Holy Roman Empire

Austria was in action, and the British were not idle either. To woo the Russians, British Foreign Minister George personally visited St. Petersburg.

The most significant marker of the Industrial Age is speed. In the Middle Ages, it usually took half a month to travel from London to St. Petersburg, but now it only requires four to five days.

The rapid development of navigational technology has brought the human world closer together. Everything has two sides; closer connections have resulted in an increase in international disputes as well.

Stepping off the gangway and looking at the sparse welcoming crowd ahead, George's anger had already flared up.

It was too perfunctory. As the Foreign Minister of Britannia, wherever he went, he was the most distinguished guest. He had not expected the Russians to show such disrespect.

Not to mention royal family members, even the high ranks of the Tsarist Government did not show up. Only a few low-level officials were sent, which was completely disproportionate in terms of status and could be said to be extremely impolite.

Of course, this was the viewpoint of the British. In the Russians' eyes, this treatment was already quite honorable.

The Anglo-Russian War had just ended, and the hatred between the two countries was at its peak. How could the government curry favor with the British without upsetting the domestic public opinion?

Politicians are clever people and know how to choose what is most beneficial for themselves. Tasks like receiving the British, which were thankless and laborious, naturally ended up being pushed down from one level to the next until there was no one left to pass it to.

Since the big figures didn't show up, there was even less chance of a welcoming crowd. The fighting nation did not earn its reputation unjustly; if a few hot-blooded youths were to mix into the crowd and rush to duel with the British, it would be quite embarrassing.

Such incidents were not unprecedented; flipping through history books, one would find that more than a dozen Russian diplomats met their end due to duels, including the renowned poet Pushkin.

Angry as he might be, business still needed to be handled. The current international situation was very unfavorable for Britannia; mishandle it, and the world's hegemon might be replaced.

Since the reception party's status was not equal, George naturally would not waste time on them. After disembarking, he headed straight for the embassy, even declining the welcome banquet.

...

"What's going on, why are the Russians acting so cold?"

George asked sternly. Since this was an official visit, the foreign ministries of the two countries must have communicated beforehand. Normally, such prearranged matters, no matter what, should at least be tolerable on the surface.

Envoy Richard Trulli explained, "The situation is very bad. Just a month ago, the Austrians suddenly made their move and stirred up an anti-French wave in St. Petersburg.

Russian civilian sentiment against France was already strong, and the Pro-Austrian Faction had taken a dominant position within the Tsarist Government, quickly leading to a nationwide anti-French movement.

By the time we realized and prepared to take measures, it was all too late.

Due to the influence of public opinion and the agitation by the Pro-Austrian Faction, the political stance of the Tsarist Government has likely changed already."

It wasn't his fault, as because of the Anglo-Russian War, Britannia had for a time withdrawn its embassy in Russia. Richard Trulli, the envoy, had, in fact, only been in his position for just over a month.

In such a short amount of time, being able to sort out the everyday work was already commendable. Expecting to thwart Austria's actions was asking too much of him.

George waved his hand in a very understanding gesture and said, "Never mind, it's not your responsibility. Even the French, the very parties involved, didn't notice, let alone us?"

As the Foreign Minister of Britannia, George was quite familiar with the internal political factions in the Tsarist Government; or rather, for the last few decades, the Pro-Austrian Faction had been in control of power.

This was a matter determined by interests. As Russian-Austrian trade continued to deepen, more and more people became bound to this chain of interest.

Not only are there many in the Tsarist Government who are pro-Austrian, but there are also many pro-Russian officials within the Vienna Government, and this is not something that can be changed by personal will.

Of course, political tendencies do not necessarily equate to political stances; essentially, everyone still prioritizes their own country's interests.

Generally speaking, such tendencies can only come into play when they do not harm the interests of one's own country.

Even so, Britannia had no way to undermine Austria's public opinion campaigning. After all, the war between England and Russia had just ended, and the pro-British faction within the Tsarist Government did not dare to make a move.

Without local snakes to cooperate, Britannia couldn't act on its own! If the British Ambassador really stood up to speak for the French, it's estimated that the original anti-war faction could turn into the war party.

However, George didn't take the shifts in the stance of the Tsarist Government seriously. Between nations, only interests are eternal.

In George's view, preventing Austria from dominating Europe was a common interest of both Britain and Russia. The indifference shown by the Tsarist Government was merely to elevate its own bargaining power. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire

If it truly had no interest in mediation, the Tsarist Government would have rejected his visit long ago, without the need for these underhanded tricks.

"Is the situation on the European battlefield that bad?"

Envoy Richard Trulli asked.

The information from St. Petersburg was still somewhat blocked, and even if news came through, it was often exaggerated along the way, losing its original flavor.

George nodded, "The situation in the French Italian region is unstable; many guerrillas have emerged on the peninsula, and the French's Southern Europe defense line is in jeopardy.

On the Central European battlefield, the French Army seems to be maintaining an offensive, but in reality, they are exhausted both mentally and physically. The reduction in troops is severe, and based on the current battlefield conditions, France at most can hold out for another year before being ground down by Austria.

The situation on the battlefield changes rapidly; no one knows what will happen tomorrow. Arrange a meeting with the Russian upper echelons for me as soon as possible; establishing the Intervention Alliance is urgent."

It wasn't that George couldn't keep his patience, and needed to make contact with the Russians hastily; it was that there wasn't much time left for them.

The Intervention Alliance cannot be established in a day or two. Even if the alliance is formed, coordinating the relationships between the parties involved will take time and not be settled in a short period.

If the internal relations are not sorted out before the European war ends, Britannia's pleasure will be immense.

...

Almost at the same time as George arrived in St. Petersburg, the negotiations between Russia and Austria also came to a close.

Facts once again proved that there is nothing that money can't solve; if there is, then it must be that there's not enough money.

Vienna Government naturally did not want to give hard cash, but Franz faced no pressure in being generously beneficent with others' resources.

After the Vienna Government promised that "once the Tsarist Government joined the war, they would receive a share of no less than twenty percent of the total war reparations," the Tsarist Government could no longer hold out.

As the world's third greatest power, France's assets were very solid. The reparations that could be obtained after the war were at least several billion Divine Shields.

Based on a minimal twenty percent, that would amount to several billion, or even over ten billion Divine Shields, equivalent to several years of financial revenue for the Russian Empire.

To simply declare war, without a specified military task, and to obtain such a generous reward was completely beyond the Russians' expectations.

In the view of the Tsarist Government, it was a rare blunder on the part of the Austrians, and if they didn't sign the treaty quickly, it would be too late once they realized their mistake.

...

After all the dust had settled, Russian Foreign Minister Oscar Semonis, in high spirits, finally remembered the visiting British Foreign Minister.

The man had come from far away, and not only had he received a less than warm welcome, but he had also been left out in the cold for several days, which was quite impolite.

However, for Oscar Semonis, this wasn't really an issue. Relations between England and Russia were just like that; only a few months ago, the two countries were slaughtering each other on the battlefield, so offending them was neither here nor there.

Improve diplomatic relations with the British?

Sorry, the Tsarist Government had not yet given up its ambitions for India. Although the high officials of the government all knew that the British were not easy to deal with, they couldn't suppress the enthusiasm of their people.

Everything's relative, and compared to the Prusso-Russian war, the war against England and Russia was much easier. In many people's eyes, if it hadn't been for logistical setbacks, the Tsarist could have been parading in India by now.

Even though they didn't achieve their ultimate goal this time, they still gained control of the Central Asia region, including three-quarters of the "Heartland of Eurasia."

No sooner had the England-Russia war ended than some within the Tsarist Government proposed building a railroad connecting Moscow to Afghanistan to prepare for the next war.

If it weren't for the government's empty pockets, the plan would have been implemented already. Against this backdrop, any attempts to repair England-Russia relations were doomed to be futile.

...

British Foreign Minister George asked, "Your Grace, about the matter mentioned in the last telegram, what are your country's thoughts?"

Thoughts? Oscar Semonis was somewhat confused. Frankly speaking, if George had not just reminded him, he would have almost forgotten about the British proposal to form an Intervention Alliance.

The reason was very simple: whatever the enemy supported, he opposed. The war between England and Russia had just ended, and the Tsarist Government naturally didn't trust the British to have good intentions.

In the eyes of Oscar Semonis, the British proposal was just a means to sow discord in the Russian-Austrian Alliance. Consequently, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs dealt with this important-looking telegram from the British on its own.

Even George's visit was orchestrated by Oscar Semonis to negotiate terms with Austria, and now that the objective had been met, the actor was no longer so important.

"My apologies, Sir George. After careful consideration, we feel that the situation in Central Europe is developing in the right direction, and there is no need to form an Intervention Alliance."

Hearing this answer, George's coffee cup nearly slipped from his hand. It was too unexpected; the Russians didn't seem to worry about Austria becoming too powerful.

George's look of astonishment did not escape Oscar Semonis's notice.

The Russian Empire indeed did not want to see Austria grow too powerful. However, there was no choice, as one's status dictates their stance. Since the Russian Empire had already joined the Anti-French Alliance, and the situation was developing favorably for the Alliance, it had to be considered the right direction.

After calming down, George asked, "Your Grace, you're not joking, are you? Given the current development, after the Anti-French Alliance wins the war, Austria is going to dominate alone.

The emergence of a colossus across Asia, Europe, and Africa not only endangers world peace but also threatens the interests of your country."

Oscar Semonis shook his head and said with a slight smile, "You worry too much, sir. Russia and Austria are allies, so there's no need for such divisive talk.

Everyone knows what the European war is about; there would have been no war if it weren't for the French invading Central Europe.

The Anti-French Alliance, after a bloody and hard-fought battle, finally gained the upper hand; isn't intervening at this point tantamount to condoning the French's brutality?

If the aggressors are not punished, then what's to prevent other European nations from following suit, and where would peace be then?"

Sarcasm, naked sarcasm. Having finally claimed the moral high ground, Oscar Hemenes naturally would not pass up the opportunity to mock the British.

Everyone knows that the idea of a threat to world peace is a joke. Since the 18th century, over half of the wars worldwide have had the British as a contributing factor.

Franz was well aware of the threat that a greater Austria could pose, but understanding is one thing, having the power to do something about it is another.

By joining the Anti-French Alliance, the Russian Empire could reap significant benefits without having to assume any risks by simply laying low.

If they joined the intervention Alliance led by the British, apart from earning a wave of hatred, they wouldn't gain a thing. Even if England and France were willing to compensate the Russian Empire, it certainly wouldn't be as generous as Austria.

The Russian Empire could hardly be expected to give up the benefits within easy reach for the sake of the British's bigger picture! Such a spirit of self-sacrifice is not something the Tsarist Government possesses.

Having just arrived and already filled with anger, now to be mocked, even George's considerable composure was wearing thin.

''One day, you will regret your actions today! A bunch of short-sighted fools! Just wait, the Austrians will show you what...''

Having said that, George turned and left without looking back.

There was no chance of retaining him. Oscar Hemenes was not known for his good temper, and George's last words were clearly meant to stir up Russian-Austrian relations.

Seemingly insignificant, but if it fell into the ears of those with ulterior motives, it could cause a great deal of trouble.

Not rushing up to punch someone was already a show of restraint; naturally, he wouldn't verbally concede defeat, "Your Grace need not trouble yourself with that, better to take care of your own affairs first!

The Russian-Austrian Alliance has lasted for decades, withstanding all kinds of storms. The relationship between the two countries cannot be undermined by mere words from Your Grace.

On the contrary, with your country making such erratic movements, there's bound to be a settlement after the war, it's better to think about how to maintain a standing in Europe!"

Oscar Hemenes spoke loudly, and many heard it, further infuriating the already distant George.

However, it was the truth. Given the role that the British had played in this war, a good relationship with Austria was out of the question.

As the Russian Foreign Minister, Oscar Hemenes was not a rash man. Taking the initiative to fall out with the British was clearly a performance for Austria to see.

The Tsarist Government had already decided to declare war in name only for the time being. Against this backdrop, they naturally had to do something to prove their worth.

Otherwise, if they only reaped the benefits without performing any tasks, how could they justify a claim to the spoils of war afterward? Solely on the basis of a treaty? That would be far too simple; there are no free lunches in this world.

By falling out with the British now, the Tsarist Government could proclaim to the outside world: they had thwarted the British plot to pick the fruits of victory, making a significant contribution to the Anti-French cause.

As for highlighting the British-Austrian tension, that was just a byproduct. Russia and Austria were allies; the Tsarist Government was destined not to be the one to restrain Austria, so they had to let the British carry that burden.

From the perspective of the Russian Empire, if they could drag the British into the quagmire of the European continental war, that would be perfect.

...