The Austrian Empire was like a frail, sickly old man, overeating and ready to perish at any moment. This was also the basis of Franz’s concessions to the French. On the principle of making small concessions to achieve a larger goal, if the French government had insisted strongly, Austria could still have torn off a piece of flesh from the Kingdom of Sardinia. The amount was unimportant. What was important was to prove to the outside world, in political terms, that the Austrian Empire remained a great power with formidable strength to deter the covetous Prussians. As to whether this would strengthen the French, Franz was quite indifferent. What business was it of his? If the French are getting stronger, it is the British and Russians who should be worried. Will the French be stupid enough to attack Austria? Don’t be ridiculous. After the baptism of Napoleon, the vigilance of the European countries towards France was at an extreme level. Before breaking out of diplomatic isolation, any military action by the French could potentially invite joint repression by other countries. Metternich calmly said, “If the French falter, there is no need to destroy the Kingdom of Sardinia. Keeping it as a buffer between Austria and France is also a reasonable choice. The most troublesome of all are the British. Our embassy in London informed us that some British financial consortiums were negotiating secret loans with the Kingdom of Sardinia, even though the British government had promised to mediate in the Austro-Sardinian War. Moreover, some time ago the Kingdom of Sardinia borrowed 3 million pounds from the British. We have reason to believe that the British are on the side of the enemy in this war.” As for territorial expansion, Metternich has never shown much interest. This conservative politician believes that Austria is already large enough and that the internal ethnic conflicts pose enough challenges. Therefore, he is against further expansion. Based on this policy, Austria has yet to engage in territorial expansion in recent decades. Franz may disagree with Metternich’s political views, but he has a different opinion of Metternich regarding his ability as a diplomat. There is no doubt that Metternich is regarded as one of the greatest diplomats of the 19th century. He earned titles such as “Prime Minister of Europe” and “The Age of Metternich,” which are the highest honors bestowed upon him by the outside world. The collapse of the Vienna System was not solely the result of diplomatic failures; rather, it was largely due to Austria’s weakened power and inability to withstand the impact of revolutionary movements. Historically, Metternich had already stepped down at this point in time. As a result, the British released a bunch of smoke screens that successfully confused the Austrian government. If Marshal Radetzky hadn’t insisted, Lombardy and Venice would probably have been lost in 1848. Felix said confidently: “There is no need to worry too much. Even if the British support the Kingdom of Sardinia, they cannot personally enter the field without the support of the European powers.” This is not arrogance, but a judgment based on the international situation and the strength of the various parties. In history, the Austrian government spared the Kingdom of Sardinia not only because of the intervention of Great Britain and France but also because they were concerned about the French annexing Sardinian territories and expanding their power. “Well, it’s good to prepare for these things in advance. The most important thing is the outcome of this war. If we can easily defeat the enemy, then of course we will have the upper hand!” Franz poured cold water on the overconfident Prime Minister, reminding him that the war was not yet over and that it was not wise to display such arrogance at this stage. It’s easy to understand why Felix feels this way. After all, Austria is considered one of the European powers, while the Kingdom of Sardinia is relatively insignificant in comparison. The great disparity in their strength is a natural cause of their contempt. After a moment’s pause, Metternich suggested again, “Your Highness, the Russians have already promised to help us suppress the revolution. Should we consider letting them use their troops to quickly quell the Hungarian revolution?” Seeing everyone’s eager expressions, Franz shook his head. “No! This is Austria’s internal affair. If we let the Russians help us suppress the revolution, then we will have to rely on the Russians diplomatically in the days to come. The hardest debt to repay is a favor. The situation in Hungary is still within our control. There is no need to involve the Russians. However, we can have the Russians pretend to send troops into Hungary to shake the resolve of revolutionaries.” ‘Asking foreign troops to suppress the revolution?’ Wouldn’t that make him a representative of the reactionaries? What about Franz’s glorious image? If it’s just a show to scare the Hungarians and force them to divert troops to the defense, then it isn’t a big deal. As the victor, Franz can write history as he pleases. In the event of a future conflict with Russia, he could even twist the truth and claim that under the leadership of the great Emperor Franz, the nefarious plots of the Russians in the Hungarian region were thwarted. On the surface, there was nothing wrong with it either. There was also regional discrimination in Europe. It was only after the Napoleonic Wars that Russia was integrated into European society. If one were to delve into the dark history of the Russians and claim their sinister intentions toward Hungary, Franz could almost believe it himself if he didn’t know the truth. “Your Highness, we have received news from the frontlines in Venice that the Kingdom of Sardinia is being cautious and not launching any hasty attacks. Our plan to lure them deeper into our territory may fail. Marshal Radetzky urges us to quickly send troops to suppress the Hungarian revolution, preferably to quickly gain an advantage on the battlefield and force the Kingdom of Sardinia to take risks and engage in a decisive battle.” The Minister of War suddenly spoke. Franz, feeling exasperated, rubbed his forehead. Historical records could be misleading. While it was true that the Italian army had shown limited fighting skills, Franz understood that this didn’t necessarily mean that they were easy to deal with. The present Kingdom of Sardinia was not to be underestimated. Often considered a mediocre marshal, General Badoglio is known for his cautious approach, preferring to take a defensive stance and suffer greater losses than risk a decisive battle with the Austrian army in Venice. The pocket formation that Marshal Radetzky had carefully arranged did not attract the enemy’s main force. If they fought now, they might be able to defeat the enemy, but it would be impossible to inflict heavy losses or destroy the enemy army. Originally, Franz planned to suppress the Hungarian revolution after the defeat of the Kingdom of Sardinia, but now it is impossible. The only thing he could do was to start with the Hungarians and force the Kingdom of Sardinia to send troops to fight a decisive battle. Many understand the logic of “if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold”. If Austria suppressed the internal rebellion first, the Kingdom of Sardinia wouldn’t even have a hope of victory. “Accelerate preparations for battle. As soon as you are ready, send troops to crush the Hungarian revolution. Prime Minister, how much time do you need?” Franz asked doubtfully. “Your Highness, the strategic supplies are almost ready, and the troop deployment is basically complete, except for the new directly administered central provinces, which need some time to consolidate. At the earliest, we can launch the attack next Saturday, May 5th!” Felix thought for a moment and said.
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