Chapter 14: Internal Troubles (Part 2)

"A general with two brigades of troops, pursuing eight hundred fleeing rioters all the way from Genoa to Rome, only to let hundreds escape, capturing a mere 26 prisoners, while suffering nearly a thousand casualties of his own. The most critical point is, why should our Austrian Empire be the one paying the money and providing the men for matters concerning Sardinia and the Pope?" Count Kolowrat said, filled with righteous indignation.

In the Austrian Empire's military system, there was no division-level unit; an infantry brigade consisted of two infantry regiments, totaling approximately 5,000 men.

"Prime Minister, it was also for the sake of stability and unity in the Empire's periphery. As for military operations, I do not understand them. You would be better off asking Count Latour for his opinion."

Count Latour, at this moment, wished he could crawl under the table or hide in some corner where he wouldn't be discovered.

This military operation in Italy was like a farce performed by a group of third-rate screenwriters and extras, constantly slapping the face of the Austrian military.

Moreover, Count Latour had no desire to get involved in the power struggle between Metternich and Count Kolowrat.

However, upon hearing Friedrich List's words, he knew there was no escaping it.

"Ten thousand against eight hundred—the advantage was significant. General Lich may have been careless. Although the process was somewhat convoluted, the final result was still a victory for our Austrian Empire," Count Latour replied awkwardly.

"Latour, let me say it for you. Prince Metternich accepted bribes from General Lich, which is why this incompetent general has repeatedly escaped the punishment he deserves. The number of soldiers and civilians who died because of his incompetence exceeds one hundred thousand. If you laid their coffins end to end, they would stretch from Vienna to Budapest."

Friedrich List found it somewhat hard to believe, but seeing Count Kolowrat’s look of righteous indignation, it did not seem like a pretense.

In fact, he had heard many rumors about Prime Minister Metternich in Vienna recently—such as accepting bribes, being promiscuous, and using his personal relationship with the Emperor to manipulate state affairs.

"Do you have proof?"

"Of course." After saying this, Count Kolowrat threw a document in front of Friedrich List.

"This document contains a detailed record of the private gifts accepted by Prince Metternich and his family over the years."

Friedrich List took his glasses out of his coat pocket and carefully flipped through the document.

He had only read two pages before he was shocked to the core. The document recorded all the dirt on Metternich from the time he became a diplomat in Dresden in 1801 to the present.

The bribes accepted included: gold, silver, horses, real estate, mansions, jewelry, artwork, factories, merchant ships, and ordnance.

The sheer scale was unbelievable.

In truth, Metternich was, to a certain extent, acting as a scapegoat for others.

For instance, if someone wanted to bribe the Emperor, the Emperor naturally would not accept it directly, so he needed a "white glove" like Metternich.

Or take the property previously confiscated from Prince Esterházy, which should have been sold and deposited into the national treasury.

However, because Franz II liked it and did not want the money to enter the treasury, it became imperial property after a series of maneuvers by Metternich.

Friedrich List, inside the Hall of Mirrors, was deeply shaken. Seeing this, Kolowrat knew the time was right.

"I know this is hard for you to accept all at once, but these are the facts. Also, Mr. List, do you know why Prince Metternich is so keen on joining the German Customs Union?"

"Isn't it for the sake of the Empire and His Majesty the Emperor?"

"Mr. List, you are an expert; have you not discovered the business opportunities within the German Customs Union?"

"Business opportunities?" Friedrich List was momentarily confused, as in his eyes, the German Customs Union was full of opportunities everywhere; how was he to know which one Kolowrat was referring to?

"Count, the Austrian Empire has not yet officially joined the German Customs Union. And since there are opportunities everywhere in the Union, I am not sure which one you are referring to?"

"The monopoly rights for the railways, of course."

This statement truly shocked Friedrich List. One must know that the entire Austrian Empire currently had only one railway.

In 1824, Franz Anton received a special 50-year permit from the government, allowing him to build a 139-kilometer (about 86-mile) horse-drawn railway line.

This line would connect České Budějovice along the Vltava River in southern Bohemia to the Danube port city of Linz in Upper Austria, 48 miles to the south.

Although Anton obtained the exclusive franchise for this railway, the imperial government demanded huge returns as a condition.

Even so, Franz Anton still made a handsome profit.

Seeing how profitable investing in railways was, the entire German region went crazy.

The various small and medium-sized states of the German Confederation were particularly keen, rushing to invest in railway construction to prevent important trade routes from passing through neighboring countries and bypassing them.

In stark contrast to the anxiety of the German states to control the emerging trade routes and their frantic investment in railway construction, there was absolutely no sense of urgency within Austria.

It was not until 1830 that engineer Franz Xaver Riepl, in partnership with banker Salomon von Rothschild, submitted an application to the government, requesting approval for a more ambitious steam locomotive railway project.

This line would connect Vienna with the iron and coal mining regions of northern Moravia, as well as the salt mines of Galicia further to the east.

Once this railway was opened, Moravia, Silesia, Galicia, and Bukovina would be connected as one.

However, His Majesty the Emperor rejected the proposal on the grounds that the black smoke emitted by steam locomotives might cause pneumonia.

Now, Kolowrat, as the Finance Minister of the Austrian Empire, had brought the matter up again.

Had His Majesty the Emperor changed his mind? Friedrich List immediately realized that this was a golden opportunity.

Coming from the mouth of Count Kolowrat, the credibility was high.

"Besides, the Finance Minister of the Austrian Empire wouldn't run off with my money, would he?" Friedrich List thought to himself.

"But we still need to sign a formal contract," Friedrich List said to himself.

He then thought that since the Austrian Empire was at the perfect juncture to join the German Customs Union, if he could obtain an important monopoly right, wouldn't he soar to success?

Become a general manager, marry a wealthy beauty, and reach the pinnacle of life.

"Sign a contract? Mr. List, I mean selling the railway monopoly rights. His Majesty the Emperor has recently been interested in restarting Austria's railway construction plan. Even if His Majesty didn't want to, Metternich would bring up the old matter again."

Friedrich List was a bit confused. If the Emperor allowed the construction of railways, shouldn't one seize the opportunity to find a high-quality line and take a gamble?

"Count, shouldn't we seize this opportunity to invest in railway construction? This is a cause that benefits the country and the people, has merits that will last for generations, and can also make a lot of money."

Kolowrat waved his hand and smiled. "Have you ever seen a gambler who always wins?"

"No. What do you mean?" Friedrich List asked, somewhat puzzled.

"No matter how good a gambler's luck is, there will come a day when it runs out. But the person who runs the casino will always make a profit, no matter what."

"You mean, selling the permits for railway monopolies?"

"Exactly. The railway market is very good right now. But who can guarantee it will always be this way? Instead of betting your life and fortune on it, it is better to sell this opportunity. At least we can guarantee that we will make a steady profit without any risk." Kolowrat looked at Friedrich List with expectant eyes.