Black Corporation: Joseon

Episode 1053: Aftereffects. (2)

What was bad for the Habsburgs was that most of the princes who turned their backs were influential princes of the Holy Roman Empire. As they turned their backs on the war, their ability to wage war fell significantly. It was impossible to replenish the exhausted supplies and manpower with the sole ability of the Habsburgs and the princes who supported the Habsburgs. In the end, Maximilian I gave the following order to the commander, Count Tilly:

-Maintain the current battle situation. Escalation of war is prohibited.

-Avoid wasting soldiers and supplies as much as possible.

“To put it simply, I’m telling you to sit back and not put in any unnecessary effort. Huh~.”

Count Tilly sighed as he read the order and looked outside with a gloomy face.

“With the current situation, it’s hard to sit still. If you make a mistake, the military will collapse. Huh~.”

Count Tilly, who sighed with a grim expression, wrote a reply to Maximilian I.

* * *

“Whoa~.”

After reading Count Tilly’s reply, Maximilian I placed his hand on his forehead and sighed. The summary of the reply sent by Count Tilly was as follows.

-If you want to continue the war, please send us money and materials, especially food.

-If this is difficult, it is best to stop the war immediately.

“Whoa. Damn it.”

King Maximilian I, who reread Tilly’s reply several times, sighed and cursed. It was because of the mercenaries that Tilly asked for money and food. As long as the wages were paid according to the contract, the mercenaries were more reliable and courageous than anyone else. If only I could get paid properly.

However, when wages were delayed, the mercenaries turned into a disaster. No matter how much they tried to restrain them from above, the mercenaries swept through enemy villages and cities and committed looting, arson, and rape. The mercenaries who had already turned into bandits were a nightmare itself. In a situation like this, the party that hired them had to bear all kinds of criticism even if they were the winner.

Therefore, when the front line became stagnant or military funds began to run low, it was best to terminate the contract with the mercenaries. However, looking at Lauren’s current situation, terminating the mercenary contract was a handshake. This was because many of the Habsburg forces in Lorraine were mercenaries. If the mercenaries were taken out here, it was certain that they would be pushed back by the French.

Another problem was that there was a significant possibility of losing additional territory in addition to the territory lost so far. However, in a situation where the feudal lords had withdrawn, continuing to hire mercenaries was an even worse move. Sooner or later, the mercenaries would no longer be paid, and if that happened, the people of the areas where the mercenaries were currently stationed would face a catastrophic disaster.

“Then the only thing left is the end of the war…”

But the end of the war also had many problems. This was because it was the Habsburgs who started the war first. Therefore, significant concessions had to be made to France to reach an agreement. And this would come back as a political burden.

“What is the emperor thinking, ending the war without gaining anything?”

It was certain that even now, whenever the opportunity arises, the feudal lords who only think of escaping from the walls of the Holy Roman Empire would rise up and shout like this.

“Whew. If you are in a situation where you will only lose money no matter which one you choose, you should choose the one with the smallest loss.”

Maximilian I, who had come to his own conclusion, began to think about a better way with his ministers. Fifteen days later, a messenger sent by Maximilian I arrived in Paris.

* * *

The messenger, who retired after an audience with King Charles VIII, told the main point to the French Foreign Minister, the Duke of Orléans.

“Let’s talk about a truce.”

“Truce?”

“Truce.”

The solution that Maximilian I and his subjects came up with was a truce.

-The end of the war will result in losses in many ways, but if there is a ceasefire, those losses can be minimized as much as possible.

-In particular, the political pressure on Maximilian I can be reduced as much as possible.

Because we are still ‘at war’.

“It’s a truce… hmm… what do you think?”

Charles VIII, who heard the story through the Duke of Orléans, gathered his ministers and held a meeting.

“No truce! Just push a little harder and we can win!”

Military figures were firmly opposed to the ceasefire, but ministers from other ministries showed different reactions.

“That’s your opinion… Have you thought about the issue of military funding?”

The Minister of Finance directly criticized the military’s opinion. As the Minister of Finance said, this war was ‘a war for which we were not prepared.’ Of course, they expected that the Habsburgs would do something about Lorraine and were making their own preparations. However, the Habsburgs were unable to properly understand how much they would mobilize, and their ‘preparations’ began to run out shortly after the start of the war.

In particular, the ‘Lorraine Air War’, which mobilized a large number of self-powered aircraft, was a swamp of funds. The Minister of Finance’s comments continued.

“Even if you leave out the issue of military funds, there are more than a few troubling issues. How are you going to continue the war? Are you going to charge into the enemy camp with spears and swords and hwachas? Because of the crazy actions of those crazy emperors in the East, there are no craftsmen left in the arsenal. “You haven’t forgotten that there are almost none, right?”

“…….”

The military figures had no choice but to keep quiet at the Minister of Finance’s point.

* * *

Those who left the arsenal after seeing the proclamation issued by the empire were not the only ones from the Flying Wing and Self-Flight Club. Not only the craftsmen who built steam engines for assault vehicles and battleships, but also craftsmen in other fields left the armory. When the French government threatened to charge him with treason, the artisans and guilds filed a lawsuit against him.

-It is illegal to label someone who quits for personal reasons as a traitor!

– Accusing me of treason when I didn’t even leak any confidential information is a false accusation!

-The salaries of artisans working in armories are too low compared to those of artisans in guilds. This is an unfair contract!

In this lawsuit, the craftsmen and guilds who deserted won the case. Accordingly, in order to recapture the artisans who had gained their freedom, the French government had to negotiate again with the artisans and guilds.

-The treatment of the arsenal and related research institutes has become much worse than when it was first established! Please improve this!

-Do not interfere with the actions of craftsmen outside of designated working hours!

“I think these conditions are a bit excessive.”

When the French government’s negotiators expressed difficulty, the artisans and guild representatives responded as follows.

“I heard this is how the flower kingdom does it?”

“…….”

Negotiations were still ongoing. As a result, the arsenals were not properly producing the weapons necessary for war, and the Minister of Finance was pointing this out.

* * *

The Minister of Finance was suppressing military personnel . Charles VIII, who was watching, turned to the Prime Minister.

“The negotiations are still not concluded?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Is it unreasonable to put pressure on the guilds?”

“If you do that, all the guilds in the kingdom will turn around.”

“Whew.” ~.”

Charles VIII let out a long sigh and glanced back at the Duke of Orléans. The Duke of Orléans, who received Charles VIII’s gaze, slightly shook his head. Seeing that even the Duke of Orléans, the next king, expressed opposition, Charles VIII sighed again. He exhaled.

“I can’t believe that an emperor far away in the East has made the war stop…”

The situation ended with Charles VIII’s lament. A month later, an armistice was officially announced.

-The period of the armistice was first It shall be for 3 years. Afterwards, it shall be extended by 3 years through negotiations or

the war shall resume. With the truce in which the above was agreed upon, the French and Habsburg armies withdrew to their original stationed places. And through this, a proverb similar to the other arose. -The

Emperor of the Empire sits down and stops the war on the other side of the world.

* * *

With the truce concluded, Charles VIII of France and Maximilian I of Habsburg could not rest.

“If the Emperor of the Empire is willing to offer such a huge prize money, France You can’t fall behind either. Yield what you have to give to the craftsmen. Because we can’t waste time on useless things.”

Following Charles VIII’s decision, the French government made significant concessions, and many of the craftsmen who had left returned to the armory.

It was reported that ‘the armory has become normal again.’ After receiving this, Charles VIII ordered his ministers,

“I am worried that the guild’s influence is too strong. Find a way to solve this problem and report it.”

The officials who received orders from Charles VIII ran here and there to find a suitable solution. The French officials, who had found a suitable solution after much effort, looked despondent.

“An empire again? …..”

The best answer they found was the Empire’s ‘School’. And Charles VIII, who received their report, also looked despondent.

“Is it the Empire again? What kind of country is the empire? Or, rather, was the person who came up with this system before him really sane? Aren’t there more than one system that breaks common sense until now?”

At the same time, in the Sugang Palace, incense was burning my ears.

“Why are my ears itching so much? Who is blaming me?”

* * *

Meanwhile, the Count of Tyrol, who visited Maximilian I, immediately knelt down and asked for forgiveness.

“I was unable to offer victory to your majesty due to my incompetence. Please forgive my sins.”

“You are innocent. The guilty party lies elsewhere. Those who are subjects of the Holy Roman Empire and enemies of the Holy Roman Empire are those sinners.”

Maximilian I gritted his teeth and promised to himself,

“Yes! This time, it will be your way, but there will never be another such humiliation. Once again! The Holy Roman Empire must belong entirely to Jim and the Habsburgs!’

Maximilian I, who pledged strict centralization, gathered his ministers and declared,

“Even though it ended in a truce, we were defeated! Why were you defeated! We have been defeated by the enemy within! Those who put their own interests above the victory of their country and the orders of the emperor! They are the enemy within! Therefore, first of all, we must unite the Holy Roman Empire! We must wipe out the internal enemies and be reborn as a true Holy Roman Empire! What we need for this is more iron and more gold!”

After a pause, Maximilian I walked to the world map hanging on one side, pointed out the empire, and continued.

“Look at the empire! That huge nation moves in perfect order under the commands of a single emperor! How is this possible! This is because of strong military and economic power! Look again! A single proclamation issued by the emperor stopped the war! This strength is what we should aim for!”

To Maximilian I’s declaration, the ministers responded by bowing their heads in unison.

“As your Majesty wishes!”

And the first step toward this goal was winning the contest.

-Empire The reason the emperor offered such a large amount of money was because he was confident that he would gain several times more than that! -If

we take it, our status will change in an instant.

-From someone who cares about others to someone who makes others notice!

Later on, in many ways, Hyang, who heard the story through the route, took a sip of his food with an embarrassed expression.

“Ugh…it’s not like I’m rolling a snowball…”