Holy Roman Empire-Chapter 985 - 248: Astonishing Politics

Chapter 985: Chapter 248: Astonishing Politics

Even though Japan and Spain each gained the support of their respective major allies, repairing their warships still required time. The naval battles paused temporarily, but the curtain of land warfare had just begun to unfurl.

Whether to call the Spaniards eager for victory or stubborn was debatable. In any case, the expeditionary force launched a full-scale counteroffensive and initiated landings on multiple islands.

The specific outcomes were not publicized, but the Spanish Expeditionary Army advanced triumphantly, recapturing all but a few of the larger islands still held by the Japanese forces.

What exactly was happening and whether the Japanese had any schemes, Franz dismissed entirely. All that mattered was dragging out the campaign in the Philippines, and the longer it dragged on, the better.

It wasn’t about war profiteering. Both Japan and Spain were impoverished, and no amount of squeezing would get much oil out of them. What was crucial was that the restoration from the war wounds needed time; the more it dragged on, the more significant the Vienna Government’s voice would be.

What was currently troubling Franz was not the situation in Southeast Asia, but rather the restoration issues in France. Due to the matter of the successor, the Three Monarchical Parties had nearly devolved from human to primate level brains, allowing the new government to grow right under their noses.

When the nobility finally caught on, they miraculously discovered that the enemy had extended its reach into the military. If high-ranking officers couldn’t be won over, it didn’t mean that low-ranking officers and soldiers couldn’t be either.

Aware of the danger, the Royalist Party finally understood the need to put aside their prejudices, but by then it was too late. The Revolutionaries had already taken action and several high-ranking members of the Royalist Party met with accidents, leaving the party headless for a time.

Apart from cursing his pathetic allies, all Franz could do was bite the bullet and help clean up their mess. In other words, he had to gather representatives of the three dynasties together to discuss who would take care of this debacle.

Even the exiled Napoleon IV attended the meeting in Vienna with the legitimacy of an emperor, something ordinary people wouldn’t dare dream of.

Yet, all of this did indeed happen. In order to clean up the mess in France as soon as possible, the Vienna Government also had to make compromises.

For example, the role played by the Bonaparte Dynasty in the Continental Wars was redefined.

Napoleon IV, originally the main culprit but not held accountable due to his monarch status, was now turned into a pure and spotless “little white flower.”

War responsibility?

Non-existent. Clearly, capitalists had held the Emperor hostage and made decisions. How could one hold the Emperor responsible?

The greatest responsibility of Napoleon IV was — incompetence. Being coerced by capitalists as a monarch was indeed a disgrace.

However, he ascended to the throne at a young age, and his ministers supporting the regency were bribed by syndicates, resulting in the emperor’s power being sidelined and leading to subsequent events.

Out of monarchic duty, His Majesty Napoleon IV took responsibility for this and had already decided to abdicate soon.

To avoid another situation of weak monarchs and strong subjects, the Bonaparte Dynasty voluntarily gave up the succession rights this time due to the heir being too young.

No matter how absurd this explanation was, Franz now believed it. Of course, this also meant he needed a few more drinks to ease his conscience! As for how many people outside would believe it, that was not his problem.

In the end, the Bonaparte Dynasty gave up the anti-Austrian flag, and the Vienna Government recognized their right to the succession of the French throne.

Yes, “throne” not “imperial throne,” as France itself is a kingdom, and proclaiming oneself emperor was clearly illegal. With the illegal government overthrown, it was natural to restore legitimacy.

This contradictory explanation was undoubtedly “unreasonable,” but politics have never been reasonable.

To stabilize the situation in France, the new King could not do without the support of the Bonaparte Party, and making a compromise was inevitable.

Then, the son of Napoleon IV became the third in line for the French throne. Should any accidents befall the heirs put forth by the Bourbon and Orleans dynasties, or if they became extinct, it would be his turn, and other members of the two dynasties could not compete.

Funny, right?

But this is politics!

It seemed like a struggle for the throne, but it was actually a redistribution of interest. The crown alternated turns, marking a compromise between the Three Monarchical Parties.

At first glance, with such a succession order, the Bonaparte Dynasty undoubtedly suffered a significant loss, potentially being cut off from the throne forever.

In reality, though, an exiled monarch could live very comfortably. However, it would be different if they brought along an Exiled Government. Maintaining a group who relies on the monarch for survival would drain even the grandest fortune!

Although Napoleon IV absconded with a substantial amount of money, even vast wealth couldn’t support a dwindling fortune. Especially after tensions in Paris escalated, those seeking refuge were endless – young and old, nearing ten thousand in number.

To reject them was to turn away “loyal subjects” of the Bonaparte Dynasty, which would be disheartening; but to accept them all, Napoleon IV simply couldn’t afford.

Against this backdrop, not wanting to go bankrupt, Napoleon IV had to make compromises. Only if the new government returned the properties to these supporters and ceased their suppression could he shake off this trouble.

As a clever man, Napoleon IV was well aware that after the emergence of the Continental Alliance, the political landscape of Europe had solidified, and a Bonaparte restoration was practically impossible in the short term.

At least not until the “infamy” above their heads was removed, no opportunity was relevant to them. Instead of stubbornly resisting to the bitter end and depleting his last strength, it was better to sell out while he could.

By reaching a political compromise, he not only rid himself of a heavy economic burden but also eliminated the “infamy” and incidentally bought over some hearts.

An emperor who abdicated for his subordinates to return home safe and keep their estates — how could he not be revered?

One could imagine that with this maneuver, the cohesion of the Bonaparte flock would rise to a new level, especially returning from the exile, who would remember this kindness.

Even if just for the family’s reputation, for a long time to come, these individuals would support the Bonaparte Dynasty.

Having lost the throne and relegated to last in line for succession, the strength of the Bonaparte faction had nevertheless recovered.

If political rebranding could succeed, the Bonaparte faction would remain the most powerful political force in France for a long time to come.

There are, of course, pros and cons. In winning over hearts and minds, Napoleon IV also lost a certain portion of the populace. From the moment a compromise was reached, the Bonaparte Dynasty positioned itself against the radical avengers.

No matter how justifiable their management was in the eyes of the radicals, this was seen as betrayal. Traitors are detested even more than enemies—it’s possible that right now, these people wish nothing more than to swiftly rid themselves of Napoleon IV.

This was exactly what the Vienna Government wanted to see—the French were too active; if they weren’t infighting, they’d be causing trouble abroad.

Franz was satisfied with the political landscape of Europe and did not wish for another continental war, so it was preferable to keep the French hatred caged.

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After much bargaining, Carlos, a Bourbon Dynasty supporter backed by the Vienna Government, became the first in line for succession, and Philip, promoted by the Orleans faction, became the second.

On the surface, it seemed the Bourbon Dynasty had won big, possessing both the Spanish and French crowns overnight, returning to their era of peak power.

Unfortunately, this was merely on the surface. Not to mention the already hostile relationship between the Carlist faction and the Spanish royal family, just the mess that was France alone was headache-inducing.

Times had changed. A few months earlier, the Royalist Party might have unified and gained the recognition of the Anti-French Alliance to restore the monarchy immediately; but that opportunity had long passed. Now, any attempt at restoration might well lead to civil war.

…

“Kill!”

“Charge!”

“Ratatat…”

Amidst cries of battle and gunfire, Paris once again plunged into chaos. Once it was confirmed that the Royalist Party had unified and were preparing for restoration, the new government immediately took action, purging the nobility’s power within the city.

“Damn it, the phone lines are down too. The enemy clearly planned this, intending to pick us off one by one!”

Knowing was one thing, but Count Adrian was powerless against the crisis unfolding before him.

The number of the aristocracy’s private armies in Paris was not insignificant. If they could unite, they would be no match for the Revolutionary Party’s armed forces.

However, reality bore no “ifs.” While a united aristocratic private army was formidable, scattered forces were in a completely different situation.

After some preparation and the absorption of released prisoners, what had been a ragtag Revolutionary Army had transformed in strength.

Taking advantage of their numerical superiority, the new government took the initiative to catch the aristocratic private army off guard.

If that were the only issue, the aristocratic private army might still have had a chance to turn the tables. After all, the Revolutionary Army lacked not only heavy weaponry but also experienced officers. Even if the soldiers’ quality improved, at most half of their potential combat effectiveness could be realized.

Unfortunately, human nature is complex, and nobles are no exception. Everyone worried that if they attacked proactively and no one responded, they could face a complete annihilation.

“Count, perhaps we should retreat for now? Our strength here is limited, and continuing to hold our ground will only lead to unnecessary casualties.”

The housekeeper’s suggestion was undoubtedly the most practical. The nobility residing within the city were a minority; many more preferred to live on their estates.

The Revolutionary Government had the power to purge Paris, but not to conduct a nationwide purge. Once out of this cage, it would be “the sky’s the limit.”

With the power of the Aristocratic Group and the support of various European countries, restoration was only a matter of time. No matter how hard the Revolutionary Government tried, it could only be seen as a desperate struggle.

Count Adrian shook his head: “Now is not the time. With just a few hundred of us and our families, we won’t get far. Send someone through the secret passage to contact Marquis Anderson and Count Guteren nearby. We’ll break out together at dusk.”

Unlike modern times, European nobility of this era had to take to the battlefield. With the intense warfare across Europe, most of France’s eligible nobility had already faced combat, and Count Adrian was no exception.

With combat experience, Adrian naturally knew the optimal choice. Communication was cut off, preventing the gathering of all the city’s private armies, but this didn’t stop the military nobility nearby from banding together.

“Yes, my lord.”

Just as the housekeeper was about to leave, Count Adrian hastily stopped him: “Wait, there’s no need to send anyone. Their situation is likely no better than ours. Even if we sent someone now, we wouldn’t be able to reach them.

Worse, we might even reveal the existence of the secret passage to the enemy. We’ll establish contact with them when we break out at dusk.”

It was a gamble, but Count Adrian had no choice. The Revolutionary Army was without artillery; theoretically, the best strategy was to stand firm and await reinforcements.

The problem was that the Aristocratic Group was equally disorganized, and the influential figures were either meeting God or at meetings in Vienna, leaving no one capable of leading the remains.

The battle had been raging for a while, and none of the forces controlled by the Aristocratic Group had appeared on the battlefield. Count Adrian could not help but worry.

If reinforcements didn’t arrive, it would be all over. Since the second revolution, the new government had publicly executed more than a thousand people, with even more killed in secret.

Despite no nobles being executed publicly, plenty had met with “accidents,” some even of higher ranks than himself. The Royalist Party would not have compromised so quickly had the situation not been so dire.

…