Holy Roman Empire - Chapter 464

Chapter 464: Chapter 37, Everyone Has a Plan

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“‘Killing the chicken to scare the monkey’ is not so easy to execute, first of all, the chicken that is to be killed does not agree. If the butcher’s skills are not proficient enough, the chicken may just fly away.”

Those who play politics are no fools. Everyone mingles in the same circle; who doesn’t have a few secret moves?

The news of the Austrian Delegation’s arrival was far from a secret; since the Vienna Government wanted to annex Transvaal and the Orange Free State, under normal circumstances, they would need to win over these influential factions.

Don’t assume that just because they are politically against Austria, they truly harbor deep hatred for Austria and are determined to fight to the death.

Apart from a few naïve teenagers, the seasoned players’ opposition to Austria is merely a political necessity. Joining Austro-Africa benefits some, naturally, it also harms the interests of others, and it’s impossible to satisfy everyone.

Those whose interests have been harmed naturally oppose the merger. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, a principle that applies both in the East and in the West. How could you gain benefits without making some noise?

To secure more benefits, the Anti-Austrian Faction arose. There are countless connections between the Pro- and Anti-Austrian factions, sometimes just to hedge bets.

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

It’s definitely too late to make an about-face now. The Anti-Austrian Faction also has its supporters, such as secret dealings with the British and Portuguese.

The tragedy now is that Austria’s influence in the African Continent is great, and the Portuguese dare not make a wrong move, nor do the British have the strength to suppress Austria.

The general trend is not something an individual can reverse; many are ready to switch sides, just waiting for the Vienna Government to make an offer.

Plans cannot keep up with changes, and Viscount Feckney, who led this operation, did not play by the rules at all. After winning over the Pro-Austrian Faction, he stopped any further moves.

Even those among them who couldn’t keep their composure and took the initiative were turned away. Viscount Feckney had no intention of accepting them.

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At this time, the political situation in Transvaal and the Orange Free State was also changing, as the Pro-Austrian Faction suddenly launched an attack on them politically.

The wise knew that a storm was coming. As those who had backed the wrong horse, danger was drawing closer to them. The Pro-Austrian Faction was not united either, and it was quite normal for a few Anti-Austrian spies to be lurking around, leaking information.

Looking at the intelligence in his hands, one of the leaders of the Anti-Austrian political faction, Wilhelm, was furious. Was it necessary to call for violence just because he shouted a few slogans?

Although they were “Anti-Austria,” they had always limited themselves to propaganda and nobody dared to truly provoke Austria in practice.

A weak country has no diplomacy, and this universal international rule also applies in South Africa. “Anti-Austria” could be said in words, but in reality, if it came to a confrontation, they would be the ones to suffer in the end.

This time was different; it wasn’t that they wanted to confront Austria directly, but that Austria wanted to use their heads to establish authority.

Wilhelm was now caught in a dilemma; it was too late to switch sides, and changing his political stance would also take time, which his enemies were not going to give him.

The Austrians wanted to kill to establish dominance, and those who sought refuge in Austria’s arms needed their heads as a pledge of allegiance. At a critical juncture, Wilhelm had no choice but to think of an escape route.

At this moment, he remembered the British, who had contacted him not long ago. At that time, the situation was far from as dire as it was now, and Wilhelm was reluctant to take risks.

After hesitating for a moment, Wilhelm decided to make one more attempt: “Raul, notify Skoman, Feilude, Lanks, and Tyren immediately. Four old friends are to attend a banquet tonight.”

The Transvaal Republic was not vast and being a new nation, had an even smaller upper echelon, so the power struggle was far from as fierce as outsiders might imagine.

Despite differing political stances, Wilhelm could still converse amicably with these pro-Austrian leaders. Now, seeking to leave unscathed, he needed their assistance.

If he could withdraw unharmed, Wilhelm wouldn’t mind ceding some benefits as the cost for backing the wrong side.

The servant Raul replied, “Yes, Mr. Wilhelm!”

While probing the situation, Wilhelm was also preparing for the worst. After Raul left, Wilhelm secretly initiated contact with the British.

As a world power, the Vienna Government cared about its reputation and was unlikely to kill someone to make an example directly.

A justifiable charge was essential, and the anti-Austrian faction led by Wilhelm was not without strength. Even if high-ranking officials in the government who sided with Austria acted against them, they would need time to gather evidence.

This provided an opportunity for the anti-Austrian faction; in the face of life and death, people often unleash their greatest potential.

Viscount Feckney coldly observed the infighting between Transvaal and the Orange Free State, indifferent to whether the anti-Austrian faction would take desperate measures.

As one of Austria’s earliest colonists, Viscount Feckney had no fear of war. Even if the anti-Austrians colluded with the British to overturn the rule of Transvaal and the Orange Free State, he remained undaunted.

It was not a peaceful time on the African Continent, and as Austria’s representative, Feckney came prepared.

In recent times, a large number of Austrian trade caravans entered Transvaal and the Orange Free State, but not all were there to conduct business.

If one paid close attention, they’d notice that the traders were all brimming with aggression, and the goods they escorted were no ordinary items, with certain sealed crates unmistakably containing cannons.

Some of these individuals were part of the army stationed in the Central and Southern Africa region of Austria, but many belonged to the Aristocratic Private Army. For a mining magnate like Viscount Feckney, wouldn’t it be embarrassing to be seen without a private army of a few hundred men?

All were well-informed. Distant nobles might not be able to reach them, but the nearby Nobility was another story. With such a rare opportunity arising, how could they not join in the excitement?

If peace prevailed, they would treat it as a military drill. But if the situation spiraled out of control and required military intervention, it would amount to served military honors.

Many were hoping for the British to attack, looking forward to bolstering their combat records. This was not due to arrogance, but a reflection of their genuine strength.

In the African Colony of Austria, most territories were conquered by these Aristocratic Private Armies. In the African jungle, the combat capability of these forces was absolutely top-tier for the era.

If relying solely on the standing army, even dispatching all of Austria’s troops would not suffice to swiftly control even half of the African Continent.

In sparsely populated Africa, Austria could not afford to establish administrative bodies everywhere; feudal enfeoffment to the nobles was the most cost-effective ruling method.

After all, as long as the major Nobility could be kept in check, there was no need to fear these smaller-to-midsize nobles with their hundreds of private soldiers.

Besides these forces, there was also a significant number of Teuton immigrants in the area. Should war break out, the nobles could also recruit local youths.

With several thousand veterans as the core and a bunch of local youths, a formidable army of tens of thousands could be rapidly assembled. At that point, it would be uncertain who would fight whom.

Franz abandoning the plan to occupy British-South Africa did not mean the colonial nobility had given up; many still coveted Cape Town.

The Emperor wouldn’t allow a war to begin, and since no one could bear the responsibility of initiating a war, they naturally couldn’t launch an offensive. However, this didn’t mean they couldn’t entice the British to attack.

If the British were the ones to invade first, the responsibility for the war would no longer be theirs. Fighting to defend the Empire’s interests, Franz would only commend them.

Viscount Feckney was one of the Hawk Faction among the nobility, advocating for the expulsion of all European nations to allow Austria to dominate the African continent alone.

Putting aside whether it was achievable or not, having a goal to strive for was always a good thing. The power Austria wielded on the African continent fed their ambition.

In terms of military strength alone on the African continent, Austria had already surpassed the sum of all other nations. Of course, this did not amount to Austria having an absolute advantage over all the countries, as Austria was still at a disadvantage in certain local areas.

For example, in the South African region, Austria feared neither England nor Portugal individually. However, if the British and the Portuguese joined forces, the situation would change.

Many harbored the sentiment of a shared fate, and should Austria attack any occupied colonies, it was highly possible that other nations might set aside their differences and unite against them.

The First World War in the original timeline is a classic case. After the rise of the German Empire, its failure to handle diplomatic relations well and its aggressive conduct turned the highly conflictual England, France, and Russia into allies.

Although Franz had curbed domestic expansionism, he couldn’t prevent his subordinates from intentionally setting traps to provoke a British attack.

This could also be considered as a form of entrapment law enforcement. If they openly showed their strength, the British would certainly not dare to come knocking.

Now it was different, whether it was for the Austrian nobility, the scheming Young Pretorius, or the anti-Austrian faction, they all needed the British to attack.

These people all chose to conceal their motives, and it was even less likely for the Pro-Austrian Faction to alert the British. Moreover, many only sensed something was amiss, unaware that it was a trap set for the British.

The very thought of “Anglo-Austria at war” was inconceivable to many. Even Viscount Feckney was not prepared to provoke a full-scale war between the two nations, as they were well aware that their own navy was no match for the Royal Navy.

From the beginning, they didn’t fly the Austrian flag; the main combat forces were Aristocratic Private Armies, clad in the guise of the Boer Republic to engage the British in a fight.

Even if the affair was exposed, it would be the Aristocratic Lords at war with the British, not equating to their respective nations declaring war, which is very Shinra.

In the past when the Emperor went to war with the French, the Shinra Empire’s nobility could ensure government neutrality. Now, with Aristocratic Lords fighting the British, the Empire’s government could naturally remain neutral as well.

If the war was won, the Boer Republic would occupy British-South Africa and then fabricate a reason for the Empire to annex the Boer Republic and inherit this part of the territory.

Without direct confrontation, the British would at most protest or look for an opportunity for revenge, with the situation still under control.

If the war was lost, it wouldn’t matter either—it would be Transvaal and the Orange Free State who lost, what does that have to do with Austria?

At worst, the Vienna Government would step in to mediate the conflict. If the British accepted, then so be it; if they refused, then a whole pack of Aristocratic Private Armies, bringing their own supplies, would come over to continue the fierce fight with the British.

Of course, Franz must recognize these military achievements, and the rewards due couldn’t be diminished by a bit; any losses suffered by the nobility would ultimately have to be compensated by the Vienna Government.

…

In Cape Town, Governor Delph is very vexed right now. The London Government just announced the cancellation of an operation, and the Boer people came knocking for cooperation.

As a governor with aspirations, Derfu did not want to be a “salted fish.” He wanted to achieve a remarkable accomplishment and make his way into the power center of London.

“What do the Portuguese say? Are they interested in Transvaal?”

Asked Governor Derfu with concern. Austria had not yet completed the annexation of the Boer Republic, and everyone was still employing their own means.

To ensure his plan was foolproof, he was prepared to join forces with the Portuguese and act first to carve up the Boer Republic, thus creating a fait accompli.

The official in charge of foreign affairs, Mal, waved his hand dismissively and said with a helpless tone, “I regret to inform you, Governor,

the Portuguese have explicitly rejected us. It might be related to the recent domestic situation in their country. The Portuguese Government has ordered its colonies not to provoke incidents without authorization.”

At this time, the domestic situation in Portugal had already become unstable. The forces of the liberals and the Republicans were growing, and even King Luis was struggling to maintain control.

With internal chaos, they naturally did not dare to cause trouble elsewhere. Should they face failure, it would spark another political controversy.

The Boer Republic seemed easy to deal with, but thinking of the Austrians behind the scene, the Portuguese colonial government in the Mozambique region lost all interest.

This answer greatly displeased Governor Derfu. He had thought to share some benefits with the Portuguese to entice them into jointly containing Austrian expansion.

Now it was no longer necessary. Since the Portuguese dared not step in, he would act alone. The London Government had only called off actions against Austria, but had not said that the Boer Republic could not be attacked.

These two little dots were never in his serious consideration. In recent years, the Boer people, having aligned with Austria, had also neglected their military preparedness.

“Weapons stowed, horses to the south mountain”—not quite, but indeed the universal military training was hardly conducted anymore. The largest armed force in the Boer Republic was a bunch of police officers.

A standing army, that sort of thing, was not something a small nation with a population of just a hundred or two hundred thousand could afford. In times of war, they would just temporarily conscript the young and strong.

Governor Derfu furrowed his brow and said with dissatisfaction, “Forget it, since the Portuguese do not appreciate the offer, let them regret it in the future!

We can manage on our own now. The Austrian forces in the Central and Southern African region are just over a thousand men. Even if they were to conscript temporarily, at most they would muster a few thousand.

Even if the Austrians wanted to intervene, they would have to wait for reinforcements from the Congo Region. At present, there are no signs of Austrian troops being mobilized elsewhere.

Beginning from when we take action, it will take at least two months for the Austrians to assemble a sufficient army for intervention.

Two months is more than enough for us to defeat the Boer. If something unexpected occurs, we will simply stop and divide the Boer Republic with the Austrians.”

Though he appeared full of confidence, Governor Derfu was still somewhat anxious inside. The memory of that failed expedition years ago still lingered deep in his mind.

Lieutenant General Friedman, the commander of the colonial forces, immediately assured, “Please rest assured, Your Excellency, we are one hundred percent confident in defeating this pack of wretches.”

The Boer were, after all, people who had been expelled by the British from Cape Town and driven into Transvaal and the Orange Free State. Having beaten them before, Lieutenant General Friedman naturally felt quite confident.

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