The War Court and Lap Pillow, Austria's Mandate of Heaven

Chapter 1316 Choice
Unlike the confusing situation in the Middle East, the situation in Spain was much clearer.

Franz's strategy was very effective. Narvaez, O'Donnell, Espartero and other former warlords of the troubled times were now occupying their own territories under the banner of liberating Spain.

They directly tore through the defenses of the Spanish Republic, and the so-called scorched earth policy became a joke.

If the Spanish Republic wanted to implement a scorched earth policy, it would have to face the angry people and those battle-hardened guerrillas. In addition, the Ferrante Duval government was unpopular because of its reactionary actions. For a time, rebels broke out in the territory of the Spanish Republic.

The Austrian Empire's expeditionary force did not give them any chance to breathe and soon occupied most of central Spain. Only a small part of the Spanish Republic remained hiding in a few isolated cities.

There were even uprisings in Madrid and Toledo, where angry citizens and officials who did not want Ferrante Doyle to be buried with them opened the city gates.

While the Austrian Imperial Expeditionary Force was launching a massive frontal attack, rescue operations were also carried out in secret, and several tactical teams were secretly sent into the territory of the Spanish Republic.

However, the Austrian Empire's special operations team had found the food before, so finding the storage point was not a difficult task for these experts.

The mountains near Madrid seemed to be inaccessible, but there were potential hiding places everywhere. However, considering the amount of food, transportation, and storage, there were not many places that met the requirements.

Based on the previous residences and transaction records of the spies, they quickly deduced all possible storage points, and it didn't take long for them to determine the specific locations and approximate reserves.

However, the rescue operation was carried out as planned. The purpose was naturally not to obtain the intelligence that had lost its value, but to let all those who worked for the Austrian Empire see that the empire would not give up anyone easily.

However, this kind of spy who demands a high price can only be asked to retire early. The Austrian Empire will give him and his family a new identity and then send them out of the empire.

If such a person can betray once, he will betray a second time. Franz doesn't want to take any chances on this.

Although food has been found, the plan to migrate south still has to be implemented. After all, no one knows when the war will end.

At this time, the Austrian Empire was advancing by leaps and bounds, and even captured the old and new capitals of Toledo and Madrid in Spain.

However, further north is the mountainous area, and the complex terrain will bring more uncertainties, and it is even less likely that Britain and France will sit idly by.

The war created a large number of displaced refugees, but this was not necessarily caused by this war, after all, the war in Spain had lasted for many years.

Franz's plan to move south did not encounter the obstacles he had imagined, as the reputation of the church and the emperor was quite useful in this country.

The people who were forced to leave their homes were also in a stable mood. After all, the church was very professional in this regard. On the other hand, the relatively sufficient supplies also greatly reduced people's doubts.

Moreover, the supplies that seemed insufficient to the Austrian imperial officials were more than sufficient for ordinary people in Spain.

In fact, natural disasters and wars over the years have made the Spaniards' threshold for suffering far greater than that of the Austrians.

The same supplies seemed unacceptable to the Germans and Hungarians, barely sufficient to the Croatians and Transylvanians, and sufficient, even abundant, to the Spaniards.

Also, because laborers could receive three times the supplies and wages, the river sections that recruited workers were overcrowded, and even women and children joined in the work of cleaning the river.

The new type of nitroglycerin explosive also played a huge role. Although this type of explosive cannot be used on a large scale in the military field for the time being, it is definitely a good hand at opening mountains and crushing rocks. The power of nitroglycerin explosive is dozens of times that of black powder, which greatly improves the efficiency of dredging.

The men wielded shovels vigorously in the river, lifting heavy stones with force, and then used simple makeshift machinery to carry these large stones ashore.

The women helped pick up small stones and debris, and the children also learned to help like the adults, but their efficiency was much lower.

However, no one cares, because for many people, seeing that smile filled with innocence and happiness is enough.

Suddenly some people started crying bitterly. They didn't know how long it had been since they had laughed from the bottom of their hearts.

These children are hope, and their current work is not only to make a living for the Austrians, but also for their own homes.

The sun shone as usual and the wind blew as usual, but they felt that something was different. Something called vitality and vigor had returned to them.

Most of the warlords such as Narvaez, O'Donnell, and Espartero did not take the opportunity to cause trouble, but chose to abide by the agreement, lay down their arms and accept incorporation.

The official positions given to them by the Austrian Empire were not low, but they did not include the most important military and judicial powers. Even their political and economic rights were separate.

However, these heroes have no complaints, because under the current system established by the Austrian Empire, they are the backbone of the country.

There were also some forces that were prepared to fight the Austrian expeditionary force to the end, but their fate was mostly to be crushed without causing any waves.

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In addition, the Balkan issue was once again brought to the table. Russia's attack on the Ottoman Empire was originally beneficial to Austria, but Nicholas I wanted Constantinople, which was a bit too much.

The most infuriating thing is that someone gave the Tsar the idea of ​​​​exchanging Russia's support for Austria's annexation of Spain for Austria's support for Russia's acquisition of Constantinople.

This secret agreement forced Franz to make a choice.

If he really agrees to this condition, he will become a shield for the Russians and will encourage the Russians' ambitions, and maybe even release some monster.

But if Franz did not agree, he would offend Nicholas I and cause a rift in Russian-Austrian relations. Russia might even be provoked to send troops to threaten Austria.

And no matter what, in the short term, the Austrian Empire will still become a shield for Russia.

Britain and France were also sure that the Austrian Empire would not give up the Balkans, so they wasted time here, trying to exchange the greatest benefits for the smallest cost.

Franz naturally would not do as they wish, nor would he choose from the options they gave.

Franz stated that the Austrian Empire would continue its past position and support Russia in seizing Constantinople and even the entire Ottoman Empire.

However, the Austrian Empire demanded the two Danube principalities while guaranteeing the independence of Greece.

"To my dear father-in-law and His Majesty the Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire"