Life of Being a Crown Prince in France

Joseph looked at the Austrian envoy and continued:

“You mentioned those liberals?

“Hmm, if I remember correctly, they seemed to have caused a stir in France some years ago.

“But where are they now?

“In my cabinet, in the tax office, in the police headquarters, everywhere there are liberals in positions. They work diligently for me, for this country.

“You could ask them if they wish to devour me.

“I dare to bet, if Austria’s liberals really came to France, they would only think, ‘Wow, it would be great to buy a house here.'”

Count Moses fell into silence.

He realized that things might indeed develop as the Crown Prince of France said.

The liberals would destroy Austria, destroy Prussia, destroy Saxon…

Yet, they truly could not destroy France.

Moreover, if the liberals restrained the military forces of the Empire, it would be very advantageous for France.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but shrink his pupils.

So the trump card he prepared was actually only a noose on the Empire’s neck.

He must quickly reach a ceasefire agreement with the French before they realize this.

He swiftly tucked the two pamphlets on the table into his pocket, bowed slightly to Joseph, and said:

“Your Highness, I will immediately take your requests back to Vienna.

“In addition, Count Kaunitz also suggested that in order to reduce the devastation of war on our two countries, it would be best to hold ceasefire talks within half a month.”

Yes, it would take him about a week to return to Vienna — traveling day and night — so the negotiation representative must leave immediately.

Joseph smiled, “I appreciate Count Kaunitz’s pursuit of peace.

“Then, let it be in half a month. Let’s choose Venice as the location for the talks.”

…

A week later.

Vienna.

Baron Tugut glanced at the list of those involved in the riot in his hand, casually signed his name on it, and then looked anxiously toward the boulevard on the north side of his office.

For some reason, he recently always felt that some bad news would come from there.

In fact, he had already vaguely sensed that there might be some oddities with the Emperor—

Baron Walter lost contact. Count Rhinefeels and others had not been summoned by the Emperor for a long time. And two ministers of the Kaunitz faction were suspected to have gone to the Emperor’s temporary palace.

Baron Tugut wrote a letter requesting to go to Brno the day before yesterday, but the Emperor had not replied, so he could only continue to wait in Vienna.

“At most, it’s just resignation,” he shook his head.

The responsibility for the war’s defeat would most likely fall on him; he had been mentally prepared for this.

He had already planned to act as an envoy to Hanover or Denmark after resigning and would return to seek a position once the domestic situation improved in a few years.

Just then, his assistant suddenly rushed in, sweating profusely, turned around to close the door, and then lowered his voice, saying:

“Sir, news just arrived from Brno that the Emperor has decided to seek peace with France.”

The so-called “seeking peace” was a euphemistic way of saying they were preparing to surrender.

Baron Tugut was suddenly alarmed, jumped up from his chair, grabbed his coat, and ran out: “Prepare the carriage, I must see His Majesty.”

Such a big event of Austria about to surrender, the Emperor made the decision without discussing with his State Minister.

He must have a meeting with the Emperor.

The next day at noon, when Tugut’s carriage just passed through the outskirts of Vienna, a servant brought the day’s Vienna Daily News bought from the front town.

When Tugut saw the headline on the front page of the newspaper, his mind instantly went “boom”—”State Minister Baron Tugut suggests the Emperor seek peace with France.”

Jesus can testify that he had been staying in Vienna all this time, how could he advise the Emperor to surrender?

This was naturally the work of Kobutsel.

With the joint efforts of the three major families, to conduct some news control was a piece of cake.

Of course, this was also tacitly approved by Franz II.

This Emperor knew that someone must take the brunt of the public’s anger caused by Austria’s surrender.

And Tugut was the best candidate.

The next twilight, when Baron Tugut finally hurriedly arrived in Brno, the first news he received was that the Emperor had officially dismissed him from his ministerial position today.

Kobutsel became his successor.

After dawn, Tugut wanted to see Franz II, but the latter refused him.

And a group of young nobles recognized Tugut outside the temporary palace and immediately rushed over to beat him. Luckily, Tugut’s coachman reacted quickly and immediately drove away, allowing him to escape.

…

Vienna.

Baron Scheller handed the manuscript to a man with a low-brimmed hat and received two florins as payment from the latter.

He returned home in a daze and saw that his wife had already packed their luggage onto the carriage.

Scheller went back inside to ensure nothing was left behind and then jumped into the carriage.

He had already sold this house, along with the land in Trondheim Village.

His youngest son was arrested for participating in the riot, and he was implicated, losing his job at the City Hall, his eldest son’s pension was confiscated by the military committee, and even his title was nearly lost.

Later, with the help of Count of Cologne, he learned he could delay his son Lucas’s trial, and if he could raise enough money by then, he might avoid the death penalty.

He had one year to pay 3,000 florins to feed those greedy judges.

Again, 3,000 florins, it seemed he was cursed by this number.

Scheller sold all his properties and only gathered less than 1,300 florins.

At this time, his wife remembered that she had a cousin in Reims, France, who had made some money in the cosmetics business over the years.

So they decided to go to him to borrow some money to save Lucas.

Anyway, Scheller had lost his job in Vienna, and it was said the salary at the newspaper in France was quite high, so he could go there to make some money.

He used to work as a clerk at the City Hall, so he could write some articles, and it wouldn’t be hard to find a job at the newspaper.

Recently, he wrote more than a dozen articles for a mysterious group, earning nearly 30 florins.

When Baron Scheller’s carriage left the outer city of Vienna, he saw many people gathering by the roadside, burning effigies of Baron Tugut or Baron Walter, cursing loudly.

Currently, the City of Vienna was still under martial law, so people could only run to the outskirts to vent.

From the people’s curses, Scheller gradually pieced together the complete information—Austria was going to surrender to France in Venice. And the one who made the surrender decision was Baron Tugut.

He frowned, pulled up the carriage curtain, took out pen and paper, and after thinking for a while, he wrote the title on the small wooden table in the carriage: Vienna, the Purgatory of Sin, Corruption, and Debauchery.

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