Holy Roman Empire-Chapter 1043 - 57, The Super Long Internship

Chapter 1043 -57, The Super Long Internship

With the accumulation of hatred, the situation in France further deteriorated. The Tsarist Government’s expected autumn wind sweeping the fallen leaves did not occur; instead, it was like stepping into a quagmire.

Military suppression was effective in cities, but once it moved to the countryside, the scenario changed. The French resorted to guerrilla warfare, relying on the terrain, which caused the Russian Army much distress.

While 200,000 Russian troops seemed ample, they were clearly insufficient to control the entirety of France.

Especially after Spain reduced its garrison numbers and contracted its defensive perimeter, the pressure on Russian forces increased significantly.

Without a choice, France’s Resistance Organization made the Russians their primary target. Most attacks were aimed at Russian troops, while other controlled regions remained relatively quiet.

No one likes to court trouble. Although everyone was allies against France, since the Tsarist Government did not ask for help, other countries were more than happy to stand by and watch.

...

“Call for aid,” may seem simple, just a telegram away, but taking that step was not easy.

It was an open secret that the Tsarist Government wanted to use the French to establish its authority. To call for allies’ aid after just a slight setback would be akin to slapping its own face.

It was more than just a loss of face; it was about the Russian Empire’s status within the Continental Alliance.

In an era where international standing and military might were equivalent, the amount of influence you had was directly proportional to your strength. Without strength, nothing stands firm.

Realizing that the French were not to be trifled with, the Tsarist Government found itself in a dilemma. To choose compromise now would not only bring embarrassment and a drop in status internationally but would also cause the Tsar’s prestige to plummet at home.

The Russian bureaucrats were smart people and certainly would not spoil the mood by suggesting compromise with the French or asking for aid from the allies.

Whatever the circumstance, in the eyes of the bureaucrats, political correctness always came first; everything else was a minor issue.

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Moreover, with the strength of the Russian Empire, as long as they were willing to commit resources, suppressing the Resistance Organization was simply a matter of capability.

On this issue, the Tsarist Government was quite experienced. Poland, Bulgaria, Afghanistan—none were easily governed, but didn’t they all eventually submit under the Tsarist iron fist?

Whether genuine submission or feigned compliance, these regions appeared stable, at least on the surface. Even if guerrillas still existed, they were hiding in ravines.

For the Tsarist Government, achieving this much was sufficient. As long as they stabilized the situation enough to give a decent account to their allies, matters were considered concluded.

In fact, if it wasn’t for the international community’s watchful eye, the Tsarist Government would not mind giving up the “insignificant rural areas,” just occupying the wealthier area of Paris.

…

The chaos in France did not affect Shinra. Though humanity was moving towards globalization, from the outbreak of European wars, normal trade with France had been disrupted.

After the war, France was left devastated; even if trade resumed, there would not be much. All economic pain had exploded during the previous economic crisis, leaving current impacts almost negligible.

Entering 1896, the Holy Roman Empire, having emerged from the economic crisis, boarded the fast train to development once again.

A new five-year plan was being earnestly formulated. Only this time, Franz was no longer the orchestrator.

Time flies, and Crown Prince Frederick, now at the age of no doubt, began to gradually take over state affairs.

In fact, Crown Prince Frederick had started engaging in state affairs twenty years earlier, though back then, he was just a trainee doing menial tasks.

This traineeship lasted twenty years, arguably the longest in history. If an ordinary position required a twenty-year internship, anyone would go mad.

But the Emperor’s job is clearly an exception; many crown princes historically had excessively long waits. Without ample patience, one could not endure until succession.

Compared to the prince in later generations, who at an advanced age still held the title of regent, Crown Prince Frederick in his mature years truly seemed young.

In a certain sense, both Charles and Frederick were fortunate. In the European world where inheritance laws were deeply ingrained in people’s minds, a crown prince would not be brought down as long as he did not court death himself.

In the Eastern world, being constantly watched by a group of younger brothers, facing unending schemes and plots, would be the true miracle if one wasn’t driven mad.

Taking the plan handed over by his son, Franz quickly perused it and suddenly stopped at the third page.

“Intensifying the development of the oil and chemical industry, state your reasons?”

Policies are not inherently right or wrong; it’s about whether they are appropriate. Adopting different policies based on actual circumstances in various periods is what a policymaker ought to do.

Even the best policies, if applied at the wrong time, would spell disaster for the nation.

Everyone knows the big principles, but when it comes to implementation, things change. Because of interests, policymakers must consider many more factors when formulating national policies.

Exactly how to grasp this can only be determined by adapting to the specific circumstances at hand. What seemed like a casual inquiry was actually a test for his son.

“In recent years, the domestic internal combustion engine industry has been booming, and the oil and chemical industry has been riding the wave.

However, during the development and utilization process, severe resource waste has occurred. The chemical byproducts produced in the refining process have mostly been wasted.

On the one hand, the technology is not mature enough, making the cost of developing and utilizing byproducts too high; on the other hand, the supporting industries have not been able to develop, leading to connectivity issues.

This is a massive industrial chain. Once developed, it could create at least millions of jobs and have a very significant boost to our economy.

The second reason is that the royal family controls most of the domestic oil fields. Once the oil and chemical industry develops, our profits will be substantial.”

Crown Prince Frederick responded calmly. Clearly, such conversations had taken place between father and son many times before.

Unlike talking to others, where there is a need to beat around the bush or play coy, there was no need for subtleties or hiding anything between father and son.

While pushing for national economic development, making a fortune along the way was all part of the routine. As the rulemakers, it’s really not hard to get rich.

The rapid growth of the Royal Consortium, aside from Franz’s foresight in early arrangement, also owed much to an understanding of national policy.

While not profiting specifically from the policies, the economic policies themselves were initiated by Franz, and the priority development industries overlapped with the potential industries he had laid out. It couldn’t get any more normal than that.

Franz nodded and then shook his head, “In theory, there’s no problem. However, once the oil and chemical industry develops, it’s inappropriate for the royal family to control so many oil fields.

Promote related companies to go public, go through several rounds of financing, and reduce the royal family’s visible shareholding.

Since you brought this up, you will now handle these tasks. After the companies are listed, form an industry association, and raise the industry entry barrier.”

Since ancient times, monopolies have never ended well, even for the royal family. While no one dares to make a fuss during Franz’s reign, the future is uncertain.

The best approach is to hide industries early on. Just like those major financial conglomerates in later generations, everyone knows the great names like Morgan and Rockefeller, but no one knows exactly what industries they own.

Those listed on the wealth rankings are all new entrepreneurs, while the old wealth families are nowhere to be found. Even if their descendants are profligate, it’s inconceivable that all would decline without a survivor, isn’t it?

The only explanation is that they’ve gone underground. After all, controlling a country’s economic lifeline from the shadows is much safer than being active in the public eye.

Going public is undoubtedly a good choice. While sharing the cake and building alliances, one can also round up a large amount of capital from the market.

The cashed-out funds can then be invested into new industries to continue building wealth. The snowball gets bigger and bigger this way.

“The way of Heaven is to take from what has excess to supplement what is lacking; the way of humans is to take from what is lacking to serve what has excess.”

“The strong are always strong, the rich get richer,” that’s the essence of the world, never changed by personal will.

Franz is not a saint and does not have the courage to go against the world. Since he cannot change the world, then he must adapt to it.

Having these industries in one’s own hands is always better than falling into the hands of profit-driven capitalists. At least the Royal Consortium needs to consider national stability, not just blindly chase after profits.

“Alright, Father.”

As he replied, Crown Prince Frederick’s expression changed slightly and his voice trembled a bit before returning to normal.

It was clear that his heart was not calm, but he forcefully suppressed his emotions to maintain a composed image.

After all, the royal family’s oil industries control nearly half of the world’s oil production capacity. Even though the oil industry only began to emerge in the 19th century, it was surely a huge entity.

Suddenly managing such a vast industry would unsettle anyone. It was no easy task for Frederick to hold back.

Franz nodded satisfactorily at this scene. It’s good to be patient; nothing worries an Emperor more than impulsiveness.

To this day, money is merely a number to Franz. No amount of wealth would stir him.

By comparison, a qualified successor is the most important thing.