Chapter 583: Radetzky

The Fortress of Verona is located on the Addio River south of the city and includes an entire fortress complex, an artificial moat, and a bridge.

The fortress is surrounded by the Addio River on three sides and can only be attacked from the southwest. It is a typical classical fortress.

The advantage of this kind of fortress is that it has only one entrance and exit. As long as the entrance is blocked, the enemy will not be able to get in. The disadvantage is that there is only one exit, so the enemy will not be able to get out as long as the entrance is blocked.

In fact, the so-called Four Corner Fortresses have this problem to a greater or lesser extent. Among them, Peschiera Fortress, the only one with two entrances and exits, was also the only fortress that was captured by the army of the Kingdom of Sardinia.

(Four Corners: Verona, Mantua, Peschiera and Legnago.)

As the most important stronghold of the Austrian Empire in northern Italy, Verona is not lightly defended, but in recent years the empire's money has been mainly spent on economy, scientific research and infrastructure.

The defense facilities of the Verona Fortress have lagged behind the times, but although they are old, they do not feel dilapidated. There is no doubt that someone is carefully maintaining them.

"It's beautiful! This is the best fortress in northern Italy! But if possible, I hope it will remain abandoned."

The person who spoke was a tall, energetic, and kind-faced old general. He was the highest military officer in Northern Italy, Marshal Radetzki.

Standing next to him was a young man with extraordinary bearing, and the young man's drunken father.

Franz could naturally hear the worry in the old marshal's heart, but what was coming would always come and there was no way to avoid it.

Franz: "Marshal, have you heard anything?"

"People's lives are so happy that they have forgotten the pain of war. The empire's tolerant policy has also increased the ambitions of some people. They feel that this country is weak and can be bullied.

And the most important point is that since you have decided to repair this fortress that has been neglected for decades, it is enough to prove that the imperial center knows the situation here better than we do. "

Historically, it was in a semi-abandoned state after 1809.

As expected, people become better with age, and it is obviously their own judgment, and they also need to bring the "Imperial Center" with them.

In fact, the old marshal knew the situation in Northern Italy better than the people in the Regency Council. It had been far away from the war for too long. After the external conflicts were downgraded, the internal conflicts became the main contradiction.

Although the tariffs in Northern Italy and Neletania have been abolished after a series of reforms at this time, there are still many historical problems plaguing this region. In addition, with Hungary as a negative example, people think It's impossible without extra thoughts.

"This is not what the Regent Council meant, it was my idea."

Franz simply showed his cards directly. He didn't feel the need to hide anything.

The old marshal still looked a little in disbelief. Although he had heard from his old boss, Archduke Karl, that Franz was not an ordinary brat, he still couldn't believe his ears.

After all, the cost of infrastructure renovation on such a large area is astronomical. Even if the country pays for it, it still needs to be paid in installments. However, the young man in front of him said it was his own wish... What does this mean? !

"What do you mean? But where does the money come from?"

"Let them come out on their own."

Franz smiled and told all about how he deceived these speculators and investment businessmen.

Radetzky found it unbelievable, but when he thought about it carefully, it seemed reasonable. Everything in this country was originally developing for the better.

Coupled with the Habsburg family's reputation and the behemoth Austrian Empire as a guarantee, the money seemed really not worth mentioning.

Of course, in this world, it seems that this kind of thing can only happen in the Austrian Empire, and indeed it can only be done by Archduke Franz. After all, he is most likely to be the future emperor.

"Archduke Franz, this is really a genius idea, but what if there is no unrest in the country within five years? And it is more beneficial than the uprising in Italy. Hungary is the real problem."

Radetzky expressed his concern that if large-scale unrest did not occur within five years, Franz would have to pay a huge sum.

And what if after the unrest breaks out in Hungary, the Italians shrink back because the situation is not right?

"Don't worry, the Austrian Empire's economy will reach a new level in five years. It won't be a problem to pay back the money by then."

Franz couldn't tell the other party that he was a time traveler. Three years later, not only Austria but the whole of Europe would be bombed, so those people must not return the money.

Fortunately, the changes in the Austrian Empire over the years have been obvious to all, and Marshal Radetzki knows that some of the pensions that should have been paid during the Holy Roman Empire have been paid.

Moreover, the army has replaced equipment on a large scale three times in the past eight years, and has never been in arrears with military pay in the past five years. The reason why the soldiers in Milan were so brave before was that they knew that "advance will be rewarded, retreat will be punished, and injury will be punished." If there is medical treatment, there will be comfort in death.”

In fact, it also has something to do with the commander's reputation and style. Although Radetzky was "romantic", he always owed debts in his own name and never deducted the military pay of his subordinates.

In addition, Radetzky's style allowed Franz to redefine the term "romantic". The 79-year-old marshal found a 46-year-old Italian aunt as his lover.

This Italian aunt named Meregali was a miserable person. She married two husbands and both died unexpectedly. Her only son died in pain due to dysentery.

From then on, she was considered an unlucky person, and the villagers drove her out of the village.

Marshal Radetzky, who had just arrived in Lombardy, happened to lead his troops through her village. The old marshal didn't want to disturb the people or wrong himself, so he stayed in a dilapidated house at the entrance of the village for one night.

As a result, the two met again. Although the old marshal owed a lot of debts, he was still very generous to the woman.

The woman lived alone and naturally had many empty rooms, so she agreed to the old marshal's request to stay. In that era, landlords usually provided meals, and Radetzky naturally didn't want to eat cakes.

So the woman made some pumpkin balls with the only pumpkin and oil in the house. The old marshal was very satisfied after eating, but he found that the people in the village didn't seem to respect the woman in front of him.

At that time, Meregarrie was visibly down and out, with unkempt hair and tattered clothes with countless patches, and a dirty apron. Her house looked like an abandoned hunting lodge, and there were only some scattered vegetable leaves and strange-shaped pumpkins in the kitchen.

Marshal Radetzky had seen too many things in his life, and he soon understood the woman's experience.

It happened that he didn't know this land yet, and there was no one to take care of him, so he said to the woman.

"Madam, are you willing to take care of me, an old man?"

"Yes."

Then Meregarrie became Radetzky's nanny. Although the latter was over 70 years old, he was as humorous as a young man, and he was a real aristocrat and a real gentleman.

Meregarrie was a virtuous woman. She had the unique enthusiasm and simplicity of Italians, and no one in the army discriminated against her and regarded her as an "ominous" existence.

Like Fantine in Les Miserables, after being washed and able to fill her stomach, Meregarrie became "plump" and "charming".

So she had a second spring of love and soon fell in love with the old marshal. But she was afraid of the secular view. Fortunately, Marshal Radetzky was a casual person.

When the contract between the two expired, the old marshal found a woman again.

"Madam, are you willing to continue to take care of me, an old man?"

"I am willing, sir."

"This time it's a long-term contract!"

"How long?"

"For a lifetime!"