Back on his throne, Francis II picked up Franz.
"No one in this world can bully an emperor. No one can bully me, and no one can bully you! Today, Grandpa will teach you how to be an emperor!"
He had just bullied Prince Esterhazy, that poor bastard. Francis II was in high spirits now, feeling as if he had returned to his former self—the man full of ambition, who had wanted to sweep across France and conquer the whole of Europe.
"Where were we?" Francis II asked awkwardly.
"Joining the German Customs Union," Metternich reminded him softly.
Kolowrat was stunned. Good heavens! He couldn't help exclaiming inwardly, Good heavens! This was outright misleading the emperor. So he said, "Prussia has already joined the German Customs Union ahead of us. As the presiding state of the German Confederation, the Austrian Empire has no reason to lag behind!"
Baron Bruck thought, Damn, how can these two be so shameless? Nothing's even been decided, yet they're acting as if it's a done deal. They've already started competing with Prussia for leadership. Then he said:
"Joining the German Customs Union will not only strengthen our leadership among the German States, but also increase the state's revenue and help precious metals flow back into the country. According to Count Kolowrat's estimate, the Empire's debts can be paid off in twenty years. If not, I am willing to resign in disgrace alongside Count Kolarov."
After the Napoleonic Wars, countries had erected steep trade barriers to prevent precious metals from flowing abroad and keep other nations from siphoning away their gold and silver. Austria's reserves of precious metals were now critically low, and its paper money lacked credibility, with the Empire buried under debt. That was why Baron Bruck had hit upon the Austrian Empire's most pressing problem, and why his words had greatly intrigued Francis II.
Metternich and Count Kolowrat shot him a look of disdain, cursing inwardly, So you're the thick-browed, big-eyed one who's really the most shameless.
The nobles had yet to recover from their earlier shock when the shamelessness of these three ministers left them stunned all over again.
But Prince Esterhazy's fate had made the nobles hesitate. After all, the old emperor before them was fired up like a man on stimulants, and none of them wanted to provoke him. So they turned their eyes to Prince Windisch-Graetz. He had a higher title than most and commanded troops, so surely there wouldn't be a problem.
Under everyone's gaze, Prince Windisch-Graetz could only steel himself and say, "Your Majesty, you know the French once demanded that the Three Southern German States withdraw from the Customs Union we had formed. What if—"
It would have been better if Windisch-Graetz hadn't mentioned the French. At the mere mention of them, Francis II, already boiling with indignation, flew into a rage.
"The French? Damn them! This is the German Customs Union! This is an internal matter of the German Confederation! What right do they have to interfere? Let them try!"
"Send a formal notice to the German States: if France dares to interfere, we will go to war! Notify the nations of the Holy Alliance: if the French go to war against us, demand that they fulfill their sacred obligations. In short, if the French want to fight, we'll fight them to the bitter end!"
The ministers in the Hall of Mirrors were swept up in the emperor's fervor and burst into applause. Count Latour, the Minister of War, was so moved that tears welled in his eyes. At last, after decades of following his sovereign, he had seen him show some backbone. He immediately shouted:
"On to Paris!"
Only this time, no one joined in.
Everyone shook their heads, making it clear that it was impossible. Seeing this, Count Latour could only pretend nothing had happened.
Metternich sighed, wishing the emperor could show such resolve every time. Still, sending that notice would be a little difficult.
Prussia was both an important German state and a member of the Holy Alliance, but it was also the country most opposed to Austria joining the German Customs Union. He wondered what the King of Prussia would think when he saw the notice.
As for the French, having just weathered internal turmoil, they were all but certain not to intervene by force. Besides, if the French did make a move, the Holy Alliance was no mere ornament. After decades of peace, France surely wouldn't produce another Napoleon.
Franz clapped at just the right moment, too, to keep the old man happy.
The nobles knew from the situation that there was no chance of changing anything just then, but the emperor's fervor would eventually wear off. Dragging things out was a political art: knowing how to delay, and being able to delay, mattered.
Their excuses were simple enough: they needed to contact the envoys of the various states, make preparations for the venue, and take care of other related matters.
They were trivial little things, but impossible to refuse. Though the matters themselves were minor, the stakes were high, so they had no choice but to let the nobles have their way.
In the meantime, the nobles sought outside support, handed out bribes, sent money, and spread rumors. In short, each used their own tricks, all to stop Austria from joining the German Customs Union.
But the emperor had agreed to it today, and it would be very difficult to change his mind now.
Meanwhile, Metternich, Count Kolowrat, Baron Bruck, Count Latour, and the Minister of the Interior, Pillersdorff, who had barely been noticed until now, were preparing to deal with the nobles' final counterattack.
After all, who knew what those shameless bastards might do?
Count Latour had already sent Haynau, Radetzky, Anton von, and a host of other veteran generals who had fought in the War of the Sixth Coalition to the most critical positions, warning them to be extra vigilant. Now all he had to do was provide those generals with enough soldiers and sufficient authority.
He didn't want another uprising happening right under his nose.
Baron Bruck needed to get in touch with Austrian bankers, convince them the country still had a future, and raise as much money as possible.
Once the tariffs were abolished and cross-border trade opened up, the sums required would be astronomical.
To that end, he would have to wring the last drop of blood from those bankers.
Metternich, meanwhile, needed to persuade as many of the country's nobles as possible. After all, one more friend meant one fewer enemy.
And beyond the domestic opposition, there were the princes and nobles of the German States. His secret police and mistresses had already learned the preferences of the various countries' princes and ambassadors. Using that information, Metternich had prepared a gift for each of them—including the King of Prussia and the Prussian ambassador, and, of course, the chief architect of the German Customs Union, Friedrich List.
He had heard that Friedrich List's investments had failed and that he was now living in dire straits. The Austrian Empire would need talents like him after joining the German Customs Union.
How did I think of him? Oh, right. It must have been that paper airplane the Archduke dropped. Archduke Franz really is the lucky star of this country. Metternich mused, but didn't give it another thought. Wasn't it perfectly normal for children to tear up paper, fold it into all sorts of odd shapes, and throw them around?
Most important of all, he had to make sure Francis II didn't change his mind.
After all, this emperor had changed his mind more times than anyone could count. They also had that future emperor to thank today; without him, they wouldn't even have had this last chance to make their case.
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