Holy Roman Empire

The wheels of history rolled on, not altering their course for any individual will. The hidden hand behind the scenes had never revealed itself, and the Japanese Government could only swallow the bitter pill alone. In a sense, whether there was a hidden hand or not, the end result would be the same. In any case, the escalation of the Japanese-Russian conflict was inevitable. Had war not broken out, it would be because neither Japan nor Russia was ready for war. Now, both governments were tacitly buying time, each awaiting the completion of their war preparations to be the first to strike. Perhaps to alleviate pressure on the Japanese Government or simply by coincidence, after Christmas in 1903, the London Government issued a proclamation announcing its withdrawal from the free trade system. There was nothing surprising about it; secret negotiations between Shinra and Britain had ended in failure last week. Even if it was Franz who proposed an alliance between the two nations to jointly wield world hegemony, it was rejected by the British. Thinking about it, it made sense—if they continued to uphold the free trade system and joined forces with Shinra for world hegemony, it would probably take less than a decade for Britain to go home and pack up. As beneficiaries, the British would not concede without a fight, especially considering they still had the Royal Navy. Although the Royal Navy's advantage was no longer as pronounced, an advantage is still an advantage. With the collapse of the free trade system, the power struggle between Shinra and Britain no longer had any chance of easing. While closely monitoring the situation in the Far Eastern region, Franz also began preparing for the impending battle for supremacy. Frankly speaking, Franz did not wish to seize hegemony through war, but reality was cruel. From the moment the British refused to compromise, the war chariot of the Holy Roman Empire had been set in motion. As the driver of this war chariot, Franz could hit the brakes, but he could not stop it from moving forward forever. "Frederick has notified all nations to convene a World Free Trade Economic Summit in Vienna next month, encouraging them to jointly sanction the British. When necessary, we can inflate the export prices of monopolistic export products to Britain, causing a shortage in the British market in the short term and detonating an economic crisis ahead of time. Notify the relevant companies in advance to prepare for production cuts to minimize our losses. The government will consider giving appropriate subsidies to enterprises that suffer severe losses." The monopolistic products go without saying, being either food or petrochemicals. As for machinery, even though the performance of products made by the British was not really up to par, they could still manufacture them. Even with food and petrochemicals, Shinra's monopoly was not complete; given time, the British could still find substitutes. Unfortunately for the British, what they lacked was precisely time. Even if the British Government wanted to stockpile related materials in advance, they had no authority to do so until Parliament passed the necessary legislation. Without government stockpiling in advance, private enterprises were likewise unprepared. According to British custom, it is entirely possible for a policy to be debated for decades; nobody could have imagined that results would emerge so swiftly. Unlike Shinra's economic system, where the government could intervene in the market at any time, the London Government had no right to instruct domestic companies or command them to stockpile raw materials in advance. Once international market prices for raw materials increased, related companies would inevitably be impacted, which in turn would severely affect downstream consumption. Implementing trade barriers was not what Franz desired. It was a strategy that would be damaging to both sides; the British would suffer, but Shinra would also incur heavy losses. Whether it would be a case of killing a thousand enemies and losing eight hundred of our own, or killing eight hundred enemies and losing a thousand, no one could provide an answer before the fact. The only certainty was that a new economic crisis would erupt alongside the collapse of the free trade system, deeply wounding all export-oriented businesses. In a certain sense, the outbreak of an economic crisis was the countdown to war. With the template of the two World Wars in the original timeline, Franz had a much longer view than most. Delaying the onset of war was possible, but Franz could not wait. He saw himself reaching the old age of 74, with both his physical and mental faculties greatly diminished. If he did not wage war now, he doubted he would have the capability to lead it later. After dealing with the British, there were a multitude of tasks at home that needed to be done, a significant portion of which could only be handled by Franz himself. In order to draw a successful close to his imperial career, Franz had to make use of the ample time reserved and complete it all before his energy waned. Detonating an economic crisis was the beginning of the war; it's just that the initial skirmishes would be economic, not military. Frederick persuaded, "Father, isn't this too soon? The preparations at home are not yet complete, and detonating the economic crisis now, we too will suffer heavy losses." As the regent Crown Prince, Frederick was already well aware of Shinra's domestic economic situation. Since the news that Britannia withdrew from the free trade system, far-sighted domestic enterprises had been preparing to store grain for the winter. It wasn't that everyone's ideological awareness was high, but mainly because the state-owned enterprises and the Royal Consortium took the lead, and many other capitalists were simply following suit. Specifically, in 1903, Shinra's major enterprises had unanimously halted capacity expansion, reduced goods inventory, and increased cash flow reserves. Yet, these measures were still insufficient. In just one short year, even though everyone had made some preparations, they still couldn't guarantee they would survive the upcoming harsh winter. It was not only Britannia that had long suffered from the free trade system; with the British leading the way, there were certainly no shortage of followers. Destruction is always easier than construction. It was very clear that before defeating Britannia, no one should think about re-establishing a free trade system. The duration of this market winter would last at least several years to start with, and it might even continue for more than a decade. Franz shook his head, "We can't wait any longer. If we don't both suffer losses with the British, how can the Russians dare to go all out against Japan? The Siberian Railway is not yet operational, and in the Far Eastern region, Russia's military force is simply no match for Japan. Don't look at the Tsarist Government initiating its strategy to advance Eastward, but those interests in the Far East are still dispensable for the Russian Empire. Once the front lines suffer defeat, who can guarantee that the Russians won't cut their losses and simply abandon the Far East? If, after giving up the Far East, the Tsarist Government continues to move southward, then that's fine, but I'm afraid that if the Russians withdraw and watch our battle with the British. Without pulling out this thorn in advance, can you rest assured to truly battle the British?" "Trust" is a fragile thing, and even though the Russian-Austrian Alliance has lasted for decades, Franz still couldn't trust the Russians. No betrayal had occurred simply because the stakes weren't high enough. For our security, better to let Mao Xiong fall ill first. ... Politics is always interconnected. With the collapse of the free trade system, Britannia and Shinra officially became adversaries. Affected by this, the Envoy team investigating the Russian Embassy case also split, making the Far Eastern situation even more complex and unpredictable. But these were concerns for the mighty to worry about, far removed from the lives of ordinary people. It was the Tokyo public who truly "felt" the tension as it grew increasingly strained. It wasn't just about protesting on the streets now; even gatherings of friends and family would attract military police attention, making everyone speak with bated breath. There was no choice; the international court trials had begun, and the Japanese Government really didn't want any extra complications. Regardless of how much the people revered them, those who struck the Russian Embassy were thugs in the eyes of the Japanese Government. No ruler likes those who don't abide by the rules. Even if the intentions are good, the outcome can be tragic! Without making an example out of some to deter others, who knows if similar incidents will continue to occur in the future? If the Radicals were left to their devices, they could take down the Russian Embassy today, the Shinra Embassy tomorrow, and the day after, the British Embassy... Through their reckless actions, no one knows when they might ruin the very foundations of Japan. ... Since the split of the Envoy team, the pressure on Lorelei, the chief judge from Switzerland, had suddenly increased. On one hand, she had to maintain the sanctity of the judicial system, while on the other hand, she faced the constant meddling from within the Envoy team, which left her in a state of utter distress. The greatest issue with this international trial was the lack of a unified sentencing standard and the absence of international precedents to follow. Russia and Austria demanded strict punishments, while the United Kingdom and Japan hoped for leniency. Of course, this dispute only concerned the ordinary individuals involved, the key criminals still had to face severe consequences. "Tanaka Ichio, founder and chairman of the Iron Blood Revenge Association, has repeatedly planned anti-Russian protests and assassination attempts, and was one of the principal planners of the Russian Embassy case…" Before the representative of the investigative team could finish the accusation, Tanaka Ichio roared in protest, "I object, it was clearly I who planned the Russian Embassy case alone, how could I be one of the planners? What are you trying to do, implicate my entire family? Where is the world's justice, where is the law…" The scene in front of them left many people dumbfounded, especially Tanaka Ichio's defense attorney, who was completely flabbergasted. This was entirely different from what was discussed beforehand. By taking all the blame onto himself, where did that leave his defense attorney? Lorelei, as the Judgment Chief, was also stunned. In her twenty years of a career in judicature, she had never seen a criminal like this. Fortunately, the bailiffs in charge of custody reacted promptly, stepping in to stop Tanaka Ichio and ending the farce. Yet after this incident, the following trial proceedings became a mockery. Although Lorelei wanted to follow judicial procedure, regretfully, the other judges did not agree with her approach. The "International Tribunal" did not necessarily equate to professionalism. Apart from Lorelei, the Judgment Chief being a professional in the legal field, the other members were mostly temporary appointees from the various countries' Envoys. In these times without any unified international laws, let alone unified judicial procedures, the absence of rules implied a high degree of maneuverability. In the eyes of most, as long as the fact of the crime was established, they should just hand down the sentence quickly, as there were still many more awaiting their turn, weren't there? Not surprisingly, Tanaka Ichio, who had voluntarily admitted to the crimes, was directly sentenced to death. Perhaps the efforts of the Japanese Government had worked, or maybe taking into account Tanaka Ichio's confession, the International Tribunal ultimately decided to grant his request for seppuku. Once the farce had begun, it would not end quickly. Tanaka Ichio was just the beginning; those with incontrovertible evidence sealing their fate volunteered to take responsibility, with their only request being seppuku. The Japanese present on-site were even more impassioned, and every time a major criminal requested seppuku, bursts of applause erupted as if welcoming a hero, causing Lorelei to seriously question life itself. It wasn't just her questioning life, the Envoys attending the trial were similarly having their world views shaken by what was unfolding before them. At least put up a struggle, one by one they acted like they were nobly sacrificing themselves, making the envoy group seem like the big villains of the show. Alright, these days' envoy groups indeed weren't the good guys, playing the antagonist's role most of the time. But this time was clearly an exception. Aside from dealing with the actual culprits, the envoy group hadn't taken advantage of the chaos. It wasn't a lack of desire to do so, but rather issues had been disrupted by meddlers. The Anglo-Austrian two countries were at odds, the envoy group had split in advance, making it impossible to proceed with the plundering. Fortunately, it was only a minority who didn't fear death. With the trial of the main offenders concluding, those who followed became more rational, and the defense attorneys were no longer just spectators. The first wave of "brave ones" was actually coerced. As the main culprits in the Russian Embassy case, no matter the defense it was hard to escape their fate, so they chose to act courageously. The minor participants were different; most of them were only involved in the protest on that day, and some were completely innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. Not being the organizers or having stormed the Russian Embassy, they weren't responsible for the deaths of the Russian Embassy staff. Even though the International Tribunal was infringing on Japan's sovereignty, it still had to maintain a minimum level of fairness, and naturally couldn't just wipe everyone out. Although the Russian representatives very much wished to do so, regrettably, the Tsarist Government's influence in the envoy group was insufficient to have everyone abandon their principles. Because there were simply too many individuals involved, with over five thousand undergoing trial, aside from the initial sentencing of major criminals one by one, the later stages proceeded with group trials. ... "Yama County Jirou, Tanabe Ichijo, Wang Decheng, Li Yixiang, Watanabe… and thirty-three others were involved in organizing and participating in the protest on November 27, 1903, which led to traffic congestion, severely jeopardizing social order, and resulting in…" Unbeknownst to many, the tone of the incident had changed. The original complaint against the Russian Embassy case had turned into a charge of endangering social order. Had it not been for the difficulty of provoking the International Tribunal and the envoy group behind it, it's likely the Japanese Government would have been up in arms. To interfere with a matter like endangering social order—wasn't that stepping on their toes? Of course, that was impossible. Anyone with a hint of political savvy knew that the charge of endangering social order could be both significant or trivial, and the fact that the investigation committee filed charges with this accusation clearly indicated they were planning to let these people off easy. Nepotism exists everywhere, after all. Foreign students could find a way, and as locals, Japanese students were certainly not lacking in connections. Those with definitive evidence of serious crimes were beyond saving, but for those who weren't directly involved, as long as the right strings were pulled in the background, it was still possible to fish them out. Sure, an acquittal was out of the question; the investigation committee needed to save face. They'd slap on some trivial charges, inflict symbolic punishment—that was to be expected. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, my clients simply participated in a regular protest, and no one wanted to see the unfortunate events that unfolded halfway through. We have reached a compensation agreement with the victim, and both the victim and the Tokyo Government have agreed not to pursue any legal action..." Lying through one's teeth is a skill in itself. As a defense attorney, one naturally wouldn't lack this ability. As a judge, Lorelei despised nepotism, which meant a challenge to judicial fairness. Just like now, they hadn't influenced the judgment, but they had directly altered the indictment. For the Russian Embassy case, they might casually impose a sentence of three to five years, or even eight to ten years, but for merely disrupting social order—and with both victims and the Tokyo Government dropping the charges—what could the chief judge do but feel helpless! After discussing with the other judges, everyone decided to just go through the motions and impose a token punishment. After all, when everyone is well off—that's truly good for all. In a daze, Wang Decheng, along with thirty-two others, emerged from prison bearing the punishment of two years of community service. As for how and where this punishment would be implemented—such minor details were unlikely to be scrutinized. Having narrowly escaped disaster, Wang Decheng felt overwhelmed after learning the entire sequence of events from his older cousin. He had participated in a protest, spending two months in jail and causing his family to accrue a massive debt of favors. Able to stand out among the numerous descendants of the Wang clan to study abroad, Wang Decheng was well aware of his own worth. At best, he could only expect a few friendly classmates to make a fuss on his behalf; none of this was enough for him to walk away scot-free. Although he wasn't the only one affected, his family had surely made significant efforts to facilitate the arms trade with Shinra. Such dealings required the exchange of political resources, and as for when he'd have to repay the debt, that would be whenever they called in the favor. Seeing the worry in his younger cousin's eyes, Wang Deran offered consolation, "You don't need to worry too much. Our elders at home understand much more than us. Though the family now owes many people favors, misfortune may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Don't forget, this incident has also allowed us to expand our network considerably." He was right; that's exactly how relationships are built. You help me today, I help you tomorrow, and after helping each other out a few times, lifelong bonds are forged. Wang Decheng only managed to nod weakly in response to his cousin's reassurance. While it's true that's how relationships are built, as one of the involved parties, he was certainly no hero. It was one thing to be in Japan, but once back home, the time would come for him to settle accounts. Considering his strict father, although he might not be beaten to death, a severe beating was still very probable. In a feudal family, the education of the young was extremely strict. Being dragged by Japanese friends to participate in a protest and causing such a mess was a grave mistake—how could they not impose a severe punishment as a warning to others? And it wasn't just him who would be doomed; even his older cousin would be punished. Fortunately for his cousin, he had not ended up in prison and could still find ways to cover things up.