Chapter 1013 Undercurrent

Claridge's Hotel, London.

After the Austrian Empire mission returned to its base, Baron Brooke closed the door and held a small meeting, and then allowed the members of the mission to move freely.

Although Franz bought the hotel, the staff inside was basically unchanged, especially the waiters and waiters responsible for reception services.

So the news naturally reached the ears of the British intelligence agencies. This meeting immediately attracted the attention of the heads of the four major British intelligence agencies.

They spent a fortune to obtain memoranda of the meeting, only to be disappointed.

Because the content seemed to be just some words of encouragement and a restatement of some confidentiality regulations, but they could still infer from between the lines that the Austrians did not seem to intend to leave London immediately.

Whitehall, Foreign Secretary Palmerston's office.

"That's it! Sir! We took decisive and resolute action as soon as we got the news."

Before he could finish speaking, Faustino Heywood, the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, received a slap so hard that Palmerston's nose became crooked with anger.

"Every pig knows that the Austrians will not leave immediately! Their goal has not been achieved yet! Your four major intelligence organizations used more than 30 agents and spent thousands of pounds to come up with such a fucking nonsense?"

To be honest, Faustino Heywood, the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, can be considered a person who has been in a high position for a long time. In addition, due to the special nature of the affairs he is responsible for, few people in the UK dare not to show his respect.

However, at this time, after being beaten evenly by Palmerston, he had no temper at all.

"I'm sorry, it's all my subordinates who are doing things badly."

Palmerston seized Faustino Heywood by the collar and spoke harshly.

"Then you have to go in person! Otherwise, I will send you to New Zealand and let you keep company with the cannibals!"

After Faustino Heywood fled, Palmerston sat in his chair and let out a long sigh.

British operations in North America failed again, and the Texas colony failed to become a new British territory.

On the other hand, from the next day, members of the Austrian Imperial Mission frequently appeared at banquets held by senior officials, nobles and business elites. Oxford University even invited several of its famous economists to give lectures at the school.

In particular, the contacts with those bankers attracted great attention from the British government, because some officials felt that in the eyes of those capitalists, there was no country at all, only money.

If the Austrians really paid dearly to bribe these capitalists, it would not be impossible for these people to collectively force the British government to cease the war.

As early as 1689, when the Bill of Rights came into effect, the dominance of the British bourgeoisie was established. But in fact, the influence of the British nobles and royal family was still very strong at that time, and it could only be regarded as a peacemaking government at best.

However, as time went by, the power of the British bourgeoisie continued to expand. Especially during the Anti-French War, the government had to borrow heavily and transfer more power in order to maintain huge war expenses.

The voice of the British bourgeoisie finally overcame the aristocracy. After more than ten years of development, British power was finally transferred from the House of Lords to the House of Commons after the parliamentary reform in 1832.

During this period, the then British Prime Minister Charles Gray tried to save the crisis and increase the number of new nobles to fight against the growing bourgeoisie, but was rejected by the then British King William IV.

With the repeal of the Corn Laws, the traditional aristocracy was brought to its knees.

At this time, if those gentlemen in the City of London are determined to exchange British national interests for their commercial interests, then where should the British government go?

In fact, Palmerston's worries were unnecessary. After all, the British aristocracy and royal family were still very powerful at this time. They would not have the final say until after the First World War when all the aristocrats were wiped out. Franz did not want to Waste your own money.

While waiting anxiously, the British government received bad news one after another. First, the news of the great victory of the German Allied Forces in Celesta City reached London.

John Russell was so angry that he called him "trash", and Palmerston also looked sad.

Because from the British perspective, Celesta is too important, mainly because it is too close to Paris, the capital of France.

In addition, at this time, another French army led by Marshal Lamosilier encountered a tenacious blockade in Salburg.

And Celesta's German coalition could completely bypass the Vosges Mountains to attack Lamosilier's rear after winning, or advance directly to Paris.

There was immediate panic within the British government. If the French surrendered, Britain might have to face the Austrians and the entire German Confederation alone.

Although the British Empire is invincible, if it continues for decades like the Anti-French War, the British Empire will be unable to bear it.

Palmerston did not bother to refute this view.

It would be a great disservice to Britain if France withdrew from the war. However, compared with the emergence of a huge power running north and south in Central Europe, any sacrifices Britain makes for this will be worth it.

Austria will unify Germany, and Russia will not sit idly by. When Britain and Russia join forces, no country in the world can resist.

But Russia's status is already too high at this time. If Russia's influence is allowed to continue to develop, it will be a bigger trouble for Britain.

Palmerston was a staunch supporter of the Russian threat theory. He devoted his life to weakening Russia and its influence, so he was very resistant to such a result.

However, before the British had time to worry, a bigger bad news arrived.

France's sharp knife, the "iron madman", Emenabel Pellissier was defeated in Switzerland, and the entire expeditionary force was annihilated.

In the eyes of the British, this meant that France's door was wide open, and the German coalition could enter the heart of France unimpeded.

But in fact, the mountains and ridges were natural barriers for both sides, and it was completely impossible for the German coalition to attack France through narrow valleys.

Franz's temporary residence on the outskirts of Celesta.

At night, some people gently pushed open the door, and Franz didn't care too much. After all, from Talia to Adjani, and then to the maids that Madame Sophie found for herself later, they all had this problem more or less.

But Franz soon opened his eyes again, because this was a battlefield, and Zoche would pay great attention to etiquette, and Bordeaux would not do this.

Franz held his breath and saw a figure coming to his bedside, then suddenly leaning down as if looking for something.

Franz didn't know what the other party was going to do, but he knew that this was a good time to take action.

After confirming that the other party was only one person, Franz was fully confident that he could subdue the other party. After all, he had not practiced for nothing over the years.

Franz pulled the rope connected to the alarm line, and then rushed towards the shadow.