Pedro II, Baron Muriteba, and Baron Loreto sat on the balcony in the garden, looking away from the lake with a relaxed expression.
"Boom!" A burst of white smoke filled the air. Two cameras were stacked on top of each other. Under the operation of court photographer Quim Jose Inslee Pacheco, the dual-lens camera completed the shooting. Pacheco was born.
Born in Portugal, he immigrated to Brazil when he was young. While working in New York from 1849 to 1851, he studied and studied photography technology with Jeremiah Gurney and Matthew Brady. After returning to Brazil, he opened a studio in Rio de Janeiro.
The studio was specialized in taking photos of dignitaries of the Brazilian Empire, so he got acquainted with Pedro II and Princess Isabella, and maintained a good personal friendship with them.
"Your Majesty, Baron Muriteba and Baron Loreto have already taken the photos. After the photos are cleaned up in a few days, I will send them to you personally."
Pacheco and his two assistants put away the cameras and said, "Sorry, there are a few guests with reservations in the studio today. I have to go back first and cannot stay in the palace to accompany His Majesty and the two barons."
"
"Dear Pacheco, go about your business first. Next weekend, Isabella and Count Iyo will hold a banquet at the Royal Manor outside Rio de Janeiro. Don't forget to attend."
"Thank you for your majesty and princess's kindness. When the banquet is held on the weekend, I will use the camera to leave a beautiful memory for your majesty, princess, and Count Iyo."......
"Your Majesty, the peace talks between Britain and Han have failed. I heard that the Han negotiators have given up efforts to save the peace talks and are preparing to leave Rio de Janeiro and return to China in a week. The peace talks between the two countries have failed. The frontline areas bordering the empire and Argentina may be attacked by Han.
In case of a retaliatory counterattack by the army, the Imperial Army must prepare a response plan in advance."
After Pacheco left, Baron Muriteba and Pedro II discussed the recent events.
"The recent actions of the republicans and democrats are very abnormal. In the past two weeks, the Imperial Internal Police discovered that the leader of the republicans, Morais, and many democrats had paid private visits to the British Minister Auston many times.
Your Majesty, Britain is the largest creditor of the Empire. Most of the weapons and equipment of the Imperial Army and the armored ships of the Navy need to be imported from Britain. If the Republicans and Democrats go behind the back of the Empire and make promises that the British cannot refuse.
Conditions, then the situation for you and the imperial family will be too dangerous."
"The Brassagan family has a three-hundred-year-old solid friendship with the British Empire. It is impossible for the British to listen to the temptation of the republicans to give up the alliance and friendship of the Brassagan family."
Pedro II shook his head and said, "Five days ago, when Britain and the Han Dynasty had just launched peace talks, the British Minister Sir Auston made a special trip to the palace and promised me that the British Empire would always support the Brazilian government to resist the illegal expansion of the Han people.
Britain will not make peace with China alone, bypassing Brazil."
"But, Your Majesty, the biggest crisis in the Brazilian Empire is the violent uprisings that have broken out in various parts of the country and the non-stop dissidents such as Republicans and democrats. The first thing the Empire Central Committee has to do is to put down the rebellion and attack the republicans and democrats.
Send those ambitious guys to conspire to subvert the country. Although the threat of the Han Dynasty to the empire is huge, it will not endanger the fundamental survival of the imperial government. Moreover, the Han Dynasty has just annexed Argentina and Uruguay and has no intention of external expansion for the time being.
, the imperial government continued to obey the orders of the British, and it was meaningless to stand in the forefront and respond to the most direct attack by the Han people.
I believe that the imperial center should participate in the peace talks with the Han people. Even if the British object, they should reach a temporary armistice agreement with the Han people, transfer the central troops facing the front line back to the country, and increase the military strength of the imperial center.
Deter those ambitious people who are ready to take action."
"Your Majesty, there has been instability in the army stationed in Rio de Janeiro. Dozens of middle and lower-level Guards officers have gathered privately to secretly promote republican and democratic ideas. The influence of republicans and democrats is spreading to the army. If it is not contained,
If this trend continues, within a few years, the Guards and Defense Forces stationed in Rio de Janeiro may not know whether they will obey His Majesty’s orders or the seductions of the Republicans and Democrats!”
Baron Loreto was equally worried.
"Is the situation in the Imperial Army that serious?"
Pedro II frowned.
"It's very serious, Your Majesty. Since the end of the Paraguay War, small secret groups have appeared one after another in the Imperial Army and Navy. The slightly more influential ones are the Knights of Brasilia organized by Lieutenant Colonel Ebel and General Fonseca.
There are more than ten factions with political opinions such as the organized officers' club. These secret teams are very well organized, and it is difficult for outsiders to find out their internal information without their approval."
"Baron Muriteba, I now appoint you as the new commander of the Rio de Janeiro Military District. General Atrenotta's 4,000 city defense troops are placed under your command. Also, I grant you the power of supervision and investigation in the Rio de Janeiro army.
You are allowed to directly arrest officers and soldiers who intend to plot rebellion without having to report to the Minister of War in advance!”
Pedro II realized the seriousness of the army's problems and issued several orders one after another: "Order the Gendarmerie Command to dispatch special soldiers to conduct comprehensive monitoring of General Fonseca. Once General Fonseca is found to be in contact with Republicans, democrats, etc.
Conclusive evidence of contact between dissidents should be immediately reported to the Imperial Central Committee for arrest!
Baron Loreto, I appoint you as the commander-in-chief of the frontline army in Paraná. You will set off in two days to take over the command of the 30,000-strong central army on the frontline. Without orders issued by the Central Council of the Empire and myself, the frontline troops are not allowed to march privately to the Han Dynasty.
The defense line launches a provocative attack!”…………
After making rough adjustments to the military command system and supervision system, Pedro II sat alone on the balcony, opened a Portuguese version of "The Prince", and within ten minutes of opening the book, he saw
Baron Muritba ran in with a panicked expression.
"Your Majesty, someone in the Guards is going to launch a coup. The troops guarding the palace gate have been replaced by Fonseca's people. Your Majesty, before Fonseca's people notice, hurry up and leave the palace!"
Pacheco started working as a palace photographer in 1855 and had free access to the Brazilian Royal Palace for 24 years. Not only did he have a harmonious relationship with the royal family, he also often took free photos of ordinary soldiers and was respected by most of the Guardsmen. When Pacheco
When Pacheco left the palace, he accidentally discovered that there were a few new faces in the Guards guarding the palace. He quietly asked an officer he knew for a few words. Pacheco sensed the danger from the officer's kind reminder, so he
Pretending to leave, he walked more than a hundred meters outside the palace, then turned around and found a secret place to stop. He waited until Baron Muriteba and Baron Loreto came out and told them about the danger he sensed.
people.
"Go to the telegraph hall. I want to contact the city defense forces in Rio de Janeiro and order General Atreñota to lead the city defense forces to eliminate the rebels stationed at the palace!"
"It's useless, Your Majesty. The telegraph hall is controlled by the Guards. It is impossible for us to send telegrams to contact the army outside. Baron Loreto and Mr. Pacheco are rushing to contact Princess Isabella and General Garcia respectively.
, the troops in Rio de Janeiro are not reliable, Your Majesty must leave the palace immediately!"
"Okay, okay, we'll leave right away."
Pedro II panicked, and at the urging of Baron Muriteba, he hurriedly walked toward the back door of the garden. Unfortunately, Baron Muriteba's return to the palace alerted the Guards, and Fonse
After receiving the report from his subordinates, Card quickly decided to launch a military coup in advance. The officers of the Guards who had originally planned to take action at noon that night, due to unexpected changes, led their soldiers to rush into the palace. Other troops involved in the coup in Rio de Janeiro also
At Fonseca's reminder, the army was hastily mobilized to coordinate with the actions in the palace.
