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

Chapter 1905 Exorbitant Prices
Moreover, through nearly twenty years of debate, Franz had long since desensitized the Austrians to the British theories, so they would not actively cooperate with the other side as they had in history.

"I'll say it again, Your Excellency: this is a matter between Austria and Sardinia. This is a matter between nations; please don't drag innocent people into it."

If you don't acknowledge this, then there's no point in continuing the discussion.

Viscount Stratford's fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

What does your country want in order to let this go?

This time, it was Lord Habescu who looked puzzled.

"Of course, the intruders should be punished as they deserve."

Lord Haberscu's words infuriated Viscount Stratford, but the British were currently in a period of weakness and were simply not up to the task of fighting on the Austrian Empire's doorstep.

He glanced furtively at the French Foreign Minister, Walevsky, who remained indifferent, his eyes downcast.

It's unlikely that Britain can now get the French to lead the charge, but it must prevent the Austrian Empire from using this opportunity to expand.

With one of the Holy Alliances expanding wildly on land and the other undermining Britain at sea, how could the world's superpower tolerate this?
"Your country will pay the price for going its own way!"

Viscount Stratford rose to leave, and Lord Habescu made no attempt to stop him, leaving him no choice but to depart.

After Viscount Stratford left, Walevsky also politely chose to leave, but the latter did not say anything more or make any statement.

Lord Habescu couldn't help but look at Walevsky with newfound respect. He had heard that the latter had clashed with Napoleon III over political differences and family interests, and he didn't know whether to feel sorry for him or relieved.

Everything unfolded exactly as Franz had predicted. Such an emperor was admirable, yet also terrifying.

Lord Haberscu shook his head, pulling himself out of his thoughts. He might be a big shot in other people's eyes, but what did he amount to in the face of this overwhelming power? It was best not to think about it too much.

"Your Majesty, the British seem very angry."

Prince Schwarzenberg said with some concern. The Prime Minister, who had always presented himself as a proponent of war, was the one most worried at this moment. He did not take the Kingdom of Sardinia seriously, and he even felt that Britain and France were not worth worrying about.

Prince Schwarzenberg was truly worried about the Russians, his allies, and he did not believe that Russia would allow Austria to continue its expansion.

As for the so-called alliance agreement, Russia's national credibility and Nicholas I's personal credibility were both negative in his mind.

"The British anger is worthless, and they will most likely still hold their noses and continue talking to us."

Don't underestimate the shamelessness of the British; this level of shamelessness is nothing to them.

Franz paused for a moment before continuing.

"Our land was invaded, our people were massacred, and our peaceful and harmonious order was shattered."

We are the ones who should be angry.

Furthermore, the compensation and commendations must be in place. Anyone who tries to sabotage things at this time shouldn't blame me for making an example of them.

Prince Schwarzenberg nodded vigorously. He knew that Franz was not lying, after all, His Majesty the Emperor was never lenient when it came to dealing with people.

Moreover, as a soldier, Prince Schwarzenberg himself would not have any goodwill towards those who withheld the compensation of fallen soldiers; he would only feel disgust and contempt.

Prince Schwarzenberg, however, could not understand the actions of those who risked direct confrontation with His Majesty the Emperor, sacrificing honor and dignity for petty gains.

The news of the widespread use of telegraphs reached Turin on the same day, but Vittorio Emanuele II did not appear too flustered; in fact, he was somewhat excited and expectant.

Cavour ignored Victor Emmanuel II, who was meeting with his generals. He did not take propaganda as a sign of strength. The Kingdom of Sardinia was not as powerful as it was portrayed, and the Austrian Empire was not as weak as legend had it.

In fact, Sardinia and Austria are only separated by a river, and anyone who isn't blind can see the difference between the two sides.

But for powerful figures, they can choose not to see what they don't want to see, especially when their subordinates don't want them to see it. The information cocoon after double filtering is extremely terrifying.

Of course, all of this was for political reasons. The Italian nation needed a ruler who was convinced of the revival of the Italian kingdom, and Victor Emmanuel II, as the standard-bearer, could not lack confidence.

However, Cavour, as the de facto ruler of the Sardinian Kingdom, was well aware that the chasm between Sardinia and Austria at this time was much deeper than the Ticino River.

Cavour is not a fool, nor is the elite of Sardinia. No one wants to sit idly by and wait for their doom; some have even begun selling off assets out of panic.

The trading of various commodities such as grains and daily necessities was also taking place quietly, and some astute people noticed some clues and began to hoard grains and coal.

The patriotic fervor that had previously swept across the mountains was instantly replaced by panic. Only the innocent children and the rural folks who had never seen an Austrian before were still excited about the carefully crafted stories.

However, since the Kingdom of Sardinia had just fought a war with Austria more than a decade ago, only a very small number of people were truly ignorant.

"Report! Your Excellency, the intelligence is incorrect. The Austrian Empire has not mobilized 100,000 troops."

Cavour breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this news. If they were to face 100,000 Austrian troops, the Kingdom of Sardinia might have no chance of winning.

Due to previous treaty restrictions, the standing army of the Kingdom of Sardinia at this time only numbered 50,000, and even with temporary conscription, it would be difficult to assemble an army of 200,000 as before.

However, even if they could muster an army of 200,000, based on historical records, the chances of the Kingdom of Sardinia winning would be extremely slim.

"How many people do the Austrians actually plan to send?"

The messenger wiped the sweat from his brow and said.

"150,000."

"."

The atmosphere instantly became awkward. If the other person hadn't been someone he had personally promoted, Cavour would have suspected that the other person was playing him for a fool.

"That's enough. You can leave now."

"Yes!"

The entire Sardinian high command exchanged bewildered glances, and seeing that no one spoke, Cavour slammed his fist on the table.

"What's the point of fighting?! Those damned Frenchmen are just trying to screw us over!"

Cavour's words resonated deeply with the assembled dignitaries, as the Kingdom of Sardinia's several collaborations with France had not been very fruitful.

In fact, this attack was intended to give Napoleon III an explanation. The original plan was to trick some Italian nationalists into assassinating Franz in Vienna, so that the Austrian Empire could also lose face.

However, although many people were sent, they all disappeared without a trace. To be honest, because so many people wanted to assassinate him, Franz was unaware that Italian nationalists had launched an assassination attempt against him.

In desperation, Cavour conspired with a group of people to prove himself in the most mindless way possible: three hundred men crossing the Ticino River in an attempt to reclaim the whole of Italy was truly a bit too fantastical.

The Italians did take action, but in 1848, Bellevue usurped the throne in the name of the Second French Republic, and then Napoleon III abandoned them.

Their disappointment with France had reached its peak.

"Let's try to negotiate." "How? The Austrians want 100 million florins! Where would we get that much money? Besides, we haven't even paid off our previous debts!"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked helpless. The Treaty of Po had been weighing heavily on the mind of the Kingdom of Sardinia for years.

One hundred million florins is far too much; the Kingdom of Sardinia simply cannot afford that much money.

The Kingdom of Sardinia is one of the wealthiest countries in the Italian region, with an annual fiscal revenue of nearly 1.47 million francs, equivalent to about 7000 million florins.

However, the Kingdom of Sardinia's deficit was also staggering, with an annual deficit rate of around 30%. Even in the chaotic 19th century, this was an extremely alarming figure.

Aside from heavy interest rates and Victor Emmanuel II's personal ambitions, it was mainly due to the even more astonishing corruption.

Despite the fact that the people of Sardinia live in dire straits, with many so poor that they can't afford a new piece of clothing for years, Turin is known as the "Little Paris of the East."

In particular, prices are comparable to those in Paris, and the shops are filled with a wide variety of goods, which is enough to support the largest department store in Southern Europe and a commercial street that stretches for eighteen kilometers.

(The department store is not from the original timeline.)
Sardinian high society has always been a regular in London and Paris, and is known for its extravagant spending.

However, having money is one thing, but whether one is willing to sacrifice their family fortune to help others is another.

Many of them acquired properties in Lombardy and Venetian, after all, no matter how good England and France were, they were not from the same cultural sphere.

Milan and Venice were already bustling enough at this time, so going to Paris and London was not so cost-effective.

Moreover, transferring assets to the Austrian Empire was a safer option, since Austrians would not target their own country's assets.

If the Austrian Empire were to actually annex the Kingdom of Sardinia, they could seamlessly become Austrians.

As for whether to become a new Austrian or an old Austrian, that naturally depends on which side is more advantageous.

If the Austrian Empire decided to favor certain areas, the support would be substantial. For example, Galicia's per capita income increased nearly tenfold in ten years, transforming it from a destitute nation into a nouveau riche.

The economies of Wallachia and Morvia have also developed at a rocket-like pace, while the West Bosnia region has solved the problems of food and water that had plagued it for thousands of years.

However, Albania is not doing so well. The war has never stopped in recent years, and it seems to be escalating.

Of course, it is also possible that the Austrian Empire simply appointed a member of the royal family to rule, as was the case with Naples, where a king was appointed.

However, His Majesty Maximilian's reputation is not very good. It's one thing to compete with the people for profit, but it's even more shameful to lose.

Even more outrageous is that this self-proclaimed liberal king actually used his power to stir up trouble in the market.

It should be noted that Maximilian was already the most normal-looking of Franz's brothers; the other two grand dukes were obviously different to anyone who looked at them.

However, not everyone was looking for a way out. For example, Count Cavour still wanted to stabilize the situation.

"We could owe each other before, why can't we now? What's the rush! No matter what the deal, as long as the other party is willing to pay, there's room for negotiation!"

Others had long been accustomed to this domineering prime minister, after all, he was indeed very capable.

"That's it. Our Kingdom of Sardinia is willing to compensate your country for its losses, but please allow us to pay in full within twenty years."

"The ambassador of the Kingdom of Sardinia, Prombiel, said with a smile, his attitude seemingly very sincere."

However, Lord Habescu did not look too pleased.

“Mr. Ambassador, we are both aware of your country’s creditworthiness, and we cannot allow your country to default on its payments.”

Prombier remained unperturbed, speaking calmly as usual.

"But the amount your country has proposed is far too large; no country can easily come up with this money."

Lord Habescu was not in a hurry either, and simply repeated what he had said to Viscount Stratford earlier.

“Your country can use the right to develop materials, land, and resources as collateral. Our country is very inclusive, and there is nothing that cannot be accepted.”

"Could you grant me a few years' grace period?"

Prombier casually raised the question again.

"Of course not."

Lord Habescu's answer was also very straightforward: the amount of compensation was already a punitive measure set by Franz. What would happen if the Kingdom of Sardinia dragged it out for several years?

Moreover, how could Franz not know what they were planning? They simply wanted to wait for the situation to change, especially the war promised by Napoleon III.

Although Franz knew the French were boasting, the British were genuinely licking their wounds. Once the British regained their strength, they would surely intervene again.

With French support added to the mix, things would become extremely complicated. On the other hand, Franz also had to admit that Russia, as an ally, was itself a significant destabilizing factor.

Because Russia is so large, the potential for unforeseen changes is also greater. Franz didn't want things to drag on; this time, he had to make Sardinia suffer greatly.

This attack was not as simple as it seemed; even Cavour, one of those involved, could not see the whole picture. At this point, Cavour, and even the Kingdom of Sardinia, were merely pawns on a chessboard.

This is at most a trial balloon, but Franz won't let anyone test his limits.

If you like to stir things up, then go all out. For every piece your opponent plays, you capture it.

The Kingdom of Isardinia absolutely could not afford to produce one hundred million Florins at this time, so Prombiel changed his question.

What is the national value of our country?

Plombier's seemingly casual remark was actually a bombshell: "Your Austrian Empire wants everything, right? Then dare you accept these people?"

However, this move is not something you absolutely have to take.

"That depends on the performance of your country's workers. We can offer a quote based on the average price in our country's labor market, but it also depends on whether your country's workers are willing to pay."

If both parties agree, then our country can sign a contract with you to receive your labor export.

Prombier remained outwardly calm, even discussing the specific details of accepting labor as repayment with Lord Habescu. But inwardly, he was filled with resentment, increasingly suspecting that those so-called nationalists were the real enemies.

I don't know how that bastard Cavour became prime minister, let alone foreign minister. He's full of British scheming and intrigue, but now they're dealing with the Austrian Empire, which doesn't even bother to respond.

In fact, Cavour had another request: to have Prombier ask the Austrian Empire if they wanted excrement. If so, he suggested selling it to them cheaply.

But Prombiel isn't crazy. By then, the Kingdom of Sardinia will be much stronger, but he'll most likely be dead.

If the other person wasn't his superior, Prombier really wanted to tell Cavour.

Why don't you go and ask?