Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 428 Meeting
Bismarck and his entourage had already arrived in Prague, but the Austrian Emperor would not arrive for another two days. Since the German Confederation had already dissolved, leaving them waiting for two days was their family's final act of capriciousness.

"Where is my friend Naserdin now?" Franz asked the person next to him.

"Based on the timeline, they have already arrived in Pressburg and will reach Prague in another day. This is a telegram from the mayor of Pressburg."

Franz glanced at it, his brow furrowing. The contents astonished him; he gripped the telegram tightly, cursing the Hungarians under his breath.

"Damn Hungary, it seems we didn't teach them a lesson enough last time."

Franz never expected Hungary to be so reckless, even attempting to assassinate the Shah of Iran. Did they have any respect for him, the emperor?
"Make sure Rajosh severely punishes the murderers, and these people must be found!"

As Franz gave the order, Reichberg had already begun discussing the situation with Bismarck. Both sides agreed to a ceasefire, but Prussia would not receive a single benefit from Austria other than the dissolution of the confederation. No, Schleswig in the north was given to Prussia.

Of course, Naserdin arrived in vibrant Prague just one day later. The journey was truly perilous; it would be better to take another route back.

"Ah, hello my friend. I've heard about what happened along the way. It was our oversight. I've already sent someone to arrest the murderer. Don't worry, I'll definitely give you an explanation!"

Franz comforted Nasserdin, saying that the impact of this matter was enormous. Iran was preparing to invest in Hungary, and this would certainly ruin the investment. They had to retain the money, otherwise Austria would be unable to repay its debts.

"The people of your country are indeed tough; I almost didn't make it here."

Naserdin tried to make some dark jokes with Franz, who could only apologize profusely. He thought the Hungarians were always a drag on the team, and he even wanted to break them up.

“I’m sorry to have alarmed you. These Hungarians have been clamoring for independence for over a decade. They still haven’t given up, and I don’t know what to do.”

Naserdin looked at Franz and said, "How about exiling them?"

Franz hadn't even reacted yet, "What?"

“Exil them to the Congo, where you have established a base. Exiling them will also increase the workforce.”

"Know that Britain exiles tens of thousands of prisoners every year, you could do the same."

That's an idea, according to news from Africa. Austrian colonists have already established themselves at the mouth of the Congo River. Although a dozen or so have died from acclimatization issues, most have built out settlements and are preparing to explore inland along the Congo River.

However, they still need a large population to develop the area. There are too many forests here, and everyone is essentially a wood-axe general, either chopping down trees or sawing timber. To accelerate colonization, they need even more immigrants.

"If we can send an additional 2000 people, we can quickly take control of the area."

The proposal was sound, and Franz decided to implement it immediately. Exiling prisoners to the colonies would kill two birds with one stone.

After finishing that, Franz moved on to another topic, which Maximilian had relayed to him.

"Speaking of which, do you really think your brother can become the King of Spain?"

Naserdin replied, "It's highly likely, as you've seen in Spain. The government is in chaos, the economy is sluggish, and I think the Queen will soon be overthrown. They will certainly choose a new king then. Think about it, Franz, your family will have Spain again. This is beneficial in every way."

That's true. After losing the German Confederation, the Habsburg family wanted to get back at them elsewhere. Spain and Italy were good options, but they also had to consider France's attitude. As for sandwiches with cheese, the French would probably have the most to say.

"So, what about the French?"

"What, you still want to be friends with them?"

This question caught Franz off guard; how could this be? France's performance in the Italian War alone suggested weakness. But given its strength, Austria had to be wary.

"It's unlikely now; it will take time. The Queen can't be ousted next year, and France needs to find them an enemy."

"The enemy?" Franz looked at Naserdin and instantly understood. "Prussia?!"

Naserdin nodded.

Now I understand. It's true that using one tiger to devour another is always a brilliant strategy.

After seeing Franz off, Naserdin welcomed the next Prussian guest. They had also sent representatives to offer their condolences upon learning of the Iranian Shah's arrival, but this time it was the Prime Minister himself who came.

This was Naserdin's first time meeting Bismarck in person, and he was indeed as described in the biography: ruthless, resolute, and willing to use any means to achieve his goals.

"Upon hearing that the Shah had been attacked in Hungary, I have come to offer my condolences on behalf of the Kingdom of Prussia."

His deputy handed him a basket of gifts, which Naserdin had accepted. "Thank you for your country's concern. I've come regarding the matter between your country and Austria. If the two countries hadn't gone to war, none of this would have happened."

Bismarck's expression twitched slightly, and he immediately said, "Please forgive me, Shah, but the unification of Germany is irreversible. I simply chose the easiest path. Even without me, someone else would have accomplished unification."

That was the truth, and Nasserdin didn't mean any harm. He asked Bismarck to sit down and begin speaking.

"The Prime Minister should be aware of the loan agreement between our country and Austria, in which they have used customs duties, minerals, and railways as collateral. I believe no banker would refuse such a large amount of collateral."

Bismarck nodded; he had heard about Austria's loan agreements before. He hadn't expected Vienna to be so ruthless, even mortgaging the railway to Krakow.

"Fortunately, the two countries are now close to peace. We would appreciate your efforts in paving the way for peace. Our country does not want to start a war, but we have to do so for certain reasons."

Nasserdin waved his hand, "Our country has no interest in the reasons for the war. I only know that peace must be restored as soon as possible. I believe the Prime Minister's goal has been achieved, so why can't an agreement be signed immediately?"

Bismarck took out a piece of paper and said, "If Austria can agree to the conditions on this paper, my country can leave Austria immediately."

There was only one clause: Austria had to pay 4000 million thalers in compensation to Prussia. Even that was only after Bismarck's best efforts to negotiate with the old king; otherwise, Wilhelm I could have bankrupted Austria again.

(End of this chapter)