Chapter 531: Chapter 104: Trivial Matters
 

Events often have a dual nature. The agricultural crisis led to a dramatic drop in the prices of farm products, making life difficult for farmers, whereas the lives of workers improved.

As the cost of living decreased, this directly stimulated industrial development. Conflicts between labor and capital also diminished, with the most typical example being the number of times Parisians took to the streets to protest, which decreased by one fifth compared to the same period of the previous year.

In this regard, the mainstream of the world had transitioned from agriculture to industry, with all the major European powers developing around an industrial core.

Affected by the butterfly effect, the domestic market of the divided United States dramatically shrunk, preventing it from reaching the forefront in this industrial revolution; the origins of the second Industrial Revolution thus remained in Europe.

Naturally, Austria, marked by Vienna, the city that never sleeps, was the first to spark the industrial revolution, commencing the dawn of the human electric era.

The spread of electricity exceeded imagination. After Vienna paved the way, Paris and London immediately followed.

Although somewhat irrational, without considering practical circumstances, and influenced by public opinion to follow blindly, in promoting the development of electrical technology, it played an essential role.

After London and Paris completed their urban lighting networks, electrical technology became a symbol of city modernization. The difference between large and small cities can be discerned by looking at the street lights in the city areas.

One after another, power stations rose around the cities, and rows of power lines became a symbol of civilization, with billowing black smoke narrating the glory of the industrial age.

In the Vienna Palace, Franz was hunting with his family. It must be said that Archduke Carl’s suggestion was constructive. Having the hunting grounds at home was indeed more convenient.

If talking about land area alone, the Vienna Palace was already the largest in the world. Of course, if calculating the built area, the Vienna Palace was still a little brother.

Franz was not an extravagantly wasteful Emperor; he would not build a huge palace complex. Vienna was the Habsburg Family’s private territory, with most of the land belonging to the Royal family, making the cost of expanding the palace area not very high.

With the expansion of the Imperial Palace, the difficulty of its defense naturally increased, and the Royal guard had to expand accordingly. Franz would not admit that this was an expansion of his private armed forces, even though that was the truth.

These were minor issues, for the Royal guard was entirely under the Emperor’s control, with no relation to the government. Theoretically, even an expansion to one million was possible.

Clearly, this was not feasible, as Franz was not that wealthy. Despite being an Emperor who received commissions, the Royal family’s annuities already topped those on the European Continent.

Only through frugality was Franz able to expand the Royal guard to a division. This was the last safeguard: having a private army was the greatest assurance of the Emperor’s power, at least ensuring the ability to instigate an armed coup at any time.

In this regard, the Vienna Government was dangerous, facing an Emperor who was always on guard against them. Should they inadvertently cross the line, the Emperor might overturn the table at any moment.

This was a lesson from the Vienna revolution. Without raising any alarms, Franz strengthened his control over the army, especially the capital’s troops, which he held tight.

Any political power attempting to deeply involve itself in the army would face disastrous consequences. Austria may seem calm on the surface, but behind it there were dangers lurking everywhere.

“Bang, bang, bang…”

After a series of gunshots, only shell casings remained on the ground. Franz’s shooting was still as stable as ever; although the prey was over two hundred meters away, he never missed a shot, except when the target was beyond that range.

Franz was not the least bit annoyed at not hitting the prey. As an Emperor who cherished life, he could not bear to kill, so he magnanimously let the prey go.

This explanation, at first, was believed by a few youngsters, who looked up to him in admiration. As they grew older, it was better left unmentioned.

It was nothing serious; most new soldiers on the battlefield were at this level. To accurately hit an enemy at two hundred meters away required either a sharpshooter or a stroke of luck.

To ensure effective damage to a moving target within two hundred meters would qualify as an elite force. This was a problem with firearms, where heavy recoil often led to bullets straying off course.

With current technology, this issue could not be resolved. To reduce the recoil slightly would result in increased costs.

Looking at the motionless Maximilian, Archduke Carl walked up to him and slapped him on the head: “Maximilian, stop wearing that deadpan expression. When you come out hunting, you need to be energetic.

You should learn from Franz, who returns empty-handed every time but still remains cheerful.”

As he grew older, Archduke Carl became more willful, now even Empress Sophie had a hard time restraining him. If something displeased him, he would slap without hesitation.

Franz knew that if he did not intervene, Maximilian might get beaten again. It was not out of harsh expectations; in fact, Archduke Carl had no expectations for Maximilian; what he couldn’t stand was to watch his beloved son descend.

After hesitating for a moment, Franz decided to ignore the situation. If a slap must come, then so be it. A father disciplining his son was not anyone else’s business. Maximilian had not been disciplined as a child, and now was a good time to start.

Since being forcibly sent back to the country, Maximilian had fallen into a state of seclusion, crying to return to Mexico every day. After verifying with doctors that it was not a mental illness but rather a psychological problem,

Empress Sophie thought of many ways to help him overcome this shadow in his mind, but to no effect. In the end, it was a violent approach that worked, as pain awakened the self-numbed Maximilian.

Franz had no doubts about Carl’s discipline of Maximilian; it was necessary to make up for spoiling him too much in childhood, but why drag himself along?

Those glorious achievements, Franz always avoided discussing them. Times had changed, and there were little ones watching.

Franz still didn’t muster the courage to defend himself, as all defense seemed pale and weak in the face of facts.

Franz didn’t dislike his brother Maximilian, save for his serious idealism, Maximilian was quite good, much better than those careerists.

Even idealism could be used as a negative example. If nothing unexpected happened, the Habsburg Family would recount his legendary tales for centuries to come, to caution and educate the next generations.

Looking at his joyful second son, Franz glared fiercely, as if to say, “What are you laughing at? Are you itching for a spanking?”

Feeling Franz’s murderous gaze, Little Peter immediately covered his mouth with his hand. From years of experience, he could tell that if this continued, the thickness of his homework book would surely increase.

Franz believed in reason and usually didn’t resort to beating. His most common form of punishment was assigning homework, supervised by a dedicated tutor, and only when it was completed could one go out and play.

Such punishment was more lethal than a beating. A beating causes only temporary pain, and with their own flesh and blood, no one could bear to be too harsh; but an increase in homework could last a long time, and Peter had personally endured the agony of rushing through assignments for a month.

The men stayed on one side, and the women on the other. Hunting, such a bloody affair, was usually left to them to handle, and it would be inappropriate to disturb the ladies.

With Franz not speaking, the other two brothers dared not make a move. When Archduke Carl flew into a rage, except for Franz the Emperor, who could be spared, the rest of the brothers were often punished together. The two, on horseback and from a distance, gave Maximilian helpless looks.

As if spurred on, Maximilian nearly fell from his horse and grabbed the reins, answering in a panic, “Understood.”

Time was the best cure for mental afflictions, and not hearing the braindead slogans like “I need to return to Mexico” and “The people of Mexico need me,” Franz nodded in satisfaction.

Lately, Maximilian’s health had been a constant worry for Franz. Being Emperor was not an easy task; the Habsburg Family had a rather high number of defective products.

That was the result even after Franz’s strict control; otherwise, there would have been one more homosexual brother, leaving him wondering what kind of education they had received. Franz seriously doubted the education his brothers had in the original timeline.

It proved that postnatal education could change a person. With Maximilian, it was because their ages were too close; by the time Franz ascended the throne, Maximilian was already an idealist, beyond redemption.

The other two younger ones were different; under his intervention, they received strict nobility education. No special talents were discovered, but their overall abilities certainly exceeded the average level of the noble youth. In society, they would be considered high-class elites.

Their main job now was to handle the external relations and receptions of the Habsburg Family, or rather, to maintain good relations with the European Royal Family. Any social events that required their presence, like weddings or funerals, they were the ones to attend.

All in all, Franz was satisfied. There were no major slip-ups in these affairs, which lightened his workload, sparing him the trouble of worrying about these trivial matters.

As long as they didn’t mess up, every Royal family member was useful. That included the failed Maximilian, who still served as a link between the Habsburg Family and the Belgian Royal Family.

“Your Majesty, the Empress is calling for you.”

Franz nodded, “Understood, tell the Empress we’ll be there shortly.”

Seeing Archduke Carl with a stern face, Franz rode forward: “Alright father, it’s about time, perhaps dinner is ready.”

Archduke Carl was quick to anger but also quick to cool. He nodded after hearing Franz’s words and then smacked Maximilian on the back, “What are you looking at? Get moving!”

…

Looking at the group of jovial hostesses, Franz asked in confusion, “What happened? Why the joy?”

Queen Helen smiled slightly, “Charlotte is pregnant.”

Everyone showed signs of happiness, and even Maximilian, with his perpetually unchanging face, showed a smile.

A new addition is always good news, especially for the royal family. The butterfly effect was tremendous, as Maximilian I, who passed away early in the original timeline, naturally left no descendants, but now that he had lived a few years longer, the situation had changed.

It made sense when you thought about it; Princess Charlotte wasn’t that old. In the original timeline when Maximilian died, she was only 27 years old; she was only in her thirties now.

In that era, she would be considered an older mother, but the problem wasn’t too serious. Maximilian I was still alive, and Princess Charlotte hadn’t gone mad; her health had always been good.

This news didn’t impact Austria much, unless Queen Helen was pregnant, the common folk had little interest in such concerns.

But for Mexico, miles away, the situation was different. After all, although Maximilian I had returned in disgrace, he had not announced his abdication.

Shortly after the withdrawal of the Austrian army, a civil war erupted in Mexico. Factional fighting was so intense that there was no regard for the dethroned emperor’s status.

Seeing Maximilian in a bad state, the Habsburg Family naturally spared him from any aggravation, and his abdication was put on hold.

Now, if the child in Charlotte’s womb was a boy, then he would be the legal heir to the Mexican throne. The crown prince established by Maximilian I before, in reality, didn’t have enough legitimacy.

Franz cut short his wayward thoughts, as none of it mattered anymore. That mess in Mexico, who would dare to jump into that pit of fire!