Life of Being a Crown Prince in France

Schonbrunn Palace.

Baron Tugut quickly entered the room under the guidance of court officials and bowed to the Emperor:

“Your Majesty, General Grashkovich’s troops have already reached Ort, and they will enter Vienna the morning after tomorrow.”

Grashkovich is the commander of the Hungarian Debrecen Corps, bringing with him 4,000 soldiers this time.

Franz II immediately felt a sense of relief, as the cries of the protestors in the distance, which seemed like monstrous roars, now became negligible noise.

But he quickly remembered the demands of the Hungarian Congress, feeling a pang of financial pain.

To summon these troops, the imperial taxes in Hungary will from now on need the approval of the Hungarian Nobles Council to be levied.

Tugut handed over a document: “Your Majesty, this is the authorization order for General Grashkovich, it needs your signature.”

Franz II casually flipped through it and saw that the authorization included: searching city residences; requisitioning any materials; interrogating participants in the riots.

As well as the authority to execute rioters without trial.

Franz II suddenly hesitated, looking at Tugut: “Are you sure we really need to deploy the troops? Perhaps there are other ways…”

The latter insisted firmly: “Your Majesty, you must not show any sign of weakness, that will only embolden the mob further. It might even encourage the French people.”

Franz II thought for a moment and then nodded vigorously: “You are right.”

He signed the authorization order and handed it back to Tugut: “Let this all end as soon as possible!”

…

Meanwhile, in a small tavern on the southern outskirts of Vienna, seven or eight junior officers were carefully passing around a pamphlet.

A captain with smallpox scars on his face said angrily, “The Emperor wants to use the army to suppress the protestors!”

The lieutenant next to him furrowed his brows: “Those people are only asking for their compensation. It’s something their husbands and children earned with their lives on the battlefield!”

The officer with a flat nose across from him shook his head and replied, “No, Lieutenant Schwartz, many of them are just protesting the taxes, they should indeed be dispersed…”

Schwartz immediately retorted loudly: “The special war tax should be opposed. You know, people are also paying the military service tax!”

The captain with the pamphlet motioned for him to lower his voice but nodded in agreement: “Moreover, our Emperor said it would only be collected for one year, yet now it has been over two years, and they’re still continuing.”

Schwartz exhaled: “No matter what, the army’s flintlock guns should not be used against citizens.”

The flat-nosed officer shook the pamphlet: “This might just be fabricated. I heard from Lieutenant Colonel Eschazi that the Emperor has already ordered the immediate disbursement of compensation. The protests will end soon.”

This only shows that Franz II overestimated the efficiency of the Austrian bureaucratic system. The loan from Rothschild was paid to the Austrian Government a week ago, but until now, the Military Committee’s account has not received a single coin.

It would take at least another one or two months to disburse it to the families of the fallen soldiers from the Military Committee. Essentially, it’s of no use.

The young blond captain sitting on the left was rubbing the wine glass in his hand, saying in a deep voice: “This matter can be clarified by asking the nearby cavalry officers. So, what if the troops really enter the city?”

Schwartz’s expression turned serious: “We have to do something to prevent a tragedy from happening!”

The other officers remained silent.

They were just instructors from the recruitment office, with not much rank, what could they do about such a big issue?

After drinking sullenly for a while, they left dejectedly.

At a street corner outside the tavern, the blond captain caught up with Schwartz in a few steps, patted him on the back and asked in a low voice: “Leon, listen to me, you have to keep yourself in check, this isn’t something we can handle.”

The latter glanced at him: “Hmph, it has nothing to do with you.”

“God, what are you planning to do?”

Schwartz stopped: “Ehlers, I just don’t want the families of those killed in battle to be hurt again. Our Emperor has started a wrong war, yet it’s the ordinary people who have to bear the consequences. If this continues, the whole country will be finished! I, I just feel angry right now!”

“Are you serious?!”

“Of course.”

“This will destroy your future.”

“So what?”

“So, what are you planning to do?”

“Uh, not yet…”

Captain Ehlers looked around, leaned towards his ear and said: “If I have a plan, do you want to hear it?”

…

East of Vienna.

By the Danube River.

Although there’s still a distance from the outer districts of Vienna, protestors can be seen everywhere.

Two to three hundred sans-culottes, the poorest of the Viennese people, were surrounding some shops by the roadside, desperately using stones to break the doors down.

Scheller, along with a few people wearing red armbands, held up signs, trying to dissuade them persuasively:

“You shouldn’t rob randomly. This won’t solve any problems…”

“Everyone petition the Emperor for a constitution!”

“Only if those guys like Tugut step down, will things get better.”

“We need to implement the rights God has given us and elect noble people to help the Emperor govern the country!”

Most of the sans-culottes merely glanced at them coldly and paid no further attention.

Some got annoyed and spat, cursing, “Get lost, idiot!”

“Shut up, you bastards!”

The door smashers only worked harder.

Just then, the sound of a military drum came from the end of the road to the east.

About ten minutes later, hundreds of Hungarian soldiers armed with live ammunition appeared in everyone’s sight.

The leading officer stepped forward by lightly kicking his horse’s belly, pointed his whip at the rioters and shouted: “In the name of the Emperor, I order you to leave here within 3 minutes and return home according to the curfew order, or I cannot guarantee your safety.”

The sans-culottes were stunned for a moment, then turned around and glared at the soldiers, shouting, “I want to reclaim my son’s compensation.”

“The tax collector took all my money, I need to get some bread for my kids!”

“We’ll leave immediately once the Emperor cancels the war tax.”

“At the very least, let the price of bread return to what it was two years ago.”

“Don’t be afraid, they wouldn’t dare to shoot…”

Scheller raised his hands and walked toward the officer, bowing politely: “Sir, we are simply suggesting that the Emperor amend the tax system, it’s a normal march, you have no right to arrest us…”

“I have the right.” The officer arrogantly interrupted him and gestured to the soldiers behind him.

Hundreds of flintlock guns were immediately leveled, directly at the crowd causing trouble.

“I’m not afraid of you!”

A sans-culottes man in his fifties threw a rock at the soldiers. Encouraged by him, others also started cursing and throwing stones and sticks.

The Hungarian officer frowned, drew his sword, and said: “Aim——”

(This is a supplement to yesterday’s chapter. More to come today.)

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