Chapter 510: Chapter 83: June’s Debt
 

Human hearts are complex, and while President Juarez appeared to have subdued all opposing forces on the surface, the situation in Mexico City was tumultuous beneath the calm.

After the shooting incident, the blockade against the Austrian Embassy was also lifted. Originally, supplies were prohibited from entering, but now the Mexican Government was proactively delivering supplies to their doorstep.

There was no choice, President Juarez was genuinely frightened. A mere stroll of the Austrian soldiers had caused so much trouble, one could only imagine the issues that would arise if they ventured out daily.

If a few more deaths were to occur, even if the shootings were unrelated to them, the Republican Government could not escape accountability. Juarez had already experienced the domineering attitudes of the great powers.

Ten years ago, when the Mexican Government’s finances were on the brink of bankruptcy, Juarez declared a two-year suspension of foreign debt payments, preparing to bargain with the creditors.

Unsurprisingly, he received a social drubbing – the Mexican Republic Government became a subordinate power, and it took ten years for him to return to Mexico City.

How many decades does a person have in a lifetime? If it weren’t for these lost ten years, perhaps Juarez’s social reforms would have already succeeded.

Only after losing did one learn to cherish. Only through personal experience did one learn to fear.

In the Mexican Republic Government, aside from the naïve youths, there was no one who wasn’t afraid of the great powers. Juarez may publicly deny the debts inherited from Maximilian I, but in reality, he still obediently repaid them.

To appease the Radical faction, he kept saying that they would “stop paying debts once the situation stabilized,” but in truth, it was all just rhetoric.

The French worried that with the fall of Maximilian I, these debts would turn bad. But in fact, the Republican Government led by President Juarez had already caved in – they did not dare default on their debts.

The so-called toughness was merely a political slogan. In terms of actual actions, they were very honest, repaying the foreign debt even if it meant scraping together funds from various sources.

Without deploying troops to intercept, Governor Hummel advanced rapidly and arrived at Mexico City in less than a week.

President Juarez’s countermeasures were not ineffective. Austria cared about face. Without a war breaking out, Governor Hummel’s troops had no pretext to assault the city and instead encamped outside the city.

The matter of the “shooting incident” was left at the judicial level, with all the foreign ministers as witnesses, awaiting evidence from the Mexican Government to close the case.

Everything was developing favorably when Minister Compton’s elaborate feast unfolded. Hundreds of “Austrian citizens” came forward to protest, and they had prepared evidence as well.

Undoubtedly, these individuals were relatives or associated groups of the soldiers. In the week prior to the Republican Army entering the city, their property had suffered severe damage, and some had even lost their lives.

Under normal circumstances, these commoners had no choice but to accept their fate. But this time was different; with Minister Compton secretly orchestrating, they found the courage to stand up.

Extraterritorial rights made them fearless. They emulated the way foreign citizens treated the Mexican Government.

Minister Compton, who had just been conversing amicably, immediately changed his demeanor, scolding harshly, “President, your military’s disregard for international law and reckless behavior has harmed the personal and property safety of Austrian citizens. Now, I, representing the Vienna Government, issue a formal diplomatic note to you.

I order your country’s government to hand over the responsible persons within 24 hours to face legal sanctions and compensate for the losses of our citizens!”

This pretext was somewhat far-fetched, everyone knew the score. But indeed, these people had obtained Austrian citizenship.

Legally speaking, if these individuals became Austrian citizens before the Mexican Republican Army’s actions, they were under Austria’s protection.

Undoubtedly, this was the case. Minister Compton would not make such a mistake. Documentation he issued could prove that their naturalization preceded the entry of the Republican Army into the city.

Whether or not it complied with procedures was Austria’s internal affair – it was not the place of outsiders to interfere.

President Juarez’s complexion shifted drastically, other matters could be negotiated. But “handing over the responsible persons” was utterly impossible. Surrendering them would surely incite mutiny in the army.

Moreover, even if they were guilty, they should be subjected to Mexican law, not tried by Austrians, right?

Hoping for England and France to mediate, disappointingly, the British and French Ambassadors started to drift away mentally after seeing the evidence provided by the Austrians.

Not that they didn’t want to help, but the evidence was in plain sight. The Austrians had written documents proving these were Austrian citizens, along with photographs of the Mexican Republican Army’s atrocities captured by photographers.

As allies in name, England, France, and Austria couldn’t support the Mexican Republic Government when Austria had the upper hand.

President Juarez understood that the Austrians were deliberately causing trouble at this moment, presenting these demands with ulterior motives that weren’t just about defending these “citizens.”

Without understanding the Austrians’ true intentions, it was tough to resolve the issue. With the Austrian army already at the gates, even resistance was too late.

The only consolation was that the Austrians still considered international repercussions and didn’t just attack recklessly, which meant there was still room for maneuver.

One common trait of the great powers of this era was that when reasoning failed to achieve their goals, they would resort to cannons to make their point.

The role of intermediary between the two parties fell to British Ambassador Edward. These sorts of matters were their forte – over half the international conflicts worldwide in this era involved the British in some way.

…

That very evening, British Ambassador Edward appeared at the Austrian Embassy.

Setting down his coffee, Edward elegantly asked, “Minister Compton, the London Government is also closely following your country’s actions in Mexico.

We’re allies, so don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it. However, what exactly is your goal?”

British “help” is better described as a warning rather than assistance. When expanding overseas, Austria was certainly not prepared to borrow British strength, something Franz feared he could not afford to repay.

Minister Compton naturally understood the hidden meaning. Emphasizing “allies” simply meant that British interests must not be harmed. Offering “help” was essentially a warning not to go too far.

Lifting the coffee from the table, Minister Compton took a small sip and calmly replied, “The evil of republican ideology must be contained.

If the Mexicans are not given a lesson, won’t the republican idea become even more rampant? If it were to spread to the European Continent, I’m afraid it would be unpleasant for everyone.”

This explanation clearly did not satisfy Edward. Since when did the Vienna Government embody such spirit of internationalism?

Under Franz’s rule, Austria first indulged the Russian Empire and then supported France, actions that hardly resembled those of a responsible Great European Nation.

Edward believed that the Austrians would suppress republican ideas. As a Monarch, the Austrian Emperor held power that was in no way inferior to that of the Tsarist.

It’s just that Austria had reformed early, and social reforms had been completed. These developments were doing well, and society was very stable.

In terms of suppressing republican ideas, the stance of the monarchies was the same, a fight for discursive power in the realm of ideology, and none would easily give it up.

Edward uncertainly asked, “Minister Compton, is your country prepared to restore Maximilian I to the throne?

It doesn’t suit Austria’s interests to support Maximilian I’s reestablishment, given the high costs involved.

However, in a country like Austria, where imperial power is strong, decisions are often not just about interests; the Emperor’s will can also dictate the direction of the nation.

Although Maximilian I is not capable, he is Franz’s younger brother, a fact alone that could prompt Franz to heavily invest in his cause.

Similar situations have occurred not just once or twice in European history. Edward was uncertain whether such a thing could happen in Austria, as Franz had always projected a too perfect image to the outside world.

Minister Compton shook his head and answered, “If we could establish His Majesty Maximilian I on the throne again, that would certainly be ideal.

However, due to some special issues, the major powers within Mexico are not very welcoming to His Majesty.

Our conditions are straightforward; the Mexican Government has three choices: First, continue to uphold Maximilian I as Emperor, and then there will be no need to mention these small issues; a constitutional monarchy would also be acceptable;

Second, compensate for the losses of Austrian citizens and bear the costs of this military expedition, a total of twelve million Divine Shields. If there isn’t enough money, then cede Chiapas, Tabasco, Oaxaca, Veracruz, and the Yucatan Peninsula to settle the debt.”

Edward already knew the third option without it being said. The most commonly used tactic: if negotiations fail, resort to force. If the Mexican Government thinks they can win, they might as well try to resolve it by force.

“Your country certainly has a big appetite,” Edward mused, “but can the Mexicans endure such conditions?”

Clearly, Edward didn’t want to see Austria expand unabashedly in Mexico; without restraint, it would eventually consume the entire country.

Compton smiled slightly and defended, “You can’t say that; as long as the Mexican Government restores Maximilian I, they won’t have to pay any price.

If they are patriotic enough, they should accept our goodwill. After all, His Majesty Maximilian I is benevolent and won’t pursue their plots of rebellion.”

Edward rolled his eyes, thinking that accepting the restoration of Maximilian I was far from simple.

The Constitutionalists, Conservatives, and Catholics might not mind an emperor with no real power, but for the Republicans, it would be a disaster.

It would entirely negate their legitimacy from start to finish, a political blow substantial enough to throw President Juarez out of office.

The seemingly least costly option was in fact the one the Republican Government could least afford to accept. The condition put forward would cause a split in the Mexican Government whether the Mexican people accepted it or not.

The conditions Minister Compton presented were clearly aimed at exacerbating the internal conflicts within the Mexican Government.

Other political factions would use this as an excuse to accuse the Republican Government of ignoring national interests for their own sakes.

No matter what decision President Juarez made, he would face a heap of troubles. Such an obvious target, if said to be unrelated to the Habsburg Family, would be unbelievable.

Now that Maximilian I was isolated and alone, even if he were to be reestablished, he would only be a figurehead emperor, unheeded by anyone and unable to bring any benefits to Austria. This valueless condition was clearly aimed at the Republican Government.

Edward said nothing further; President Juarez had led the Rebel Army to overthrow Maximilian I’s rule, dealing a heavy blow to the Habsburg Family’s prestige.

Now they sought revenge, and it was just bad luck for him. With these matters reaching such a level, Edward had no desire to get involved.

In his heart, he had already begun to mourn for President Juarez. Who else could be blamed for his misfortune if not for encountering the zenith of the Habsburg dynasty?