Frankfurt, Provisional Congress Center of the German Confederation.

(This is often changed, or the other countries within the Confederation are unwilling, mainly referring to Prussia.) ）

What is the concept of 10 million pounds, which is equivalent to two years of US revenue in the same period of history, and half a year's fiscal revenue of Prussia, even for the entire German Confederation, is not a small number.

"Ten million florins."

Prince Metternich, the representative of the Austrian Empire, gave another figure directly, ten million florins equivalent to one million pounds, which is one-tenth of what Palmerston said.

As soon as the negotiations began, the dialogue between the two sides was a bit jaw-dropping, and the representatives of many small countries felt that the two sides would definitely not be able to reach an agreement, and that they would eventually go to war.

But that's none of their business, after all, they don't even have a navy. The German states had only a few navies, Austria, Prussia, Hanover, and Denmark, and the others either didn't have them or were like jokes.

In fact, the vast majority of countries are not only unwilling to fight, but also unwilling to pay for it, but because of the domestic situation, they have to come forward.

So the delicatessen near the venue are all out of stock, after all, this group of old men like to nibble on a pig's trotter and eat a chicken leg when they have nothing to do.

How can there be meat without good wine? With wine and meat, how can you not be accompanied by beautiful women? They really didn't dare to do this, the social status of women was very low at that time, and if they really called some prostitutes, it would become an international joke.

But even so, the scene was very shocking, and Palmerston looked at the group of "wine bags and rice bags" in front of him and was a little speechless.

But the price offered by Metternich, he felt low again. Although the Transvaal is a barren land, it is also the territory of the British Empire.

At present, only the United States, the rebel son of the United States, has occupied the territory of the British Empire, and Palmerston feels that this price must not be too low, otherwise future generations will also be wine bags and rice bags, so it will not be a pity to give it to others.

"Twenty million pounds."

"Five million florins."

Palmerston and Metternich were talking calmly, but the Prussian and Danish delegates could not sit still.

There is no other reason, and that is to go to war with the British, and they will be the biggest victims.

Don't look at Austria, the terrain can't be attacked, but it's difficult for others to attack it. And Austria also has a strong army backing.

But not with Prussia and Denmark, where the British could easily destroy their coastal areas.

"Five million pounds."

"Deal, but with our expected banknotes."

"Half gold, half silver, half banknotes."

"Eighty percent of expected banknotes, two percent of gold."

"Deal."

While everyone was still confused, Palmerston and Metternich made a deal.

Paying with expected banknotes was proposed by Franz, and although expected banknotes had the same ability to pay as real money, it was not so easy to redeem.

The British could only choose to spend within the German Confederation, which would also lead to internal development. And the money will be paid off within five years, so there is no need to worry about inflation.

In fact, London did not have high expectations for the outcome of this negotiation, because the so-called Transvaal was still the territory of the Eastern Bantu people at this time.

And there aren't a lot of resources in the area, at least British geologists and expeditions didn't find anything of value when they passed by.

But after all, it is a large piece of land, and it is close to the Cape Colony of the British, so one million pounds is the bottom line of the British.

Their main aim was to prevent Austria or the German Confederation from intervening in a possible war that would ensue, so Palmerston didn't mind what the remaining four million pounds were paid for.

For the German Confederation, the Spanish Civil War or anything had nothing to do with it, after all, France was separated by it.

But some sophisticated politicians have understood the implications, but since the Austrian Empire does not mind, it does not matter if there is no possibility of hegemony in small countries.

Metternich naturally understood that the British were going to attack the Franco-Spanish alliance, which was good news for Austria.

Maintaining neutrality and watching the French get beaten was the best option for Austria in Metternich's opinion.

Although Austria's security was threatened several times by the British, the French were more hated by Metternich's old rivals.

Moreover, he felt that the dismantling of the Franco-Spanish alliance would be beneficial to Austria, but in reality the matter was mixed, after all, if the Franco-Spanish alliance continued to exist, it would share the firepower of the British.

However, with the year of the storm approaching, the so-called Franco-Spanish alliance is likely to be the first casualty of this storm.

In the end, the German Confederation bought the land in the Transvaal for five million pounds, and the Transvaal officially became a member of the German Confederation.

Five million pounds sterling will be paid over five years, 80% of which will be replaced by expected banknotes and the rest will be paid in gold or silver equivalents.

However, the Transvaal could not exist as a mercantile republic, but Andreas Pretorius was adamantly opposed to arranging a state for them, even if it was a member of the Dutch royal family.

This actually allowed the Boers to offend the German monarchy almost all at once, and the little Kurdere parliamentarian even thought he was crazy.

You must know that Luxembourg is already an outlier, but they still nominally honor the king of the Netherlands as the grand duke.

Metternich also thinks that these guys don't know what to do, and the German Confederation is going to rebel as soon as they redeem them?

At this time, almost all the states wanted to expel the Transvaal from Germany, so that they could get rid of the burden.

The German Confederation was reconvened at a convention, and almost all the states opposed the inclusion of the Transvaal in the German Confederation.

The new Prussian Foreign Minister, Karl von Kannitz, got up and suggested.

"Since it is a deal between Prince Metternich and Palmerston, it is better to make it a colony of the Austrian Empire!"

The Prussians opened their mouths, and the rest of the states immediately followed, especially the Danes, who ate melons.

"A non-Austrian empire is not enough to deter the indigenous Africans, and Austria already has colonies in East Africa, and it would be possible to join them up if the Portuguese bought Mozambique."

Note: Eating melons and fishing means that there is no disaster.

At this time, the most panicked person was Andres Pretorius, if the Transvaal became a colony of Austria, would he suffer the same fate again?

If he is expelled again, he really doesn't know what to take back to meet his parents and fellow villagers. is a good backer, but at this time it is about to become the last straw that crushes the camel.

Metternich was also helpless in the face of this situation, but Archduke Franz seemed to be very knowledgeable about the situation in the colony, and the latter might be able to give good advice.

In fact, Metternich was still reluctant to bear the money alone, although the Austrian Empire at this time was much richer than it had been in history, but it was unacceptable for him to waste money in some irrelevant places.