Chapter 133: Seeking Help from Britain?

"What? What kind of logic is that? Are you saying that the great Austrian Empire's army is inferior to those Frenchmen?" Emperor Francis II's eyes were bloodshot as he glared angrily at Prince Windisch-Grätz, looking as though he was about to devour him.

This was definitely not the answer he wanted to hear. In his mind, the Austrian army had always been known for its bravery and skill in battle. He could not tolerate anyone saying that his soldiers were inferior, especially to the damned French.

Hearing this, Prince Windisch-Grätz could only lower his head and say no more. He knew that Emperor Francis II's stubborn temper had flared up again, and arguing would not lead to any good outcome.

"Your Majesty, it is useless to pursue this any further now. Our army has been scattered, and we need to do everything we can to rescue them. We cannot let them be slaughtered by the French army; otherwise, our losses will only increase," said Austrian Chancellor Josip Jelačić, stepping forward to help his friend in distress.

Emperor Francis II's face immediately turned even grimmer. To decisively defeat Napoleon, he had sent 200,000 troops to fight in Italy, including two elite Hungarian hussar divisions. These troops represented nearly a third of Austria's combat power. If all these men were lost in Italy, it would be a tremendous blow to Austria.

"So what should we do? Should we immediately redeploy troops from the Balkans?" asked Emperor Francis II. This was his first reaction.

Although Austria had suffered heavy losses in the war, it was not yet a crippling blow. Austria could still arm more troops and send them into the fray at any time.

"Your Majesty, if we redeploy troops from the Balkans to Italy, it will take at least a month. Furthermore, due to the threat from the Turks, we cannot pull too many troops from there, or it will endanger our borders. But the previous battles have already proven that the French army's combat power is exceptionally strong. If we send too few troops, they may still be defeated," Chancellor Josip Jelačić explained.

"Then, what do you suggest? Should we surrender to those bastards? That's impossible. I will never do that," Emperor Francis II's face was filled with rage. He was the Holy Roman Emperor, the ruler of Central Europe, and he would never accept such an outcome.

"Your Majesty, we could negotiate with the French government to rescue our 200,000 troops who are currently surrounded," suggested one of the military officers standing nearby.

Emperor Francis II shot him a contemptuous glance and retorted, "Do you think those people are fools? They have already won; why would they agree to our demands? Moreover, although Austria is in a disadvantageous position in this war, we will never surrender easily."

Francis II fully understood that the current French government was entirely different from the chaotic regime of Louis's time. The new French government was vigorous and robust, like a youthful, strong individual. Defeating such a nation would require much more effort and resources.

"Now, we already have large swathes of territory occupied by those French bastards. If we initiate peace talks, they will never return those lands to us. Italy is a territory that the Empire acquired at a great cost, and we absolutely cannot hand it back to them so easily—never! Therefore, we must continue this war and win it," Francis II was no fool.

He knew that to defend Austria's interests, they had to secure a victory on the battlefield. Otherwise, losing significant interests was inevitable, and such an outcome was unacceptable to him.

The Austrian military and political officials nodded in agreement, but they all knew that with Austria's current capabilities, winning this war would be challenging.

"Your Majesty, we don't have the funds to mobilize the army. The national treasury is already depleted," the Austrian Minister of Finance said softly.

Although Austria was vast and resource-rich, it also had many expenses. The ongoing conflict with the Turks in the Balkans and the standoff with the Russians near the western border required substantial financial resources. Additionally, the extravagant spending of the Austrian royal family had strained the country's finances, which had always been less than ideal.

Before the war, Austria's domestic economy could barely maintain a balanced budget, but with the outbreak of war, expenditures soared, nearly causing Austria's finances to collapse. Fortunately, they had received a "war support" loan from the British before the conflict began. However, this loan was already exhausted in the early stages of the war. Without funds, the Austrian government could not mobilize their troops and continue the fight.

Upon hearing his finance minister's words, Emperor Franz II's face darkened ominously.

"We must find a way to borrow more money from the British. We need enough funds to fight this war! This war is crucial because it concerns our honor," Franz II said through gritted teeth.

Although he knew it would be difficult, as the British were known for their shrewdness—supporting Austria when it suited them to counterbalance France, but turning away the moment Austria became a liability—Franz II was determined to see this war through.

"Yes, Your Majesty. The Foreign Ministry will contact the British, but whether they will agree to lend us money, that remains uncertain," Foreign Minister Izvor replied.

"Do your best!" Franz II said, clenching his teeth.

Despite the challenges, he had already resolved to persevere in this war, even if they did not receive British assistance.

"We need to mobilize more troops and win this war! The Army Department must prepare the troop mobilization plan and dispatch forces to the Italian region. No matter what, we cannot allow those men to occupy Austrian territory. It belongs to Austria," Emperor Franz II emphasized.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Prince Windischgrätz breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving the order. For now, it seemed Franz II had not yet changed his mind.

"Your Majesty, there is another issue. Our forces in Italy are critically depleted. Archduke Karl does not have enough troops to withstand the French advance. We must find a way to stall the French," Prince Windischgrätz said, opening the discussion.

After hearing Prince Windischgrätz's words, Franz II furrowed his brow. It was indeed a critical issue—there were large numbers of French troops in the Italian theater, while Austria's forces were severely depleted. This was highly disadvantageous for Austria.

"Do you have any suggestions?" Nicholas II asked.

"As Prime Minister previously mentioned, we can stabilize the situation with the French through diplomatic negotiations to buy time for mobilizing our troops. Of course, whether the French government will accept is uncertain. They hold the advantage on the battlefield. If they refuse, perhaps we can request British intervention in this war. Though the French are strong, I doubt they would risk confronting two European powers simultaneously," Prince Windischgrätz suggested.

"And if they refuse?" Franz II asked. He knew that if he were in their position, he wouldn't agree to negotiate at this point. It was clear to everyone that it was just a stalling tactic.

"Your Majesty, what we need most right now is time. In that case, why not make more efforts and try harder?" Prince Windischgrätz asked with a hint of doubt.

Franz II nodded. "Minister of Foreign Affairs, contact the British. When requesting a loan from them, also request their mediation in this war. Let them know that the Austrian Empire desires peace."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Foreign Minister Izvor nodded and replied.