Chapter 235 Ernst who wants to make trouble but doesn't want to contribute
Just when Franz and Ferdinand brothers were "asking for warmth, brothers and sisters", I don't know what kind of luck Franz had today, and another unexpected guest came to the door.
"Your Majesty, Grand Duke, His Highness Ernst is here again." The maid reported.
Under normal circumstances, the servants and guards would let Ernst go directly when they saw Ernst, because Ernst came to Schönbrunn Palace so often that Franz gave him this privilege, but today Ferdinand is also here, so the servant People choose to report first.
"Hmm!" Franz and Ferdinand glanced at each other at the same time. What a coincidence today, Ferdinand, Ernst's future father-in-law, had never met Ernst, but Princess Charlotte (Carol Queen Lota) met Ernst once, but Princess Charlotte, who was eager to reunite with Ferdinand at that time, did not communicate with Ernst much.
"Let him in!" Franz asked his brother.
The malicious Franz wanted to see Ernst's reaction when he saw Ferdinand. The slightly raised corners of his mouth had already betrayed his inner thoughts.
"Hmph! Call that kid in, I want to see if he is worthy of my Karina."
Frantz waved his hand, and the servant immediately said, "Yes, Your Majesty!"
…
How is today different from the past? Ernst stood waiting outside the palace gate. In the past, he was able to enter freely, but now he was stopped. Could it be that Franz had something important to do or was meeting some important person? I have never heard of any big shots coming to Austria!
The more I think about it, the more uneasy I feel. Ernst feels as if he has become a prey. What's going on? I have never had this sense of crisis since I awakened my past life memory.
Intuition told Ernst, or else go back today! Anyway, the matter I came to talk about is not too important, and it will be the same when I come back tomorrow. I was about to retreat and run away, when the servant had already arrived.
"Your Highness Ernst, Your Majesty invites you to go over."
"okay!"
Ernst followed the trend.
"By the way, did someone special come to the court today?"
"There should be no special people!" The servant replied, how could there be special people! This is Schönbrunn Palace. As for Ferdinand, of course it doesn't count. After all, the Archduke of Austria is still a member of the royal family and lived here before, so it must not be counted! That's how the maid understood it.
"That's good, I'll go in first." Ernst said, and then walked towards the inside on his own.
…
As soon as his left foot stepped into the door, Ernst immediately felt two pairs of eyes staring at him. He fixed his eyes on the sofa where Franz was usually alone, and there was an extra person.
Ernst looked around, but Ferdinand observed Ernst carefully.
"I'll go!" Ernst felt cold inside, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees in an instant, "Isn't this Archduke Ferdinand! Why is he here?"
Ernst recognized his father-in-law at a glance. In fact, Ernst knew Ferdinand in his previous life. After all, the picture of Ferdinand lying on the coffin board is so impressive.
(Picture, readers who are less courageous, don’t click to view it.)
People who know a little bit about Mexican history can't avoid Maximilian I anyway. After all, if there are rankings of foreign monarchs who were executed in modern times, Charles I of England, Louis XVI of France, and Nicholas II of Tsarist After two, Maximilian I must be on the list.
In this life, since Ernst got engaged to Princess Karina, he naturally paid more attention to Ferdinand. He has seen several photos and portraits alone.
Although Ferdinand didn't know why he shaved his beard, Ernst recognized him at a glance. Ferdinand without beard looks very energetic and clean. This habit was actually developed by Ferdinand in East Africa. Yes, East African immigrants have less beards (the overall population is relatively young), and Ernst repaired them all over when they immigrated to East Africa. People in East Africa have to trim their hair and beards once a month. After all, it is really possible to die in East Africa if you don’t pay attention to hygiene. And Hexinggen Commodity Company happens to produce razors and hair clippers, and the cost is also very low, so promote very thorough.
Ferdinand has lived in East Africa for so long, so he shaved his beard just like the East Africans, and it is really convenient in East Africa. He lived in Mombasa, Dar es Salaam and now Bagamoyo. They are all relatively high, most of the time above 30 degrees. Thinking about such a hot day, thick hair and beard plus sweat are really messy.
"Are you Ernst?" Ferdinand, who looked carefully at him, spoke first.
"Yes, father-in-law." Ernst immediately became obedient and alert.
And Franz covered his mouth unkindly and sniggered. Although he was touching his beard, this was the first time he saw Ernst like this.
"Here, father-in-law, if the family doesn't speak two languages, there are still three years left, and then we will be completely a family." Although Ernst has lived two lifetimes, it is the first time seeing his father-in-law, so he is not very proficient coping way.
The two of them then started a question-style conversation, but Franz on the side was a bit disturbing.
…
"By the way, I went to the shipyard to see the small gunboats you purchased. They are not bad, but I think you should also set up a shipyard in East Africa. Don't say you don't have money, just build some small fishing boats first. Anyway, the next door The Sultanate of Zanzibar has ready-made ones. You can just copy its shipyards. It may be technically inferior to European shipyards. It is still possible to fish along the coast, and it is also convenient to train a group of good water fishermen. The navy will expand in the future. It's also more convenient." Ferdinand suggested.
In addition to considering the naval personnel, such a plan is highly feasible. It doesn’t even need to spend money. It is enough to allocate some immigrants to study in the Sultanate of Zanzibar and learn the technology. Anyway, Zanzibar people don’t Dare to have an opinion.
"I'll arrange it, but why didn't you propose it to my father while you were in East Africa?"
"I just remembered it recently. What are you doing at Schönbrunn Palace?" Ferdinand asked.
"Of course I have something important to do!"
Frantz finally spoke: "You won't come to ask for help again!"
"That's not enough, I'm here to send information this time."
"What information?" Franz asked curiously.
"This should not be considered important information, or it is a result of my prediction." Ernst said: "Prussia should be fighting soon."
"Don't you dare to talk nonsense?" Franz and Ferdinand were all excited, especially Franz asked, "Did William I tell you?"
Ernst shook his head.
"My guess!"
"Guess!" The two of them didn't dare to talk, now is the time to joke?
"But I'm not talking nonsense. This is the result of my feedback in the German company. Prussia is preparing for a war. It is self-evident who the relationship between Prussia and Austria is the most tense at the moment. It is impossible for it to fight Austria again!"
In fact, Ernst is talking nonsense. So far, the Prussian army has not mobilized at all, nor has it ordered large-scale supplies from Ernst’s companies. The feedback from Ernst’s companies is completely false.
"If it is true, it is indeed possible. If Prussia's military change is to prepare for the unification of South Germany, it is indeed possible to run into France." Ferdinand said.
"That's right! It is impossible for the French to make Prussia so easy to achieve." They will treat themselves as a gift and send Prussia to the status of a great power, Ernst added psychologically after speaking.
"Are you here to remind us to beware of Prussia's ambition to rule South Germany? In fact, the Austro-Hungarian Empire can't do anything now." Franz said.
After saying these words, Franz's tone became a little low. The Austro-Hungarian Empire really can't do anything. If the Austro-Hungarian Empire takes actual actions, Prussia will control the public opinion. A charge of colluding with the French cannot be escaped. , the hearts of the German region will all belong to Prussia, and the Hungarian government in the Austro-Hungarian Empire will probably try to hold back, because it is beneficial to them that South Germany is taken by Prussia, and they do not want to see Austria or Germany People are strengthened.
Really can't do anything? Wrong, Ernst has something for Austria-Hungary to do right now.
"Actually, Your Majesty, the success or failure of the German region has nothing to do with the current Austro-Hungarian Empire. The real enemy of the empire is no longer Prussia! Your real enemy..." Ernst paused deliberately.
"France? Tsarist Russia? Are you here to be a lobbyist for William I?" Franz doubted. The surname Hohenzollern gave Franz reason to believe that William I persuaded Ernst not to act rashly. .
"You think highly of me too. It is impossible for King William I to let me be a lobbyist. Besides, you don't know my character, and you are too extreme, Your Majesty!" Ernst pretended After a long time, I finally stopped pretending, and the image of Schönbrunn Palace in the past reappeared.
"How about Prussia, as you said, the Austro-Hungarian Empire can't do anything, I'm still a lobbyist, and the real enemy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is Prussia's ally, the soon-to-be-unified Kingdom of Italy."
"Italy?" Franz and Ferdinand were confused by Ernst's turning point.
"Isn't it? Now that Italy has completely got rid of the state of being dominated by Austria and France in the past, if Italy takes advantage of the war between Prussia and France to unify the Papal State, then the Austro-Hungarian Empire will really depend on the Italians in the Mediterranean." Your face is getting better!"
"Besides, Italy has unified the Papal State, and I have seen his territorial claims. Southern Austria is good, and there are many Italians."
Ernst finally saw it, he just wanted to make Italy sick. As for whether it can prevent Italy from annexing the Papal States in the future, it depends on what the Austro-Hungarian Empire does. Anyway, you don’t have to do it yourself. Hit three poles.
(end of this chapter)