel at His Majesty the Emperor's erudition, but deep down they couldn't help but complain that the scientists of the Austrian Empire were incredibly bored.

"Moreover, Africa is a very harsh place, and soldiers from wealthy families might not be able to endure it, let alone nobles."

Franz's statement made a lot of sense, but the others didn't understand what it had to do with eating and drinking.

"Your Majesty, wouldn't it be better to just classify them by birth? But would that really make a difference?"

Franz could only laugh it off. What were the pillars of the Austrian Empire?
If we say this so openly, where are our own people? Are these young people from well-off families guilty of anything?
"Of course it can be divided up. This amount of food may sound like a lot, but it's nothing to soldiers from poor families. They might even be delighted to have so much food."

But it's different for soldiers from wealthy families. They've had their share of food before, and such pressure only makes them feel worse.

"Look at those children with such bitter looks, aren't they from wealthy families?"

Looking around, one could see that some people were enjoying themselves, some were suffering, some felt they hadn't had enough, and some had already started vomiting.

Everyone nodded in agreement, taking it as a form of protection from His Majesty the Emperor for the people, since Africa was hardly a desirable place.

In the eyes of the imperial high command, these young people were completely blinded by their fanaticism for war and the empire, and insisted on going to Africa to feed mosquitoes.

Upon learning the truth, everyone felt that His Majesty the Emperor was indeed on their side.

At this moment, Franz spoke again in a low voice.

"In recent years, with abundant harvests, the grain stored in warehouses has become unsaleable, and people's desire to consume food and drink is not as strong as it was in previous years."

Everyone was now embarrassed. It turned out to be another clearance sale. It seemed that the previous Christmas promotions hadn't been very effective, which was why His Majesty had resorted to this tactic.

There are just too many carp, we can't possibly eat them all, and the price of fish balls is about to collapse.

Beetroot simply cannot compete with cane sugar from the Americas, but fortunately, it can be eaten directly as a vegetable.
Chicken is also a big problem. Previously, there were frequent outbreaks of fowl cholera, but in recent months there haven't been many cases. People haven't been consuming it, resulting in a large surplus of unsold chicken, leaving Franz feeling helpless.