The peasants' demands were actually very simple: "fairness."
But limited by the knowledge and living conditions of nineteenth-century peasants, they could only understand the most basic form of justice.
They did not want to be exploited without restraint, did not want to suffer oppression that was little different from slavery, and did not want to be driven off their land into the cities to continue lamenting their misery.
They hoped someone would listen to their suffering. They hoped the law could be enforced, that landlords and officials could not ignore law and morality and forcibly oppress them, instead of using the law solely to bind the peasants.
Whoever could accomplish these things, they would be willing to worship as a god.
And Franz's Labor Protection Act happened to fulfill their vision. Thus, in the eyes of the peasants at this moment, the Austrian Empire's army was the enforcer of justice.
In fact, the peasants at this time worshipped the Austrian army greatly. After all, in rural areas, ordinarily only truly respected clan elders and noble lords had the right to pass judgment on such matters.
You really had to not consider them outsiders to be willing to discuss such things.
The landlords, in truth, were equally self-righteous. After all, they were merely following tradition. Throughout history, Europe's rural regions had always been vacuums of central government power, and they were the true local emperors.
Judging by historical experience, any new ruler would surely stand on their side. Without their support, no one could hope to gain a firm foothold.
Emotionally speaking, they were nobles, and the emperor of the Austrian Empire was the greatest spokesman for the entire noble class. If he did not help them, was he supposed to help those peasants instead?
Even if they truly encountered someone