I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 1443 A Setback in Switzerland
The captain's face darkened, and he roared, "What are the police doing? Why aren't they providing protection for the tax officials?"

“Who knows?” Gold shrugged. “Maybe those officials who came up through exams aren’t familiar with the situation yet.”

In recent months, a large number of lawyers and academics have obtained positions in the Austrian bureaucracy through civil service examinations.

However, these intelligent and knowledgeable people failed to bring the government the vitality and efficiency it should have. Instead, previously functioning institutions began to have problems, and corruption was even more serious than among hereditary officials.

What these two Austrian officers didn't know was that nearly half of the newly appointed officials were agents of the old aristocracy.

Even after losing their official positions, nobles still wielded influence and wealth. They used various methods, such as secretly obtaining civil service exam questions, to promote their protégés.

Thus, although the Austrian bureaucracy appeared to have been refreshed with new blood, the real power remained in the hands of the former nobles.

Once these proxies take office, their first priority is to protect the interests of their behind-the-scenes bosses, and secondly, to pocket a share for themselves. Therefore, officials who used to embezzle one share now need to embezzle two.

Of course, there were also some officials who truly rose through the ranks based on their own merit. But they faced the constraints of noble families who had cultivated their influence in the region for decades or even centuries. Lacking connections and experience in officialdom, these intellectual elites were no match for the old aristocracy.

Ultimately, these people either sought refuge with noble families or their decrees failed to leave their offices.

This is also why, after the reform of the Austrian bureaucracy, administrative efficiency actually worsened.

As for tax matters, it was naturally a counterattack from the tax farmers group.

They possess enormous wealth and their influence extends to every corner of Austria. With just a small amount of money, they can cause government tax officials a great deal of trouble, or even lead to their deaths.

Tax farmers not only resort to violence against tax officials, but they also bribe officials and police, and secretly incite or threaten people to resist taxes.

Nowadays, Austrian police officers often don't receive their full salaries. When faced with bribes that amount to more than their wages, they are not only unwilling to protect tax officials, but they would also be willing to beat them up at the behest of the tax collectors.

Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents. Since His Majesty the Emperor wanted to ruin their business, they naturally had no scruples when it came to taking action.

Five months after Metternich began his tax reforms, Austrian tax revenues plummeted by 26% and are still falling rapidly.

Archduke Charles, having learned from France's military reforms, established a General Staff to oversee the training, equipment, and pay of soldiers.

However, this means that the previous practice of relying on officers to advance military pay is now history. If government finances falter, military spending will immediately be affected.

The captain paused for a moment, then whispered to his deputy, "After we defeat the Basel rebels, find a few wealthy villages and accuse them of colluding with the rebels... Let the soldiers find some income themselves."

"Yes, sir," Gold replied, sounding weak and listless. Switzerland was such a poor place, even rats could starve; there was practically no money to be made there.

He was hesitating whether to suggest that the company commander raid Arau when he suddenly heard a low horn sound from ahead.

The captain immediately roused himself, waving and shouting to his soldiers, "Tighten your formation, grab your guns, and prepare for battle!"

That bugle call meant that their forwards had encountered the Basel rebels.

The captain breathed a sigh of relief; the rebels numbered only 800, while they had over 4 soldiers.

In addition, they were all regular troops, equipped with the latest percussion caps and cannons, so dealing with Basel's rabble was a complete massacre.

Once the rebels are wiped out, he can return to Vienna and no longer have to worry about when the soldiers who haven't received their pay will suddenly mutini.

The regimental commander's messenger rode up and shouted at the company flag, "Captain Kemmerer, immediately proceed to the hills to the southeast and construct a defensive line to intercept any rebels attempting to escape from there!" "Yes, sir!"

Kemer was secretly pleased; it seemed he would most likely not have to participate in the battle this time. The hills were a third of a mile away from the rebel positions, on the road he had just passed.

After he had chosen a position, he ordered his soldiers to form a line formation, and then he heard bursts of cannon fire coming from the west.

Gold, standing to the side, looked into the distance and said, "It should be over in about half an hour."

Kemmerer nodded. Major Haze's cavalry battalion had gone to the west side of the Jura Mountains the day before yesterday to intercept them; the rebels had nowhere to escape.

On the north side of the Jura Mountains, a middle-aged major in a black double-breasted coat ducked for dust kicked up by artillery shells and said to the commander standing behind the breastwork, "Mr. Stephans, our soldiers will soon be torn to pieces by the shells. Let's retreat to Olten."

Stephans is a Basel member of parliament who is temporarily serving as the militia supervisor.

He had never been on the battlefield before, and now his face was deathly pale, his mind blank, only mechanically cursing incessantly: "Damn Württemberg people, damn them..."

Previously, the advisor sent by Württemberg assured him that as long as the pass on the north side of the Jura Mountains was fortified, the Austrians would never dare to attack.

But now the Austrian army has not only arrived, but more than 4 of them have come!
The major shouted urgently, "You must give the order immediately, or we will be surrounded!"

Stephans' lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word.

He knew very well that Basel had no defenders at the moment. If he abandoned his lines, the Austrians would advance unimpeded and occupy Basel within two or three days.

He would certainly be convicted of treason. The other members of parliament would be in the same boat.

He just wanted to enter the French market and expand his business; he had no intention of dying.

A shell landed more than ten meters away from him, instantly crushing several guards and disappearing into the distant weeds with a trail of blood.

The major raised his binoculars, his face immediately turning ashen—thousands of Austrian soldiers had approached his lines and were firing their guns in unison.

The Basel militia only fired a few haphazard shots before retreating.

He dropped the binoculars and collapsed to the ground. Now there was no escape, everything was over.

He looked at Stephans and whispered, "Let's... surrender..."

Before he could finish speaking, he heard a faint rumbling sound coming from the east.

The major stood up in surprise. That direction should have been the rear of the Austrian army. Who was firing the cannon?
He hurriedly picked up his binoculars and saw that the once-aggressive Austrian infantry line suddenly began to retreat, and even the cannons stopped firing.

He hurriedly sent out cavalry to scout the situation, but only 20 minutes later, a man with an eastern mountain accent rode up to him and shouted, "Colonel Engelmann requests your cooperation in launching a counterattack!"

Stephans' eyes lit up immediately. Engelmann was indeed the military advisor sent by Württemberg!
He hurriedly asked the messenger, "Colonel, you only brought 300 guards, how did you manage to repel the enemy?"

The latter turned his horse around and called out loudly, "Mercenaries, sir. We are mercenaries from Schwyz and Brienz, numbering nearly two thousand."

(End of this chapter)