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

Chapter 1899 Traitor
Lakshmi Pai was silent for a moment, then said with great certainty.

"Will do."

A happy smile appeared on the soldier's remaining half of his face.

That's great.

The soldier seemed to have a huge weight lifted from his heart, slowly closed his eyes, and stopped breathing.

night.

How long will our food supply last?

"One year."

Lakshmi Pai nodded and continued to ask.

Gunpowder?

"There are still three hundred barrels left."

This refers to those small Indian buckets, one bucket = 45.36 kilograms.

"That's too little! We need at least another thousand barrels!"

"Can"

The confidant seemed somewhat troubled, but Lakshmi Pai was not angry; instead, he offered kind words of comfort.

"Don't worry about the money! If we can't protect it, we'll have nothing left!"

The British confiscated most of the property of the Maharaja of Jhansi. The uprising had just recovered that property, and before he could even enjoy it, Lakshmi Pai sold it to buy weapons and supplies. Naturally, his men were not happy.

At least that's what she thought.
"We're out of money."

Lakshmi Pai's confidants finally lowered their heads helplessly. Most of them were her childhood playmates. Although they loved money, they knew what was important and what was urgent.

Lakshmi Pai also took a deep breath.

"You can go now. I'll figure something out."

What can be done? What can be done? Jhansi was not wealthy to begin with, and with the added exploitation by the British, it was already a miracle that she could maintain an army of more than 10,000 men.

The land and palaces in Jhansi should have been worth some money, but the British were about to invade, and the situation took a sharp turn for the worse. Who would be willing to take them on at this time?
Ask the Austrians for help? That's a good idea, but unfortunately the Austrian Empire's colonies are thousands of miles away, and they have always relied on Indian merchants to help transport supplies.

Suddenly, her personal maid entered, interrupting Queen Jhansi's train of thought.

"what's up?"

"The envoy from the Austrian Empire has arrived."

Lakshmi Pai finally breathed a sigh of relief, his face beaming with joy.

"Let him in quickly!"

The visitor was impeccably dressed, even in the sweltering heat of India, his attire was impeccable and formal.

"Greetings, Your Majesty. My name is Deckwell. What is your opinion of my previous suggestion?"

De Kerwell was one of the more experienced Austrian diplomats in the East; he had previously been in charge of affairs in Siam and Cambodia.

"I will not retreat; my people still need me."

Lakshmi Pai's attitude was very firm.

Decker was somewhat embarrassed. He was used to others obeying his every word, especially since this was an order personally issued by His Majesty the Emperor.

But this only made him admire her even more.

Lakshmi Pai continued.

"I need more gunpowder, lots and lots of gunpowder!"

Deckwell shook his head.

“I can pay.”

“Your Majesty, no amount of gunpowder can help you defeat the British. I reiterate, I bring with me the orders of His Majesty Franz Joseph I.”

You'd better take my advice.

Lakshmi Pai's blood pressure rises at the mere mention of Franz's name.

"I am the Queen of Jhansi, I am the rightful ruler of this place! I will not abandon my people!"

Decker wasn't annoyed; he simply said calmly.

"You can leave with your people; it's better than sitting here waiting to die. The British won't let you go."

"My people will not leave their homeland! How can you be so sure that I will be defeated? How dare you try to demoralize my army?"

Lakshmi Pai emphasized through gritted teeth.

“You must leave with me. This is His Majesty the Emperor’s order.”

"What if I say no!"

Lakshmi Pai was already showing signs of anger, and her trusted followers immediately sprang into action. She simply didn't want to harm him; it wouldn't be long before the entire Jhansi region became a battlefield, and if she didn't leave now, she might never be able to escape.

Suddenly, Lakshmi Pai's personal maids grabbed her arms, and then a white cloth was placed over her mouth and nose.

The sudden turn of events left Queen Jhansi with an expression of disbelief; the maids around her were her childhood friends.

"How could this be? Why?"

Lakshmi Pai felt a wave of weakness wash over her, all her strength drained away. She heard her best friend whisper in her ear.

“The day you sent us there, we were already His Majesty’s people.”

"Son of a bitch!."

Queen Jhansi's body finally went limp.

When Lakshmi Pai woke up again, she was in a bumpy carriage. Due to the long battle, she was finally able to rest, and her whole body ached, and her throat felt like it was on fire.

Fortunately, the maid brought the bowl of water to her lips, and Lakshmi Pai drank the water in one gulp before finally letting out a sigh of relief.

"Manzhu! You slut! You slut!"

It was clear that Lakshmi Pai was still angry, as she was still struggling to accept being betrayed by her best friend of over a decade.

Manju simply picked up a handkerchief soaked in medicinal wine and covered Lakshmi Pai's mouth, and the latter quickly lost consciousness again.

To fight against the British, the Queen of Jhansi formed an all-female army under the name of Dugal.

Dugal is one of the Hindu goddesses of war. Although the entire Dugal army consists of only a few hundred people, and is entirely composed of women, most of them come from noble or Maratha warrior families.

Many of these female soldiers began military training at a young age, and were proficient in horsemanship, archery, close-quarters combat with swords and shields, and even firearms.

Manju was the leader of this Dugal army, and they had all sworn allegiance to Queen Jhansi. She didn't want to leave if she could; she wanted to die gloriously in battle and ascend to the abode of God. In fact, the Hindu worldview has a concept similar to Valhalla, especially since participating in battle knowing death is inevitable is considered a final sacrifice, an extremely sacred way to die.

However, after that trip to Austria, Manzhu and her fellow sisters' thinking changed, and they even began to waver on things they had firmly believed in in the past.

Franz then took advantage of the moment to slip in.
Manju lifted the curtain, and before her stretched an endless procession. Tens of thousands of people, with their families, were slowly advancing along the borders of various states, escorted by the surviving soldiers.

Thousands of oxcarts creaked and groaned as people bowed their heads and chanted scriptures, offering blessings to the living and mourning the dead.

Because people would fall in the group from time to time, their bodies were either cremated together or thrown directly into the water.

Fortunately, at this time, the various states were busy fighting among themselves or following the British to quell rebellions, and only the occasional bandits would cause some minor trouble.

At that time, Indian bandits often numbered in the thousands and even dared to directly attack British supply convoys and Gurkha mercenaries.

However, the Rani of Jhansi's army was quite formidable after long-term training and the test of war. The bandits would usually only make some probing attempts, and would immediately run away once they found that they were not to be trifled with.

Of course, if Jhansi's army proves to be easily defeated, the bandits will certainly not let the fat sheep that has come to their mouths go.

If she could, Manju would also like to die gloriously alongside Lakshmi Payi, but what about the people behind her? Should she let them suffer endless humiliation?

As for holding out to the death, it was futile. Even the British auxiliary troops were a great strain on the entire Jhansi region and the entire Union.

What will happen when the main British force arrives?

Manju had also been to Europe with Lakshmi Pai, but she had only seen the army of the Austrian Empire. She felt that they had no chance of winning against such an army.

Rather than sacrifice in vain, she should seek a new life. Manzhu couldn't help but recall that handsome face that always inexplicably made her trust him.

The British did not pursue the Jhansi princely forces relentlessly, as many rebellious princely states were still resisting.

As for those auxiliary troops, they weren't exactly looking for tough opponents; the British had simply ordered them to be cannon fodder. If they had a choice, they would definitely pick on the weak.

Franz had also arranged supply points along the way, since there were quite a few Indian merchants willing to help with this small favor.

Whether it was to curry favor with the Austrian Empire or to retaliate against the British, it was a worthwhile endeavor for them, and the risks were minimal.

Even so, the journey to Tranquiba was extremely arduous, and by the time they finally arrived at their destination, the team had been reduced to less than half its original size.

Lakshmi Pai jumped off the carriage. Having seen so much carnage and desolation, the sight before her was unbelievable.

Straight irrigation ditches divide the rice paddies into neat squares, with water flowing merrily, and occasionally fish leaping up to catch small insects on the rice ears.

The edges of the rice paddies are often tinged with red, which comes from chili peppers and spices, but it looks more like decoration.

The massive white tower stands like a silent guardian, surrounded by carefully planted flowers along the cobblestone path.

Rows of Western-style houses stand side by side.
For them, all of this was clearly too dreamlike. In the turbulent Indian subcontinent at that time, there was not a trace of gunpowder.

However, cobblestone roads are a real ordeal for barefoot Indians, as they are not only very uncomfortable to walk on, but also very hot due to the intense sunlight, making it a double ordeal.

However, the people of Tranquiba have successfully put on shoes, and even those who are still not used to wearing shoes will deliberately avoid the pebbles and will not foolishly step on them.

As for the white tower, it was actually a creation of the Danes, not a fortress, but a lighthouse to guide ships at sea.

By this time, Lakshmi Pai's anger had subsided considerably, and everything before her eyes had once again broadened her understanding. She began to believe that Franz truly had a way to save her kingdom.

However, Lakshmi Pai soon had veins bulging on her forehead because Franz planned to send them to Africa for refuge.

"What did you say!"

Lakshmi Pai grabbed Deckwell by the collar.

"Your Majesty, please do not be agitated. This is His Majesty the Emperor's arrangement; sufficient land has already been reserved for you in Africa."

The climate is also very pleasant; you'll like it there.

Lakshmi Pai didn't believe Deckwell's nonsense.

"You call Africa a continent of disease, and you yourselves are unwilling to go there, so you ask us to go?"

"That is not true. Your Majesty, you and your people are not out of danger yet, and the British will not let you off easily."

What will you do if they catch up? For your safety, you should leave here by boat as soon as possible.

Lakshmi Pai was not satisfied with Deckwell's explanation.

"This is not a temporary refuge; this is clearly an escape."

Deckwell waved his hand.

"His Majesty the Emperor said that you can still fight your way back. But not now. Now you should leave this place and accumulate strength."

Lakshmi Pai clenched his fists, which was a tacit acceptance of this approach.

"I will arrange for you to leave in batches as soon as possible. I will have someone call a doctor over shortly."

Don't worry, we have plenty of supplies here. You should try your best to get well before boarding, otherwise you won't be able to withstand the rough seas.

After Deckwell left, Lakshmi Pai looked at Manju beside her.

"You big-breasted monster! You're full of bad intentions! The British should tax you handsomely!"

In 19th-century India, women had to pay a tax on their breasts, and the larger the breasts, the higher the tax.
Of course, women of higher castes do not have to pay taxes.

Lakshmi Pai, one of the last Jhansi citizens to board the ship, did not see the so-called British pursuers, but only farmers in uniform working hard in the fields.

Although Lakshmi Pai was born into a high caste, she was definitely one of the most enlightened rulers on the continent, and she did not discriminate much against lower castes.

But everything here was still challenging Lakshmi Pai's worldview; there were far too many Dalits here, or rather, they were all untouchables.

In her preconceived notion, the Dalits should not, and had no right to, own land and participate in its cultivation, but here they seemed to be the masters of the land.

Their clothing and tools were also irregular, but they would still bow their heads and avoid their shadows when they saw Lakshmi Pai and her entourage.

If it weren't for the occasional Indian caravan, she would have doubted whether she was still in India.

Despite the fierce fighting that was taking place across the Indian subcontinent, business in the Austrian Empire's colonies was booming.

In addition to the original luxury goods sector, arms have also become a hot commodity at this time.

The Austrian Empire's arsenal included both inexpensive, low-end goods and high-end items that could change the course of local battles.

Although the Congreve rocket was inspired by India, India's military technology is actually regressing.

This is of course thanks to the British, who successfully blocked Indian military technology, setting back the entire Indian subcontinent by a hundred years, except for the Sikh Empire.

At this time, the rockets brought by the Austrian Empire were a novelty that was difficult for the various princely states of India to comprehend.

However, because this weapon is easy to operate, they don't need to understand much about it; as long as it works and is easy to use, that's enough.

Although the Austrian Empire did not establish large-scale arsenals in India like Britain, its weapons were cheaper than those sold by the British.

Most princely rulers in India cannot distinguish between good and bad weapons, but they are very clear about their prices.

Moreover, in many cases, the weapons discarded by the Austrian Empire were indeed superior to the inferior products made by the British.