I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 419 Difficulties in transitioning from luxury to frugality

"Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"

"Silesia belongs to Austria forever!"

"Destroy the Prussian bandits, and the glory of His Majesty the Emperor will shine upon Silesia!"

"Crown the King of Silesia..."

Outside the Schönbrunn Palace Square, excited cheers like a tide spread into the conference hall on the second floor.

Leopold II, who was discussing the armistice plan with Count Ferenc and Baron Turgut, frowned, walked a few steps to the window, and saw a dark crowd in the distance surging towards Schönbrunn Palace.

He turned to look at the attendant beside him: "What are they shouting? What happened?"

The latter hurried out to inquire, and soon returned with a guard officer, bowed and said: "Your Majesty, it seems that people are celebrating a great victory."

"Great victory? What great victory?"

The officer immediately said: "Your Majesty, there is news that Marshal Lacy defeated the Prussians in Liegnitz and pushed the front line to the southwest of Breslau..."

Thugust almost couldn't help laughing, and hurriedly held his breath and lowered his head. Breslau is located in the heart of Silesia and is the capital of Silesia. Currently, the Austrian army is blocked at the border of Liegnitz and cannot move forward. The person who spread the rumor didn't use his brain and directly helped Lacy sweep across the entire province.

Leopold II rolled his eyes at the foreign minister and said angrily, "I didn't pay much attention to those rumors. I didn't expect that someone would believe them."

He listened to the cheers that were getting louder and louder, and said to the officer irritably, "Why are you still standing there? Send someone to dispel the rumors immediately and disperse the crowd."

Of course, the rumor of the so-called "Battle of Liegnitz" was spread by Baron Alphonse, the ambassador to Austria, at the behest of Joseph. But this was just an appetizer.

In Schönbrunn Palace, the staunch anti-Prussian minister Baron Ferrari was waving the Vienna Daily in his hand and shouting loudly from the stairs: "Great victory! Silesia has never been so close to return!"

He distributed newspapers to the dozens of nobles in front of him and said, "Look, it's all written in the newspapers.

"Well, I suggest that everyone donate to Marshal Lacy's army. I will donate 300 florins first."

The nobles immediately flipped through the newspapers and talked excitedly: "Marshal Lacy is amazing, he killed 4 Prussian dogs!"

"It's a great victory!"

And those nobles who had watched the news this morning were already telling their servants to pay: "For Silesia, I will also donate 300 florins."

"I give 500 florins to the warriors of Liegnitz..."

In this age without the Internet, newspapers are the most authoritative source of information for people, especially for such major events, no one would doubt it at all - after all, the secret police would strictly review every word.

In fact, not to mention the late 18th century, even in the early 20th century, courts would use the contents of newspapers as evidence in their judgments.

With Ferrari's hard work in promoting the news, Schönbrunn Palace soon became abuzz. Although the nobles with military backgrounds were skeptical about the news, no one dared to say a word of doubt at this time - they would most likely be beaten up by the enthusiastic people.

The officer who was going to dispel the rumor was about to leave when Baron Turgut suddenly thought of something. He frowned and stopped him. Then he came to Leopold II and whispered, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid it's not appropriate to dispel the rumor directly now."

"Oh? Why?" "Think about it, how is Baron Duden going to tell those people outside..."

Leopold II paused, and immediately frowned. Yeah, what did he say? The great victory was all a rumor, and Austria was not as brave as the rumor said? It was said that Lacy had been fighting at Liegnitz with an army of 100,000 for almost a year, and was still lingering on the Silesia border? It was said that you all should just disperse, and Silesia could not be taken back in a short time?

Austria was already in a state of disarray because of the Emperor's reforms, and all parties were filled with resentment. If the government was announced to be so incompetent at this time, it would immediately cause chaos. Especially the nobles in Hungary who were inclined to independence had been waiting for such an opportunity, and they might be encouraged to start a rebellion...

Human nature is what it is.

If Austria had always been a slugger, people would have become numb to it. But if someone suddenly told them that Austria was strong and the army of heaven was invincible, their standards would immediately rise. At this time, if they were asked to accept the reality that Austria was a slugger, they would only fall into anger and despair.

"and many more!"

Leopold II wiped his sweat, called the officer to a halt, and then told his attendant, "Gather the ministers. This matter must be discussed seriously."

The pro-British Count Frunz on the side suddenly became anxious: "Your Majesty, if we don't refute the rumors, how can we sign an armistice agreement with Prussia?"

He knew very well that if everyone in Austria believed that Marshal Lacy had recaptured Liegnitz, then all Austria should do was to take advantage of the situation and capture Breslau in one fell swoop.

Anyone who dares to propose peace at this time will inevitably be labeled a traitor by the whole country.

Even if the excuse is that Austria's finances are tight and it has to temporarily cease fire, then after the two countries withdraw their troops, where will Liegnitz, which was captured by Lacy, be?
You can't say that it was returned to the damn Prussians, right?

Leopold II waved his hand irritably: "Let's discuss the armistice at the Imperial Conference as well."

Then he slammed the door and walked out.

Just after noon, Viscount Marte, the "culprit" of the fake news case, was brought before Leopold II by Marquis Hartmann, the head of the Austrian secret police.

The poor news censor only knew that a businessman named Kugel invited him to spend a whole day at the "Red Boots" in order to ask him to help his nephew who smuggled banned books and periodicals get out of trouble.

Malte's entourage and Harper, assistant to the press review officer, were then interrogated. The former said he was robbed and tied up in an alley until this morning when he was rescued.

The latter said that it was after seeing the note signed by Malte that the news of the "great victory" was approved.

Under the urging of Leopold II, the Austrian secret police became extremely efficient and placed the preliminary investigation results on his desk at noon the next day.

"That Kugel's hometown is Szolnok, and he came to Vienna three years ago." Marquis Hartmann reported, "He bought Life and Truth a week ago, and the fake news first came out of this newspaper.

"According to the confession of Viscount Malte's entourage, one of the men who robbed him inadvertently spoke with a slight Hungarian accent.

"These are probably the people who forged Viscount Malte's signature."

Leopold II stared at the report on the table with a gloomy face: "So, this matter is related to the Hungarians?"

"It appears so, Your Majesty."

(End of this chapter)