Chapter 79 Chat
"After saying so much, what's the benefit to you? Is it worth it for you to say good things about the Hungarians?" Franz asked curiously.
Sincerity is often the most touching thing. Ernst said bluntly: "For the immigrants in East Africa."
Franz slowly walked to the desk, lazily lay on the sofa, and said, "It seems that you really value the East African region. Excuse me, Europe is far more valuable than a rotten place like Africa. Don't refute it yet."
Franz went on to say, "I have also studied places like Africa. The French are very close to North Africa. As the ancient Roman territory around the Mediterranean, North Africa's strategic position is indeed worthy of attention. The British also control the Cape Town Colony. After all, the Cape of Good Hope is the throat to the Asian region. The most valuable things left in Africa are ivory and gold. As far as I know, they are distributed in West Africa. As for East Africa, I don't really know much about it, so I am very curious why you are so optimistic about the potential of East Africa, Ernst?"
It’s not that Franz was really interested in Africa. He was just curious why Ernst would waste so much manpower, material and financial resources to develop a land with no important resources and a harsh environment.
Ernst asked, "Can I sit down somewhere?"
"Of course, please feel free to go ahead. Don't be so reserved here, Ernst," Franz said.
Ernst found a chair, moved it across from Franz, and sat in front of Franz.
"Let's talk about East Africa! Your Majesty, do you believe that gods really exist?" Ernst asked back.
As a Catholic, Franz said without hesitation: "Of course I believe in the existence of God!"
Of course, Ernst was not talking about the God of Christianity. As a native of his homeland in his previous life, Ernst was originally a staunch atheist. However, this metaphysical thing of time travel happened to him, so now Ernst, at least psychologically, began to waver in his faith.
Of course, Ernst does not believe in Christianity. He was not a Westerner in his previous life, and he scoffs at everything about God. If there really is a God, he would definitely not choose Ernst as a time traveler.
Ernst has a mysterious sense of mission in his heart, and it is this power that drives him to renew his relationship with Africa, which he had a connection with in his previous life.
It is hard to describe what this power is, feeling, belief, or ideal, none of them can be accurately described.
"Your Majesty, it's like a very mysterious force like religion that drives my actions, and I enjoy it. So there are no answers to many questions, and I just do it naturally." Ernst tried his best to explain the feeling, but he couldn't describe it.
"God's guidance?" Franz murmured to himself. As an emperor of an empire, Franz actually had this feeling as well. It was a desire for the development of Austria, but also the continuation of the family's glory. Franz was sure that he had such a mission, but when faced with a worsening situation, he always felt powerless to face it, a contradictory feeling.
"To me, East Africa is really a bottomless pit. There are no important resources worth describing except animals and indigenous people. But it is East Africa, a region without any history and no one paying attention to it, that can satisfy my wild imagination. I am like a painter who can add any color I want to the canvas of East Africa. In Europe, I am just an ordinary little prince! I will be bound by European rules and it will be difficult for me to display my nature..."
Ernst and Franz, one young and one old, chatted like old friends. Franz could hardly relax and did not ask too many questions about East Africa.
…
Trieste.
"There are a lot more people today than before, and there are a lot more Serbian accents," said Jean Degou and his partner Phil Moore, staff members of the Hechingen ocean-going fleet.
"Is East Africa really worth visiting?" asked Phil Moore.
Jean Degou took out a bottle of cheap Italian red wine, took a sip and said, "It looks okay! It's no different from the rural areas in Europe, just more desolate."
"The population of Europe, especially in the empire, is still too large. There will always be so much land, and the population has been growing faster and faster in recent years. There will always be people who want to go out and explore."
Phil Moore said with emotion: "Yes, the population of the empire is still growing very fast. For example, many people of our generation came from the countryside. A few decades ago, our parents worked in the manors of the nobles, and now we come to the factories in the city to work for the capitalists."
"Fortunately, you and I are somewhat educated, otherwise we would still be doing manual labor in factories or docks. It would be impossible for us to get paid just by writing on paper and guiding immigrants like we are doing now!"
"Hey! Speaking of factories, do you still remember Flanders? A few days ago in the pub, I heard from a former co-worker that he died suddenly at work. He had good arms and legs and looked strong, but he collapsed on a machine that worked day and night for more than ten hours..."
Watching the two people in front of me chatting familiarly about everything from East Africa to Europe, from the countryside to the city.
Among the immigrants, there was a young man who had the idea. His name was Krik, and he was a Serbian from a Hungarian village. He was only 15 years old this year, and he came out to make a living.
Coming from a family of farmers, Creek naturally had no special skills and only had a bit of strength. The family's land was left to his eldest brother, so Creek had to go out and find a job.
It just so happened that the East African Colony was recruiting people. Creek didn't have any idea in mind, but the requirements of the East African Colony were simple, and food and accommodation were not a problem, and there was money to be made, so Creek followed the staff of the Hexingen Group and several unemployed vagrants from the same village to Trieste.
Creek was quite active in the village. He approached Jean Degou and asked, "Uncle, have you ever been to East Africa?"
Jean Degou looked at the young man in front of him and said, "I have been to two or three ports in East Africa on the ship. I have been to Dar es Salaam, Tanga and the newest Mombasa."
"Is East Africa really the same as the Africa in the newspapers?" asked Crick.
Jean Deguin pondered, "If you're talking about Africa, then most of it is true. North Africa is all sand, and along the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, there are occasionally a few oases inhabited by Arabs. The Atlantic coast is West Africa, which is the starting point of the slave trade and a place where gold and ivory are said to exist. However, the climate is very harsh, hot and humid. You can still see white sandy beaches to the south, but it's also a barren land. The conditions in South Africa are very good, and that's the British territory. As for East Africa, I haven't heard of any special resources, but the few ports I've been to look pretty good. Although they're not as good as European cities, they're much better than rural conditions."
Jean Degou's words made the immigrants feel more at ease. At least they knew that East Africa was not a barren land and life there should be no worse than in the village.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
