Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 464: Everyone Has Their Own Agenda

“Killing the chicken to scare the monkey” isn’t as easy to execute as it seems. First of all, the chicken chosen to be killed won’t agree. If the butcher’s technique isn’t skilled enough, the chicken might just fly away.

In politics, no one is a fool. Everyone in the circle has their own hidden cards.

The news of the Austrian delegation’s arrival wasn’t a secret at all. Since the Austrian government wants to annex the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State, it’s normal for them to try to win over these influential figures.

Don’t assume that just because they’re politically anti-Austrian, they truly harbor a deep hatred for Austria and will fight to the bitter end.

Except for a few naive youngsters, the old hands are only anti-Austrian out of political necessity. If joining Austrian Africa can benefit some, naturally others will suffer losses. It’s impossible to satisfy everyone’s interests.

Those whose interests are harmed will naturally oppose the merger. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, this applies both in the East and West. How can one gain benefits without crying or making a fuss?

To gain more benefits, the anti-Austrian faction was thus formed. There are intricate connections between the pro-Austrian and anti-Austrian factions, some even hedging their bets on both sides.

Not everyone could have predicted that Austria’s expansion would be so rapid. Before they could react, Austria was already at their doorstep, discussing the merger issue.

Turning back immediately was clearly too late already. But the anti-Austrian faction also had its backers, such as the British and Portuguese who they were secretly colluding with.

The tragedy was that Austria now held great power on the African continent. The Portuguese didn’t dare to make trouble, and the British likewise lacked sufficient strength to suppress Austria.

The tide of history isn’t something an individual can reverse. Many people were prepared to switch sides, just waiting for Austria to make an offer.

But plans could never keep up as quickly as reality. Viscount Falkner, who was leading this operation, didn’t play by the rules. After winning over the pro-Austrian faction, he ceased further action.

Some who couldn’t contain their impatience even offered themselves up, but were turned away. Viscount Falkner had no intention of accepting them.

At this time, the situation in the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State also changed. The pro-Austrian faction suddenly launched a political offensive against them.

The clever ones knew a storm was coming. As those who had chosen the wrong side this time, danger was approaching them. The pro-Austrian faction wasn’t monolithic either; it was normal for a few anti-Austrian elements to be hidden among them, and the news leaked out.

Looking at the intelligence reports in his hand, Willem, one of the anti-Austrian political leaders, was furious. Was it necessary to call for such violence just because of a few slogans?

Although they were “anti-Austrian,” in reality, this stance was limited to propaganda. In their work, no one dared to truly provoke Austria.

Weak countries have no diplomacy—this international rule applied in South Africa as well. Being “anti-Austrian” was fine to say, but truly opposing Austria would only bring trouble to themselves.

This time was different. It wasn’t about them opposing Austria, but Austria using their heads to establish authority.

Willem was now in a dilemma. It was too late to defect, and changing political stance also required time—time the enemy clearly wouldn’t give him.

The Austrians wanted to make an example, and those who threw themselves into Austria’s embrace needed to offer their heads as a pledge of loyalty. In this critical moment, Willem had to think of a way out.

At this point, he thought of the British. The British had contacted him not long ago, but at that time the situation wasn’t nearly as dire as it was now, and Willem hadn’t wanted to take the risk.

After some hesitation, Willem decided to probe once more, “Raúl, immediately notify our old friends Schoeman, Field, Lankes, and Tayron. We’re having a banquet tonight.”

The Transvaal Republic wasn’t large, and as a new country, its upper circles were even smaller. The power struggle wasn’t as intense as outsiders might imagine.

Despite their different political stances, Willem could still communicate with these pro-Austrian leaders. Now, if he wanted to escape unscathed, he needed their help.

If he could get away safely, Willem didn’t mind giving up some interests as the price for choosing the wrong side.

The servant Raúl replied, “Yes, Mr. Willem!”

While probing, Willem was also preparing for the worst. After Raúl left, he secretly sent someone to contact the British.

As a world power, the Austrian government had a reputation to maintain. Even if they wanted to make an example, they couldn’t act directly.

A plausible crime was necessary. The anti-Austrian faction led by Willem wasn’t without power. Even if high-level government officials who had defected to Austria wanted to act, they would need time to gather evidence.

This gave the anti-Austrian faction an opportunity. In the face of a life-and-death crisis, people often unleash their greatest potential.

Viscount Falkner coldly observed the internal strife erupting in the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State. He didn’t care whether the anti-Austrian faction would take desperate measures.

As one of Austria’s earliest colonizers, Viscount Falkner wasn’t afraid of war. Even if the anti-Austrian faction were to collude with the British to overthrow the rule of the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State, he was not afraid.

The African continent wasn’t peaceful these days, and Falkner, as Austria’s representative, wasn’t unprepared.

Recently, a large number of Austrian merchant caravans had entered the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State, but not all were there for business.

If one paid attention, one would notice that the caravan members all had a murderous aura, and the goods they were escorting weren’t ordinary merchandise. Some sealed boxes clearly contained cannons.

Some of these people were troops stationed in the Austrian Central and Southern African regions, but most were private armies of nobles. For a mining tycoon like Viscount Falkner, how could he face people without several hundred private soldiers?

Everyone was well-informed. While distant nobles might be beyond reach, the nearby ones were a different story. How could they miss out on such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

If things were resolved peacefully, it would be considered an armed military exercise. If the situation got out of control and required military intervention, it would be a chance for military merit delivered to their doorstep.

Many people hoped the British would attack, giving them a chance to score achievements. This wasn’t arrogance; they truly had the capability.

Most of Austria’s African colonies were conquered by these private armies. In the African jungle, the combat effectiveness of these armies was absolutely top-tier for this era.

If they relied solely on government troops, even if all of Austria’s army was sent over, they wouldn’t be able to control half of the African continent in a short time.

With the vast and sparsely populated African continent, Austria couldn’t establish administrative agencies everywhere. Thus, enfeoffing nobles was the cheapest way to rule.

As long as they could suppress the high-ranking nobles, there was no need to fear these middle and lower-ranking nobles with several hundred private soldiers.

Besides these troops, there were also a large number of German immigrants in the area. If war broke out, the nobles could quickly recruit local young and able-bodied men.

With a few thousand veterans as the core, plus a group of young and able-bodied recruits, they could quickly organize an army of tens of thousands. At that point, the outcome of any conflict would be uncertain.

Franz had given up the plan to occupy British South Africa, but this didn’t mean the colonial nobles had abandoned it. Many still coveted Cape Town.

The Emperor wouldn’t allow war to start, and no one could afford the responsibility of initiating a conflict. Naturally, they couldn’t launch an attack proactively, but this didn’t mean they couldn’t provoke the British into attacking.

If the British invaded first, then the responsibility for the war wouldn’t lie with them. Instead, fighting to defend the empire’s interests would only earn Franz’s praise.

Viscount Falkner was one of these war hawks, advocating for the expulsion of all European countries and Austria’s monopoly over the entire African continent.

Whether this could be achieved or not, having an ambitious goal was always good. Austria’s strength on the African continent gave them this ambition.

Purely in terms of military force on the African continent, Austria had already surpassed the total of all other countries. Of course, this didn’t mean Austria had an absolute advantage over all countries; in some local areas, Austria was still at a disadvantage.

For example, in South Africa, Austria wasn’t afraid of facing either Britain or Portugal alone. But if Britain and Portugal joined forces, the situation would change.

Many people had a sense of shared fate; once Austria launched an attack on colonies owned by other countries, it was very likely that various countries would set aside their differences and unite.

The First World War in the original timeline was a classic example. After the rise of the German Empire, they failed to manage their diplomacy well. Their aggressive style turned the conflicting Britain, France, and Russia into allies.

Although Franz had suppressed domestic expansionism, he couldn’t prevent his subordinates from deliberately setting traps to provoke the British into attacking.

This was like a version of their previous entrapment. If they openly revealed their strength, the British certainly wouldn’t dare to come knocking.

Now it was different. Whether it was the Austrian nobles, the scheming Pretorius, or the anti-Austrian faction, they all needed the British to attack.

These people all intentionally concealed their intentions. The pro-Austrian faction was even less likely to inform the British. Moreover, many people only sensed something was amiss but didn’t know this was a trap prepared for the British.

The idea of a “British-Austrian War” was unthinkable for many. Even Viscount Falkner wasn’t prepared to provoke a full-scale war between the two countries. They were self-aware enough to know that their navy was no match for the Royal Navy.

From the beginning, they hadn’t flown the Austrian flag. The main fighting force was the nobles’ private armies, operating under the guise of the Boer Republics to confront the British.

Even if the truth was exposed, it would be the noble lords fighting the British, not necessarily meaning their country had to go to war with Britain. This was very reminiscent of the Holy Roman Empire.

In the past, when the Emperor fought the French, the nobles of the Holy Roman Empire could remain neutral. Now, when noble lords fought the British, the imperial government could naturally remain neutral as well.

If they won the war, the Boer Republics would occupy British South Africa, then create a reason for the empire to annex the Boer Republics, inheriting this part of the legacy.

Without ruining their face, the British could at most protest or seek revenge when an opportunity arose, but the situation would still be under control.

If they lost the war, it wouldn’t matter. That would be the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State losing, what did it have to do with Austria?

At worst, the Austrian government would step in to mediate the conflict. If the British accepted, that would be fine. If they refused, the nobles’ private armies could bring their own provisions and continue to fight the British.

Of course, Franz would have to recognize these military achievements. The rewards couldn’t be reduced at all, and the Austrian government would ultimately have to compensate for the nobles’ losses.

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In Cape Town, Governor Delf was very depressed. The British government had just announced the cancellation of the plan, and now the Boers were coming to cooperate.

As an ambitious governor, Delf didn’t want to be a passive bystander. He still wanted to achieve some outstanding accomplishments to enter Britain’s core of power.

“What do the Portuguese say? Are they interested in Transvaal?” Governor Delf asked with concern.

Austria hadn’t yet completed the annexation of the Boer Republics, so everyone was still using their own methods.

To ensure success, he was planning to join forces with the Portuguese to act first, dividing up the Boer Republics and then creating a fait accompli.

Marco, in charge of foreign affairs, waved his hand and said helplessly, “I’m sorry, Governor. The Portuguese have clearly refused us. It might be related to their recent domestic situation. The Portuguese government has ordered all colonies not to provoke incidents on their own.”

At this time, Portugal’s domestic situation had become unstable. The power of the liberal and republican factions was growing, and King Luís was struggling to maintain control.

With internal troubles, they naturally dared not create external problems. If they encountered failure, it would lead to another political storm.

The Boer Republics seemed easy to deal with, but just thinking about the Austrians behind them made the Portuguese colonial government in Mozambique lose interest.

This answer greatly displeased Governor Delf. He had been thinking of giving the Portuguese a share of the benefits to win them over in containing Austrian expansion.

Now it wasn’t necessary. Since the Portuguese didn’t dare to act, he would do it himself. The British government had only canceled actions against Austria but hadn’t said anything about not attacking the Boer Republics.

He didn’t take these two small countries seriously. In the past two years, the Boers had relied on Austria and neglected their military.

While it wasn’t to the point of “putting away weapons and releasing horses into the mountains,” national military training indeed hadn’t been conducted much. The largest armed force in the Boer Republics was just a group of police.

A standing army wasn’t something a small country of one or two hundred thousand people could afford. In wartime, they would just temporarily recruit young men.

Governor Delf frowned and said, dissatisfied, “Forget it. Since the Portuguese don’t know what’s good for them, let them regret it in the future!

We can do it ourselves now. Austria has only about a thousand troops stationed in Central and Southern Africa. Even if they conduct temporary recruitment, it would be at most three to five thousand men.

Even if the Austrians want to intervene, they have to wait for their reinforcements from Congo to arrive. Currently, there’s no sign of troop movement in any of Austria’s stationed forces.

From the time we take action, it will take at least two months for the Austrians to gather enough troops to intervene.

Two months is enough time for us to defeat the Boers. If something unexpected happens, we’ll immediately withdraw and divide the Boer Republics with the Austrians.”

Though he appeared confident, Governor Delf was actually quite anxious. The failed expedition from years ago was still fresh in his mind.

Major General Friedman of the colonial garrison immediately assured, “Governor, rest assured, we are one hundred percent confident that we can defeat this pack of beaten dogs.”

The Boers had originally been driven by the British from the Cape Town area to the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State. Facing their former vanquished foes, Major General Friedman was naturally full of confidence.