After Joining the Alliance

Vienna, Lion's Pride Hotel.

Unlike the Caesar Hotel, which is steeped in aristocratic atmosphere, the layout of the Lion's Pride is quite simple, offering a sense of clean, airy lightness, with only a few pieces of porcelain as accents.

Austrians love to decorate their rooms with porcelain to display their wealth and taste.

In the past, porcelain was extremely expensive in Europe, serving as the ultimate testament to one's financial power and status.

The hotel features several bands that take turns performing for guests, and the lion statue in front of the entrance is the hotel's signature landmark.

In a VIP suite, Friedrich List is repeatedly counting his share. A full one million Florin—though currently in non-convertible paper currency, it still leaves him ecstatic.

This is his first time experiencing the benefits brought by power, yet the words of Kolowrat constantly echo in his ears, leaving him unable to sleep or eat in peace.

"Metternich is a sanctimonious beast; he monopolizes the benefits of power while always having his secret police investigate officials for corruption. Once they find something, he doesn't report it to the Emperor, but uses it as leverage to suck the marrow from their bones."

Friedrich List has already seen several officials meet a miserable end; they were dragged away like dead dogs by the secret police, only to return in rags, mentally shattered.

Now, whether Metternich is having him watched, hoping to squeeze a fortune out of him, keeps Friedrich List in a state of restless anxiety.

After all, in the eyes of Friedrich List, this money was earned through his own hard work, and the prospect of being extorted at any moment fills him with both fear and rage.

He thinks that as long as he follows the instructions of Kolowrat and topples Metternich, they can finally rest easy.

In another room, Kolowrat is drinking with Latour.

"Didn't you say the situation was unclear and that we shouldn't get involved? How did you end up getting stuck in it yourself? Building a railway takes more than just a million or two." Latour speaks first.

"What a joke. Once a gambler, always a gambler. As a gambler, how could I not place a bet when I see an opportunity like this?" Kolowrat replies with a laugh.

"Then why pick this route? Why choose a path no one wants? The Semmering region is nothing but towering mountains and steep ridges; no one has ever built a railway over such terrain, let alone through a canyon," Latour asks.

"I didn't ask you to invest, so why do you care?"

"I know Trieste is important, but isn't this a bit too hasty?"

"How high do you think my chances of success are?" Kolowrat counters.

"Twenty percent at most," Latour replies.

"Twenty percent—that's not bad for a gambler. You know, there is a common gambling tool in the East called dice, and it has six sides, meaning six possibilities." Kolowrat gestures the shape of a die.

"But why can't you wait a bit longer? At least until you have an experienced engineer," Count Latour continues.

"Someone has to be the first to eat the wolf peach," Kolowrat replies calmly.

The wolf peach, also known as the tomato, was once considered a highly poisonous food.

Discovered in the sixteenth century, it wasn't until the eighteenth century that a fearless painter took a bite and discovered it wasn't the deadly poison of legend, but rather something that whetted the appetite.

Only then did the wolf peach complete its transformation from an ornamental plant to food.

"But what is all this for?" Latour asks, puzzled.

"I am a corrupt official, after all. In the entire Austrian Empire, no one is greedier than that old bastard Metternich. I have already profited for myself and for my family; now it is time to profit for the country," Kolowrat says righteously.

"Very well. Come, I toast to you, the corrupt official," Latour says with a smile, raising his glass.

"To the Empire," Kolowrat also raises his glass.

On the other side of Vienna, the Caesar Hotel.

"It's nothing but banditry!" Salomon Rothschild is in a state of extreme rage. He picks up an expensive piece of porcelain, holds it high, then sets it down gently, choosing a cheaper plate instead to smash violently against the floor.

With a crisp crack, the porcelain saucer shatters into pieces.

A few shards land on Metternich's leather shoes, but the Prince ignores the debris.

"Salomon, I told you: His Majesty will not allow anyone to take his basket," Metternich says.

"Damn it! Where is my money? He's no Emperor; he's a bandit, a scoundrel! Did my fifteen hundred gold bars just go down the drain?" Salomon Rothschild roars.

"Salomon, you should know that he is the Emperor."

"So what! I am Salomon Rothschild!" Salomon bellows.

"Salomon, for the sake of our long friendship, let me remind you one more time: this country belongs to His Majesty, and you and I are both his subjects," Metternich's tone is icy.

Like a bucket of cold water, Salomon instantly soars back to his senses.

Cold sweat begins to pour down his back. He has dominated the financial world of the Austrian Empire for years; all the bankers in Austria have looked to him for leadership. Whether it was the Emperor, the ministers, or major national projects, none could function without his support.

However, ever since the Austrian Empire joined the Zollverein, bankers from Northern Germany have been flooding into Austria.

Salomon Rothschild could prevent his brothers in Frankfurt from lending money to the Austrian Empire, but he could not stop those profit-driven Northern German financiers.

With the injection of capital from Northern Germany, the debt problems of Austria have been greatly alleviated.

Furthermore, mainstream bankers have unanimously bet on the future of Austria joining the Zollverein, jumping aboard this ship despite its many leaks.

The Austrian Empire has already begun to address its debt, and one way to solve a debt problem is to solve the creditor.

Just as King Philip IV of France did to the Knights Templar back in the day—a permanent solution.

Moreover, it is rumored that Emperor Francis II previously forced Prince Esterhazy to submit at sword-point in the palace, thereby seizing his family's wealth.

Capable of such insane behavior, arresting a Jewish banker seems like nothing at all.

As for the charges, they weren't even necessary for Prince Esterhazy, let alone a Jew like him.

At this time, the reputation of the Jews was abysmal, and cases of persecution against them were not uncommon across European nations.

Russia went without saying, and Austria had also seen multiple incidents of Jewish expulsion throughout its history.

It was only because Francis II was notoriously weak that people had forgotten his existence.

Thinking of this, Salomon Rothschild performed an action he had never done in his entire life: he bent down, pulled out a handkerchief, and wiped Prince Metternich's leather shoes clean.

"Your Highness, please forgive my recklessness. If His Majesty the Emperor needs money, he may simply take it. He can repay it whenever he likes, and I shall charge no interest. I only ask that you consider our many years of friendship." Salomon spoke with great sincerity.

"I have good news for you: His Majesty has specially approved another route for you, from Prague to Bavaria."

Nowadays, any route involving the Zollverein was a good route, and Salomon naturally understood this. He spoke hurriedly.

"My thanks to His Majesty. May God bless our Emperor Francis II."

"I have one more matter to attend to."

"What is it?"

"His Majesty says, settle the remaining balance."