I Am the Crown Prince in France

Chapter 419 Difficulties in transitioning from luxury to frugality

"Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"

"Silesia will always belong to Austria!"

"Destroy the Prussian bandits, and the glory of His Majesty the Emperor will surely shine on Silesia!"

"Crown King of Silesia..."

Outside the Schönbrunn Palace Square, waves of excited cheers entered the conference hall on the second floor.

Leopold II, who was discussing the armistice plan with Count Ferenc and Baron Turgut, frowned. He took a few steps to the window and saw a dark crowd surging towards Schönbrunn Palace in the distance.

He turned to look at the attendant on the side: "What are they shouting? What happened?"

The latter hurriedly went out to inquire, and soon returned with a guard officer, bowing and saying: "Your Majesty, it seems that people are celebrating a great victory."

"A great victory? What great victory?"

The officer immediately said: "Your Majesty, there is news that Marshal Lacy defeated the Prussians in Lignitz and advanced the front to the southwest of Breslau..."

Turgust almost couldn't help laughing, and hurriedly lowered his head while holding his breath. Breslau is located in the hinterland of Silesia and is the capital of Silesia. At present, the Austrian army is blocked at the Lignitz border and cannot move forward. The person who spread the rumors did not use his brain and directly helped Lacy sweep through the entire province.

Leopold II rolled his eyes at the Foreign Minister and said angrily: "I didn't pay attention to those rumors at first, but I didn't expect that some people would believe them."

Hearing the cheers getting louder and louder, he said to the officer irritably: "What are you still doing standing here? Send someone immediately to refute the rumors and disperse the crowd."

Of course, the rumor of the so-called "Victory of Lignitz" was spread by Joseph, the ambassador to Austria, Baron Alphonse. But this is just an appetizer.

In Schönbrunn Palace, Baron Ferrari, the staunch anti-Prussian minister, was waving the "Vienna Daily News" in his hand, standing on the stairs and shouting: "Great victory! Silesia has never been so close to its return!"

He distributed the newspaper to the dozens of nobles in front of him: "Look, it's all written in the newspaper.

"Oh, I suggest that everyone donate to Marshal Lacy's army. I will donate 300 florins first."

The nobles immediately flipped through the newspapers and talked excitedly: "Marshal Lacy is so awesome, he killed 4,000 Prussian dogs!"

"We really won the battle, great!"

And those nobles who had watched the news this morning were already asking their servants to pay: "For Silesia, I will also donate 300 florins."

"I donate 500 florins to the warriors of Lignitz..."

In this era without the Internet, newspapers are people's most authoritative source of information. Especially for such major events, no one will doubt it at all - after all, the secret police will strictly review every word.

In fact, let alone the end of the 18th century, even in the early 20th century, courts would even use the contents of newspapers as evidence to make judgments.

Under Ferrari's vigorous publicity, Schönbrunn Palace soon became excited. Although those nobles with military background were skeptical about the news, no one dared to say a word of doubt at this time - they would probably be beaten up by the fanatical people.

The officer who went to refute the rumor was about to take the order and go out, but Baron Turgut suddenly thought of something, frowned and stopped him, then leaned close to Leopold II and whispered: "Your Majesty, I am afraid it is not appropriate to directly refute the rumor now."

"Oh why?"

"Think about it, what would Baron Duden say to those people outside..."

Leopold II hesitated and immediately frowned. Yes, what should I say? The great victory is all a rumor, but Austria is actually not as brave as the rumors say? Saying that Lacy has been fighting in Lignitz for almost a year with an army of 100,000, and is still lingering on the Silesian border? Say you are all gone, Silesia won't be able to get it back in a short time?

Because of His Majesty the Emperor's reforms, Austria's people are already in a state of unrest, and all forces are full of resentment. If the government is announced in a big way at this time to be so incompetent, big trouble will immediately occur. Especially the independent nobles in Hungary have been waiting for such an opportunity. They might be inspired to start a rebellion...

Human nature is what it is.

If Austria keeps pulling its hips, people will become numb. But suddenly someone told them that Austria had risen and the heavenly army was invincible, so their requirements would immediately be raised. At this time, if you try to get them to go back and accept the reality of Austria's crotch pulling, they will only fall into anger and despair.

"etc!"

Leopold II wiped off the cold sweat, hurriedly called the officer, and then ordered the attendant: "Gather the ministers together, this matter must be discussed seriously."

The pro-British Count Ferenc on the side suddenly became anxious: "Your Majesty, if we don't refute the rumors, how can we sign an armistice agreement with Prussia?"

He knew very well that if everyone in Austria believed that Marshal Lacy had recaptured Lignitz, then all Austria should do was to take advantage of the situation and capture Breslau in one fell swoop.

Anyone who dares to propose peace at this time will definitely be accused as a traitor by the whole country.

Even if the excuse is that Austria is financially strapped and has to temporarily cease the war, then after the two countries withdraw their troops, where will the Lignitz captured by Lacy be?

You can’t say that you gave it back to the damn Prussians again, right?

Leopold II waved his hand impatiently: "The armistice should also be discussed at the Imperial Council."

Then he slammed the door and walked out.

Just after noon, the "culprit" of the fake news case, Viscount Malte, was brought before Leopold II by the Austrian secret police chief, Marquis Hartmann.

The poor head of news review only knew that a businessman named Kugel asked him to help his nephew who smuggled banned books and periodicals get away with playing in the "Red Boots" for a whole day.

Then Malte's entourage and Harper, the assistant to the news review officer, were interrogated. The former said that he was robbed and tied up in the alley until this morning when he was rescued.

The latter said that he saw the note signed by Malte, which allowed the news of the "Great Victory" to pass the review.

Under the urging of Leopold II, the Austrian secret police became extremely efficient, and the preliminary investigation results were placed on his desk at noon the next day.

"That Kugel's hometown is Szolnok, and he came to Vienna three years ago." Marquis Hartmann reported, "He bought the Life and Truth newspaper a week ago, and the fake news first came out of this newspaper.

"According to the confession of Viscount Malte's entourage, one of the people who robbed him inadvertently brought out a little Hungarian accent.

"These people should be the ones who forged Viscount Malte's signature."

Leopold II stared at the report on the table with a gloomy face: "So, this matter is related to the Hungarians?"

"It seems so, Your Majesty."