Raising Funds

By evening, the Russian Empire's embassy in Vienna was brightly lit, with bursts of music drifting out from time to time. Without question, a diplomatic reception was underway inside.

There were not many attendees. The hosts had invited only envoys from countries with good relations with the Tsarist Government, along with some Russian aristocrats living in Austria.

Such diplomatic receptions were held almost every month and were hardly noteworthy. The only thing worth noting was that Austria's Foreign Minister, Wessenberg, had attended in person.

Before the Russo-Austrian Alliance collapsed, Wessenberg's presence here would not have been strange. But things were different now. Relations between Russia and Austria were beginning to drift apart, and Wessenberg's appearance here was enough to give one pause.

With a sputter, Wessenberg could not help spraying the wine from his mouth. His eyes widened as he stared at the Russian envoy, Alexander Nikolayevich Her. "Are you certain you are not joking, Your Excellency?"

Nikolayevich nodded solemnly. "No."

Having said that, he met Wessenberg's gaze without the slightest attempt at concealment.

After a brief pause, Wessenberg flatly refused. "Impossible!"

"How much is your country's fiscal revenue? Five hundred million Divine Shields have already far exceeded your government's debt-bearing capacity. Do not forget that your country still has a large amount of unpaid debt."

Fortunately, the two were speaking in a corner, and no one lacking in tact came over to interrupt them. Otherwise, the entire reception would have erupted.

Five hundred million Divine Shields was no small sum. It was equivalent to 250 million pounds sterling, roughly 1,830 tons of gold, equal to the combined annual fiscal revenues of Britain, France, and Austria.

As for a loan—never mind now, even during the honeymoon period of the Russo-Austrian Alliance, Austria had never provided the Russians with such