Franz knew very well that it was useless to compromise and back down, especially for powers like Britain and France, which aimed to dominate the world. Of course, it would be unwise to rashly provoke a war in the present situation of Austria, or to use counter-sanctions.

London, United Kingdom, Parliament.

Members of the Whig Party strongly advocated Serbian nationalism at the conference, and they hoped that parliament would pass a bill supporting Serbian national independence.

Although this would have been at the expense of its ally, the Ottoman Empire, it was extremely important in maintaining the balance of power in Europe.

The Tories led by Robert Peale immediately launched a counterattack, believing that the Whigs were playing with fire, especially by supporting Russia in sending troops to Austria.

"We in England have been working for peace in Europe for many years, and for this we must stop the westward expansion of the Slavs, and now you have ruined it with your own hands!"

Robert Peel believed that the Whigs were destroying the Wall, and that if the Austrians made concessions to Tsarist Russia, the influence of the latter would be stronger than ever.

At this time, Tsarist Russia was not the old empire that was ridiculed later, but the invincible European gendarme.

"No way, Belgrade is too important for the Austrian Empire, it is the key to the Balkans, the area that has been fought over with the Ottoman Empire for hundreds of years, and they cannot give it up easily unless the last drop of blood is shed.

And we will not let the Russians dominate the family, the Prussians, the French are pawns that can be used, and if necessary, Britain can save Europe again! ”

Palmerston's self-confidence stemmed from Britain's strong military force, because even the former Napoleonic Empire, united all of Europe with a fragile covenant, could not defeat the mighty Britain.

(Referring to Napoleon's policy of continental blockade.) ）

"You want to involve the entire empire in a senseless strife? You are a subject of England, not a master, Mr. Palmerston, why do you let our soldiers die for you? ”

Previously, due to a certain war, Palmerston had been discredited, and although he won, he did not get the result that the British wanted, and all these blames were naturally attributed to Palmerston himself.

Now he actually proposed to let Britain go to war with the Great Powers again, and the whole parliamentary hall immediately booed.

"Austria and the Ottomans are both our traditional allies of Great Britain, and it is a complete betrayal for you to do so!" One of the councillors stood up and shouted, his words resonating.

Since then, there has been a lot of criticism of Palmerston in the council, but Palmerston seems to have no idea about it.

"So what?" A growl of utter disdain silenced the council again, and he cleared his throat instead of the stunned and angry councillors.

"There are no eternal friends, no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. You old antiques should be buried in the ground! ”

Palmerston scanned the audience, but no one dared to look at him.

"Britain has won all wars before, and so will be!"

The audience burst into applause, and Palmerston pressed his hand and continued.

"The Austrian Empire opened up many colonies in Africa that we used to think were impossible to colonize, or worthless, and they even found gold and diamonds in Namibia."

"Gold!"

"Diamonds!"

"Oh my God! What a colony, how come we didn't find out! ”

"This is a dereliction of duty on the part of the Colonial Department!"

When they heard about the gold and diamonds, the eyes of all the councillors lit up. It was much more lucrative than opening up trade, and gold and diamonds were the things they really wanted, and Palmerston knew that.

"The Austrian Imperial Sea Power could not sustain these colonies, and taking them away was as easy for the Royal Navy as snatching candy from the hands of a child!"

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

"Long live Great Britain!"

"The cause of independence of the Serbs is just!"

"Justice will prevail!"

The audience erupted in thunderous applause.

St. Petersburg, Russia.

Neserlov was very excited to come to the Tsar, and at this time Nicholas I was having dinner with Alexander and his new wife, Princess Maximiliana Wilhelminne August Sophie Marie.

Dinner was very important to the Orthodox Church, and Nicholas I, who was a very devout Catholic, could not help frowning as he looked at the excited Foreign Minister in front of him.

Seeing this, Alexander immediately said, "Do I need to avoid it?" ”

In fact, he wanted to run away for a long time, and eating with his father was a very painful thing, and even the action of eating was required.

Nicholas I, on the other hand, felt that his son was unreliable, and that he had fooled around with a prostitute the day before his wedding night, and now that he had just gotten married, he didn't want any more contradictions between the two.

In fact, Nicholas I looked down on his son's abusive affection, because he was a very dedicated man, and he had only found a mistress in his life, and he was introduced by his wife.

Of course, there are also rumors that the queen had to let her best friend replace her because she was unwell, Nicholas I was 205 tall, and Queen Alexandra was only 160 tall.

"You sit down, as the crown prince, it's time to listen to state affairs."

Alexander sat back on his actions, then turned to Princess Mary and raised an eyebrow, who immediately bowed his head in shame.

In fact, Alexander was hooking up with her new wife's maid, and the chaotic circle of the European aristocracy at that time was only a microcosm.

"Carl, you say, don't shy away from the crown prince's family."

As soon as Nicholas I's words came out, all the attendants in the room immediately withdrew, leaving only Alexander and his wife, as well as two of Nicholas I's personal guards.

"Your Majesty the Great Tsar, the British are ready to support us, the completely great Slavic liberation movement. Our western neighbors, the Austrians, have been enslaving our compatriots, and now is the time to show your power"

Neserlov recounted the causes and consequences of the Serbian independence movement, and told the Tsarist British that they were willing to support Russia in acquiring the territories of Austrian Poland.

Before Nicholas I could speak, Alexander said with chicken bones in one hand and chin in the other.

"Isn't that using us as gunmen? Sacrifice our allies, and then give us the land we have beaten down? ”

As soon as these words came out, Nesserlov's old face immediately turned red, he was an out-and-out pro-British. In essence, I feel that the recognition of the British is more important than anything else, and naturally I will not pursue those "details".

But Alexander's words were like a basin of cold water, which immediately calmed down Nicholas I a lot, and although Russia needed to ease the conflict with Britain, it seemed that the gains outweighed the losses at the expense of the allies.

But soon everything was solved, as news reached London and St. Petersburg that the Serbs were still willing to be vassals of the Ottoman Empire.

The Whigs had to announce their collective resignation as a result of this scandal, and the Tsar began to reconsider the question of who exactly was the friend, and Miloš withheld the aid of the British, which he did not intend to return.

The missing British diplomat, Baron Mills, was left unattended, and his body was eventually found in Istanbul, which is a story for later.

(End of chapter)