Franz had originally thought that as long as they waited ten or twenty years for the next generation to grow up, everything would fall into place as naturally as water flowing downhill. So-called Czech nationalism would become dust of history, forgotten in some corner.
In fact, Franz's measures had been remarkably effective. The conflict between the incoming German immigrants and the locals had long since overshadowed the conflict between the central and local governments.
Thus, when the storm of 1848 arrived, the Czech nationalists had not even had time to make a major disturbance before German nationalists and immigrants beat them so badly they could not raise their heads.
If the previous Prince Windisch-Grätz and the Bohemian bureaucrats of the time had not played with fire and burned themselves, they might not even have been able to make a peep.
Coincidence after coincidence had ultimately produced today's bitter consequences. Franz had originally intended to begin by taking a blade to the police system, but now he could only smash everything to pieces with a sledgehammer.
The first to be purged would be the army. Daring to surround an imperial envoy and disarm the Imperial Guard—this was no ordinary army anymore.
Franz did not wish to hear any explanations. Whatever reasons they might have had, whether they had been coerced or deceived, such conduct was utterly unacceptable.
That was because this conduct had already crossed the Austrian Empire's bottom line. Within the Austrian Empire, no one could fail to recognize the Imperial Guard.
The fact that they had still chosen to carry out their orders after knowing their target was the Imperial Guard spoke for itself.
Prague, Prince Windisch-Grätz's residence.
"Uncle, what should I do?"
Alfred Karl zu Windisch-Grätz looked utterly dejected. Prince Schwarzenberg looked at his bewildered nephew and could