Chapter 17: Within Reason, Beyond Expectation

“25 to 10! How is this possible!”

The time rewinds fifteen minutes.

The beautiful dancer, Ajani, wearing a red and white off-the-shoulder dance dress, held the ballot box against her chest.

The rhythmic rise and fall of her chest caused the hearts of the delegates preparing to vote to flutter, leaving them momentarily unsure of where to cast their eyes.

Ajani’s gait was truly swaying and graceful. The Bavarian representative exclaimed that this woman could not be allowed into Bavaria, otherwise their King would surely stir up a new scandal.

What they did not know was that this French beauty before them was actually the leader of the current Polish Restoration Army. She was the wife of the former commander of the Polish Freedom Army, Agata Borkini, and the mother of a four-year-old girl.

After the failure of the Polish Uprising in 1830, a large number of Polish soldiers were massacred or exiled. This included Madame Agata's husband. After he left, she decided to continue his cause and became the leader of the Polish Restoration Army.

However, under Russia's bloody suppression, the soldiers of the Polish Restoration Army were slaughtered, and their assets were completely lost.

To support the thousands of Polish Restoration Army members scattered across Europe and to continue their cause, Madame Agata organized a large number of widows from the army to work abroad to earn extra money and seek sponsorships.

Ajani was merely one of her aliases, but due to her extraordinary talent, she quickly received extra attention. Invitations arrived like snowflakes, though most men only sought to spend a night with her.

Ajani loathed these men deeply, yet she was forced to move among them.

Today, she had come at the invitation of the local Archbishop, and that sanctimonious prelate had actually requested that she perform an "entertainment program" for him in the evening.

However, Ajani had decisively refused, because today, someone had actually offered her 2,000 florins to stop performing, and later gave her another 1,000 florins to collect votes.

Making money this way was far too easy; why bother degrading herself? She could not understand her sisters who sold their bodies, for Ajani could earn in a single day what those poor women could not earn in a year.

She had come to Frankfurt today for another purpose: to seek allies to support their cause. After all, the Polish Commonwealth was gone, and what was needed for restoration was not just money.

But when she heard a delegate say that the Poles were "unclean," she felt a surge of anger and grievance.

She thought of her husband, her daughter being raised by friends, and those friends who had been slaughtered by the Russians.

Tears welled in Ajani's eyes, which only served to further stir the protective instincts of the men.

Soon, all thirty-five delegates had cast their votes. The representative from Baden had been carried to the hospital and was considered an abstention.

This was also Friedrich Ancelin's arrangement. Although he estimated that Prussia would have at least 20 votes, there was no harm in taking out an opponent who did not support him in passing.

The ballot box was opened in public, and the Archbishop of Frankfurt unfolded the first ballot.

"Against!"

Ajani took the ballot with a smile, held it above her head, and repeated with a grin.

"One vote against."

"Three votes against."

Three in a row were for Prussia. This caused a cold sneer to curl the corner of Friedrich Ancelin's mouth. He looked toward Anckert, who was drinking alone, with ill intent, thinking to himself

"Once the Austrians are expelled, the next to be dealt with will be your Saxony. I will make you repay today's humiliation tenfold."

Anckert felt Friedrich Ancelin's gaze. They locked eyes, after which Anckert responded with a smile.

"Austria."

"One vote for Austria, three votes against."

Friedrich Ancelin was unconcerned; he also requested a glass of wine from a waiter.

"Austria."

"Austria."

"Against."

"Three votes in favor of Austria joining the German Customs Union, four votes against."

Afterward, the votes for both sides rose alternately, which made Friedrich Ancelin somewhat irritable. At that moment, he remembered Anckert's smile; that fellow seemed to want to say something.

"Austria."

"Austria."

"Austria."

The votes in favor of Austria joining the German Customs Union had reached fifteen, while there were only seven against. This made Friedrich Ancelin's throat feel dry, and he downed the contents of his glass in one gulp.

"Austria."

This was the sixteenth vote. Friedrich Ancelin suddenly choked. He spat red wine all over the representative from Lüneburg. The man was about to rise in protest, but seeing it was Friedrich Ancelin, he sat back down and could only take out a handkerchief to wipe the stains.

"Damn it, someone has betrayed us," Friedrich Ancelin cursed inwardly, feeling fortunate that he had just excluded a representative who supported the Austrians.

"Austria!"

"Seventeen votes for Austria, seven votes against."

With just one more vote, Austria would be allowed to join the German Customs Union, and Friedrich Ancelin's mission would be a failure. His palms were now drenched in sweat.

The Archbishop of Frankfurt picked up a ballot, unfolded it slowly, hesitated for a moment, and then announced loudly

"Austria!"

"Eighteen votes for Austria, seven votes against."

Friedrich Ancelin stared angrily at the Archbishop of Frankfurt, wanting an answer from him.

But the Archbishop merely shrugged. He was indeed on the side of Prussia and had cast a vote against, but why it had turned out like this, he did not know.

However, he knew that the Prussians were no longer the sole power. Now that the Austrians had arrived, he had to consider the future, so he decided to appear happy.

"Austria!"

The counting continued, but Friedrich Ancelin had already slumped into his chair.

Anckert turned to Friedrich Ancelin once more and said, word by word

"Con—grat—u—lations. You—have—a—ri—val."

Then he raised his glass toward Friedrich Ancelin and drained it.

At that moment, the Archbishop of Frankfurt officially announced

"The German Customs Union, with 25 votes in favor, 10 votes against, and 1 abstention, has approved the application for Austria to join the German Customs Union. We welcome the 37th member of the German Customs Union! Germany will welcome a brighter future!"

Facing the result, Friedrich Ancelin knew his political career was over.

He knew the Austrians must have bribed Prussia's allies, but since this was a secret ballot, he had no idea who had betrayed Prussia.

He still had 47,000 Thalers unspent. If he returned to Berlin like this, neither King William III nor Finance Minister Merz would let him off easily.

Thus, he came up with a plan.

Friedrich Ancelin told Ajani to wait for him in his room, for which he paid 5,000 Thalers. He no longer cared; he just wanted to spend all his money.

In addition to the 8,000 Thalers already spent, the remaining 42,000 Thalers had been converted into jewelry and land deeds, packed into a briefcase.

On the way, Friedrich Ancelin's throat felt tight. As soon as he entered the room, he impatiently began to undo his belt.

However, a dagger swept past his front and pressed against his throat.

"Put your pants back on. Where is your money?"

Friedrich Ancelin hurriedly fastened his belt and said, "You thief! I am the envoy of Prussia! You dare rob me?"

As Friedrich Ancelin spoke, he searched for an opportunity.

To his despair, another woman stepped out of the room, a pistol tucked into her waist.

Ajani walked toward Friedrich Ancelin with elegant steps, leaving him somewhat bewildered.

Just then, Ajani snatched the briefcase from Friedrich Ancelin's hands and used the dagger to pry it open, revealing the glittering jewels inside.

"This is the property of the King of Prussia!" Friedrich Ancelin threatened.

Ajani placed a gemstone necklace around her own neck and said with a smile, "Not anymore."

"Who are you people?"

"The Polish Restoration Army," Ajani replied, then nodded to the woman behind Friedrich Ancelin.

Before Friedrich Ancelin could say another word, the woman picked up a vase and smashed it hard against the back of his head.

Looking at the collapsed Friedrich Ancelin and the shattered vase on the floor, Ajani felt somewhat helpless.

"Caroline, how many times have I told you not to use vases? They are hard to clean up."

"Then what should I do? It's already broken."

"Carry him into the inner room and make it look like a suicide by hanging. I am leaving tonight; go and notify the other sisters to leave quickly as well." After speaking, Ajani tossed a gemstone-encrusted ring to Caroline.

*The Vienna News: Prussian Ambassador commits suicide in hotel due to guilt.*