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

Chapter 1870 Unbearable Memories
"How to say?"

Although Bismarck's tone remained indifferent, it was impossible for him to say that he was uninterested. Bismarck was eager to know what magic those colonies possessed that could drive the Austrians to such madness, and even more so, he wanted to know what they could say.

"I bet you've either just lost your job, lost your wallet, or been dumped by a woman. Forget the past, forget those shackles!"
Decaying old Europe can no longer contain your noble soul.

The man suddenly flicked his wrist and unfurled a poster depicting an idyllic, pastoral paradise.

The land is fertile and vast; labor is easy and carefree; one works at sunrise and rests at sunset; close to nature, surrounded by birdsong and fragrant flowers; to spread the gospel to God and to fulfill the sacred mission of a citizen by expanding the empire's territory.

The entire poster was created by professional designers and painters, with excellent workmanship, strong visual impact, and an enticing slogan.

"In Vienna, you might struggle your whole life and only get two or three houses at most, but in a colony, how much land you own depends entirely on how far you can go!"

"So, brother, are you tempted? Let me tell you, girls in the colonies are very open-minded. Even someone with a scar on your face like you can get a wife."

"Black person?"

Bismarck disliked it when people belittled his Scar of Glory, but he still asked the question instinctively, because black people were a sensitive topic that was not something to be discussed openly within the German Confederation.

The reason why they couldn't be brought to the forefront was that there were no Black people within the German Confederation. Whether from a geographical or ethnic perspective, Black people did not belong to Germany.

The vast majority of Germans had never even seen a Black person; they could only passively accept indoctrination.

Initially, the Dutch said that black people were fine, but later Franz said that there could be no black people in the Confederate colonies. The Austrian Empire was the chairman of the Confederation, and Franz was the most powerful monarch in the Confederation, so this was an indisputable issue in the Confederation.

In many cases, Black people are considered an issue that is not worth discussing because, in essence, they have no value.

However, with the start of colonial activities, more and more news came back to Europe from Africa, and black people remained an unavoidable issue.

Should Black people be citizens, or should they be considered as labor or a resource?

"Should we protect their population and ensure their continuation, or do we owe them a moral debt?"

—A question from a pioneer of Dutch human rights studies.

However, no one would accept such a moral burden at this time, because it is too far away and too abstract for most people. But this trend of using moral blackmail and spreading guilt is very bad.

But in reality, there was still business behind this. Some people wanted to restart the slave trade and expand colonization, under the guise of letting black people leave Africa and enjoy civilization.

Historically, after 1817, the Netherlands and Britain signed an agreement to jointly combat slave smuggling ships, officially banning the slave trade.

However, Dutch slave traders did not stop selling slaves, one method of which was to cover up the slave trade under the guise of "indentured labor".

In order to gain public approval and create an advantage in public opinion, the slave traders also invited many experts and scholars to give lectures to the public.

This was the product of that time, but whether this theory was reused in later generations is another story.

However, at this time, at least within the German Confederation, such conditions did not exist. Most people had never seen a black person, had little sympathy, and felt no shame or guilt. Instead, they felt a great deal of fear and contempt.

Especially for nationalists, such thoughts and statements are considered extremely radical and blatantly defying their red lines, as they deny the superiority of their beliefs and destroy their so-called purity.

However, it was an inescapable issue because the slave trade was highly profitable, and market demand increased rather than decreased. The United States and Brazil were willing to pay high prices to continue buying slaves.

Where there is demand, there will be a market. Moreover, the Austrian Empire's attitude toward the slave trade was ambiguous. Although it prohibited its own people from participating, it did not raise the banner of morality to crack down on the slave trade.

Don't ask, the answer is simple: the Austrian Imperial Navy was incompetent. It could only defend itself, unable to uphold justice in other countries.

In the Austrian Empire's colonies, the lives of Black people were not taken into account. Slave traders could move freely as long as they paid a deposit, and how much they hunted depended entirely on their abilities.

But once slave traders had wicked intentions and targeted the people of the colonies, the nature of the problem changed. The Austrian Empire never showed leniency in such matters; it would not only confiscate all their assets but also exterminate them.

In fact, Omanis, Portuguese, Dutch, and even Americans and the Kingdom of Dahomey were engaged in trade related to slaves or indentured laborers in the colonies of the Austrian Empire.

However, they only received protection on land. The Austrian Empire would not allow the British to crack down on the slave trade in its colonies, nor would it help the slave traders and the British Navy.

In this respect, Britain and Austria tacitly agreed that no British captain would lead his crew to storm Austrian colonies, and no Austrian fleet would escort slave traders.

Even skirting the line is unacceptable; this is the bottom line for both sides. Crossing this red line will bring war soon.

Moreover, Franz himself did not support the slave trade, but in the special era of the nineteenth century, such a gray area was unavoidable.

In fact, the Austrian Empire had not been able to solve the problem of population shortage in its colonies for many years, and it could not fill the gap by bringing in immigrants from various countries.

Technological advancements did indeed provide significant assistance, but the underdeveloped infrastructure of the colonies greatly diminished the impact of these advancements.

For example, steam engines were already widely used in Europe at this time, but in the colonies they could only be used to burn wood because there was too little information about resources.

However, with the application of diesel and gasoline engines, this situation will change significantly.

Many colonies were secretly using Black people to do simple labor because the colony's population was simply too valuable.

Although the Austrian Empire had explicitly prohibited interracial marriage with Black people, and religion imposed moral constraints, people still frequently crossed the line.

Two extreme minority groups emerged: one was a fascination with Black people, and the other was torture and murder.

Franz could not accept either of these types of people. He disliked black people, but the torture and killing crossed the line of humanity.

Neither of these Austrian Empires is needed. If you like Black people, you can go to the United States or countries like Brazil or Liberia (a country ruled by Black people in the United States).

Those who cross the line of humanity should be eliminated directly.

When discussing the issue of Black people within the German Confederation, one must mention the Boers. Although they were the most hostile group towards Black people within the entire German Confederation, they were also indispensable to Black people.

The Boers' economy and society often relied on the help of Black people to survive. It was precisely because the British abolished slavery in the Cape Colony that a significant number of Boers decided to migrate.

The provisions of the German Confederation clearly clashed with their traditions once again, and some extreme Boers felt that the Confederation was depriving them of their property, which led to movements against the Confederation and the expulsion of Germans.

However, the old system of appeasement and red tape didn't work on Franz. He could have turned a blind eye to things, but since they insisted on making a big fuss, he had no choice but to take action and enforce the rules.

In response to Bismarck's question, the slightly flamboyantly dressed man immediately offered an explanation.

"How could that be! Who would like those black guys? I'm talking about passionate Spanish girls and hardworking Irish girls."

While there were indeed many Irish and Spanish people in the colonies of the Austrian Empire, there were actually more Italians.

However, Italians and Irish people have similar reputations: they are lazy, rude, sociable, and greedy.

The British excommunicated the Irish, and the Northern Italians often excommunicated the Southern Italians.

Most of the Italians in the Austrian Empire's colonies were people who couldn't make it in their home countries or were tricked into coming here by greedy people looking for cheap deals.

In short, each had its own flaws, but Italian and Irish women always had a good reputation in the colonies. In fact, they were more hardworking, resilient, and had a strong sense of family, which was quite attractive to men at the time.

As for Spanish girls, forget about it. One-night stands are possible, but they are very xenophobic, and unless it's an upwardly mobile marriage, the probability of them accepting is extremely low.

On the other hand, the deep-rooted feudalism in Spain also means that most Spanish girls have little resistance to the identity of a nobleman.

Bismarck wasn't interested in those girls, after all, he was already married.

Is that all?

"Isn't that enough?"

The man then took out a bag of dried meat from his satchel and handed it to Bismarck.

"This is a great product. It builds muscle, enhances male virility, and prolongs life."

Bismarck looked incredulous.

"Try it. It's good stuff!"

The man picked up a piece, put it in his mouth, and chewed it vigorously. Then he quietly leaned closer and said...

"You're an aristocrat, aren't you? Wouldn't you like to live the life of those great nobles, living in manors and being waited on hand and foot?"

"I've found a good place that needs an educated nobleman like you to preside over it."

Bismarck also picked up a piece of jerky and put it in his mouth. The taste seemed somewhat familiar to him, but he was more curious about where the other person was talking about and whether their words were true or false.

"where?"

Madagascar!

"Pfft cough cough"

Bismarck choked immediately, and some unpleasant images flashed through his mind. He had almost forgotten them, but those days were too unforgettable.

"What's wrong, buddy? This crocodile meat is a bit tough, you can't eat it too fast."

Bismarck immediately thought of the stinking, filthy old crocodile and the damp, sultry ditch, and he couldn't help but vomit on the spot.

"vomit"

"Hey buddy, what's wrong? Is there a doctor? Someone come quick!"

When Bismarck woke up, he was in a makeshift relief center at the train station. Several priests were busy around him, and a pungent, unpleasant smell was coming from not far away, as if someone was boiling a pair of leather shoes that had been worn for several years.

Bismarck tried to get up, and the priests who noticed he was awake immediately came forward and said something.

"Don't get up, you need to rest now."

Bismarck didn't care about anything else. He sat up and wanted to leave, but suddenly felt something shaking above his head. He touched it and looked in the mirror next to him and found that it was a needle.

Bismarck immediately lay back down on the bed, feeling like a specimen.

What did you do to me?

"You just went into shock. To prevent you from choking on your own vomit, we took emergency measures."

Bismarck said with great dissatisfaction.

"I have a doctor!"

In fact, the nobles or propertied classes at that time held hospitals in great contempt. They believed that only the dead should go there, let alone these priests who clearly did not have medical licenses.

People with money, power, and status usually hire private doctors to come to their homes for treatment.

The steel needle on Bismarck's head further proved how terrifying these witch doctors were. In fact, he had heard some rumors that the Austrian Empire's church had been researching drugs that could brainwash people.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.
However, the priests didn't seem to notice anything amiss; they frequently encountered patients who yelled and made a scene.

“We can send him a telegram for you. Your treatment is basically complete. After taking this medicine, you can leave tomorrow.”

The temporary relief stations of the Austrian Empire always provided only temporary assistance and did not provide lasting relief.

But Bismarck swallowed hard as he looked at the grayish-brown soup the priest was holding.

"Did they add bat wings to this?"

"No, I did add some luminous sand."

"what is that?"

"Bat droppings."

"Cough cough."

Bismarck tried to get up and leave, but was quickly held down by two fat priests.

"Let me leave! I don't want to eat that stuff!"

"Don't make a sound. These two brothers are deaf and mute. But God closes one window and opens another door. They are both very strong."

To be precise, it's about drinking medicine, not taking it orally.

After taking the medicine, Bismarck collapsed onto the bed, but it didn't seem as bad as she had imagined.

At this moment, the priest handed over another poster.

"Your friend asked me to give this to you. He said you can contact him anytime if you want to explore a wider world."

Bismarck stared at the poster of Madagascar, his eyes practically spitting fire. He truly didn't understand what was so good about those colonies; was it worth sacrificing so many lives for those horrific lands?
The Austrian Empire's colonial ministry was constantly recruiting people. What were they trying to do? Had the country already developed well?
Looking back on his journey, Bismarck realized that the development of the Austrian Empire was indeed very advanced.

But he felt that colonies were a losing proposition, much like the colony Prussia acquired on the island of Madagascar.

Now, the Prussian government not only doesn't receive a single penny, but also has to provide large sums of money to the local garrison and developers every year.

Such an investment might not yield results for several years, and could even take decades to recoup the cost. He seemed to understand why the Dutch were always so keen on restoring the slave trade; after all, it wouldn't be as far off as it seemed now.

Actually, Frederick William IV originally wanted to copy Franz's approach, but the Austrian Empire directly established cities in the central part of Madagascar and developed a self-sufficient small-scale agricultural economy.