Chapter 3, Legendary Figures - Archduke Carl

After much persuasion, Franz barely managed to convince his mother, earning the freedom to arrange his schedule, though he still had to attend classes, just fewer of them.

For instance, classes he deemed less useful, such as religious studies, language classes, and art classes, had been scaled down. If not for Sophie's insistence, he would have even cut back on his political science classes.

Mainly because the content was still a century old, such as: the nobility's supreme standing, the sacredness of knightly spirit...

The Emperor of academics that Franz was most interested in was now reduced to an abridged version, stripped of all cunning schemes, leaving only an impression of regal dominance.

For example, "The Emperor's awe-inspiring might alone was enough to make all heroes bow down and swear fealty."

...

Was this not cultivating an Emperor rather than cheating the populace?

If an Emperor were to be educated by these standards, then with Austria's complex situation, another head would likely roll on the guillotine.

It's now 1846, and barring any accident, Franz would inherit this ancient empire in just two years, leaving him with little time.

Get involved in politics ahead of time?

That was obviously out of the question. Any attempt to change the course of history would introduce uncertainty to the future; Franz wouldn't risk it before his accession.

Naturally, he couldn't get involved even if he wanted to. How much political clout could a 16-year-old boy have?

Even if Franz was the Crown Prince, it couldn't change the hard fact of his age.

However, that didn't prevent him from making moves behind the scenes, which was often much more effective than charging directly to the forefront.

For instance, Franz was now going to visit a major figure, a legend of Austria—Archduke Carl.

As the most legendary general of the Allied Forces during the Anti-French Wars, defeating the French army multiple times and rising to the rank of Marshal by the age of 25, Carl was the only commander whom Napoleon truly feared.

If not for the incompetence of the Vienna Government, which squandered a winning hand, the Anti-French Wars might not have needed the Russians to turn the tide and could have ended earlier, sparing Austria from losing the Netherlands region.

Such a Marshal was naturally not heading towards a good outcome, especially since Archduke Carl was also a member of the royal family.

Luckily, this was the European Continent, and the Austrian Emperor Franz I was merely the protagonist's grandfather, not notably ruthless, allowing this high-achieving Marshal to stay active until now.

Being a military strongman didn't equate to being a political powerhouse. After using him to reform the Austrian army, his political enemies employed some clever maneuvers to make him resign and go home.

Archduke Carl then retreated to his home and devoted himself to studying military theory, producing works such as "On the Tactics of Generals", "The Strategic Principles of the German War Situation from 1796", and "The War History of Germany and Switzerland in 1799".

Thus was born a military strategist. Archduke Carl believed that military science consisted of two parts: strategy and tactics.

Strategy was the science of the highest commander, tasked with drafting war plans and determining military actions. Tactics were the art of commanders at all levels, subordinate to strategy.

Both strategy and tactics were composed of certain rules or principles. A critical principle of military science is: to accurately calculate the forces and weapons available to achieve a predetermined objective, where the force must be proportionate to the objective.

No matter the number of troops, only their timely deployment at the decisive moment can maximize effectiveness.

Therefore, correctly judging the timing and concentrating forces at the moment they can achieve the greatest effect is the most efficient way to secure victory.

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Another key point is, at decisive locations, create an overwhelming advantage over the enemy. Military strength refers not only to the number of troops but also includes army morale, command ability, and terrain conditions.

At the same time, he divided combat types into offensive and defensive, believing that the offensive is generally more advantageous and pointing out that defensive combat is only meaningful when it is intended to transition to an offensive.

He also clearly introduced the concept of a reserve force, explicitly stating that whether on the offensive or defensive, a reserve must always be kept in case of unforeseen situations on the battlefield.

Archduke Carl believed that the fate of the nation and the lives of millions hinge on the commander, but commanders are not born; they are made through knowledge and experience.

A true commander must deeply understand the essence of war, seriously study the laws of war, and learn and apply both their own and others' experiences in practice to master the various military principles.

Not to utilize such a military genius would be simply unworthy of a transmigrator's reputation.

Military reform is not just about being correct; conservative forces within the army are often stronger than one might imagine, something Franz knew all too well.

Any reform is bound to offend interest groups. Naturally, backlash is inevitable, and Franz indicated that he was not yet ready to shoulder that burden.

For instance, if Franz proposed a reform of the staff system, everyone would likely laugh it off, and some might even tell the foolish child to go and play elsewhere.

But if it were Archduke Carl, the reaction would be different. Whether people agree or not, they would have to sit down and seriously consider it.

"Please wait a moment, Your Highness; the master will be out shortly!"

The housekeeper said politely, his voice tinged with unease. Franz was no ordinary Grand Duke, and was it really all right to keep him waiting like this?

However, for Archduke Carl, these matters were trivial. In terms of royal lineage, he was of Franz's grandfather's generation.

Setting that aside, given his influence in the Empire army, Franz had no choice but to show him due respect, especially since Franz had come to visit under the pretext of learning about the military.

"It's no problem; I'll wait here. Oh, and get me a pot of tea; I don't feel like drinking coffee lately!" Franz said with a slight smile.

He wasn't the least bit angry. After all, the old man was going to die next year; there was no point in quarreling with a dead man.

Time hurried by, and more than an hour passed in the blink of an eye. Franz was still there, sipping his tea and reading the newspaper, showing no sign of impatience.

"Little Franz, long time no see, you've grown so tall!"

A hearty voice rang out. Franz knew it was Archduke Carl. No one else here would dare to speak to him like that.

"Your Excellency the Marshal, could you please omit the 'little' when you address me? I am already 16 years old!" Franz said, somewhat resigned.

"Is that so? My Little Franz has grown up. So, what brings you to me today?" Archduke Carl asked with concern.

Franz didn't mind the details of how Archduke Carl spoke. Little Franz it was, for who else but the brother of Franz's grandfather could Carl be?

"Your Excellency the Marshal, I have read your military works and came specially to seek enlightenment!"

"Tell me, what don't you understand, that you need me to explain?" Archduke Carl said with a hearty laugh.

"It's about your views on commanding. I find that the Empire army is sorely lacking in this aspect and has not addressed this issue at its core!" Franz began.

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