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

Chapter 1974 Stories of the Southern Ming Dynasty
Nicholas I was like a shark that had smelled blood; he was waiting for an opportunity to feast.

However, Franz had to pour cold water on his idea: what the Holy Roman Empire needed at this time was not victory, but stability.

The Austrian Empire expanded too rapidly, and its infrastructure in various aspects had not kept pace. Defeating Sweden was not a problem, nor was taking Norway.

The problem is that Franz no longer has the extra energy to spare, and occupying lands that he cannot unify would only be a problem.

"Excuse my bluntness, but we do not have a valid pretext for war."

Nicholas I laughed heartily upon hearing this.

"Isn't that simple? Didn't Oscar I take in a German traitor? We can use that as a starting point."

Whether he hands over the person or not, we must insist that the person is a fake.

Franz was speechless for a moment. Although it was absurd, it might actually make sense given the strength of the Holy Roman Empire and Russia at that time.

"But what good would it do us to take Sweden? Scandinavia is just a frozen wasteland. Is it really worth fighting a war for?"

Moreover, although Sweden was in decline, even a broken ship still had some nails, and with the difficulty of supplying supplies in Scandinavia, it was difficult for the army to move.

"We'll likely have to pay a heavy price to conquer Sweden."

Nicholas I, however, said dismissively.

"So what if it's a frozen wasteland? What if there's gold on it?"

Franz was even more helpless.

“Father-in-law, we can’t be that lucky every time.”

"That's hard to say."

Nicholas I paused for a moment before continuing.

"The Swedish army is utterly insignificant; both its navy and army are easily defeated."

Nicholas I was clearly lying about this. The Swedish navy was not small, and its army was by no means incompetent. Otherwise, Russia would have already taken action, and there would have been no need for Russia to come to Franz to divide Sweden.

"The Swedish navy is not small; they have more than 50,000 men and more than 200 ships, and every port has a large number of gun emplacements."

"Our country doesn't even have a single decent battleship in the north."

Franz wasn't lying; the entire North Germany couldn't possibly muster a single new battleship.

Only the Netherlands and Denmark possessed such powerful weapons in the entire North Germany region, but the Dutch ships were all built decades ago, and some were even beyond their service life.

This isn't expired food; at most, it might give you a stomachache. These old-fashioned things, if actually sent to the battlefield, would be harmful to both themselves and others.

The Danish Kingdom's battleships were newly built, but Frederick VII had taken them all.

Denmark, after all, originated from piracy and its navy, and Frederick VII consistently treated his navy well. That's why the Danish navy, defying societal norms, chose to pledge allegiance to Frederick VII at this crucial moment.

However, not everyone would be willing to give up everything to follow him to Sweden for the usual treatment. In fact, if it weren't Sweden, even Russia might have attracted more followers.

Because Danish nationalists had previously listed Sweden as a sworn enemy, and indeed the two countries were sworn enemies, many people found it completely unacceptable emotionally.

However, the battleships, which were the main fighting force, had already sailed away, and the remaining small and medium-sized ships had very limited role in the naval battle at this time.

Most importantly, the ships of the North German states were not under each other's command before, and Franz had not yet had time to integrate them. If they were forced into service, they probably wouldn't be able to unleash even half of their combat power.

Franz did not rush to integrate the navy in North Germany largely because they were not very useful and were prone to causing unnecessary trouble.

The British were far too sensitive about naval matters, as was the Kingdom of Sweden. Franz didn't want to escalate the situation too much, so he avoided touching those red lines.

In addition, the Kingdom of Sweden actually pays great attention to its navy. They have five steam-powered battleships, which is certainly not comparable to those of Britain and Austria, but is very close to the level of the French and Russian squadrons.

The Kingdom of Sweden even independently developed a steam-powered armored ship, which, although somewhat incongruous, was still superior to the unarmored one.

Nicholas I was unconcerned, after all, the commander of the Russian Baltic Fleet had assured him that the Baltic Fleet's strength was twice that of the Swedish Navy.

This isn't entirely untrue; if we're simply talking about the number of ships, the Russian Baltic Fleet is indeed twice the size of the Swedish Navy.

However, there is a significant gap in quality between the two sides; the number of large ships in the Swedish Navy is almost equal to that of the Russian Baltic Fleet.

If we add the ships that Frederick VII took with him, the Swedish navy would have had an advantage in terms of capital ships at this point.

However, these words were of no use to Nicholas I, who would not give up just because the two sides' forces were close in strength.

This kind of personality is fearless of strong enemies, but it also makes one prone to making mistakes and capsizing in unexpected situations.

"So what? Do you think our two navies are afraid of the Swedes' pitiful forces? We can just send some more from the south."

Franz shook his head.

“Father-in-law, don’t forget that if our fleets in the Mediterranean or Black Sea want to go north to provide support, they must pass through the English Channel. The British will not allow us to do that.”

Nicholas I instinctively wanted to refute, but then he recalled past experiences, and it seemed that the British always stood on the opposite side of the Holy Alliance.

"Alright. Even so, our forces are still superior to the Swedes'."

"Are you sure the British won't support Sweden? This war would be a losing proposition for the Holy Alliance."

And you must not forget the purpose of establishing the Holy Alliance.”

Nicholas I immediately retorted.

"Sweden has chosen to withdraw. We are the true allies."

"But this is a completely unnecessary war."

Nicholas I said, exasperated by his lack of ambition.

"Frantz, you've become weak. You should eliminate your enemies completely!"

Franz remained as calm as ever.

“This is not weakness, it’s just unnecessary. Father-in-law, aren’t you afraid that Scandinavia will become the next Balkans?”

Nicholas I was immediately alarmed, because he had been told that Russia and Austria were being very unfair in the division of spoils of war.

Russia got all the bad land, while Austria got all the good land. There were even rumors that Franz was constantly instigating rebellions in the Balkans.

Nicholas I had always been skeptical about this, but this time, Franz's personal mention of it forced him to suspect that it was all a trap set by the Austrian Empire.

However, before Nicholas I could think about it, Franz spoke up.

“Every year I have to invest hundreds of millions of florins in the Balkans to maintain stability, and I have to station nearly 200,000 troops in those areas.”

My ministers even advised me to abandon the lands that were won with the blood of countless soldiers.
This is a list of our country's annual expenditures in the Balkans, along with troop deployments and those absurd suggestions.

The accompanying attendant immediately opened a leather trunk, which was full of yellowed documents and some relatively new letters.

Nicholas I immediately flipped through the pages, and the figures were shocking. Compared to these, Russia's losses seemed relatively small. At least Russia hadn't spent so much money on those rotten lands, and some things had been deliberately ignored.

Just as Nicholas I was hesitating, Franz spoke again.

"Scandinaviania today is a larger Balkan."

These words gave Nicholas I a jolt; frankly, he was also troubled by the enormous expenditure. However, he still wanted to relieve the pressure in the way he knew best.

"Then what do you think about heading south? I've heard that the nomads of the Ottoman Empire are always harassing the Holy Land. Our agricultural areas along the Black Sea coast are also constantly being attacked. It seems those infidels are joining forces to wipe us out."

"Why don't we strike first and gain the upper hand?"

Franz was also somewhat helpless.

"This is not a good idea. We will still face the same problem. The cost of maintaining stability is too huge, and it is not worth it for us."

Moreover, the ceasefire agreement hasn't expired yet; we're giving others ammunition to slander us."

Franz knew very well that Nicholas I was a man who cared a lot about his reputation, but he also didn't treat the Ottomans as human beings.

“We can invest more in Africa. That wild continent has amazing potential, and the British and French are busy expanding their territory.”

Nicholas I could see the benefits of the African colonies, but it seemed that there was hardly any left in Africa.

Most importantly, Nicholas I had previously sent colonial expeditions to Africa after the Battle of Constantinople, just as Franz had claimed.

Unfortunately, the Russian colonial team did not achieve any real results; instead, many people died due to a malaria outbreak.

The serfs sent to the Austrian Empire's colonies earned several times more than they did on the farms, but they faced immense pressure within Russia.

Those nobles, clergy, and liberals all say he is trafficking people. In fact, I can understand the nobles and clergy, but why can't those liberals distinguish between temporary workers and temporary workers?

At this moment, Nicholas I suddenly had another idea.

What do you think about continuing the eastward advance?

"what?"

Franz immediately became alert.

"It's Alaska. I want to send more people to undermine the British."

Nicholas I appeared confident.

Franz was exasperated, but he still pretended to be deep in thought.

“The Yukon Territory is still too desolate. You should develop southeastward along the Rocky Mountains.”

This surprised Nicholas I.

"If we continue south, wouldn't that mean we're entering your country's sphere of influence?"

Franz smiled.

“Father-in-law, the expansion of the Holy Roman Empire has basically reached its limit. As long as we can hold onto the existing lands, I will be satisfied.”

I also don't really recommend that you engage in direct conflict with Britain; appropriate trade is a better option.

The British are short of money right now.

Nicholas I pondered for a moment and then spoke.

"But I've heard that the British royal family has been making a lot of big moves in recent years."

Franz quickly replied.

"The British Royal Family is not the same as the British government. Rest assured. The source is absolutely accurate; even the British bankers themselves are finding it hard to believe."

The guys in the City of London are urging the British government to pay back the money; they're swamped with work.

Franz's news was indeed true; the capitalists in the City of London were about to revolt because the British government was not repaying its debts and was even borrowing more, which put them in a hurry.

The British government was actually in a bind, because there were simply too many places where money was needed. Especially in the newly acquired North American colonies, without funds to maintain stability, uprisings would likely break out at any moment.

At this time, there was another argument within the British government that those lands should be sold to the United States at a higher price. Franz thought that they were going to take all the bamboo shoots in the world.

However, the Americans were not faring much better; they also suffered significant losses in the war. The North, in particular, suffered a devastating decline due to territorial losses, reparations, and casualties.

Southern separatism reached an unprecedented scale, but not because of the issue of the continued existence of slavery, but because Southerners opposed the US government using Southern money to pay off Northern debts.

At the same time, numerous scandals within the US government have angered both the North and the South.

Nicholas I hesitated for a moment, but still spoke.

"Frantz, I don't approve of your approach. Money isn't everything; it can't replace weapons. The soldiers are waiting for their honor, and I can't abandon them for my own selfish reasons."

Nicholas I always saw himself as a kind and benevolent man, even a savior.

Regardless of what others say or think, he firmly believes in it.

“Father-in-law, money cannot replace swords, but swords have a price. The battlefield and honor await the soldiers, but behind them, their families are also waiting for them.”

Franz paused for a moment and then said.

"Of course, as decision-makers, we must bear this heavy burden. It is our duty, our responsibility, and our destiny."

Nicholas I nodded without saying much, but he had already made up his mind.

After the Tsar left, Prince Albert finally found an opportunity.

"Your Majesty, it is truly not easy to see you."

After a series of routine pleasantries, the two sides got straight to the point.

"Your Majesty, there are indeed some matters I wish to discuss with you. The Queen of the Southern Ming has been assassinated, the Southern Ming government has collapsed, and now hundreds of bandits are fighting each other on Australian soil."

Franz also received the news of this, and he wasn't surprised. Whether as a woman or an actress, Zhu Qiongying had done very well.

This name is most likely a pseudonym, but Franz has no interest in investigating her background. Now that she's dead, her past is even harder to trace.

Zhu Qiongying's current fate can be said to be an inevitable end. Franz once tried to help her and give her a talisman.

However, the other party clearly misunderstood, and the moment she tried to cut ties with Franz, she was already doomed.

Without the protection of the Austrian Empire, she was merely a woman, an actress. Her decades of efforts and achievements paled in comparison to the millennia-old Confucian ethics and the ambition of kings and generals who believed in the privilege of privilege.

The Southern Ming's mission has been largely accomplished, and the nearly one million people in Australia will no longer be in danger of extermination. As for the organization that will replace the Southern Ming government, it will appear sooner or later.

However, Franz's first priority at this moment was to calm the flustered Prince Albert.

"Your Highness, rest assured. Our interests will not be affected. Everything is under control."