Holy Roman Empire

Even for financial reasons, the Berlin government had to make a series of concessions in exchange for financial assistance from the central government.

Among them is the command of the army. There is nothing wrong with it. The Berlin government is not going to want the army anymore.

It's not that William I didn't want the army, the problem is that it really can't afford it now, and the Berlin government can't even pay for the pension at this time.

It is not a disadvantage to exchange an army that cannot be supported in the first place in exchange for financial assistance.

Unlike Austria, Hannover has a limited size. If the armies of the two countries merge, the Junker nobles with rich combat experience can easily occupy an advantageous position.

This is also William I's appeasement to the military. Through the exchange of benefits to ensure that pensions can be issued normally, it is more acceptable to lose some power than to let everyone go back to farm directly. It can be said that everyone gets what they need.

The concessions are not limited to the military, but the financial concessions are even more ruthless. The Berlin government proposed that as long as Hanover is willing to take over the debts, the Kingdom of Prussia's fiscal revenue can be handed over first, and the central government will distribute it uniformly.

There is no doubt that this unreasonable request was rejected by George I's righteous words.What a joke, is he greedy for the state's financial revenue, and he must not want it!

Unlike the financial and military generosity, the Berlin government has become stingy when it comes to territory, and the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement for a long time.

……

In Hanover Palace, King George I angrily threw away the documents in his hand, and cursed angrily: "Damn Prussian barbarians, do you really think that we are just like them, a single-minded reckless man!

Just wanting to get benefits, but not willing to pay the price, how can there be such a good thing in the world?

I think about calculations all day long, treat others as fools, and don't think about Germans at all.

It seems that after staying with the Poles for a long time, they have forgotten their identity and lost our fine traditions.

......"

Even though he didn't know why George I was able to link the "brain in the head" with the "calculation" behind it, Prime Minister Philip still cooperated: "Your Majesty, don't worry. The cruel reality will make the Prussian barbarians sober.

Now they are still indulging in the glory of the past, and they have not figured out their situation.After the Vienna Peace Conference is over, they will know how to choose. "

Frankly speaking, George I was not wrong to scold.The Berlin government seems to have made major concessions, but they are actually exchanging interests.

If you want to take away the financial power, you must bear the debts they left behind; if you want to take away the command of the army, you have to pay them to pay casualty pensions.

The debt is absolutely untouchable. If George I dared to take it in the name of the central government, the Imperial Parliament would not mind changing the emperor while vetoing it.

The army behind can still discuss. The Berlin government has already paid a lot of pensions, and the remaining part will also need to be paid in installments every year.

In terms of pensions for soldiers, no country in the world dares to say that it can do better than the Kingdom of Prussia.

No matter how tight the finances were, William I never paid attention to it.Even if there is an occasional arrears, it will be made up quickly.

Pensions also account for an important share of the huge military expenditures of the Berlin government.

George I's expression slowed down a little: "I hope so! On this issue, we cannot make any concessions.

Although I don't know what price the Kingdom of Prussia will have to pay at the Vienna Conference, it will definitely be able to keep the traditional territory of the German region.

The remaining part of the territory is also far beyond Hannover.Without weakening the Kingdom of Prussia, we will not be able to maintain our dominance even if we establish the North German Empire.

Taking down the two principalities of Schleswig-Holstein and the territory west of the Elbe River is our minimum requirement and the basis for suppressing Prussia in the future.

The Foreign Office continues to do the work of the London government, they came up with the plan, and now we need their support. "

Schleswig-Holstein Duchies + the territory west of the Elbe River in Prussia, the territory alone has actually surpassed the Kingdom of Hanover.

Of course, the economy of the Kingdom of Hanover is more prosperous and the population is larger.Everyone has the same cultural traditions, and we can still swallow this piece of fat.

Even because they broke away from the Kingdom of Prussia, they could avoid the huge debts after the war and did not need to bear high taxes, and the local people would feel grateful.

After digesting this piece of fat, plus the Rhineland region controlled by the Imperial Parliament, after the merger of Prussia and Germany, the central government has the strength to suppress the Kingdom of Prussia and has an absolute advantage over other states.

In this context, as long as the Kingdom of Prussia makes concessions on military and political issues, other small states will not last long.

The rest can only be worn down by time. In theory, in another 30 to [-] years, the North German Empire can be basically integrated by political means and enter the ranks of great powers.

If it weren't for the fact that this piece of cake was too tempting, King George I couldn't help but be tempted.Who would want to be someone's younger brother if he could stand on his own?

Although the chance of failure in operation is a bit high, compared with joining the Shenluo Empire, the latter is obviously more risky.

There is no way, when Austria unified the German region, it was when the European War broke out.Enemies all over the world, George I had no confidence in Austria.

Rather than entrusting your destiny to others, it is better to be in charge by yourself.

Dare to jump out so early to participate in the British-Austrian game, George I is naturally ready to retreat.Standing with the British now is because the British can obtain greater benefits.

It doesn't matter if you fail, the special system of the Shenluo Empire determines that as long as you don't play too much, you won't kill the Vienna government if you pick it.

If it succeeds, it will create the foundation of the empire; if it fails, it will be a big deal to give up the throne, and the throne of Hanover can always be kept.

As long as there is no fighting on the battlefield, Austria has no reason to abolish his throne. The most serious consequence is to let him abdicate and his descendants will continue to be king.

Low-risk high-yield business is always fascinating.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" replied the Foreign Secretary

"Your Majesty, although our financial revenue is not low, our expenses are also high, and there is not much money that can be used to buy land.

When negotiating, it is necessary to control the transaction price and not exceed the market price too much. ’ reminded Finance Minister Gómez Fallas

"Market price", in fact, the current situation is that there is a market but no price.Not just now, but most of the time.Colonial transactions are not counted, and few European countries are willing to sell their territories unless necessary.

Land valuations are not high these days, but as long as it is a territory in Europe, regardless of the value, the price will not be cheap.

The price of international territory transactions can only be used as a reference.The specific price should be determined according to the needs of both parties, taking into account various factors.

The Russians sold Alaska with an area of ​​millions of square kilometers for only a few million Aegis, while the Kingdom of Prussia sold the Rhineland area of ​​only tens of thousands of square kilometers for hundreds of millions of Aegis.

Similar cases include the Prussian-Saxon Territory Transaction Case.Even during the war, tens of millions of Aegis can be sold.

George I waved his hand: "Money is not a problem, the British are happy to take this business. The Kingdom of Prussia owes them huge debts, which may turn into bad debts at any time, and the bankers have long been anxious.

What the Prussians lack most now is money. They may make concessions in other areas, but they have nothing to talk about on the issue of "money".

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does its best, as long as the final transaction price does not exceed the previous Rhineland area, we can accept it. "

I have to admit that George I's judgment is still very accurate in grasping people's hearts.

The British are really worried that the Berlin government is doomed, and the loans they issued have become bad debts. At this time, Hannover is willing to take the lead, even if there is no mortgage, they dare to borrow.

To put it bluntly, this is the problem of left-handed and right-handed.The loan from Hanover was to buy land, and the Berlin government got the money and had to use it to repay the British.

In essence, John Bull didn't need to take a penny out of it. Two transactions were completed with one debit on the account, and by the way, it also reduced its own business risk.

Hanover's financial situation is good, and the government has almost no debts. Lending money to them is definitely more reliable than lending money to Prussia, which is about to go bankrupt at any time.

The worse the finances, the more the government values ​​money.For the current Berlin government, money is not just money, but also their life.

Without enough money, next thing they themselves will collapse.

2 Chapter Ninety

While the Prussia-Russia negotiations were in a state of anxiety, another event that affected the political landscape in Europe happened.

On May 1881, 5, Alexander II was assassinated in St. Petersburg.The time and place have changed, but the ending has not.

It's not that Franz's butterfly effect is not strong enough, the key is that Alexander II committed suicide, knowing that he had offended so many people and still wandering around.

As early as a few years ago, Alexander II was dubbed the "King of Assassinations" by the media for his three-digit number of assassinations.

Being assassinated twice in three days may be due to too much experience. Alexander II has become accustomed to this kind of life, and he still does his own way, often appearing in public.

After walking a lot at night, I finally encountered a ghost.After finally winning the war, Alexander II had to pass away regretfully before he could reap the fruits of victory.

Alexander II is dead, but the assassination is not over.Regarding the murderer's question, the tsarist government has not given a clear answer for a long time.

The assassin's ostensible identity is a member of the Narodnaya Volya party. Regardless of whether others believe this statement, Franz will never believe it anyway.

Being able to survive hundreds of assassinations safely, Alexander II's security work decision is not bad.Under normal circumstances, any stranger approaching would definitely be stopped by the guards.

Let the assassin rush to throw bombs within tens of meters, do the guards eat shit?

Being able to mobilize the guards and create opportunities for assassination, there are obviously internal people involved, even the emperor's cronies.

It is not possible for Franz to determine which side it is.Alexander II's reforms offended too many people, and many wealthy families fell because of the reforms.

As far as Franz knew, Alexander II was already preparing to carry out a new round of reforms after the war, fundamentally changing the Russian Empire.

There is no doubt that this will touch the cheese of the vested interests, and it is understandable to be backlashed.

Even those who originally supported the reform stood on the opposite side at this time because their own interests were violated.

Victory on the battlefield, while bringing prestige to Alexander II, also pushed him to hell.Vested interests are unwilling to continue reforms, and a tsar with high prestige and love for reforms has become a stumbling block for everyone.

Regardless of the reason, "regicide" is the most intolerable thing for rulers, and as a member of those with vested interests, Franz is no exception.

"What do the Russians say, have you identified the murderer?"

Foreign Minister Weisenberg shook his head: "Not yet. Now all the evidence points to the Russian People's Will Party, but Crown Prince Alexandrovich refused to accept this result and threatened to refuse to succeed to the throne.

Now the tsarist government is also in turmoil. Many people suspect that the conservatives did it, and the two sides are fighting very fiercely.

According to the information collected by the embassy, ​​there are still many doubts about the assassination. For example, the head of the bodyguard who was responsible for protecting the safety of Alexander II committed suicide at home on the day of the incident.

The guard of Alexander II's carriage, who was guarding, committed suicide successively in prison.

In addition, after Alexander II was assassinated, he did not die on the spot, and died the next day after rescue efforts failed.A traffic accident occurred before the doctor arrived at the scene, which delayed the rescue time.

......"

His father was assassinated and died, so the son couldn't let it go. It was inevitable for Alexandrovich to track down the murderer.

It's just that the investigation team is interesting. Knowing so many suspicious points, they still put the murderer's hat on the "People's Will Party". Isn't this doubting everyone's IQ?

The revolutionary party has the ability to reach out to the tsarist guards. It has long raised the flag to rebel, and it still uses assassination without technical content?

The subsequent series of suicides in fear of guilt is even more nonsense. Franz can still understand some people committing suicide because of their deep guilt.A large group of people committed suicide collectively, which is clearly telling everyone that this is killing people.

If a person dies, the clues will be cut off. If you want to continue the investigation, it will definitely not be so easy.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will keep a close eye on it and refrain from expressing opinions for the time being. Order the police to immediately arrest members of the Narodnaya Volya who are active in Austria, and wait for further developments in the case."

Now is a sensitive moment, and Austria must avoid suspicion.Although no one would doubt that Austria did it, this combination is obviously not suitable.

The arrest of members of the Narodnaya Volya is Franz's position expressed to the outside world.Whatever the cause, the regicide was severely punished.

The Russian People's Will Party is not wronged. Even if they were used as gunmen, Alexander II died in their hands.

The assassin has been arrested and confessed, pointing the finger directly at the top of the Democratic People's Will Party, and they have nothing to do if they want to clean up.

The assassination case that shocked Europe last time directly led to the destruction of the Kingdom of Sardinia, and the all-powerful Italian Carbonari Party disappeared. This time it is the turn of the Russian National Will Party.

Those who hide their identities are fine, but those who are exposed to the public, if they don't react quickly at this time, they will be in bad luck.

No matter what position they stand on, the monarchs of European countries will not tolerate the existence of "regicide". This is a matter of principle.

In fact, this is also the case. While Franz ordered the arrest of members of the Russian National Will Party, European monarchs also successively issued similar orders.

It doesn't matter whether they can be caught or not. The members of the Russian National Volunteer Party are naturally in the Russian Empire, and only a very small number of them go outside.

In most countries there are no members of the Russian Narodnaya Volya, and the arrest is just a gesture made by everyone to express their determination to fight against this evil organization.

As if overnight, the Russian People's Will Party became a street mouse, and had to disappear from the world and hide in the dark.

……

Alexander II was assassinated, and William I was mixed.

The good news is that the internal situation in Russia is turbulent, and there is no energy to entangle with them. In the next negotiations, the price that the Kingdom of Prussia needs to pay will be greatly reduced.

The murderers of worry have not made a conclusion for a long time. If this black pot is pinned on their heads, the Kingdom of Sardinia will be a lesson for the past.

Attempts to assassinate others have destroyed the country, and now Alexander II is dead. If they are hit by this thunder, it will be difficult for the Russians not to kill them.

Nothing is impossible until the dust settles.On the issue of arresting the Narodnaya Volya, the Berlin government is working extremely hard.

Not only the Narodnaya Volya party members were arrested, members of other revolutionary groups in Russia, and the Berlin government also arrested them.In order to show his heart, William I also took great pains.

In the Berlin Palace, William I said in a low tone: "Marshal, what do you mean?"

Seeing the resignation submitted by Moltke, William I had a bad feeling for a moment.

Moltke replied bitterly: "Your Majesty, the situation has developed to this point, and the Kingdom of Prussia no longer needs a marshal.

After the death of Alexander II, the tsarist government was busy sorting out internal affairs, and the possibility of another war was almost zero.

If I continue to stay, it will be an eyesore, and if I don't leave, I will be kicked out.Neither the Russians nor Hanover wanted to see me in Prussia. "

Sometimes being too good at fighting is also a sin.Moltke succumbed to this taboo, and the tsarist government regarded him as a thorn in the side and a thorn in the flesh, and Hanover did not want to see him stay to snatch the command of the army.

At this time, I voluntarily retired, but I actually didn't want to make it difficult for the Berlin government.In order not to cause the Kingdom of Prussia to be in a more critical situation due to personal reasons.

William I persuaded: "But there is no need to give up everything. After retiring, they won't..."