After hesitating for a moment, Franz walked over to the map hanging on the wall and tapped it lightly with his fingers. “If Bruno is willing, he can go to Veracruz to serve as mayor. Consider it a test for him. If he performs well, we can increase our support later. If he performs poorly, then let it go.” No matter what, he still had to give his younger brother some face. After decades of living together, Franz had long accepted everything the original host had left behind. Maximilian might have been overly idealistic, but that did not stop him from being a good younger brother. Even when he caused trouble, it was always in Mexico, never at home. A governorship in the Yucatán Peninsula was out of the question, but Franz could certainly give him a colonial mayor’s post. Even if he caused some problems, Peter would be there to clean up the mess. They were all undergoing tests, so no one could say he was setting his son up to fail. The difference lay in the path taken. Peter had served in domestic positions first, accumulated experience, and only then became Governor of Central America. Bruno, although he had helped Maximilian handle matters related to the restoration movement, still had no real administrative experience. Giving him a high-ranking position directly would truly be harming him. Political struggles were extremely complex. No matter one’s status, stepping into office meant facing challenges head-on. Maximilian himself was the perfect negative example. Overprotected by his mother since childhood, he had never experienced the harshness of society, which turned him into an idealist. As a border city, a hotspot of ethnic conflict, and an area filled with feudal nobility, Veracruz was naturally not going to be easy to govern. If the world were peaceful and the city government could function normally without a mayor, then the test would lose its meaning. Yet compared to the situation in Mexico as a whole, the problems in Veracruz did not even qualify as real trouble and were hardly worth mentioning. If he could not even handle that, then there would be nothing more to say. He should simply step back early and call it quits. Judging from the current situation in Mexico, if Maximilian and his son were to announce that they would never return home, it is entirely possible that one day they might wake up and find that the restoration had succeeded on its own. This is not an exaggeration. The warlord factions flying the banner of monarchism are in no way weaker than the republican government. A victory is not out of reach. The problem is that these men have been acting as local tyrants for too long. Even if they did win the civil war, they would not welcome Maximilian back. If they could compromise on this issue, then for political convenience, accepting a figurehead monarch would not be a big deal at all. But knowing his younger brother’s personality, Franz understood that even with a knife at his throat, Maximilian would never agree to such a role. Ever since Franz ascended the throne, the comfortable days of the Habsburg second and third generations had come to an end. Anyone who was healthy enough had to go through a round of “tempering,” without exception. Their strict upbringing from childhood went without saying. Following German tradition, once they graduated from school, they had to serve in the army for two years. And it was real service, not symbolic assignments. They appeared in the annual military parade every year, and if their performance was lacking… Once their training was mostly complete, they would then be sent into society to endure a few years of harsh real-world experience. By the time they finished this whole process, they were nearly thirty years old. Only then could they freely choose their career, whether in the military, politics, business, or even the arts. The only exception was academic research. As long as they completed their military service, they could enter the research institutes without having to undergo the social training period. Under this system, the younger generation might not all possess exceptional ability, but none of them would turn into idealists. In a sense, Maximilian had made an outstanding contribution to the educational cause of the Habsburgs. If it had not been for his example as the perfect cautionary tale, Franz would never have been able to persuade the family to accept such an education model. Seeing that Franz was not in high spirits, Frederick tried to comfort him saying, “All right, Father. I will make the arrangements. I am sure Bruno will understand your intentions.” Whether others understood his intentions or not was something Franz no longer cared about. Years of ruling had taught him never to try to control people’s hearts, because doing so would only leave him battered and scarred. What truly saddened Franz was the way these matters stirred up old memories. There was nothing he could do about it. People tended to grow sentimental as they aged. … The family matter was just a small interlude. At a time when the Holy Roman Empire and Britain were at a decisive stage in their rivalry, the attention of Franz and his son remained firmly fixed on the British. Unlike any past opponent, this one posed no threat to the empire’s foundation, yet was incredibly slippery and difficult to pin down. After unifying the German regions, the Holy Roman Empire’s military power had reached its historical peak. Both its army and air force could be described as unmatched anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, the English Channel stood between them and their enemy, forcing them to confront Britain’s Royal Navy with their own weakest branch. Trying to defeat an enemy’s greatest strength with one’s lowest advantage was never a sound strategy in military history. But there was no choice. Once the decision to cut ties with Britain had been made, the confrontation became inevitable. From that moment, the Holy Roman government closely monitored British intelligence, just as the British government kept watch on the Holy Roman Empire. Both sides dispatched large numbers of spies to gather as much information as possible, though their focus differed. The British cared most about naval construction, while Franz focused on Britain’s supply reserves, especially food and other essential goods. Franz asked, “What has the British government been doing lately? They have been quiet for too long. That is unlike them.” Being fond of stirring up trouble was a deeply ingrained British habit. Even the meteoric rise of the Holy Roman Empire had not changed the British government’s tendency to provoke and interfere everywhere. The only difference now lay in whom they targeted and to what extent. Causing trouble on the European continent had become impossible. Even if the British government wanted to make a move, no one was willing to cooperate. Overseas, however, things were different. Aside from a few exceptions, the Holy Roman Empire’s influence abroad was far inferior to Britain’s. As a result, while the British government could still rally allies overseas, the Holy Roman government had to lower its expectations and settle for persuading other nations merely to remain neutral. Those willing to join the Holy Roman Empire’s camp were essentially the ones Britain had already filtered out. Because of regional conflicts, they needed a protector and therefore turned to the empire. The Holy Roman government had no ability to guarantee the safety of allies overseas, and the support it could offer was limited. For that reason, its expectations were also low. As long as they waved the flag and helped make some noise, that was enough. When it came to actual fighting, the Holy Roman Empire would never drag them in. Likewise, after winning the war, they did not need to think about sharing whatever Britain left behind. Of course, in these times, the only governments bold enough to covet British wealth were the Holy Roman Empire and perhaps the Russian government. All the remaining countries lacked the courage, even if they had the desire. Spain, for example, wanted to reclaim the Strait of Gibraltar yet still did not dare take action. Frederick laughed and said, “The top levels of the British government have been running off their feet recently. They are dealing with the pain of withdrawing from the free trade system, while also trying to reorganize their domestic industrial framework. It seems something has provoked them, and now they intend to work hard and rise again. Not long ago, they announced their shipbuilding plans, but due to a shortage of large drydocks, they were forced to revise the designs and reduce the displacement of their warships. If nothing unexpected happens, the endurance of their new capital ships will likely be terrible.” This outcome was inevitable. If they wanted to maintain firepower while reducing displacement, they had to sacrifice other performance factors. Cutting coal storage and shortening cruising range was one of the least damaging options. If a battleship could not sail far, it could simply follow behind a supply ship dedicated to supporting it. Franz nodded and said, “Keep a close watch on every move the British government makes. Pay attention to anything strange. The fact that they remain inactive is itself the biggest scheme. The British cannot possibly be unaware of the industrial gap between our two nations. If this turns into a contest of industrial output, even two Britains would not change the result. And no matter how they reorganize their industrial sector, there is no way they can double their domestic production capacity in a short period.” It was not that Franz was making a fuss. The problem was that the British government’s behavior was far too abnormal. Anyone with sense would know that trying to compete with the Holy Roman Empire in industrial strength was unrealistic. What truly suited the British style was using the Royal Navy’s advantage to deliver a decisive blow at sea and wipe out the empire’s main naval force in one strike. The Holy Roman Empire’s industrial power was immense and they could build an endless stream of new warships, but experienced naval officers and sailors were limited. At most, the empire could endure such a battle two or three times before exhausting the manpower accumulated over the years. When that happened, they would have ships with no one left to crew them and the Holy Roman government would be forced to negotiate. Of course, this was only in theory. A naval decisive battle could defeat an enemy, but almost never wipe out the opposing fleet completely. As long as some sailors managed to escape, they would return as veterans with real combat experience. Once additional warships and new recruits were added and everyone had a few months to adjust, they could fight again. The quality might vary, but the numbers would be there. Besides, the reinforcements would not be raw recruits. The Holy Roman Empire’s navy was also enormous. In addition to the capital ships, there were hundreds of smaller vessels. Most of these ordinary ships did not need to participate in the fighting. When the main fleet needed men, they could simply be transferred from those ships, instead of putting fresh recruits directly into battle. And beyond the active-duty sailors, there were also retired ones who could be called back. With an average service length of four years, roughly a quarter of the navy retired each year. After retirement, they automatically entered the reserves and continued one month of military training every year. This usually lasted for twenty years. That meant there were about five generations of retired sailors available. Even after accounting for various losses and those no longer fit for service, at least half of them could still return to the battlefield. Unless the empire suffered multiple consecutive catastrophes that wiped out entire fleets, they could easily endure a long war of attrition. The Holy Roman Empire could afford to take losses. In the original timeline, the Royal Navy faced manpower shortages during the Second World War. Part of the reason was the severe budget cuts after the First World War, which greatly weakened reserve training. The other reason was the massive number of escort ships needed to protect merchant convoys. The capital ships themselves did not lack crew. The Holy Roman Empire’s navy did not worry about such things. As long as they held the gateway to the Mediterranean and removed the British foothold there, and as long as the air force kept the Strait of Gibraltar sealed, British surface ships would not dare enter. Submarines could slip in, but submarines of this era had very limited underwater endurance. At most, they could operate in the western Mediterranean, and could not reach the east at all. If Gibraltar were taken, a few destroyers stationed there could guarantee the security of even the western Mediterranean. Theory was one thing and practice was another. Military history has never lacked miracles. Before a decisive battle actually began, no one could know what would happen. A tiger uses its full strength even when hunting a rabbit. How could they be careless when the opponent was Britain? Franz certainly did not want to engage in a friendly match lasting several decades with the British. That would be fatal. As if suddenly realizing something, Frederick’s face tightened and he frowned, “Recently, our exports of industrial equipment, spare parts, agricultural products, and all kinds of strategic materials have been hitting record highs. Most of the new orders come from Japan and Russia. At first, I thought it was because of the Russo–Japanese War, but now that I think about it, something is not right. The volume is too large. With the financial capacity of the Japanese and Russian governments, ordering this amount would drain their treasuries completely. The war is only halfway through. Even if they want to go all out, they still need to keep emergency reserves. Besides, many of these items have enormous order quantities even though their actual demand should be very small. Considering that the British government is busy reorganizing and expanding its industrial capacity, these suspicious orders might very well be placed by the British under the names of Japan and Russia.” Once he thought of this, Frederick no longer felt pleased with the rising export numbers. Even if they could earn a lot of money, they were essentially helping the enemy. Imagine British ships, guns, and ammunition built from materials purchased from the empire ending up being used against the empire. That would be a tragic sight. Franz, however, remained calm. This was already the lesser evil. At least the British were not purchasing weapons directly. Otherwise, the empire would truly become a “proper arms dealer.” “Send someone to investigate the orders. Anything suspicious should be detained immediately. Even orders without obvious problems should have their delivery delayed as much as possible. From this moment on, any exports involving strategic materials or related machinery and components must undergo strict review.” Free trade was a double-edged sword. While enjoying its benefits, one also had to accept the constraints of its rules. In theory, before a war officially broke out, the Holy Roman government could not stop normal commercial trade. And even if it wanted to, it should have rejected such contracts during registration rather than approving them and then going back on its word. But ever since Britain took the lead in withdrawing from the free trade system, more and more countries followed. Now the system was like a ship in a storm, liable to collapse at any moment. If the Holy Roman government further broke the rules, the system would truly be finished, and would remain so for decades. After all, once credibility was gone, who would still believe in free trade? If no one participated, the Holy Roman Empire could not sustain it alone. As the greatest beneficiary of the free trade system, the Holy Roman government had no reason to let it collapse. Weighing the long-term consequences, Franz decided to abide by the rules. It was not only for the sake of the system but also to show the empire’s allies that their leader was trustworthy. At such a critical moment, the lesser partners needed confidence. Of course, they could not openly go back on approved contracts, but they could still investigate commercial violations. Anything they could catch, they would. And anything they could not catch would at least be delayed. After all, this was only a single wave of orders. No matter how much the British purchased, it was still like duckweed without roots.
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