Franz. Joseph once again confessed to Princess Mary and promised to find the right 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, Franz. Joseph was able to break free from the dreary court environment and experience a new sensation that he had never experienced before.

However, Franz. Joseph hadn't figured out how to tactfully express his thoughts to his future mother-in-law.

Thinking about this headache, Franz. Joseph couldn't help but glance at his mother, who he desperately hoped that she would read his inner thoughts, and then change his marriage to Princess Mary, so that he would not have to endure this "torment".

Hope is hope, Franz. Unbeknownst to Joseph, his controlling Queen Sufi did not like Elizabeth.

From Elizabeth's body, she saw the shadow of her once rebellious self...... It was a time when the Queen Mother Sufi was reluctant to recall the dusty past.

The main characters of the memory are her, as well as a close friend who has been dead for many years.

Sophie, who was afraid that Elizabeth would repeat her mistakes, was obviously more inclined to Helen, who knew (rong) and was easy to (control) (system), as her daughter-in-law.

In this way, she can still remotely command the entire Habsburg political situation as the queen mother.

However, Franz. Would Joseph really marry Helen as she thought he would?

……

Franz who left from the cabin. Joseph once again came to Elizabeth and Helen and apologized to them for the halfway outing.

Then they kissed Helen and Elizabeth respectively and left.

Metternich, who was standing aside, noticed Franz. When Joseph kissed the back of Princess Helen's hand, his movements were very perfunctory, as if he was doing a routine. And when kissing Princess Elizabeth, the emperor looks particularly solemn, as if he is doing a very sacred thing.

As a former Austrian love playboy, Metternich instantly realized that Franz. Joseph did not fall in love with Princess Helen in the Habsburg template, but on Princess Elizabeth, who was out of step with the Habsburg style.

Then Metternich thought of his student Franz. Joseph's character flaws, as well as the attitude of the Queen Sufi towards Elizabeth, could not help but feel Franz in her heart. Joseph was worried about his upcoming wedding.

"Mr. Metternich, let's go!" Franz. Joseph spoke to Metternich in a cordial, but dignified tone.

"Yes!" Prince Metternich, who had come to his senses, hurriedly bowed his head.

Franz. Joseph and Prince Metternich marched half a body apart, and soon arrived at the hussars' location.

The hussar major and his men saw Franz. After Joseph's arrival, he hurried to Franz. Joseph curtsied.

"Get up!" Franz. Joseph raised his hand slightly, then asked where the carriage was.

Hussar Major to Franz. Joseph explained that thanks to Franz. For the indefinite time of the outing of Joseph and the others, the carriage returned to Vienna first.

There are no extra carriages nearby at the moment, Franz. Joseph only dared to follow Metternich back to Vienna in Metternich's carriage.

As for the Grand Butler of Schönbrunn Palace, Franz. Joseph was placed here to take care of Queen Sophie and Princess Mary.

Prince Metternich and Franz. Joseph got into the carriage, which galloped to Schönbrunn Palace.

Return to Franz at Schönbrunn Palace. As soon as Joseph entered the door, he gave orders to his adjutant.

The order demanded that the Imperial Austrian military, represented by Count Hess (Austrian Minister of War), and the Imperial Austrian Government, represented by Count Baul and Minister Baul (Minister of the Interior, Count Baul was completely external, and Bach was in charge of the internal affairs of the Austrian Empire), must arrive at the conference hall of Schönbrunn Palace before 7 p.m.

As soon as the order was given, dozens of hussars rode forward to deliver the message.

Time passed quietly, and the sunset climbed from the trunk to the branches, and then to the leaves.

Until the last rays of sunlight disappear into the leaves, night falls and a cold wind begins.

The rustling sound of the cold winter wind blew mercilessly against the glass window, making it sound like an old gear had not been oiled.

At this moment, Schönbrunn Palace was brightly lit, and horse-drawn carriages drove into Schönbrunn Palace from a distance in the darkness and stopped in an open space in front of Schönbrunn Palace.

The door opened, and a number of government officials and military leaders stepped out of the carriage, and they gathered in twos and threes to shake hands warmly and ask each other about the current situation.

The people who entered Schönbrunn Palace were led by the emperor's lieutenant into the conference hall of Schönbrunn Palace.

Under the crystal chandelier lit by candles was a long square table, and at one end of the main entrance of the conference hall sat Franz. Joseph, and the first person to sit to his left was none other than Prince Metternich.

The crowd in the conference hall had different expressions on their faces when they saw Metternich present.

Among them, the Count of Bauer, as the foreign secretary, had the most rich expression, surprise and a hint of vigilance.

After all, it was not a good thing for Prince Metternich to attend this meeting as an adviser.

If it's not good, I'm afraid there will be another big change in the cabinet.

"Everyone, please take a seat!" The face does not reveal any emotions as a reference to Franz. Joseph held out his hand and invited everyone present to take a seat.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Everyone present asked Franz. Joseph bowed and obeyed Franz. Joseph's order sat down.

The government officials, represented by the Count of Baul, consciously sat down with Franz. To the left of Joseph, the military, represented by Chancellor Hess, sat Franz. The position of Joseph's right hand.

Except that the Earl of Baul sat in the second position on the left, and the Chancellor Hess sat in the first position.

The Foreign Minister's powers seem to be invisibly smaller than those of the War Minister, and the War Minister's counterpart is Metternich's advisers, and it is not clear whether this was an unintentional act by the Emperor or whether it was a deliberate arrangement, which created a sense of urgency.

Could it be that Your Majesty has become dissatisfied with me?

Count Bauer, who was sitting in the circle chair, asked secretly in his heart, and then he rediscovered his diplomatic strategy during this time.

Count Bauer, who had repeatedly made sure that he had made no mistakes in diplomacy, was a little more settled.

Sit in the center of Franz. After looking around expressionlessly, Joseph turned to Prince Metternich and said lightly: "Prince Metternich, you can start!" ”

Begin? What starts?

Everyone present looked at Metternich blankly, and until now they did not understand what was really happening.

By Franz. Prince Metternich, who Joseph pushed to the forefront, immediately understood that this was Franz. Joseph's "revenge" against him.

Alas! Your Majesty's methods are still too naïve!

Prince Metternich sighed in his heart, and then reported the news of France to everyone present with a straight face.

"According to the information received by the Reich at the French Embassy, the French Empire has drawn up plans to invite the Kingdom of Sardinia to participate in the war against the Russian Empire! Once the Kingdom of Sardinia fought side by side with the French Empire, it would inevitably pose a certain degree of threat to the borders of the Empire! ”

As soon as these words came out, the faces of everyone present changed, and the face of Count Bauer was the most ugly.

It can be said that the invitation of the French Empire to Sardinia to participate in the war against Russia was itself a system of balancing for the Count of Bauer (who thought he had learned the essence of Schwarzenberg and the Princes of Metternich, and had not yet been able to satisfy Franz. Joseph Idea).

"Provocation!" Chancellor Hess shouted, and then added: "This is a provocation by the French Empire against the Austrian Empire!" ”

"Minister Hess, don't be so excited! Franz. Joseph frowned and tapped lightly on the table with his hand.

"Your Majesty!" Chancellor Hess had to lower his voice to Franz. Joseph responded: "The aim of the French Empire is to draw us into the war against the Russian Empire!" In the event that Austria declares war on the Russian Empire, the Russian Empire will support the Slavic peoples in our country! At that time, Poland will inevitably rise! The Apennine Peninsula will also become unstable! The exalted position of the Austrian Empire in the German region, and indeed in the entire international bear, will fall from the clouds! The French Empire would replace the Austrian Empire in international status. ”

"But, Minister Hess!" Franz. Joseph folded his hands and leaned forward slightly to respond to Hess seriously: "If the Empire does not declare war on the Russian Empire, we will also be threatened in the Apennine Peninsula. ”

"Your Majesty, please rest assured!" Chancellor Hess swore to Franz. Joseph replied: "The French Empire is nothing but a bluff, and with their current strength there is no way to support the possibility of a two-front battle!" ”

Franz. Joseph's heart swayed again after hearing Hess's assurance.

"Chancellor Hess, do you really know France?" At this moment, the voice of Prince Metternich came directly opposite the Minister Hess.

"Of course!" With a hint of arrogance in his words, the minister replied to Prince Metternich: "I was once fortunate enough to be chosen by Emperor Franz (Franz's grandfather, the last emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and the first emperor of the Austrian Empire) to be the Austrian military attaché in France, and I know France very well!" ”

"And how many standing armies does the French Empire have?" Prince Metternich asked Chancellor Hess.

"Ten thousand!"

"Wrong!" Prince Metternich retorted, and then added: "The total number of French troops is now about 600,000!" ”

As soon as Metternich's words fell, the faces of the military representatives showed a look of shock.

"Impossible!" Chancellor Hess shook his head and said to Prince Metternich in a determined tone.

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