January 13, 1869.
Vienna.
As soon as the year-end had passed, Ernst immediately set out for Austria. Austria was still bitterly cold in January, and Vienna's snow possessed a charm all its own.
Hohenzollern Conglomerate Vienna Office.
"This place is about two li from Vienna proper. The surrounding area is basically farmland, and because of the terrain, the land is not very fertile, so the price is low.
"Most importantly, this is one of the few large open tracts around Vienna. Its owner is Viscount Lexington of Austria. We have already discussed the price with him; if we buy the entire parcel, it can be even cheaper." Boon, the Hohenzollern Conglomerate's Vienna representative, pointed to a tract of land in Vienna's outskirts on the map as he reported the situation to Ernst.
"How large is it?" Ernst asked.
"It totals 1.642 thousand mu, enough land to build several factories. So there is absolutely no issue with its size," Boon said.
"Mm. What are the transport conditions like?" Ernst asked.
"It is less than a twenty-minute journey from both the railway station and the Danube River. If the roads can be rebuilt, it will certainly be even faster, so it will be very convenient to gather and distribute supplies from here," Boon answered, reeling off the details as though reciting family treasures.
"Very good. Go negotiate the price with Viscount Lexington! While you are at it, ask the surrounding landowners whether they are willing to sell. Try to make this tract as large as possible—on the condition that the land is contiguous." With one decisive stroke, Ernst essentially declared that the ownership of this land would fall into the hands of the Hechingen Royal Family.
In the new year, Ernst planned to separate food production from the daily necessities group under