Located on the banks of the Adio River south of the city, the Fort of Verona includes an entire fortress complex and an artificial moat, as well as a bridge.

Surrounded on three sides by the Adio River, the fortress is a typical classical fortress with only one southwestern direction to attack.

The advantage of this kind of fortress is that there is only an entrance, and as long as you guard the opening, the enemy will not be able to attack, and the disadvantage is that there is only one exit, so as long as the enemy blocks the entrance, you will not be able to get out.

In fact, the so-called forts of the four corners had more or less this problem, and the only fortress with two entrances and exits, the Peschiera fortress, was also the only one conquered by the army of the Kingdom of Sardinia.

(Forts of the Four Corners: Verona, Mantua, Peschiera, and Legnago.) ）

Verona, the most important stronghold of the Austrian Empire in northern Italy, was not unfortunate, but over the years the empire's money was mainly spent on the economy, scientific research and infrastructure.

The forts of Verona are outdated, but they are old but not dilapidated, and there is no doubt that they have been carefully maintained.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? This is the best fortress in Northern Italy! But if I could, I would like it to remain deserted. ”

The speaker was a tall, energetic, and kind-looking old general, who was the military commander of northern Italy, Marshal Radetzky.

Standing beside him was a young man of extraordinary bearing, and the drunken old man of that young man.

Franz could naturally hear the old marshal's worries, but he would never be able to escape from what should have come.

Franz: "Your Excellency, do you hear any news?" ”

"People are so happy that they have forgotten the pain of war. The Empire's policy of softness also increased the ambition of some people, who felt that the country was weak and could be bullied.

And most importantly, the fact that you've decided to renovate this fortress that hasn't been visited for decades is proof enough that the Imperial Center knows better than we do. ”

Historically, it has been in a state of semi-desolation since 1809.

Sure enough, it is a person who is old and refined, and it is obviously his own judgment, and he has to bring the "imperial center".

In fact, the old marshal knew better about the situation in northern Italy than the group of the Regency Council, which had been far away from the war for too long, and after the external contradictions had been degraded, the internal contradictions became the main ones.

Although the tariffs in Northern Italy and Neletania have been abolished after a series of reforms at this time, there are still many historical problems plaguing the region, and with Hungary as a negative example, it is impossible for people to think without superfluous ideas.

"That's not what the Regency Council meant, it's my idea."

Franz simply had a direct showdown, and he didn't feel the need to hide anything.

The old marshal still looked a little incredulous, although he had heard his old boss Archduke Karl say that Franz was no ordinary imp, he still couldn't believe his ears.

After all, the cost of such a large-scale infrastructure renovation is astronomical, and even if the state pays for it, it needs to be paid in installments, but the teenager in front of him said that it was his own intention... How many meanings does this mean?!

"What do you mean? But where does the money come from? ”

"Let them go out on their own."

Franz smiled and explained how he had deceived these speculators and investment dealers.

Radetzky thought it was incredible, but when he thought about it, it seemed reasonable, and everything was going well in the country.

Add to that the fame of the Habsburgs, and the behemoth of the Austrian Empire as a guarantee, that little money really seems to be worth mentioning.

Of course, in this world, it seems that this kind of thing can only happen in the Austrian Empire, and it is true that it can only be done by Archduke Franz, after all, he is most likely the future emperor.

"Archduke Franz, this is really a genius idea, but what if in five years, there is no turmoil in the country? And compared to Italy, Hungary is the real problem."

Radetzky voiced his concern that if there had been no large-scale unrest in five years, then Franz would have to pay a huge sum.

And what if, after the turmoil in Hungary, the Italians are not in the right situation and retreat?

"Rest assured, in five years the economy of the Austrian Empire will reach a new level. It's not a problem to pay back the money then. ”

Franz couldn't tell the other party that he was a traverser, and in three years it was not only Austria, but the whole of Europe was blown up, so those people must not return the money.

Fortunately, the changes in the Austrian Empire over the years were obvious to all, and Marshal Radetzky knew that some of the pensions due during the Holy Roman Empire had been paid.

Moreover, the army has changed its equipment three times in the last eight years, and there has been no arrears of military pay in the past five years. ”

In fact, it is also related to the reputation and style of the commander, although Radetzky is "amorous", but he always uses his own name to incur debts, and never deducts the military salary of his subordinates.

In addition, Radetzky's style allowed Franz to redefine the term "amorous", and the 79-year-old marshal found a 46-year-old Italian aunt as a lover.

The Italian aunt named Merrecari was a hard-working woman, married two husbands who died unexpectedly, and her only son died in agony due to dysentery.

Since then, she has been considered an ominous person, and the people of the village have driven her out of the village to live.

Marshal Radetzky, who had just arrived in Lombardy, happened to lead his troops through her village, and the old marshal did not want to disturb the people and did not want to be wronged, so he spent the night in a dilapidated house at the head of the village.

As a result, the two met again, and although the old marshal owed a lot of debt, he was still very generous to women.

The woman lived alone, naturally there were many empty rooms, so she agreed to the old marshal's request for a stay. At that time, landlords usually had to take care of the food, and Radetzky naturally didn't want to nibble on cakes.

So the woman made some pumpkin balls out of the only pumpkin and oil in the house, and the old marshal was very satisfied with them, and found that the people of the village did not seem to respect the woman in front of him.

Merregari was visibly dejected, unkempt, with her tattered clothes patched and a dirty apron, and her house looked like a deserted hunting lodge, with only a few scattered leaves and oddly shaped pumpkins in the kitchen.

Marshal Radetzky had seen too many things in his life and quickly understood what happened to women.

It just so happened that he didn't know much about the land, and there was no one around to take care of him, so he said to the woman.

"Ma'am, will you take care of me, an old man?"

"Yes."

Then Mere Carrie became Radetzky's nanny, who, though she was in her old age, was not inferior to a young man in humor, and was a real nobleman, a true gentleman.

Mere Carrie was a virtuous woman, with the warmth and simplicity characteristic of Italians, and no longer discriminated against her in the army, treating her as an "ominous" being.

Like Fantine in Les Miserables, after being washed and filled, Merregari becomes "plump" and "charming".

So she had a second spring, and soon fell in love with the old marshal. It's just that the worldly eyes frightened her, but Marshal Radetzky was an unruly person.

When the contract between the two expired, the old marshal found the woman again.

"Ma'am, will you continue to take care of me, an old man?"

"I do, sir."

"This is a long-term contract!"

"How long?"

"For a lifetime!"

(End of chapter)