Holy Roman Empire-Chapter 1153 - 167, Various Christmas Styles

White snowflakes, colorful Christmas trees, and multicolored scenery complementing various celebration banners made this Christmas extraordinarily splendid.

As the New Year bells chimed, Franz found himself immersed in memories. He reflected upon the arduous decades he had journeyed through, which harbored countless untold stories.

This Christmas, there were no guests; aside from the essential guards, even the servants were given a holiday by Franz.

The celebration responsibilities were all handled by the younger generation—a rare reunion day required their personal involvement to be truly meaningful.

There was meaning, indeed, but things had somewhat spiraled out of control. These pampered youngsters were clearly not accustomed to such rough tasks.

Looking at the unappetizing dishes served on the table, Franz seriously doubted their edibility.

However, seeing everyone enjoying the food made Franz rest assured; after all, he was not going to eat it. At his age, suppers were no longer suitable.

Managing to live up to now was all thanks to Franz’s well-maintenance. Observing the Empress close by, she was obviously yawning incessantly. If not for the tradition, she would have probably gone to sleep.

Well, tradition is just an excuse—the main reason is that these days of reunion were now few. With the victory of the World War, the final wave of land grants was about to begin.

Laying down the path for so many years, it was now time to reap the benefits. As a major victor of the war, the Habsburg dynasty also had its share of the fruits of victory.

The vast expanses of the Holy Roman Empire now stretched even further, acquiring over twenty million square kilometers of land from the British, almost constituting two-fifths of the globe, excluding uninhabitable Antarctica.

Without resorting to colonial rule, the Central Government would not be able to manage it all.

With the evolution of the times, the cost of colonial rule was escalating and its eventual obsolescence was only a matter of time.

Especially in the Shinra occupied regions, which were mostly vast and sparsely populated, playing the game of colonial rule was economically disadvantageous.

Anyway, since Shinra was all about sub-state and feudal systems, it might as well continue down that path. Particularly for remote areas, after the land grants to deserving nobles, sending a Prince or a Royal Grandson would establish a sub-state.

Among those present, apart from the eldest son and grandson destined for the throne, the rest of the children and grandchildren had been assigned tasks by Franz.

Restricted by transportation, traveling back and forth would take a long time; this meant that family gatherings would be infrequent in the future.

However, there was no alternative; the Habsburg Family had reached this point and needed to branch out to continue to thrive.

Opportunities were handed to them on a plate—if they were not seized, what future was there to speak of?

"The love of parents for their children leads them to plan their futures deeply and meticulously." On this issue, Franz and his wife were in complete agreement.

Time ages everyone. By current life expectancy standards, both Franz and his wife were of high age. Family reunions at Christmas like this were clearly numbered.

Once the land grants were complete, the next gathering might have to wait for years, perhaps for Franz’s eightieth birthday or the twentieth anniversary of the re-establishment of the Holy Roman Empire, these universally celebrated occasions.

This was indeed a blissful worry. Many fought fiercely for a piece of land. Many families even invested the efforts of three generations without achieving their desires.

Noble families had it better. From an early age, they received military education. As long as their aptitude wasn’t too poor and they exerted themselves, entering a military academy wasn’t difficult.

Graduating from a military academy meant starting as an officer, with the network of relationships left by their forebears, they had a much higher chance of earning military distinctions on the battlefield than ordinary people.

With a bit more luck, partaking in such a large-scale war, scooping up some military achievements, and surviving successfully could earn them a foundational estate.

It was harsh for the common folk who had to start from scratch; those who made a mark were truly God’s favorites.

Though from the number of ennoblements, commoner soldiers were in the majority, hidden among them were numerous noble offshoots, middle class, capitalists, and descendants of bureaucrats.

These individuals might seem to lack a foundation in the army, but their economic bases were solid!

In the Germany Region, parents were famously willing to invest in their children’s education. In these troubled times, under the universal conscription system, military knowledge was essential.

In learning theoretical knowledge and interpersonal skills, these families’ children were not inferior to typical noble offspring.

Even many who aspired to earn nobility through military achievements, or planned long-term military careers, completed basic training before enlistment.

With these advantages, they were more likely to be promoted in the military compared to ordinary civilian families.

In fact, for those common folk who managed to stand out, their parents often had rich military careers and could impart relevant knowledge.

Unfair, indeed, but this world is inherently brutal and does not change based on individual will.

As Emperor, all Franz needed to ensure was the combat effectiveness and loyalty of the army; the background of the officers below him did not matter.

If there’s anything to blame, it’s the short duration of the World War, ending in less than a year, leaving no time for common people to grow.

Of course, this issue was definitely not to be discussed openly. No matter how small the probability, it was still a probability. Not many could jump straight to nobility, but many received a piece of land.

British-Africa, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, British Central and Southern Peninsula, as well as several islands—the lands available for distribution were numerous.

This was just the legacy left by the British; other participating nations, though not as affluent, had their bits of meat, always something to be harvested.

Newly occupied territories needed populations, and land grants for military achievements were the best opportunity to recruit immigrants. Not just for immigrants, but also for the military forces to guard these lands.

Sometimes, Franz even thought this scheme was a bit too much. However, seeing the eager response from the public, he promptly dismissed such dangerous thoughts.

It had not been many years since the abolition of serfdom, and people were still deeply obsessed with land, especially since the income and living standards of farmers were higher than those of workers.

Even the humble had their wisdom, with facts right before their eyes—higher income, better living standards, along with an inheritable estate.

To call this scheming then let there be more of it, everyone wouldn’t mind a few more parcels of land.

As for utilizing everyone to guard their territories, that was hardly an issue. Who else would guard one’s own land if not themselves?

…

While some rejoiced, others were disheartened. As Franz pondered the foreseeable future of infrequent gatherings, Buckingham Palace was shrouded in gloom.

Although mentally prepared, King Edward VII could not help but be deeply saddened by Britannia’s actual surrender.

With such a somber mood, this Christmas was naturally difficult to enjoy. Even this year’s Santa Claus lacked the usual flair.

Summarizing experience, seeking countermeasures, and preparing for a comeback—none of these have any significance.

On this island nation, failure is not an option. In Britannia, with its limited land and sparse population, the tolerance for error is exceedingly low; defeat means losing everything.

Especially since, over the past few centuries, Britannia has drawn the world’s ire to the maximum, making a resurgence even more difficult.

Even insider trading, relying on buying off the Vienna Government to preserve The British Isles, cannot change the reality of Britannia’s decline.

Thinking of Edward VII is depressing; despite doing well, even excellently, he unfortunately became the terminator of the Victorian Era.

Fortunately, Brittania operates under a constitutional monarchy, with the Cabinet taking the brunt upfront, attracting the public’s ire.

As is well known, the King has grown old, his health in the past year has not allowed him to attend to state affairs, which has nothing to do with this war.

Of course, the most important reason Edward VII could withdraw unscathed is the will of the Continental Alliance, or rather, the deliberate leniency by the Vienna Government.

The deal between Vienna and the British Government has just been reached and is currently ongoing; a stable Britannia is now needed.

Compared to changing the Prime Minister, changing the King would have a greater impact, and might directly lead to Britannia’s collapse.

As the victor of the war, the Holy Roman Empire has too many interests to secure and has no time to waste on the British in the short term. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

Additionally, another crucial reason is to preserve Britannia’s corrupt bureaucratic system.

Every established empire has various problems; oftentimes, reforming is more difficult than rebuilding, especially since the colonial era has ended and internal conflicts cannot be transferred abroad, making reforms even more challenging.

This is an overt plot, but Edward VII and the British Government couldn’t refuse, as a member of the vested interest group, you surely can’t overthrow your own regime!

The current Prime Minister Campbell is the leader of the Reformist faction; during his term, he patched up the Great Britain Empire significantly, achieving remarkable results.

Had it not been for this war, his historical evaluation wouldn’t be low; he could even have become the greatest president of Britain.

However, the problem is that Campbell is too capable. If a mediocre Prime Minister was in office, perhaps the World War wouldn’t have erupted so soon.

History is always full of comedic elements; if turned into a movie, people would likely find it unbelievable, completely different from daily perceptions.

A capable King and a capable Prime Minister brought the slowly declining Great Britain Empire back onto its path, yet also directly plummeted into a profound abyss from another route.

It’s incredible to think about, yet it happened in reality. If not for Campbell’s reforms, Britannia would still be idly fishing in the free trade system, completely oblivious to its market being eroded.

The Vienna Government could replace the Great Britain Empire gradually, like boiling frogs in warm water, naturally avoiding the use of force. After all, wars cost money.

Destined to be a sleepless Christmas Eve, Edward VII is having a tough time, and the British Government is even more tragic; nobody is prepared for the holiday, not even a Christmas tree in the Prime Minister’s residence.

As the tragedy of the era, the Campbell Government now has one last mission: sign the surrender document and shoulder the burden of defeat.

And then, that’s it. Once the dust settles it will be time for the new government to step in and specifically enforce the treaty.

Listening to the New Year’s bells, Campbell said helplessly, "After Christmas, the Vienna Peace Conference is about to start, the Foreign Ministry should promptly send someone to attend!"

Christmas doesn’t take a holiday; instead, it involves discussing governmental affairs, which is somewhat ironic.

However, as a defeated country, the Campbell Government has no choice. The war has just ended, and all sorts of troubles have come knocking. There are a multitude of issues piled up, leaving no time for a holiday.

Even such originally eagerly participated international events now lack volunteers, forcing the Department of Foreign Affairs to pick an unfortunate delegate.

In this regard, the Vienna Government is quite accommodating. It doesn’t matter who is sent or the level of representation, as long as someone can sign on behalf of the Great Britain Empire.

This is crucial for the Campbell Government. Although their reputation is tarnished, having one fewer document to sign is better than having more.

People forget, and time can dilute everything. Especially for other members of the Cabinet, reducing their presence could likely lead to them being forgotten by the public within three to five years.

Only the Prime Minister and the signatories, especially those who signed the surrender documents, are remembered, almost certainly labeled as "traitors."

This is also a way the British Government acknowledges the times. Just like in World War I, since the Germans surrendered, the Allied Powers decided not to pursue war criminals.

If the British Government had chosen to fight to the end, it would have faced a World War II scenario. As leaders of the defeated country, they would inevitably face military tribunals.

"Alright, Prime Minister. I’ll arrange it and ensure it doesn’t cause any delays,"

said Foreign Minister Adam calmly. After all, the ceasefire conditions were secretly agreed upon long ago, and the Vienna Peace Conference was just making some detailed adjustments.

As a defeated nation, Britain had no say in the Vienna Peace Conference; it didn’t matter who was sent.

It’s tough for the government’s higher-ups, and the ordinary people did not have a good Christmas either. The war has ended, but the trade blockades by various countries have not yet been lifted.

The reserves in The British Isles were already depleted, and items like candies, coffee, tea, cigarettes, and beverages had become luxury goods.

Even though the British Government increased the supply of goods for Christmas celebration, each person only received an extra liter of milk, a 300-gram piece of bread, and a small dried fish, while other food items continued to be potatoes, corn, soybeans, and other grains.

Not only was the quantity of supplied goods insufficient, but their quality was also poor, tasting almost like feed.

Given last year’s government legislation that mandated slaughtering livestock and banned brewing, the relief food being distributed might very well be livestock feed.

Having food to eat was fortunate enough during the war, with no room for choosiness. As long as the enemy continues the blockade, The British Isles’ supply of resources won’t return to normal anytime soon.

...

Deep in the alley, within an ordinary small yard, the James family was experiencing this unusual Christmas.

Looking at the food on the table, a forced smile on James’s face hid his collapsing heart.

To properly celebrate this Christmas, he had run to three black markets, but being strapped for cash, had to stop because of the high prices.

There were no candies, no cakes, and certainly no turkey, just a few pieces of bread and a box of milk, plus one roasted potato per person.

This standard was the pre-war living condition for the poorest citizens. The slightly better-off families like James’s had a better everyday living standard, with sauces being a requisite part of each meal.

Watching his usually picky son eating happily now, James could only feel a deep sadness.