Franz Joseph once again confessed to Princess Mary and promised to find a suitable time for another outing.
After all, Franz Joseph still prefers to go out with his innocent and lively little cousin (Elizabeth). Only when he is with Elizabeth can Franz Joseph break away from the dull palace environment and experience a new life.
A new feeling that he had never experienced before.
However, Franz Joseph had not yet figured out how to tactfully express his thoughts to his future mother-in-law.
Thinking of this troublesome thing, Franz Joseph couldn't help but glance at his mother. He desperately hoped that his mother could see his inner thoughts clearly, and then change his marriage partner to Princess Mary, so that he could
There is no need to endure this "torture".
Hope is hope after all. Franz Joseph did not know that his Queen Mother Sophie, who had full desire for control, did not like Elizabeth.
From Elizabeth's body, she saw the shadow of her once rebellious self... It was a past that the Queen Mother Sophie did not want to recall.
The protagonists of the memory include her and a close friend who has passed away many years ago.
Sophie, who was afraid that Elizabeth would make the same mistakes again, was obviously more inclined to Helen as her daughter-in-law.
In this case, she can still control the entire Habsburg political situation remotely as the Empress Dowager.
However, will Franz Joseph really marry Helen with peace of mind as she thought?
…
Franz Joseph, who left the cabin, came to Elisabeth (Sissi) and Helen again and apologized to them for today's half-finished outing.
Then he gave Helen and Elizabeth a hand-kiss respectively and left.
Metternich, who was standing aside, noticed that when Franz Joseph kissed the back of Princess Helen's hand, his movements were very perfunctory, as if he were doing a routine. But when he kissed Princess Elizabeth, the emperor looked particularly solemn, just like
It's like doing something extremely sacred.
As a former Austrian love playboy, Metternich instantly realized that Franz Joseph did not fall in love with Princess Helen, who was a Habsburg model, but instead fell in love with Princess Elisabeth, who was incompatible with the Habsburg style.
Then Metternich thought about the character flaws of his student Franz Joseph and the Queen Mother Sophie's attitude towards Elizabeth, and he couldn't help but worry about Franz Joseph's upcoming wedding.
"Teacher Metternich, let's go!" Franz Joseph said to Metternich in a friendly yet dignified tone.
"As ordered!" Prince Metternich nodded quickly after he came back to his senses.
Franz Joseph and Prince Metternich walked forward half a step apart, and soon arrived at the location of the hussars.
After seeing the arrival of Franz Joseph, the hussar major and his soldiers hurriedly curtsied to Franz Joseph.
"Get up!" Franz Joseph raised his hand gently, and then asked where the carriage was.
The hussar major explained to Franz Joseph that due to the uncertain time of Franz Joseph and others' outing, the carriage returned to Vienna first.
There were no extra carriages nearby, so Franz Joseph only dared to sit in Metternich's carriage and follow Metternich back to Vienna.
As for the butler of Schönbrunn Palace, Franz Joseph arranged him here to take care of the Queen Mother Sophie and Princess Mary.
Prince Metternich and Franz Joseph got into the carriage, and the carriage quickly arrived at Schonbrunn Palace.
Franz Joseph, who returned to Schonbrunn Palace, issued an order to his adjutant as soon as he entered the palace.
The order requires the Austrian Imperial military represented by Count Hess (Austrian War Minister), and the Austrian Imperial government represented by Count Bauer and Chancellor Bach (Interior Minister, Count Bauer is completely external, Bach is responsible for managing the internal affairs of the Austrian Empire),
Be sure to arrive at the Schönbrunn Palace Conference Hall before 7 p.m.
Once the order was issued, dozens of hussars rode on horseback to deliver the message.
Time passed quietly, and the sunset climbed from the trunk to the branches, and then climbed to the leaves.
When the last ray of sunlight disappeared from the leaves, night fell and the cold wind began to rise.
The cold winter wind made a rustling sound, beating the glass windows mercilessly, making the glass windows make a sound like old gears without oil.
At this moment, the Schönbrunn Palace was brightly lit, and carriages drove into the Schönbrunn Palace from the darkness in the distance, and stopped in an open space in front of the Schönbrunn Palace.
The car door opened, and government officials and military chiefs stepped out of the carriage. They gathered in twos and threes, shook hands warmly, and asked about each other's current situation.
Everyone who entered Schonbrunn Palace was led by the emperor's adjutant into the conference hall of Schonbrunn Palace.
Under the candle-lit crystal chandelier is a long square table. Sitting at one end of the conference hall opposite the main entrance is Franz Joseph, who called them over this time. The first person sitting on his left is Prince Metternich.
.
Everyone who arrived at the conference hall showed different expressions after seeing Metternich's arrival.
Among them, Earl Ball, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, had the most expressive expression, with a hint of surprise and a hint of vigilance.
After all, it is not a good thing for Prince Metternich, as an advisor, to attend this meeting.
If things go wrong, there may be another big change in the cabinet.
"Everyone, please take a seat!" Franz Joseph, who did not reveal any emotion on his face, stretched out his hand to invite everyone present to take a seat.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Everyone present bowed to Franz Joseph and sat down following Franz Joseph's order.
The government officials represented by Count Bauer consciously sat on the left hand side of Franz Joseph, and the military, represented by Minister Hess, sat on the right hand side of Franz Joseph.
It's just that Earl Ball sat in the second position on the left, and Minister Hess sat in the first position.
The foreign minister's power seemed to be less than that of the war minister, and the one who faced off against the war minister was Metternich's adviser. Bauer was not sure whether this was an unintentional move by the emperor or a deliberate arrangement, which led to a dispute.
A sense of urgency.
Could it be that His Majesty is already dissatisfied with me?
Earl Bauer, who was sitting in an armchair, asked secretly in his heart, and then he re-searched for his diplomatic strategy during this period.
Earl Bauer, who repeatedly made sure that he had made no mistakes in diplomacy, felt a little more at ease.
Sitting in the center, Franz Joseph looked around expressionlessly, then turned to Prince Metternich and said calmly: "Prince Metternich, you can start!"
Start? What to start?
Everyone present looked at Metternich with blank faces, and until now they still don't understand what happened.
Prince Metternich, who was pushed into the spotlight by Franz Joseph, immediately understood that this was Franz Joseph's "revenge" on him.
Alas! Your Majesty’s methods are still too childish!
Prince Metternich sighed inwardly, and then reported the French news to everyone present with a serious face.
"According to the information obtained by the Empire at the French Embassy, the French Empire has formulated a plan to invite the Kingdom of Sardinia to participate in the war against the Russian Empire! Once the Kingdom of Sardinia fights side by side with the French Empire, it will inevitably cause harm to the borders of the Empire.
A certain level of threat!”
As soon as these words came out, the faces of everyone present showed changes, among which Count Baoer's expression was the most ugly.
It can be said that the French Empire's invitation to Sardinia to participate in the war with Russia was itself a balancing act against Count Bauer (he thought he had learned the essence of Schwarzenberg and Prince Metternich, and he was not yet able to satisfy Franz.
The destruction of Joseph's ideas).
"Provocation!" Minister Hess shouted, and then added: "This is a provocation from the French Empire to the Austrian Empire!"
"Minister Hess, don't be so excited! Franz Joseph frowned and gently knocked on the table with his hand to remind him.
"Your Majesty!" Minister Hess had to lower his voice and responded to Franz Joseph: "The purpose of the French Empire is to draw us into the war against the Russian Empire! Once Austria declares war with the Russian Empire, the Russian Empire will definitely support it.
The Slavic peoples in our country will fight! By then, Poland will inevitably rise! The Apennine Peninsula will also become turbulent! The lofty status of the Austrian Empire in the German region and even the entire international community will fall from the clouds! The French Empire will replace the Austrian Empire.
international status."
"But, Minister Hess!" Franz Joseph clasped his hands, leaned forward slightly and responded seriously to Hess: "If the empire does not declare war on the Russian Empire, we will also be threatened on the Apennine Peninsula."
"Your Majesty, please rest assured!" Minister Hess replied to Franz Joseph confidently: "The French Empire is just a bluff. With their current military strength, they cannot support the possibility of a two-front war!"
After hearing Hess's assurance, Franz Joseph's heart swayed again.
"Minister Hess, do you really know France?" At this moment, Prince Metternich's voice came from directly opposite Minister Hess.
"Of course!" Minister Hess replied to Prince Metternich with a hint of arrogance: "I was once fortunate enough to be appointed emperor by Emperor Franz (Franz's grandfather, the last person in the Holy Roman Empire and the first person in the Austrian Empire).
Emperor) was selected as the Austrian military attache in France, and he knows France very well!"
"So how many standing armies does the French Empire have?" Prince Metternich asked Minister Hess.
"426,000!"
"Wrong!" Prince Metternich retorted, and then added: "The total number of French troops now is about 600,000!"
As soon as Metternich finished speaking, all the military representatives had shocked looks on their faces.
"Impossible!" Minister Hess shook his head and said firmly to Prince Metternich.