In the Munich Royal Palace, a meeting that would decide the fate of the Kingdom of Bavaria began.
"Your Majesty, your decision was far too hasty. Moving closer to Prussia at a time like this will inevitably invite Austrian retaliation," Prime Minister Mu'ersi said with a frown.
Not long ago, the Prussian Government had proposed "establishing a German responsible cabinet composed of Austria, Prussia, and Bavaria, to jointly govern the German lands."
This was what Maximilian I had dreamed of. Without seeking the government's consent, he had privately concluded an alliance with the Prussians.
On the surface, if this plan succeeded, the Kingdom of Bavaria's ultimate goal of "dividing the realm into three" would be achieved. After all, their strength was limited; it was impossible for them to unify the German lands.
But in truth, this bait was poisoned. The Kingdom of Prussia's reputation in the German lands had suffered greatly, and it urgently needed to restore its prestige. Clearly, this responsible cabinet plan had arisen for precisely that reason.
Now that Bavaria and the Kingdom of Prussia had become entangled, Austria would undoubtedly see it as betrayal and would surely retaliate.
As the leading power in the German lands, Austria's support was indispensable if this so-called responsible cabinet was to be established. The three-way division Maximilian I sought would be like drawing water with a bamboo basket—nothing but emptiness.
They would gain no tangible benefits, yet had gotten mixed up with the notorious Prussian Government. Quite apart from anything else, once word got out, Bavarian public support for the government would drop by several more percentage points.
Not every Bavarian wanted to divide Germany into three. In many people's eyes, the Kingdom of Bavaria was too weak, and cooperating with Austria was the best choice for achieving German national