Chapter 0659: Questioning the Emperor

"Oh my God! Are the French fools? How could they agree to such harsh demands from the Germans? Don't they realize that by accepting these terms, they are no different from a vanquished nation? To lose all their colonies, half their territory, and bear the heavy burden of war reparations... France will be reduced to a third-rate power!" Crown Prince Karl exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief and sorrow, as though lamenting France's inexplicable submission to Germany's terms.

"Your Highness, the French had no choice but to yield to Germany's demands. If they refused, the German army would have continued its advance, and the French could no longer withstand the German onslaught. Should they reject the terms and break off negotiations, they would soon be annihilated by Germany," Ambassador Jüngenbrugger explained solemnly.

"Indeed, Your Highness," Baron Leopold von Berchtold, the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister, added thoughtfully. "Given the circumstances, their compliance makes sense. By agreeing to the terms, France can survive, at least for now. Should Germany weaken in the future, they may have the chance to recover lost territories. However, if Germany were to annihilate them outright, the consequences would be far worse."

"But the damned Germans, to sign a peace treaty with the French behind our backs! The benefits that the French surrendered should have been shared with Austria-Hungary, but now Germany has taken them all for themselves! They are so greedy, so shameless. The alliance expressly forbade any nation from negotiating peace with the enemy alone. Yet Germany has broken that pact!" Crown Prince Karl gritted his teeth, his voice seething with anger.

Upon hearing how much Germany had extracted from France, he felt a deep sense of injustice. Though Austria-Hungary had contributed little to the conflict with France, Karl remained steadfast in his belief that the spoils from the war should have been shared with them. Germany's unilateral peace negotiations, excluding Austria-Hungary, was a betrayal.

Baron von Berchtold listened with growing concern. If Crown Prince Karl insisted on this line of thinking, the relationship between Austria-Hungary and Germany could suffer irreparable damage. With Germany's overwhelming strength, even an Austria-Hungary twice as powerful would still be no match for them. 

"Your Highness," the Baron interjected gently, "the Emperor has instructed us not to provoke the Germans, but instead to repair relations with them as best we can. This approach is ultimately in the best interest of the Empire."

"I understand," the Crown Prince replied stubbornly. "But the Empire's interests cannot be overlooked."

Seeing that Karl was resolute, the Baron chose not to argue further.

Later that evening, after the Crown Prince retired to rest, Baron von Berchtold and Ambassador Jüngenbrugger exchanged their concerns privately.

"Baron," Jüngenbrugger said with a worried expression, "I fear the Crown Prince may provoke the Germans. I've learned much in Berlin, and it seems the German political and military circles hold Austria-Hungary in contempt. They believe we contributed little to the war and merely hindered them. As a result, they have increasingly disregarded us. If Austria-Hungary hopes to gain more in future negotiations, it will be extremely difficult."

"I know," sighed the Baron. "But the Crown Prince is so obstinate. I can only hope he knows where to draw the line."

The Baron reflected on the history of the Austro-Hungarian Empire's succession. It seemed as if the throne had been cursed. The first heir, Franz Joseph I's son, had tragically taken his own life. His successor, the Emperor's nephew, was assassinated. Now, the Crown Prince, Franz Joseph's great-grandson, lacked the character and ability to carry the imperial mantle. Yet with time running out, no better candidate had emerged, as the Emperor's health was failing.

That evening, Emperor Qin Tian hosted a banquet at the palace to welcome the Austro-Hungarian delegation. During the banquet, he spoke warmly of the enduring friendship between Germany and Austria-Hungary, and expressed his hope that their alliance would continue to thrive.

The festivities were filled with pleasant exchanges, but as the night wore on and the wine flowed, Crown Prince Karl requested a tour of the palace gardens.

Qin Tian, though surprised by the request, smiled and agreed, offering to accompany him.

He was familiar with Karl's character and knew that the request was likely a pretext. Karl had something else on his mind, and Qin Tian was eager to understand his true intentions. Only by learning what the Crown Prince sought could he devise an appropriate response.

"Your Majesty, congratulations on the victory your country has secured in this war," Crown Prince Karl began, his tone polite yet heavy with implication. "Though the war is not yet over, I believe your country's final victory is beyond question."

"Indeed, I share that belief," Qin Tian replied. "But Germany and Austria-Hungary are allies, both forged by the Germanic peoples. The victory of the German Empire is also the victory of Austria-Hungary."

"Your Majesty's thoughts are most agreeable," Karl responded. "However, recent actions by the German Empire have failed to consider the interests of Austria-Hungary, which has deeply disappointed us."

"Your Highness, what do you mean?" Qin Tian feigned ignorance, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"I have heard that your country has concluded negotiations with France and signed a peace treaty," Karl said, his gaze fixed intently on Qin Tian. "But the alliance specifically forbade any nation from negotiating separately with the enemy."

Qin Tian smiled and responded calmly, "Yes, the alliance did contain such a provision. However, while Austria-Hungary declared war on France, no troops were sent to fight. Therefore, France was only your nominal enemy."