Chapter 292: God Disposes

Vienna, Prime Minister's Residence.

After a day of useless quarrels with Count Korolat, Prince Metternich dragged his tired body back to the residence.

"Damn you idiot, damn you Slav barbarian!"

Metternich was really fed up with this kind of daily bickering. The strength of the empire was recovering, but he would never have the power of Prime Minister Kaunitz.

(Kaunitz-Ritberg, Austrian politician and diplomat, Prime Minister of the Austrian Monarchy from the Seven Years' War to 1792, Prince. He was responsible for the foreign policy of the Habsburg dynasty for a long time, the main diplomatic adviser to Queen Maria Theresa and her successors, and was hostile to Prussia all his life.)

Because Kaunitz met Queen Theresa, and he met Ferdinand I, the Habsburg family would never let him, an outsider, take control of the power.

Count Korolov was just a supporting role that the royal family pushed to the front and played against him. Even if they reached a consensus, if it was not in the interests of the royal family or the royal family felt it was not in line with their wishes, they could object at any time.

Metternich hoped that Franz could succeed to the throne as soon as possible, but he didn't know whether he could wait until that day.

But the little devil might not need an old man like him at all? Although Franz pretended to accept it humbly every time he was in class, it was impossible to hide it from Metternich, a veteran who had been in diplomatic occasions for decades.

And through several discussions, Metternich knew very well that this young archduke had an extremely firm heart. He was so persistent in what he believed that he was the kind of surety of victory that only the craziest gamblers would have.

In fact, as a time traveler, Franz would naturally be very sure of some things, such as the development of certain technologies and some major historical events that were not affected, natural disasters and the like.

But Metternich had already determined in his heart that his student would either be Yao or Shun, or Jie and Zhou. (Either become a wise ruler like Charles V and Queen Theresa, or become another Joseph II.)

Metternich gradually withdrew his thoughts. He found that his old butler was very abnormal today. He was still talking nonsense at such an old age.

"Berg, old man, you are still as good at lying as when you were young. Just tell me what's going on. You know, the work of the Regency Council still makes me exhausted."

The old butler has worked for the Metternich family for 50 years. He has a very close relationship with the prime minister and knows how to pretend to be an honest man in front of his master.

But in fact, Metternich has entrusted many secrets to this butler. If he is not a tight-lipped and meticulous person, how could he have worked as a butler for so many years?

But Berg has been a butler for so many years and this is the first time he has met someone who is so generous. And the gift he sent should also make the master happy.

"Your Highness, someone sent 500 kilograms of gold today! They also asked me to send you a letter and a gift."

Before the old butler finished speaking, Metternich's brows were knitted, and he even wanted to curse.

"How dare you act on your own, you idiot? Do you take so much gold casually? You have been with me for so many years, don't you understand this? Tomorrow you will pack up and go home to retire."

"Master, calm down. I acted on my own because I was afraid of delaying your national affairs. It's not too late for you to read the letter and the gift first."

The old butler Berg handed the envelope to Prince Metternich, who breathed a sigh of relief, opened the envelope, glanced at the letter, and snorted, because he had seen too many such words.

But soon Metternich's eyes widened, and he even put on the pair of reading glasses that he hadn't used for a long time. After reading, he immediately put the letter in his jacket pocket.

"Where is the gift?"

"I have asked them to quietly put it in the master's study. Don't worry, no one except me has seen what's inside."

Berg naturally wanted to see what was inside. If it was a bomb or something that was unfavorable to Metternich, it would be his dereliction of duty.

"Well done."

Metternich hurried into the study without even getting intimate with his Nth wife.

Of course, no one in the entire mansion would ask the Prime Minister why he did this. Although they would not be buried in the garden as fertilizer here, if the old butler Berg felt it necessary, he could still add one or two bodies to the Danube tomorrow.

A box in the middle of the study that had been opened was full of gold bars, but Metternich walked straight to a small box on the table without even looking at it.

Then he carefully opened the box, carefully examined the documents inside, and suddenly said with confidence: "God bless my Emperor Franz."

In fact, Ferdinand I was not a real emperor in the minds of many Austrian officials. He was just a piece of bacon sitting on the throne, and Metternich, who had chatted and laughed with a group of European monarchs, ministers and officers, was no exception.

He was always loyal to Francis II and his empire. Of course, if a wise monarch was born in the future, he might not change his mind.

It's just that the guy who was mentally ill and unable to perform his duties was really unworthy of being called an emperor. If it weren't for this incompetent monarch, maybe the reform of the empire would not be delayed, and many decisions would not have missed the best time due to procrastination.

Why was Metternich so excited after reading the mysterious letter? The reason is simple. Milos, who had just unified Serbia, wanted to seek protection from Austria and was willing to be a running dog of the Habsburg family.

In order to show his sincerity, he even took the initiative to send his eldest son Mikhail Obrenovich to Vienna as a hostage. In addition, he also sent three heads to show his sincerity.

The first box contained the Bosnian leader, Bajir Gradas; the second box contained the pro-Russian leader, Vucic; the third box contained the British envoy, Baron Mills.

In fact, it was not the first time that Milos sent heads. He was able to become the Grand Duke of Serbia because of the sacrifice of Karadjordje's head. Although he became a mortal enemy with the Karadjordje family since then, Serbia did gain independence.

And as an old shaman who has been jumping back and forth for many years, how could he not see Palmerston's tricks? If Russia and Austria go to war, the main battlefield will certainly be in Poland. Who will guarantee the safety of southern Serbia at that time?

Whether attacking the former capital or Western Bosnia, where Croatians are the majority, we have to overcome many difficulties and obstacles, not to mention that the Belgrade Fortress, which is the key to the Balkans, has 80,000 troops stationed there.

Perhaps it is worth trying to take Sarajevo directly by land, but Serbia, with its weak foundation, is not willing to gamble its life for the sake of taking risks.

As for whether the unreliable British promised support can be fulfilled, there is no definite news. In the game of great power games, it is wisest to be a spectator. After all, except for fools, most people will not be an amusement park animal for people to enjoy.

The Austrians thought he was not sincere before, so this time he gave them sincerity.