The Persian front was not a problem either. After all, it was nothing more than picking on a soft target. Even if the quality of the military achievements had to be discounted, one could still make up for it through sheer quantity. The real problem was that after reaching the front, the authorities at home would not allow any fighting. That was awkward. Everyone has come out here to make a name for themselves, make money, and build their careers. Without a war, how was that possible? If the goal was merely to idle away time, would it not be better to stay in Saint Petersburg or Moscow? Why come to this poor and remote backwater instead? Relying solely on the meager military pay issued by the Russian government was nowhere near enough for a nobleman to maintain a luxurious lifestyle. If the war did not break out, it was not only the frontline officers who would be unable to profit. The financial channels of the bureaucrats in the rear were also affected. Routine military expenditures followed fixed rules. No matter how much one skimmed off the top, it was still necessary to leave the rank and file with their basic benefits. Otherwise, unrest among the troops would become another serious problem. With such limited room for graft, and with the proceeds having to be divided layer by layer, very little ultimately reached each individual. It was simply impossible to satisfy everyone’s appetites. By the time the rear had been squeezed dry, frontline officers like Colonel Sikrestov had nothing left to exploit. If fighting never began, then by the end of his term of service in a few years, Colonel Sikrestov would likely not even recover the money he had spent on networking and pulling some strings. With his career going nowhere and his financial prospects equally bleak, it was only natural that Colonel Sikrestov was in a foul mood. At this moment, he stood gazing at the distant Caucasus Mountains and let out a sigh. Beyond those mountains lay his home, an entirely ordinary Russian noble family that could fall into obscurity at any time. “Colonel, an urgent telegram from division headquarters.” The orderly’s voice interrupted Colonel Sikrestov’s thoughts. He took the telegram and, after reading it, his brow furrowed even more deeply. There was no helping it. The contents of the telegram were infuriating. It contained only a single line stating that allied forces were requesting passage, without the slightest mention of what should actually be done. It was obvious that no one wanted to assume responsibility. Situations like this were all too common in the Russian Empire. When problems arose, everyone tried to shift blame or avoid involvement. Officials willing to take responsibility were exceedingly rare. This telegram was exactly that sort of thing. It merely served as a notification. There were no concrete instructions and no authorization of any kind, yet the problem was pushed directly onto Colonel Sikrestov. “Colonel, Austrian troops are crossing our defensive line. It is said that they intend to join forces with us to attack Persia. Captain Khashipin asks whether we should intercept them.” The telegram from division headquarters had barely arrived when the Austrian army entered his sector. If there were no issues behind this, Colonel Sikrestov would gladly write his own name backwards. “Intercept my ass. Tell Captain Khashipin to handle it at his own discretion. Order the troops to assemble immediately and prepare to launch an offensive against Persia.” Leaving aside whether interception was even feasible, without explicit orders from home, any clash arising from an attempted interception would be a responsibility Colonel Sikrestov could not afford to bear. Of course, allowing Austrian troops to pass through Russian territory without authorization and launching an attack on Persia on his own initiative also carried responsibility. However, bureaucrats at home and the mid and upper ranks of the Russian army at the front were all eager to reap military credit. By stepping forward to shoulder responsibility, he was at least acting in accordance with everyone’s unspoken wishes. When accountability was pursued later, there would at least be people willing to speak on his behalf. In any case, the face of the Russo-Austrian alliance still had to be maintained. The charge of cooperating with Austrian forces in combat was simply not something that could be aired publicly. Any reckoning afterward would amount to nothing more than petty retaliation. If some military merit were earned on the battlefield as well, even such petty retaliation could hardly be imposed openly. Doing so would undermine morale, at least until the war was over. As for troubles after the war, those hardly counted for much. The upper levels of government had been stable for far too long already, and it was about time for a change of faces. “Merit that overshadows the ruler” was a taboo in any country. That Nicholas II had tolerated a group of entrenched senior officials for so long already spoke to his patience. If the war were won decisively, the government’s prestige would rise further and inevitably arouse the emperor’s suspicion. If performance in the war were poor, the government would have to take the blame and still be replaced. With so many domestic problems already on the table, and countless international troubles as well, Colonel Sikrestov did not believe the emperor would spare any thought for a minor figure like himself. … On the battlefield, enemy machine guns raked the ground with frenzied fire. Columns of black smoke from exploding shells rose like whirlwinds into the air across a stretch of sandy terrain nearly a mile wide, already pockmarked and torn apart by bombardment. The attacking waves broke apart, tumbling and scattering like splashes of water around the shell craters. Crawl, crawl… The black fireballs of exploding shells swept ever more tightly across the earth. The shrill, piercing screams of shrapnel shells slanted through the air, pouring down more densely upon the attackers. Machine gun fire hugging the ground scythed across them with increasing cruelty. Major General Chris roared, “Hurry the air force! We need fire support!” There was no choice. An advance conducted by passing through allied territory demanded speed above all else, and the heavy artillery was still on the way. They had assumed that the Russian artillery could suppress the enemy’s fire. Reality, however, was merciless. The Russian government had never taken Persia seriously and had not deployed sufficient heavy guns. Nearby, Russian officers, including Colonel Sikrestov, were all flushed with embarrassment. Being unable to suppress even Persian firepower made it impossible for them to hold their heads high in front of their allies. “Advance!” “Advance!” … In order to recover their dignity and prove their strength, the Russian commanders, once the Holy Roman air force arrived, had no choice but to urge their troops to accelerate the assault. This was no time to preserve strength. If they failed to demonstrate their capabilities in front of their allies, many subsequent matters would be impossible to negotiate. They had come to war for promotion and profit, not to stand on the sidelines. The battlefield had always belonged to the strong. Authority and the distribution of interests were determined by strength. Facing the combined assault of the Holy Roman Empire and Russia, the Persian defenders, whose line still stood firm, had reason enough to feel proud. Yet such pride could not last. Any defensive line had its limits, and the long front steadily strained the Persian Empire to its breaking point. The British allies, in whom great hopes had been placed, failed to play their expected role. The Indian colonial troops they sent were ineffective in every task and excelled only at creating disorder. Amid the thunder of artillery and the cries of battle, the Persian defenders, bearing enormous pressure, finally collapsed. Morale was such a thing that once it broke, it collapsed completely. Confronted simultaneously by the offensives of two great empires, the Persians were psychologically shattered. … Victory always lifted spirits. As the war progressed smoothly, Franz’s mood grew better by the day. In the context of the entire world war, the breakthrough on the Persian front was no more than an interlude. For the British, however, who regarded India as their lifeline, it was an unmistakable blow. The appearance of Russian forces on the battlefield made matters even worse. Even if they had been drawn in against their will, the fact remained that the Russians had entered the war. Regardless of whether Russia would later advance into India through Afghanistan, the British government was already under immense pressure. When the enemy felt uncomfortable, Franz naturally felt at ease. In his spare time, he returned once again to his “art.” He did not enjoy it alone, but dragged along a whole group of grandchildren to join him. As for what kind of impact this awkward fusion of Eastern and Western styles might have on later generations, Franz could not be bothered to care. Perhaps it would be harshly criticized by experts and scholars. Perhaps it would open up an entirely new artistic school. In any case, the future was full of uncertainty. What ultimately decided all this was not art itself, but politics. The essence of art lay in popular acceptance, and popular acceptance depended on the broader social context. A glance through history showed that at different stages of human development, different forms of art and culture had come into vogue. Both the vulgar and the refined were parts of art. In essence, there was no inherent hierarchy between them. The difference lay only in the social standing they occupied at different times. What was considered base today might become fashionable tomorrow. What was regarded as elite art today might well turn into marginal culture tomorrow. If the hegemony of the Holy Roman Empire could endure for a century, it would become an immortal achievement, driving the great fusion of Eastern and Western cultures and the integration of humanity as a whole. If, on the other hand, that hegemony proved fleeting, then there would be no sequel at all, only disappearance into the long river of history. As an emperor, especially one who had led a declining empire back to its peak, Franz was destined to be closely examined by later generations. Time made all men old. Looking at the grandchildren before him, numerous enough to form a football team, Franz realized that he truly had grown old. At Franz’s age, if European royalty did not have the habit of marrying late, the fourth generation would already be running around, and the fifth might even be poking its head out. Luckily, the family fortune was deep. In an ordinary household, raising that many mouths would hardly count as “more children, more blessings.” Plenty of families had ten or more children in a lifetime, yet if even half survived to adulthood, it meant the household was just barely holding on. “Father, the Russians have sent troops into India!” Frederick’s sudden shout snapped Franz out of his thoughts. “Oh?” Franz replied calmly. “It seems that little Nicholas II still lacks patience. We have not even agreed to their terms yet!” Having outlived three generations of tsars and become a true relic among Europe’s royal houses, Franz now had every right to poke fun at the juniors. His tone was light, but his mind was already turning. Russia sending troops into India was no trivial matter. In the short term, it would speed up the war, but the Russians would never fight for nothing. Once the bear swallowed something, it never spat it back out. If this had been any other place, Franz might have gone along with it. But India was different. It might become a burden in the future, yet for now it is one of the richest lands in the world. If he let things slide, who knew how much territory the Russian army would seize before the war was over? Although the Holy Roman government had no intention of colonizing India, that did not mean it would give up the Indian market, let alone hand it to the Russians. If the Russian government gained control of India, it could plunder its wealth to escape its fiscal crisis, use its vast market to complete industrialization, and grow rapidly stronger. A Russian Empire without obvious weaknesses was far too dangerous. Even if people liked to say that hardship breeds strength and comfort breeds decay, Franz had no desire to leave such a massive problem for future generations. He paced a few steps, then seemed to reach a decision. Turning to Frederick, he asked calmly, “So, how do you plan to deal with this?” Stopping the Russians from marching out to seize territory was clearly impossible. The Russian Empire was only an ally of the Holy Roman Empire, not a subordinate. It was never going to be that obedient. As an ally launching an attack against a common enemy, Russia could not be faulted on the surface. Even if there were ways to restrain them, for the sake of maintaining the stability of the Continental Alliance, the Holy Roman government could not afford to use such methods recklessly at this stage. When allies refused to behave, even a hegemon would feel troubled. For a quasi-hegemon with rivals still breathing down its neck, every step had to be taken with extreme caution. One wrong move that violated the rules of the game or angered the masses, and the Holy Roman Empire itself would suffer the consequences. Yet doing nothing and allowing Russia to grow unchecked was even less acceptable. Difficult as it was, the problem had to be dealt with. Franz deliberately tossed the question to Frederick. He wanted to see just how far his heir’s ability to adapt and respond had grown. “We speed up the pace of the war and end it before the Russians can occupy India,” Frederick said. “If necessary, we can even open talks with the British. From a long-term perspective, Britain is far less threatening than Russia. Once their colonies are stripped away, the British Isles can at best sustain a second rate power.” After a brief pause, Frederick continued, “To avoid a direct clash with Russia that could interfere with the current campaign against Britain, we can also form a Continental coalition army. Under the banner of the alliance, we advance from Persia into India. In the future, the benefits from India can be shared among the European states. Whenever disputes arise and arguments are needed, we push Europe to the front. And when necessary, we stir up contradictions between the European world and Russia, drawing all of Europe together to place limits on the Russian Empire.” The earlier measures were solid and conventional. The latter plan, however, was the true essence of Franz’s style diplomacy. Many outsiders only saw how skillful the Holy Roman government was at diplomacy, yet ignored how many tangible benefits it had handed out to its allies along the way. Whether those benefits hid traps or not was another matter. What mattered was that the gains were real and were placed on the table. If someone swallowed too much and could not digest it, that was their own problem. It could hardly be blamed on the Holy Roman government for giving too generously. Had they not been willing to share, there would never have been a Holy Roman Empire as it existed today. The greatest feature of this sharing, however, lay in one word. Balance. For the sake of maintaining that sense of balance, there were many times when things that looked foolish still had to be done. But this kind of maneuver was extremely delicate. If the pit was dug in the wrong place, and the other side did not fall in while you jumped in yourself, then you would truly make a fool of yourself. Franz nodded and said, “Sharing alone is not enough. If we want the European states to put in real effort, we must be willing to bleed. We can make it clear to them that the Empire will not seek colonies in India. After the war, we will rebuild the international order, clearly define each nation’s sphere of influence, and ensure that everyone’s colonies are protected from foreign threats. As for the division of spoils, we follow the old rules. Distribution will be based on contributions made during the war. Anyone interested in India can rely on their own methods starting now.” Ambition had to be stimulated. If the Holy Roman Empire itself aimed to seize India, then aside from the Russians, no other country would have any chance at all. Simply promising to share profits was far too vague. It could never truly motivate anyone. Putting the entire Indian pie on the table was different. The cake was so large that even if all of Europe ate together, every nation would leave full. Just look at the wealth Britain extracted from India every year. It exceeded the combined annual revenues of all continental governments except Russia, Austria, and France. With profits of that scale, and with the Holy Roman government even offering security guarantees, if this still failed to ignite ambition, then those countries would truly be hopeless. Of course, it was understandable for small states to remain passive. Take the tiny state of Monaco. Even after being looked after by the Holy Roman Empire following the European War, it still amounted to only a few towns. Aside from shouting slogans, it was not even qualified to tag along for appearances.
At that point, there was simply nothing that could be done.
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