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

Chapter 1873 One shouldn't eat just any food, nor say just any words.

Why can't we eat tigers and lions?

The two little ones asked curiously. Animals like tigers and lions didn't seem special to them, especially since they had been taught from the beginning that they were just food.

They don't feel that lions or tigers are cute or worthy of worship.

Therefore, they were even less able to understand Franz's behavior.

"Because eating it can easily cause illness."

The people around Franz looked at him with surprise, after all, they had never heard of any diseases caused by eating the meat of these wild beasts, but they often heard people boasting about its health benefits.

"It's very dirty."

Franz added another sentence.

"Can't I just wash it?"

Alexander spoke for everyone: if it gets dirty, just wash it properly, what's the big deal?
Franz had no choice but to continue.

"These wild animals carry bacteria and parasites, and may also carry some unknown viruses."

Our current medical technology cannot completely solve these problems, so we cannot touch these things.

Franz had originally intended to take a roundabout approach, but considering that the bacteriological theory had already been established, he no longer needed to hide anything.

However, Carl Augustus felt his chance to shine had come and immediately spoke up.

"Then Father, can't we first marinate the meat, and then steam or fry it at high temperature to ensure that germs are eliminated and it's safe to eat?"

Alexander, who was standing nearby, seemed to have been inspired and quickly said something.

"Father, we can first put the meat in the refrigerator at a low temperature, and then deep-fry it at a high temperature to ensure a more thorough effect."

Franz was speechless for a moment. The method these two little guys mentioned actually had some feasibility; at least it could kill the vast majority of known bacteria and viruses.

Seeing that Franz did not answer for a long time, the people around applauded for the two young grand dukes. After all, to be fair, their own nephews and nieces could not compare to such insight, and they themselves might not have thought of it.

The two were already used to the praise from those around them, but they both looked at their father.

"Do we really have to eat it? What if there's some special virus or parasite in it? Wouldn't you two be in big trouble?"

Don't you understand the principle that a son of a wealthy family shouldn't sit under a dangerous roof?

The next second, each of them got hit on the head. The two little guys rubbed their heads in pain, but their eyes were full of resentment.

"Didn't you also travel to the plague-ridden continent when you were young? You also went to India and the lands further east."

Grandpa has also been to the Arctic and the Great Desert.

Karl Augustus spoke first, and Alexander was not to be outdone.

"You've even ridden a shark!"

"That's a whale!"

Franz corrected the way.

However, he did not expect that the two little ones would know so much about these messy things.

What Franz didn't know was that his story had become part of history for some people and had been given a legendary twist.

The two little ones gave Franz plenty of face, because in those legendary stories he had gone even further.

It would be difficult for Karl Augustus and Alexander not to admire such a person, and in their minds, they too would become such legends.

"I'm going to expand my territory and find a new world. What about you?"

To risk your lives to satisfy your mere cravings—can you face yourselves, your families, and your country with a clear conscience?

As a father, Franz couldn't just stand by and do nothing about it. He didn't want to lecture his two little ones, but he really didn't want them to take any risks.

However, Franz felt that he might have gone too far, so he decided to put it another way.

"In addition to germs and parasites, these apex predators also accumulate toxins from the animals they consume in their bodies."

There is currently no effective way to remove this toxin.

Moreover, eating lions and tigers does not increase courage and strength; otherwise, black people would have ruled the world long ago.

They wouldn't be sold off like slaves.

The two little ones were still a bit confused, so Franz picked them up, one in each hand.

"You've eaten so many lions, tigers, and elephants, so why am I still holding you in my hand?"

Stop daydreaming. I'll take you to eat some normal food and familiarize you with dining etiquette.

In fact, Franz considered dining etiquette to be the most boring, but essential, thing to learn.

These rules caused him a lot of trouble back then, but anyone who can define the rules must still abide by them.

"Father, didn't you say that was the most useless knowledge in the world?"

It was clear that Augustus was familiar with what Franz had said, and Alexander followed suit.

"Father, didn't you tell Mother not to be bound by those rules?"
Why can't we do it?

Franz was also helpless in the face of this soul-searching question, after all, these were indeed the words he had said.

Moreover, these rules are indeed very useless; they are merely an extension of traditional politics, and the darkest and most disgusting part of it.

This mechanism also makes it difficult for ordinary scammers to infiltrate. No language test is required; 99% of scammers can be eliminated simply by observing their table manners and gait.

The etiquette for minor nobles differs from that for major nobles, while royal etiquette is even more elaborate.

Even a professional spy from an aristocratic background like Isabelle Adjani couldn't do it, so she fabricated the identity of an exiled noblewoman for herself.

Furthermore, this can be considered behavioral discipline, or even a test of obedience. Behind the so-called elegance lies tediousness, complexity, and even some inhumanity.

In particular, some eating postures and ways of holding utensils are completely against human nature, awkward and inefficient.

There are some shady dealings behind the whole set of rules, namely, making excuses.

A single slip of the tongue can cause the core of a faction to lose face completely, and may even force them to consider retiring while they are still at the peak of their careers.

However, the Habsburg family's rules were not too numerous or too harsh. In order to manipulate this power, Louis XIV, the Sun King of France, increased the number of rules in the Bourbon court to an inhuman level.

Even the Sun King, the one who set the rules, might not be able to remember them all, he told his confidants.

“Use luxurious court life and elaborate rituals to exhaust their energy, and punish them severely for even the smallest mistakes. Make them study etiquette every day, and then they won’t have the mind to rebel.” However, even as a monarchy, Franz could not abolish these rules.

Franz initially felt that these rituals were worthless and should have been eliminated long ago. He could disregard them and he could do without them, but the royal family could not be without these rules, and his family could not be without them.

Franz's father, Grand Duke Franz Karl, was considered wise beyond his years and regarded as an explorer and a great hunter; Franz's uncle was regarded as a kind old man, all thanks to the authority and mystery that these rules brought.

For Franz, it wasn't the case, but for others it was a different story.

Moreover, excessive freedom can lead to unexpected troubles.
His two sons were a bit of a problem, and if Franz tried to brush them off with something like "they're too young," he would most likely be refuted.

However, it is indeed difficult to get someone to imagine something they themselves do not believe in.

"This is the duty of the royal family, a responsibility you cannot escape from the moment you are born."

You should understand etiquette and rules, but don't become overly bound by them.

Do you understand?

The two little ones nodded blankly, and Franz thought for a moment and added.

"Understand, master, and even surpass; reshape. Let's start with the basics now."

In fact, the two little ones are very familiar with etiquette and rules. After all, they have been exposed to and trained from a young age, so it is impossible for them not to be proficient.

Franz went through the same thing back then; he could skip any other class except etiquette class.

Franz thought back to the past, but Augustus and Alexander seemed to have a good relationship, so there was no need to worry about them arguing in the future.

It was definitely the right decision to have the two little ones study together. The previous method of separate education used by the royal family was a waste of resources and could easily lead to estrangement and conflicts.

Different teachers, different social circles, different treatment—it's no wonder there are disagreements.

Especially since people in this era are always thinking about spreading their ideas, which of Franz and his brothers hasn't been subtly brainwashed?

Clashes between different ideas are inevitable, but they manifested themselves as internal royal disagreements.

However, finding a suitable group of partners for them is not easy. In fact, not only are people who climb to high positions prone to losing their humanity, but people born into high positions are also prone to losing their humanity.

Just now, Franz found out that the idea of ​​eating lions and tigers was suggested by one of the attendants; Archbishop Rauscher was merely taking the blame for someone else.

In addition, these children also play a game called "Birds of Paradise." It sounds harmless, but it actually involves cutting off the legs of birds and throwing them into the air to watch them struggle to survive.

Such disgusting behavior is actually a valuable experience passed down through generations by some so-called prestigious families, used to eliminate the weak.

Fortunately, it was stopped before things got any worse. In comparison, the games that Franz played when he was a child, which seemed excessive, didn't seem so excessive after all, since there were prizes to be won.

At that moment, Bordeaux suddenly rushed over to Franz and handed him a letter.

"Your Majesty, an urgent telegram from Bohemia."

Franz understood that the matter must be very urgent, otherwise a traditional Bordeaux attendant would not have sent the letter while he was eating.

Franz had only been resting for a day when the telegrams came from Prague. One was from Prince Windishgretz, the Governor-General of Bohemia, and the other from Prince Esterházy, a high-ranking official in Bohemia.

Franz had barely glanced at it before he wanted to flip the table over, but he held back.

"I have some things to take care of. You two should get some rest."

After Franz finished speaking, he walked straight out. Augustus and Alexander naturally understood that something bad must have happened, but they knew that excessive attention would only cause their father more trouble and would not help in any way.

Their task, as Franz said, was simply to eat well and rest well, nothing more.

At least at this point, they do not yet have the responsibility to share the burden.

Franz said as he walked.

"Summon Prince Schwarzenberg over here. Have him strip that idiot of his military power right now!"
"Now we should honestly leave our homeland and find somewhere to retire, otherwise the Wendy Schgretz name will disappear from this world!"

At this moment, Franz's forehead veins bulged. He rarely lost his composure like this, but what was happening before his eyes was simply unheard of: local gangs and the army had joined forces to confront the Vienna-sent patrol team.

A local military commander bypassed the administrative and judicial systems to directly arrest the police chief who carried out the purge and also disarmed the royal guards.

If it weren't Colonel Monta who went, and if this guard hadn't already weathered many storms, what if a good-natured or reckless young man had accidentally fired a shot?

That was truly the biggest joke in all of Europe, even funnier than the British getting beaten black and blue by fishermen in North America.

"Prague is truly a magical place; it always manages to create news that shocks the world."

Franz was now so angry he was incoherent, recounting the Hussite Wars (the first time he threw something out the window), the Thirty Years' War (the second time), the Year of the Storms (the third time), the February Events (the fourth time), and the Prague Spring (the fifth time).
(One of the hallmarks of the February events was the mysterious "fall" to his death of then-Czech Foreign Minister Jan Masaryk. It must be said, these people really enjoyed throwing things out of windows.)

Each time was a catastrophe, a disaster.

It seems that the lessons learned from the storm of 1848 were not profound enough, which is also due to Franz's failure to address the root of the problem before it escalated.

But precisely because of this, the reckoning of the entire Bohemian region was very incomplete, and even though Franz tried several more times afterward, he was never able to completely resolve the issue.

On the one hand, there is no legitimate reason, and on the other hand, it is hidden too deeply. In many cases, it is a case of you being in me and me being in you.

Bohemian Czech nationalists cannot be simply categorized by ethnicity, as many of them are German.

Especially after being tricked by Franz on the issue of racial change, those who were tricked became even more determined, while those who were observing became even more secretive.

Another source of the problem was Governor Alfred Karl zu Wendischgraetz, the eldest son of the former Wendischgraetz. His mother had been shot by the rebels, so he should have been extremely hostile to them.

Franz had met him before and thought he would eradicate evil completely and become the sharpest blade to intimidate the region.

However, it seems that this hatred did not last long; instead, it was resolved through mutual benefit.

"They've even started helping each other out!"

Franz said through gritted teeth.

The new Prince Wendy Schretz's reason was that Baron Eisenheim had arrested too many people, and it was impossible that all of Prague's more than a thousand police officers were bad.

He even joined a group of officials in filing a joint complaint against Baron Eisenheim for more than a dozen serious crimes, including abuse of power, vigilante justice, abuse of power for personal gain, and creating panic.

The newly appointed Prince Windischgretz felt he was helping Franz stabilize the situation.

Franz's assessment of him was that he was either utterly wicked or foolishly naive. Either way, the Austrian Empire of today could not tolerate him.

However, Franz was grateful that he hadn't thrown the man out the window, otherwise the whole incident would have been even more embarrassing.

Another letter came from Prince Esterházy, who thought Prince Wendyschreitz had gone mad.

Prince Esterházy, along with the de facto heads of more than thirty families in Bohemia, jointly accused Prince Windischgretz and some officials of plotting a rebellion, listing hundreds of major crimes.

It's unclear whether he's using this opportunity to curry favor or if the young master is offering his head as a gift.