Chapter 235 Ernst, who wants to stir up trouble but doesn't want to contribute
Just when the brothers Franz and Ferdinand were "caring about each other's well-being and being friendly to each other", Franz had some bad luck today, but another uninvited guest came to visit.
"Your Majesty, Grand Duke, His Royal Highness Ernst is here again." The maid reported.
Normally, the servants and guards would let Ernst in directly upon seeing him, because Ernst came to Schönbrunn Palace so frequently that Franz gave him this privilege. However, Ferdinand was also there today, so the servants chose to inform him first.
"Hmm!" Franz and Ferdinand looked at each other at the same time. It was really a coincidence today. Ferdinand, Ernst's future father-in-law, had never met Ernst. Princess Charlotte (Queen Carlota) had met Ernst once, but Princess Charlotte was eager to reunite with Ferdinand at that time and did not communicate much with Ernst.
"Let him in!" Franz asked his brother.
Franz, who had ill intentions, wanted to see Ernst's reaction when he saw Ferdinand. The slightly raised corners of his mouth betrayed his inner thoughts.
"Humph! Call that boy in. I want to see if he is worthy of my Karina."
Franz waved his hand, and the servant immediately understood and said, "Yes, Your Majesty!"
…
Why is today different from the past? Ernst stood outside the palace gate waiting. In the past, he could enter freely, but now he was stopped. Could it be that Franz had something important to do or was meeting some important person? I haven't heard of any important person coming to Austria!
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. Ernst felt as if he had become a prey. What was going on? He had never felt this sense of crisis since he awakened his past life memories.
Ernst's intuition told him that he should go back today. What he came to discuss was not important anyway, and it would be the same if he came again tomorrow. He was about to back out and run away when the servant arrived.
"Your Highness Ernst, His Majesty invites you over."
"Oh, OK!"
Ernst agreed.
"By the way, is there anyone special coming to the palace today?"
"There shouldn't be any special people!" the servant replied. How could there be any special people? This is Schönbrunn Palace. As for Ferdinand, of course he doesn't count. After all, the Archduke of Austria is a member of the royal family and he used to live here. He definitely doesn't count! This is how the servant understood it.
"That's good. I'll go in first." Ernst said, and then walked inside on his own.
…
As soon as he stepped into the door with his left foot, Ernst immediately felt two pairs of eyes staring at him. He looked closely and saw that there was an extra person next to the sofa where Franz usually sat.
Ernst looked at him, while Ferdinand observed Ernst carefully.
"Oh my god!" Ernst felt a chill in his heart, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees in an instant. "Isn't this Archduke Ferdinand? Why is he here?"
Ernst recognized his father-in-law at a glance. In fact, Ernst knew Ferdinand in his previous life. After all, the picture of Ferdinand lying in the coffin was so impressive.
(Picture, readers with less courage should not click to view.)
Anyone who knows a little about Mexican history cannot avoid mentioning Maximilian I. After all, if there is a ranking of foreign monarchs who were executed in modern times, after Charles I of England, Louis XVI of France, and Nicholas II of Russia, Maximilian I would definitely be on the list.
Since Ernst got engaged to Princess Karina in this life, he naturally paid more attention to Ferdinand and had seen several photos and portraits of him.
Although Ferdinand shaved his beard for unknown reasons, Ernst recognized him at a glance. Ferdinand looked energetic and neat without a beard. This habit was actually developed by Ferdinand in East Africa. East African immigrants originally had few beards (the population was relatively young overall), and Ernst trimmed them all when he immigrated to East Africa. East Africans have to trim their hair and beards once a month. After all, not paying attention to hygiene can really cost you your life in East Africa. The Hexingen Daily Necessities Company happened to produce razors and hair clippers, and the cost was also very low, so it was promoted very thoroughly.
Ferdinand had lived in East Africa for so long that he learned to shave his beard like the East Africans. This was indeed much more convenient in East Africa. The temperatures in Mombasa, Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo where he had lived were relatively high, above 30 degrees most of the time. Just imagine that on such a hot day, his thick hair and beard plus sweat would make him look really messy.
"Are you Ernst?" Ferdinand, after taking a closer look, spoke first.
"Yes, father-in-law." Ernst immediately became obedient and alert.
Franz, on the other hand, covered his mouth and laughed in an unkind manner. Although he was stroking his beard, this was the first time he saw Ernst like this.
"You are really good at clinging to others, but Karina hasn't married you yet!" Ferdinand said.
"Well, father-in-law, we are family and should not have different opinions. There are still three years left, and by then we will be completely one family." Although Ernst had lived two lives, this was the first time he met his father-in-law, so he responded somewhat unskillfully.
The two then began a question-and-answer conversation, but Franz on the side somewhat spoiled the mood.
…
"By the way, I went to the shipyard to see those small gunboats you purchased. Their performance is pretty good. But I think you should also build a shipyard in East Africa. Don't say you don't have money. Just build some small fishing boats first. The Sultanate of Zanzibar next door has a ready-made shipyard anyway. You can just copy its shipyard. It may not be as technologically advanced as European shipyards, but it's still okay for fishing along the coast. It will also be convenient to train a group of fishermen with good water skills, which will also facilitate the expansion of the navy in the future." Ferdinand suggested.
This proposal, in addition to considering the naval personnel, is also highly feasible. It does not even require any money to be spent. Instead, some immigrants can be sent to the Sultanate of Zanzibar to study and learn the technology. The people of Zanzibar will not dare to object anyway.
"I'll arrange it, but why don't you propose it to my father while you're in East Africa?"
"I just remembered it recently. So, what are you doing in Schönbrunn Palace?" Ferdinand asked.
"Of course I have something important to do!"
Franz finally spoke: "You are not coming to ask for help again!"
"That's not the case. This time I'm here to deliver information."
"What information?" Franz asked curiously.
"This shouldn't be considered important intelligence, or it could be my prediction." Ernst said, "Prussia and France should be fighting soon."
"You dare not say that?" Franz and Ferdinand were both excited, especially Franz, who asked, "Did William I tell you?"
Ernst shook his head.
"I guessed it!"
"Guessed!" The two said in disbelief. Is this the time to joke?
"But I'm not talking nonsense. This is the result of my feedback from German companies. Prussia is preparing for a war. And it goes without saying who Prussia has the most tense relationship with right now. It's impossible for it to fight Austria again!"
In fact, Ernst was talking nonsense. So far, the Prussian army had not mobilized at all, nor had it placed large-scale orders for supplies from Ernst's companies. The corporate feedback that Ernst mentioned was completely false.
"If it is true, then it is indeed possible. If Prussia's military changes this time are in preparation for the unification of southern Germany, it is indeed possible that it will run into France," said Ferdinand.
"Yes! It is impossible for the French to let Prussia achieve success so easily." They will treat themselves as a gift and send Prussia to the status of a great power, Ernst added in his mind.
"Are you here to remind us to beware of Prussia's ambition to rule southern Germany? In fact, the Austro-Hungarian Empire can do nothing now," said Franz.
After saying this, Franz's tone became a little low. The Austro-Hungarian Empire really could not do anything. If the Austro-Hungarian Empire took actual action, Prussia would control public opinion and would not be able to escape the charge of colluding with the French. Then the hearts of the people in the German region would all belong to Prussia. Moreover, the Hungarian government in the Austro-Hungarian Empire would probably try its best to hinder it, because it would be beneficial for them if southern Germany was taken by Prussia, and they did not want to see Austria or the Germans strengthened.
Is there really nothing that can be done? Wrong, Ernst has something for Austria-Hungary to do right now.
"In fact, Your Majesty, the success or failure of the German region has nothing to do with the current Austro-Hungarian Empire. The real enemy of the empire is no longer Prussia! Your real enemy..." Ernst deliberately paused.
"France? Tsarist Russia? Are you here to lobby for William I?" Franz asked doubtfully. The surname Hohenzollern gave Franz reason to believe that it was William I who instigated Ernst to prevent him from acting rashly.
"You think too highly of me. There is no way William I would let me be a lobbyist. Besides, you know what kind of personality I have. And your Majesty, you are too extreme!" Ernst finally stopped pretending after pretending for so long, and his previous image in Schönbrunn Palace reappeared.
"What about Prussia? As you said, the Austro-Hungarian Empire can't do anything. What's the point of me being a lobbyist? Besides, the real enemy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is Prussia's ally, the Kingdom of Italy, which is about to be unified."
"Italy?" Franz and Ferdinand were a little confused by Ernst's turn of events.
"Isn't it? Italy has now completely gotten rid of the state of being dominated by Austria and France. If Italy takes advantage of the war between Prussia and Franco-Prussia to unify the Papal States, then the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the Mediterranean will really have to live at the mercy of the Italians!"
"Besides, Italy unified the Papal States. I have seen its subsequent territorial demands. Southern Austria is a good place, with many Italians."
Ernst finally showed his true colors. He just wanted to disgust the Italian traitor. As for whether he could prevent Italy from annexing the Papal States in the future, it would depend on what the Austro-Hungarian Empire did. Anyway, they didn't have to put in any effort and could just try their best.
(End of this chapter)
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