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

Chapter 1973 Isn't it wonderful?
The Tsar's personal appearance caught most of the people present off guard, including Franz.

Because the Russian side did not notify them in advance, the originally chosen candidate was Crown Prince Alexander.

No one would question this, after all, Alexander had represented the Tsar on many important occasions before. His identity, status, age, and health were all perfectly suited for this job.

However, the Russian side was unaware that Nicholas I would suddenly travel to Vienna, because historically, apart from Peter the Great and Alexander I, there are almost no records of other Tsars traveling abroad.

Peter the Great was a pioneer of Westernization in Russia and a frequent traveler abroad. Alexander I, on the other hand, was forced to travel abroad due to the pressures of war, though he actually preferred to be alone in peace.

Although Nicholas I was very conservative, he was not very orthodox. On the one hand, he wanted to emulate Peter the Great, and on the other hand, he wanted to learn from his brother's pressure to do the same. He always felt that he had to do it this way.

Nicholas I's trip to London was an embarrassing one for all parties involved, catching even the British and the Russian ambassador off guard.

The situation was quite awkward. In fact, most royal families have guest lists, since etiquette is very important in such an occasion filled with nobles and royalty.

If you're not careful, you might offend some important people, so many people bring along a few attendants who are specifically in charge of etiquette so that they can behave in a way that is appropriate to their status and position.

Although there were many important figures present, such as Prince Albert, he was, after all, only the prince consort and not the actual ruler of the great power.

Tsar Nicholas I was completely different. He was truly the supreme ruler of Russia, and Russia at that time was powerful enough that no one could ignore him.

Having two main characters at a banquet is a very troublesome thing; a slight mistake can lead to pleasing neither side.

Russia was considered very barbaric by Europe or the West at that time, and Nicholas I was a prime example of a tyrant.

In fact, the concept of the modern West was originally used to counter Russia. The French attempted to use the term "West" to separate Russia from Europe, but it was later popularized by Britain and the United States.

This filled many of the guests present with both disgust and fear. However, due to the relationship between Austria and Russia at the time, as well as between Franz and Nicholas I, no one dared to make any rash moves.

In fact, Franz's personal reputation was also polarized; in the eyes of those who disliked him, he was not much different from Nicholas I.

But getting close to Russia could bring new troubles, and in some liberal countries it could even be political suicide.

When Nicholas I visited London, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's personal reception caused a huge uproar, and even more than a decade later, people were still making a fuss about it.

Moreover, relations between Russia and countries like Britain and France are currently extremely poor—not just delicate, but visibly so.

Being close to Russia would inevitably offend Britain and France, which would be fatal for small countries and families.

In fact, Franz did not invite the Second French Empire, but Napoleon III still sent people.

Franz was also helpless about this uninvited visit, but since the person had come, he couldn't just turn them away; after all, he had to give them the respect they deserved.

However, the presence of representatives from the Orleans family, the French Bourbon royal family, and the Napoleonic family has made the scene both awkward and chaotic, even resembling a powder keg.

After all, the feud between the three families has a long history, and etiquette and seating arrangements could become a ticking time bomb.

Franz didn't actually want to invite any of his family members, because all three families were too troublesome. In fact, it didn't seem like an unacceptable situation if none of them were present.
The problem is that the Duchy of Alsace-Lorraine was originally part of the German Confederation, and Fribourg was also under the protection of the German Confederation.

Although the Austrian Empire and the Second French Empire were at odds, it was not advisable to be too close to the House of Orléans and the Bourbon family before completely breaking off relations.

This was a very troublesome issue, and Napoleon III clearly did not have that awareness. In his eyes, the face of the Napoleon family was obviously more important, so he had to bite the bullet and get involved.

Of course, Louis Napoleon's concept of face was too frivolous; it was actually caused by his inferiority complex and fear.

Louis-Napoleon always felt inferior and feared the retaliation and conspiracies of the Austrian Empire.

After the Battle of Alsace-Lorraine, Napoleon III's rule was already precarious, and the slightest disturbance would make him uneasy.

Napoleon III sent people with a somewhat conciliatory intention, but others saw it as an attempt to cause trouble.

After all, the presence of the Napoleonic family would hardly add any luster to the funeral; on the contrary, it would make many people feel constrained.

Especially since he wasn't the only uninvited guest, the arrival of Nicholas I made the situation even more chaotic.

In addition to the opinions of Britain, France, and liberals, countries seeking closer ties with Russia also needed to consider the ideas of the Austrian Empire.

Although Austria and Russia appear to be close allies at this time, it is clear to everyone that it is difficult for the two sides to truly coexist peacefully.

If war breaks out between the two countries, it will be the biggest firework in the sky over all of Europe.

Therefore, people must consider the consequences. Did Franz really want other countries to be on good terms with Russia?

Of course, Franz wasn't interested in thinking about that much. What he feared most was that something might happen to Nicholas I in Vienna, in which case he would be unable to clear his name no matter what.

There was no need for an assassination to succeed; someone could simply drop a bomb on Nicholas I's path. Or, they could put poison in his cup, even if it was a used cup.

This would be an excellent pretext for war. If someone were to make a big deal out of it, it could even lead to the two major powers being brought to the battlefield.

Moreover, Franz did not have a thorough understanding of Nicholas I. If such a serious incident were to occur, Franz would not even be sure whether Nicholas I would pin the blame on him and believe that it was all a conspiracy.

Franz felt no joy at the Tsar's arrival, only fear.

“Baron Bordeaux, I need absolute certainty. High alert.”

In fact, the Austrian Empire had a wealth of experience in receiving foreign heads of state and high-ranking officials, but Bordeaux understood the gravity of the situation this time, since the fact that the Tsar was able to infiltrate Vienna was already a huge dereliction of duty by the imperial security services.

"Understood, Your Majesty. High alert!"

Nicholas I was discovered before he entered Vienna, but given his status, it was impossible to stop him unless Franz himself gave the order.

Franz was also quite helpless, because Nicholas I simply wouldn't listen to any advice.

Of course, the Tsar's presence was quite a shock, and the most distinguished people in all of Europe were discussing it with various thoughts.

Why is the Tsar here?

"Is something big about to happen again?"

"Damn it! Why is that guy here? What if someone tries to assassinate him? We'll all be in danger!"

Those nearby immediately sneered.

"Then do you dare to leave?"

"Then I don't want to die with that barbarian."

"You need to be qualified to be buried with them. Who among us isn't of high status?"

Of course, some bold noblewomen also made fun of the Tsar himself. "The Tsar is really that tall and imposing; these barbarians from the East are so amusing."

“How interesting. Look at all those kings around you, they have to look up to that barbarian they would normally look down on.”

"This funeral was truly impressive; it looks like it's going to be interesting tonight."

As she spoke, the noblewoman covered her mouth with her fan and chuckled, but the noblewoman next to her immediately poured cold water on her.

"You're being presumptuous. Don't you take a look at how many guards surround the Tsar? Do you think you can break through that encirclement?"

Diplomats and top spies from various countries were pondering the purpose of the Tsar's trip. In fact, everyone was well aware that Nicholas I was constantly making moves in Russia.

Based on past experience, could a Tsar who doesn't fight in the Russo-Turkish War still be called a Tsar?

As for the armistice agreement? Few people in all of Europe would believe the Russian armistice agreement.

Now that they're calling it the Austrian Empire, they're probably planning to take over the Ottomans again.

However, they didn't care about this, since the battlefield was already outside Europe, and the newly formed Eastern Roman Empire and the newly formed Holy Roman Empire probably both wanted such a great victory.

The suffering of the Ottomans? They had no interest in knowing.

Viscount Stratford looked very grim. This outcome was clearly not in Britain's interest, but at this point Britain seemed powerless to stop it.

Another war? Let alone Prime Minister Gladstone, who is relatively anti-war at the moment, even the Duke of Wellington would have to think twice.

Prince Albert, standing to the side, seemed unconcerned. It wasn't that he didn't care about British interests, but in his view, the basis for Austria-Russia cooperation was the existence of the Ottoman Empire as a common enemy.

Originally, the two sides should have become enemies after Russia captured Constantinople, but Franz cleverly opened a second front in the Holy Land, giving both sides common interests again, which is why the alliance was able to continue.

Prince Albert had few connections in Russia, but he had many in Germany, after all, he was German himself.

Prince Albert was well aware of the anti-Russian sentiment within the Austrian Empire, and that there were many who wanted to go to war with Russia.

If it weren't for Franz's forceful suppression, the two sides would probably have gone to war over a minor incident long ago.

Especially after the assassination of Empress Olga, the Austrian Empire generally believed it was the work of the Russians. Prince Albert, however, knew some inside information that was not open to outsiders, and he also had his own speculations.

The Austrian high command disliked the Russian Empress, as did her two sons. Within the Austrian Empire, there were many who wished for the three of them to disappear forever.

Franz had to admit that Prince Albert was indeed very talented, and that the decision to establish the Holy Site was one that Franz had thought about for a long time before making it.

Common interests are sometimes more reliable when there is no common enemy. As long as the Ottoman Empire existed, the Russo-Austrian alliance had a greater chance of continuing.

Therefore, it is unlikely that Franz would destroy his own Great Wall.

The accompanying Russian nobles and officials were very proud. They enjoyed being the center of attention, and in their view, the buildings in Vienna were not grand or impressive enough to compare with those in St. Petersburg and Moscow.

However, Vienna is ridiculously large and ridiculously prosperous, and the people are as densely packed as ants.

Vienna was a completely new world for these Russians. Bicycles, which were only for nobles and wealthy merchants in Russia, were everywhere here.

There were also those steel horse-drawn carriages on the street that transported goods, which they once suspected were miniature trains.

But those huge machines belching black smoke didn't need rails; only heavy tracks constantly pounded the ground.

The streets were lined with tall, extravagant new buildings, especially the department store that was even taller than a church, which completely shattered the perceptions of these Russians.

The street performers were also incredibly skilled; they were all well-educated and could easily distinguish the level of the performers. They were qualified to work at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.

However, here, those people seem to be limited to being street performers.

Furthermore, the Russians had never seen so many European nobles and royalty in Russia, and they also heard people pointing fingers at them.

Nicholas I himself didn't care at all. He started with a less-than-successful speech. His French was quite good, but it made many people uncomfortable.

The Duke of Morni, who was sent on a mission, felt no pride whatsoever; he felt that his country's language had been ruined.

Guests with German nationalist leanings found it provocative, while those who disliked Russia felt disgusted and terrified no matter what Nicholas I said.

Franz glanced at the coffin instinctively, fearing the old man might jump up and punch the Tsar.

Nicholas I was completely absorbed in his own pleasantries and didn't notice the expressions on the faces of those around him, but he didn't care about them at all.

Nicholas I had his reasons for coming from afar, and he soon found Franz.

“My dear Franz, I still think you should become the emperor of the Western Roman Empire. You shouldn’t be bound by the past.”

The Tsar's demeanor did not seem feigned; in fact, Nicholas I had always genuinely believed this.

"Father-in-law, aren't you also clinging to the past?"

"The revival of the Eastern Roman Empire is the mission of the Romanov family; how could I forget it?"

Nicholas I no longer spoke of the Third Rome, because in his mind there were two Romes, East and West, and mentioning the Third Rome would seem somewhat inappropriate.

“My family also had a similar mission. You should know about the losses suffered by the Habsburg family in the anti-French war.”

Nicholas I nodded, tacitly agreeing with Franz's statement.

However, Franz did not believe that Nicholas I had simply come all the way to persuade him to change the name to the Western Roman Empire, and he did not want to keep people in suspense, so he went straight to the point.

"What is the purpose of your visit?"

Nicholas I was slightly taken aback, then smiled.

"You can see right through anything. My purpose in coming here is twofold: first, to attend this funeral, and second, to do you a great favor."

"help?"

Franz was puzzled. He didn't understand what Nicholas I was up to, or why he was making such grand pronouncements.

“That’s right. Help me! I know the Swedes are making things difficult for you, but our two countries are allies, and as your father-in-law, I’m naturally on your side.”

"Let's join forces, Norway is yours, Sweden is mine. And then there will be no more war in Northern Europe, wouldn't that be wonderful?"