Yin-Yang Imbalance

California was the fastest-developing of all the Austrian Empire's colonies at this time. The power of gold drew countless prospectors onward, one after another, flocking from the states of the German Confederation like Jason in search of the Golden Fleece.

(Jason was the hero of Greek mythology who found the Golden Fleece.)

The Panama Canal had not yet opened, so those traveling from Europe to California had two options: disembark in the Austrian Empire's Central American colonies, then take the inland waterways to the Pacific and continue by sea to San Francisco; or...

The Central American colonies mainly consisted of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Nicaragua had a canal that led straight to Lake Managua, greatly shortening the route and saving a great deal of time.

This was not the grand canal envisioned in later generations, which would cut through the Central American isthmus and connect the Atlantic and Pacific to Lake Nicaragua. The main reason was that the project was far too large, and the equipment available at the time could hardly have completed it.

Ever since the Austrian Empire acquired Nicaragua as a colony, it had been digging a canal to connect it to the Pacific.

However, the canal was not deep enough for seagoing ships. Many of its narrow passages could not even accommodate large cargo vessels, though small and medium-sized passenger boats could still pass through.

Alternatively, one could sail around South America and reach California through the Strait of Magellan. Even a journey that nearly circled half the globe could not dampen the prospectors' enthusiasm.

Historically, many prospectors had died far from home before ever reaching California. Though Franz's leadership had greatly reduced the death rate by this time, most had already incurred enormous debts before they even set out.

That was because whether they chose