"I just want to ask you, Franz, what do you think about your mother's hope that you marry Archduke Karl?"
His Majesty the Emperor's tone was as gentle as ever, and he did not reveal any of his opinions.
But of course Aigron knew that without his acquiescence, how could his mother be able to help him?
Maybe he doesn't necessarily like Theresa, but he is definitely happy to see himself continue to be an Austrian through and through.
He had thought about similar scenarios beforehand, so he responded quickly.
"I have always admired Archduke Karl for his great reputation and outstanding achievements; and Princess Theresa, although I have not interacted with her before, but after meeting her, she was also very cordial and friendly to me, which made me very happy. So if I can win the favor of Her Royal Highness the Princess, it will be an unparalleled honor for me. However... I don't think I have enough capital to attract her and her father..."
After hearing what he said, His Majesty the Emperor and Louisa looked at each other.
"In other words, you have no objection?" Emperor Franz asked directly.
I have no objection - this is what Aigron originally wanted to say. According to his plan, using the fame of Archduke Karl can give him more room for action.
But as soon as the words came to his lips, he remembered what he had just said in front of Princess Sophie...
"I can only say that I am willing to give it a try...but I am not confident that I can get His Highness's approval." So, in the end, it became this answer.
"Oh, he is such a stubborn child." After hearing his answer, mother Louisa couldn't help laughing. She thought her son was shy, "Why are you embarrassed to admit it? At your age, it is It’s time to think about life as an adult.”
"Okay, there's no need to scold you. Young people are a bit shy, and Franz is an introverted child, so it's good to be able to express his position to this extent." His Majesty the Emperor nodded, indicating that he understood the young man's thoughts. "In addition, your objective concerns do exist, so it is natural for you to worry about gains and losses..."
After pondering for a moment, he spoke again, "However, you don't have to worry so much. As my grandson, you are as noble as any other nobleman. And I know Karl, and he is not a vulgar and snobbish person." Man, he doesn’t value money that much. As long as you can show the kind of qualities that can impress people, I think he will consider it. As for Teresa, as long as her father nods, her own thoughts are not that important. Now, just treat her as a friend and be kind to her, and she will naturally get used to it as time goes by."
"Your Majesty...!" Before Aiglon could reply, Grand Duchess Louisa was a little dissatisfied. "You are a little too dismissive of Teresa. I don't think it should be like this. After all, this is about the happiness of two young people. If Theresa is firmly opposed to this matter, then I will withdraw my efforts and invalidate my proposal. I don’t want to be the object of her lifelong hatred, nor do I want to be the creator of tragedy.”
His Majesty the Emperor was a little shocked by his daughter's sudden tough attitude, but he soon understood that he had inadvertently reminded her of his dreamy career as Queen of the French Empire.
At that time, she seemed to have been sent to France by him with this attitude... Although it was the need of the country, he still felt a little guilty for his daughter in his heart.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I made a mistake." His Majesty the Emperor smiled awkwardly. "Sorry, Luisa, I didn't mean that. Of course Teresa's thoughts are also very important."
Although he said so, in the eyes of the emperor, or in the eyes of most people in the world, this was the case, and the same was true for the tradition of the Habsburg family.
Metternich once publicly said when arranging the marriage between Napoleon and Louisa that princesses were nothing more than marriage tools.
"Well, since Franz has no objection to this matter, let's seriously put it on the family agenda." Emperor Franz changed the subject and broke the awkward atmosphere, "No matter what the outcome is, It’s also good to liven things up a bit here.”
As he grows older, His Majesty the Emperor has lost hope of having more children. Due to their respective circumstances, the grandson of his two sons has been unable to come to the world, and his knees are quite desolate. Therefore, sometimes he will be extremely nostalgic for his childhood Meiquan. The bustle of the palace.
"Franz, I hope you will behave as you should so that your mother and I will not be disappointed."
Then, he gently waved his hand to signal the mother and son to leave. Aigron resigned knowingly. He could clearly see the fatigue on His Majesty's face.
With the departure of Louisa and her son, the spacious office suddenly seemed even emptier.
His Majesty the Emperor closed his eyes and fell asleep for a while. After regaining his energy, he opened his eyes again.
"What did Metternich say?" he asked, looking at the documents on the table.
"Prime Minister Metternich is quite satisfied with the candidates selected by the palace." The attendant behind him replied respectfully, "He proposed to use marriage to continue to hold the surname Bonaparte in his hands. Of course, he least wanted to be used by foreign royal families. Sharing takes ownership.”
"When he talked about the royal family, his tone was no different from that of a merchant discussing the goods on the shelves." His Majesty the Emperor frowned, showing some impatience. "I really fear that after I am gone he will have personal rule over this country under the guise of the Habsburg family."
His Majesty the Emperor's worries are not groundless, because the Crown Prince Ferdinand has congenital mental illness and intellectual development disorders. If he dies and the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he is destined to be unable to achieve personal rule and can only rely on the assistance of the Prime Minister - —or regency.
Historically, Metternich did this. He also happily manipulated a marriage, allowing Crown Prince Ferdinand to marry Princess Mariana of the Kingdom of Sardinia. This princess spent the next several decades in her life. All wasted on taking care of this mentally ill person.
"Your Majesty, although the Prime Minister does have a strong attitude at times, his loyalty to the empire is unquestionable." The aide admonished His Majesty in a low voice, "To survive this turbulent era, we need a strong man like him. "
"You are right." His Majesty the Emperor nodded.
Then he changed the subject again, "So, is there anything else Metternich wants to tell me?"
"One more thing." The attendant lowered his body slightly and leaned close to His Majesty the Emperor's ear. "According to the information currently obtained, the tariff negotiations between Prussia and the Principality of Hesse are nearing completion, and it is very likely to conclude an agreement. Agreement to form a customs union.”
Upon hearing the news, His Majesty the Emperor's originally relaxed expression suddenly became serious.
"Wild Prussians!" After a moment, he cursed slightly.
It’s no wonder that His Majesty the Emperor was so angry. From the Austrian Empire’s perspective, the efforts of Prussia and other German states to establish a customs union would not only have an economic impact, but would also pose a political threat.
Since the Middle Ages, Germany has fallen into a long-term division. There are many states, and the currency and weights and measures systems are even more diverse. Each separatist force has also set up its own checkpoints to collect commercial taxes. As a result, the development of German commerce and trade has been greatly hindered. .
With the demise of the Napoleonic Empire in 1815, the national consciousness of the Germans began to rise, and the voice of the bourgeoisie became louder and louder, calling for the abolition of domestic checkpoints and the establishment of a unified German market and a unified tariff system.
At the Vienna Peace Conference, the German states were already considering the proposal to establish a unified tariff system. However, while supporting it, the monarchs of each state were somewhat hesitant about it, fearing that giving up their independent systems economically would lead to various The independence and sovereignty of the state were damaged, and a supranational Germany controlled by the bourgeoisie even emerged.
The special situation of the multi-ethnic rule of the Austrian Empire further amplified this anxiety. They were worried that the unification within Germany would eventually lead to the collapse of the empire.
Therefore, Metternich turned to delaying tactics, using empty rhetoric to prevaricate the outside world, while doing nothing, hoping to turn the proposal into a dead letter.
However, Prussia picked up this proposal. They not only hoped to unify the German market and develop the economy, but also used it as a tool to weaken Austria's influence in Germany. In 1818, Prussia promulgated a new tax law and implemented liberal taxation. and commercial policies, lifting the ban on the import of all goods, abolishing domestic taxes and commercial barriers, and establishing a unified tax system.
In the following years, they have been working hard to promote the customs union initiative, and the Principality of Hesse became the first state to waver due to its small area and high economic dependence on Prussia. Judging from the current situation, it may soon A formal proposal will be reached.
"A mere Heisen is nothing." The attendant looked at His Majesty the Emperor carefully, not daring to offend him again, "But Your Majesty, if other countries follow suit, it will inevitably put our country in a very disadvantageous position... …”
"Let Metternich apply pressure and don't let the Prussians advance." His Majesty the Emperor frowned, obviously very unhappy, "These Prussians have always been accustomed to pretending to be a big country. Without us, they can't do anything. As long as we are tough enough. , they will know good or bad.”
"Yes, Your Majesty." The attendant bowed.
=======================================
Of course, the mother and son who had left the office had no way of knowing about His Majesty the Emperor's irritation. They walked side by side along the long corridor towards Aigron's residence.
Although there had been silence between them, Aigron was in a good mood. In his heart, his opinion of Luisa was much better at this moment.
No matter what her purpose was in promoting the so-called marriage plan, in the final analysis it was considered a good intention, which at least proved that she was not completely indifferent to herself.
"Franz." When she was almost at the door, Louisa finally stopped. "I know how I treated you before, so I don't expect you to be grateful to me; what I do now may not be enough compared to a normal mother... But from my position, I have tried my best. And for.”
Aigron also stopped and looked at his mother.
The expression of the Grand Duchess at this moment was both arrogant and reserved, but also a little expectant.
"I've always been confused." He asked his mother in a low voice, "Why are you so active on this issue? You obviously don't care about me that much in normal times."
"Because you are my eldest son after all. If you can become Archduke Carl's son-in-law, then for me this will be one of the few life achievements in my ordinary life. It can also be regarded as a consolation..." Louis Sha sighed and her eyes softened a lot, "In addition, if you are noble and prosperous, the children of Count Naipeg and I can also add glory. After all, it is impossible for them to marry the royal family... If my plan succeeds, maybe They can still count on you in the future.”
According to ancient tradition, marriages only occur between royal families. After all, Count Neipeg is just an ordinary noble, so his and Louisa's children can no longer be considered members of the royal family. On the contrary, Aiglon is considered a real royal family - the Bonaparte family. They married into royal families everywhere, and so did their descendants.
This is also a different kind of "when I beat them badly enough, they will admit that I am one of them".
After hearing this, Aigron was not angry. Instead, he felt respected for his mother's frankness.
After many years of estrangement, perhaps it would be more acceptable for everyone to be honest with each other, compared to the hypocrisy of motherly kindness and sonship.
"Okay, I understand, madam." He nodded, "As long as you continue to take care of me like this, then if I can really prosper in the future, I will also support you and the count's children if I have the opportunity. I understand Be grateful, even if this kind of kindness is not pure."
