The turbulent international environment has not affected Austria's Near East development plans. All projects are progressing in an orderly manner. In the first quarter alone, the Austrian government relocated 128,000 people from the homeland to the Near East, nearly half of whom were newly emerging military merit farm owners. Everyone is highly motivated to cultivate their own land. If not for concerns about lingering traces of the Black Death, which led the government to restrict access, they would have moved even earlier. After all, the sooner they start developing, the sooner they can reap the harvest. In general, the earliest settlers receive certain privileges, including the ability to select land in advance. It is still the 19th century, and the disparity between agricultural and industrial prices is far less pronounced than in later times. The global grain shortage remains unresolved, with the Asia-Pacific region being particularly affected. Agriculture is still a highly profitable industry, especially in the context of Europe’s population boom, which has once again caused international grain prices to rise slowly. In fact, Austria, as the world’s leading exporter of agricultural products, is also the largest grain importer. This is a result of the increasing market demand brought about by population growth. After meeting domestic needs, the amount of grain available for export has significantly decreased. Under these circumstances, agricultural processing enterprises engaged in international trade have been forced to import raw grain from overseas to ensure the smooth fulfillment of orders. This situation had already emerged during the Russo-Prussian War. At one point, the Austrian government even considered lifting restrictions on its colonies and allowing grain cultivation and export from the African continent. However, considering the political consequences, Franz intervened and halted the plan. Instead, Austria chose to import grain from the Russian Empire, process it further, and then export the finished products. In a certain sense, the Austrian government’s grain policy ended up saving the Russian government. If an additional grain-producing region had emerged in Africa, international grain prices would have plummeted, and Russia’s high-cost agricultural system would have been the first to collapse. There was even the possibility that international grain prices could have been inverted, meaning that selling grain internationally would be less profitable than domestic sales. If Russia lost this crucial source of revenue, whether the Russian government could survive would have been unknown. Of course, Austria’s grain policy was not solely for the benefit of Russia. A decline in global grain prices would have inflicted the greatest losses on Austria itself, the world’s leading agricultural exporter. Austria’s political system made it necessary for the government to maintain agricultural stability. If international grain prices crashed, the government would have no choice but to subsidize grain producers out of its own pocket. This kind of approach, common in later times, was still premature at this stage. The Austrian government was not yet wealthy enough to afford such measures. When it could instead secure substantial annual profits, why turn it into a money-losing venture? Even if Austria intended to weaken Russia, now was not the time. Stabbing the Russian government in the back at this moment could very well lead to its premature downfall. Having a struggling but still intact Russian government as a neighbor was far safer than dealing with an unpredictable new regime. Toppling the status quo would mean the collapse of the pro-Austrian Russian regime, leaving Austria itself severely weakened, while only Europe’s major grain-importing nations reap the benefits. The influx of cheap grain would lower industrial and commercial production costs across these nations, thereby boosting the competitiveness of their goods. This would create a vicious cycle in which Austria, instead of benefiting, would see its own advantages significantly weakened. … Vienna Palace The maid spoke softly, “Your Majesty, the cause of the Chancellor’s collapse has been identified. It is said to be due to insufficient blood supply to the brain. The doctors recommend ample rest and recuperation. Here is the Chancellor’s letter of resignation for your review.” In later times, this might not be considered a severe illness, but in this era, it was life-threatening, a condition that could kill you at any moment. There was no specific treatment available, and even controlling the progression of the disease was difficult. The only option was careful recuperation and hoping for divine intervention. Taking the letter from the maid, Franz gave it a quick glance but did not approve it immediately. He sighed and then ordered, “Prepare the carriage. I am leaving the palace.” “Yes, Your Majesty!” the maid responded. Even to this day, Chancellor Felix remained a symbolic figure for Austria. Even if he could no longer fulfill his duties as Chancellor, simply holding the title and making occasional public appearances would help stabilize public confidence. This was especially true for the advocates of Greater German nationalism. Chancellor Felix was their spiritual leader, tirelessly working toward the unification of the German states. Since 1853, he had visited the various German states almost every year to discuss the matter of “peaceful unification.” Over the years, these efforts had yielded significant results. Although true unification was still a distant goal, economic and cultural ties had already brought the German states closer together. The Customs Union was a necessity as no one could resist the lure of Austria’s vast market. The economic prosperity of northern Germany was deeply tied to Austria’s support. As of now, the Guilder had achieved unrestricted circulation within the German states, facing no limitations. In fact, sixteen states within the North German Empire had even designated the guilder as their sole legal currency. Culturally, exchanges between regions were too numerous to count. Citizens of any German state could freely travel and work across the region without needing visas. As the architect of all these developments, Chancellor Felix was naturally revered by all German nationalists. … “Your Majesty, you’re here again.” A familiar voice rang in Franz’s ears. Seeing Felix struggling to walk steadily, Franz knew that the once high-spirited Austrian Chancellor was gone. All that remained was an old man in his twilight years. “Mm.” The countless words Franz had prepared on his way here had now been reduced to a single syllable. Felix chuckled and said, “You shouldn’t have come. Every time you leave the palace, you end up bidding farewell to an old friend. It makes it seem like I’m about to meet God any moment now.” It was a joke, but also a truth. As emperor, Franz was not expected to visit his ministers. If he did, it usually meant it was for a final farewell. Feeling a bit awkward, Franz rubbed his nose and retorted, “Give it a rest. The Lord has his hands full right now. He doesn’t have time for you just yet!” After more than thirty years together, they were not just ruler and minister but also friends. Especially after Felix had survived a brush with death, their interactions had become more casual. At this moment, their friendship outweighed their formal roles as emperor and prime minister. From Felix’s demeanor, Franz understood that he had made up his mind to withdraw from politics. Trying to persuade him to stay was now impossible. Although the relationship between monarchs and ministers in Europe was not as rigidly hierarchical as in the East, etiquette and decorum were still essential. Maintaining a certain distance was the proper way to interact. A seasoned politician would never make such a mistake. Felix’s relaxed attitude meant he had already let go of his role as an official, leaving only the friendship between them. Felix nodded and said, “That would be for the best. But you really shouldn’t come again, I still want to live long enough to see the unification of the German states!” An obsession? Perhaps. Anyone who had dedicated over thirty years to a single cause would naturally develop deep feelings for it when the time came to step away. Who wouldn’t want a grand and triumphant conclusion to their life’s work? However, Felix was well aware that the unification of the German states would not be achieved in the short term. He could not recklessly push for it just to satisfy his personal conviction. Until now, he had always believed that he would be the one to complete this great undertaking. He had subconsciously ignored the reality of his own age. This sudden illness had forced him to face the truth. In an era where the average life expectancy barely exceeded forty, Felix, at eighty-five, had lived the equivalent of two lifetimes. Time spares no one. His frail and aging body no longer allowed him to defy reality. Perhaps, given his past achievements, he could have remained in office as Chancellor even without actively fulfilling his duties. But his inherent pride would not allow it. Felix had always despised those who occupied positions of power without contributing. Throughout his tenure, he had consistently cracked down on officials who took salaries without performing their duties. Over the years, at least a thousand such officials had been dismissed and sent home because of his efforts. To avoid becoming the kind of person he despised the most, Felix did not even give Franz a chance to persuade him to stay. Looking at the proud and stubborn old man, Franz could only shrug helplessly, “Fine, I won’t come again. You make it sound like I’m some kind of harbinger of doom. But if you really want to see the unification of the German states, then you can’t just sit around. Go visit the German Unification Organization more often and guide those young ones in their work.” This time, Felix did not reject Franz’s goodwill. Letting go of power was never as easy as it sounded. If his body could still endure it, he would never have stepped down so soon. Felix chuckled and said, “I’ll go! But the unification of the German states is mainly the government’s responsibility. Your Majesty, you better hurry up. If God decides He has time to see me one day, I’ll have no choice but to watch from above.” Franz rolled his eyes. Accepting death with indifference was a myth. Perhaps in youth, one didn’t think much about it, but as one aged, the value of life became ever more precious. Feigning humor, he replied, “Don’t worry. Before you celebrate your 100th birthday, the German states will definitely be unified.” Deep down, Franz was not as composed as he appeared. If fifteen years passed, he himself would be approaching the twilight of his life, with only a few good years left to shape the future. *** https://postimg.cc/gallery/PwXsBkC (Maps of the current territories of the countries in this novel made by ScH)
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