Chapter 182 Choice

Chapter 182 Choice

March 1869.

After inspecting the company in Vienna, Ernst visited the Austro-Hungarian royal family. After a brief stay, he returned to Hechingen.

1869 was a critical year. The opening of the Suez Canal at the end of the year alone would have a profound impact on the East African colonies.

The opening of the Suez Canal not only means a change in the waterway, but also affects various affairs in East Africa.

Cape Town's strategic position will subsequently decline, and Britain and France will also launch a series of competitions over control of the Suez Canal.

Ernst believes that this is also an important factor in Britain allowing Prussia to challenge France from behind. France is indeed too powerful now.

Now, all European countries know that Prussia is gathering strength, and the changes in the European continent are also reflected in Prussia's next decision. All countries are focusing on Europe, which is a good thing for East Africa.

The opening of the Suez Canal has weakened the status of East African ports such as Dar es Salaam and Mombasa in the world's main waterways.

The impact on the East African colonies will be both good and bad. It can reduce the vigilance of other forces towards East Africa, but East Africa, including Africa as a whole, will also be very passive in terms of its economic and strategic position in the future.

Just like why the United States pursues and intercepts Russia, the Americas are still too isolated geographically relative to the World Island as a whole. If Russia, a country across the European continent, is allowed to extend its influence to the entire World Island, the United States can really only do King of America.

The same is true for Africa. In the past, the world's commercial routes had to go around the entire Africa. The Mediterranean coast of North Africa has always been the main traditional commercial route from Europe and the Middle East, and the coasts of East, West, and South Africa are the only way to the Far East.

After the opening of the Suez Canal, the coasts of East, West, and South Africa will decline. Of course, there is a prerequisite, and that is that Africa has not given birth to a world power.

If a real world power is born in sub-Saharan Africa, like the United States, it can re-draw sub-Saharan Africa into the world trade system and occupy a large share. Otherwise, South America will be the ceiling for Africa's future development.

"Ernst, what have you been busy with recently? I have seen you writing in the study recently. Didn't you just come back from building a company in Vienna a few days ago?" Prince Constantine came behind Ernst and looked at his son. asked the table full of information and documents.

Prince Constantine has now completely said goodbye to the affairs of the kingdom and is idle at home. He mainly takes care of the territory every day.

Constantine will be 70 years old in another year. Originally, Prince Constantine's life in history was quite bumpy. He had no heirs in his previous life, so he basically lived in Prussia in his later years, and finally died in the Prussian Green Mountain City.

In this life, after having Ernst, Constantine's attention to politics significantly weakened, and he was not active in Prussian politics.

For example, the famous Hohenzollern Royal Order in the previous life was jointly founded by Constantine and Prince Karl Anton of Sigmaringen. Prince Constantine was very enthusiastic about the cause of the entire Hohenzollern family.

In this generation, Prince Constantine focused most of his attention on cultivating Ernst. The Hohenzollern Royal Order still appeared, but this time only Prince Carl Anton took the lead.

In the early days, when Ernst was still young, Constantine spent most of his time in Hechingen to take care of Ernst. After Ernst awakened, Ernst grew up too fast, causing Constantine to lose his Enterprising spirit, after all, his son is so successful, he should also enjoy his life.

"Father, I am planning the upgrading of the First Town and intend to build the First Town into a high-level modern city." Ernst held the book and flipped through the relevant knowledge of urban construction.

"Is the First Town the temporary political center of the East African colonies?" Constantine asked.

Currently, there are two colonies under the name of the Hechingen royal family, East Africa and Alaska. Compared with the real purchase and sale procedures and documents in Alaska, the East African royal territory is only the claim of the Hechingen royal family.

The political center of the two colonies was Hechingen. As the nominal owner of the royal territory of Hechingen, Constantine naturally knew something about it.

"Yes, father, as the political center of East Africa, the First Town will also be the temporary capital of our Hechingen royal family in East Africa in the future, so I need to complete the local construction in advance to facilitate the subsequent relocation." Ernst said bluntly said.

"It seems that you really like this place in East Africa and have completely decided to put all your family's future in East Africa!" Constantine said with emotion.

As a European, of course Constantine had deep feelings for Europe, but he would not stop his only son from betting the family's future in East Africa.

Nobles should put their family business first. In that area of ​​East Africa, Shancong's data is indeed not comparable to that of small Hexingen.

Heixing was originally a small country that was indispensable in Europe. Although it was Prussia's nail in southern Germany, its strategic position was negligible to the current Kingdom of Prussia.

After the reunification of Germany in the future, there will be almost no sense of existence. To put it bluntly, it will be a ravine area. Of course, the entire southern Germany adjacent to the Als Mountains almost has this kind of terrain.

"There is nothing we can do about it. The interests in East Africa are too huge, especially now that it has developed. Anyone who knows the real data about East Africa will probably be moved." Ernst posted a map of East Africa that was updated in real time. handed it to Prince Constantine.

"Indeed, such a large area of ​​​​a colony cannot be hidden for long. If it is exposed, I am afraid it will really attract the attention of interested people." Constantine said seriously while looking at the East African colonies that occupied a large area in Africa on the map. .

At first, Ernst was just drawing a cake for himself, but now this piece of cake has really appeared, and Prince Constantine has to pay attention to it.

"Father, these are the statistics of the East African colonies last year. Take a look at them." Ernst took out a folder from the drawer under his body. Inside was the annual statistical report of the East African colonies, which was recorded from 1866 to 1868. , three in total.

Prince Constantine pulled over a chair, sat at the conference table, and began to look carefully.

After browsing the economy, food output, resources and population, army and other data, Constantine's brows became increasingly tight.

After a while, Constantine put down these documents and said seriously: "Now it seems that East Africa has completely grown up. What are your plans?"

"Father, I plan to go to East Africa in one or two years, go to East Africa personally, and take charge of various affairs in East Africa." Ernst honestly stated his plan.

"This is not possible. Now East Africa urgently needs someone with enough prestige to take charge. Otherwise, the hidden dangers of remote control command will be too great. I don't believe there is anything bigger than the Hohenzollern family controlling East Africa, and it can still make you sit still. Stop!" Constantine scolded Ernst in a rarely harsh tone.

Ernst fell silent. Of course Ernst wanted to fly to East Africa immediately to take charge, but Ernst had always been troubled by three points.

One of them is his only relative, Prince Constantine. In his previous life in Africa, Ernst could not let go of his parents in his hometown the most, but he had to travel overseas to make a living.

In Africa, Ernst's work location was unstable. He often had to work cross-border with the company, and he was a stranger in a foreign land. Therefore, Ernst attached great importance to family ties. As a result, he died in a foreign country. Ernst could not imagine that his parents knew the news in his previous life. How heartbroken it would be later.

Therefore, in this life, Ernst was naturally worried about his father, whom he spent time with every day. This was also the biggest psychological obstacle that prevented Ernst from making up his mind to go to East Africa.

The second point is to coordinate the coordinated development of the East African colonies and the Hechingen Consortium. Ernst tried to convince himself that the current weight of the Hechingen Consortium is higher than that of East Africa, but the rapid expansion and development of East Africa is crushing Ernst. Special thoughts, East Africa’s position in Ernst’s heart is indeed unshakable.

Of course, the Far East must have an important place in Ernst's heart when it comes to feelings, but Ernst knew that facing the chaotic situation in the Far East, he was not the right material, and as a German, he had no reason to interfere in his previous life in this time and space. The politics of the motherland can bring countless Far Eastern refugees and lower class people to the East African colonies for development. This is the greatest help Ernst can do to the Far East at present. However, in this life Ernst has never had illusions about the Far East, and he really cannot go back. .

The third point is that Ernst was waiting for an opportunity to declare East Africa's sovereignty at just the right time, at least with the consent of the majority of the powers.

The above three points are the reasons for Ernst's struggle. When anyone is really faced with a choice, he will make a choice. Ernst is not a hard-hearted person. It can be seen from the fact that Ernst did not carry out direct extermination activities against the indigenous people. It can be seen, but Ernst is not weak, so he can accomplish many things. If the Virgin was really the Virgin, the East African colonies would not exist.

"I probably know what you are worried about!" Prince Constantine sighed.

Seeing his usually high-spirited son fall into rare silence, Constantine vaguely guessed part of it.

"Ernst, you have to remember that separation between life and death is inevitable. No one can act on impulse, especially for us nobles. From the moment we are born, our destiny is no longer under our control. Family interests Always come first,” said Prince Constantine.

"I know that I have become an obstacle in your heart now, but I am old and open to many things. If you have an idea, just go ahead and do it boldly. I shouldn't be a hindrance in your life. Restraint, every father hopes that his son can make a difference, and he does not want to become a stumbling block on their growth."

Hearing this, Ernst knew that Constantine might have understood the first point of his worries, but this was only Ernst's main concern, and the other two points could not be ignored.

So, he explained to Constantine: "Father, thank you for your selflessness and love for me, but things are not what you think. Things in East Africa also involve..."

Ernst shared his dilemma with Constantine.

"Is that so? It seems that it is indeed difficult for you to choose to go to East Africa now, but it is also a problem not to go..." Prince Constantine also fell into thinking after hearing his son's reasons.

"That's right!" Suddenly Constantine seemed to think of something.

He stood up and said, "I have now thought of a way to get the best of both worlds, do you think it will work?"

"What solution?" Ernst became confused.

"What do you think about me going to East Africa to sit in your place?" Prince Constantine said to Ernst.

Ernst suddenly lost his composure. Of course his old father could solve the problem if he went to East Africa, but the road to East Africa was not very friendly to an old man.

"No, father, you are so old, you will definitely not be able to bear going to sea." Ernst said categorically to Prince Constantine.

"Hmph, you are just looking down on me. When I led Hechingen across Europe, you were not even born yet! In order to take care of you in these years, it can be said that I basically retired in Hechingen in advance. Now the physical fitness is not worse than that of you young people, isn't it just going to sea? Why don't you believe in the physical fitness of a father?" Constantine said to Ernst.

"But……"

"But what? Let's not argue anymore. I have made up my mind. Now this is no longer a matter of you alone, but a matter of the entire Hechingen royal family and the entire Hohenzollern family. As the current Hohenzollern family —Heixinggen Patriarch, I have the final say on this matter." Constantine deprived Ernst of his right to speak with one word.

Originally, Constantine was the main candidate for the position of patriarch of the entire Hohenzollern family. However, for Ernst, Constantine gave up the position of patriarch to Prince Carl Anton in the early years. After all, it is a big European family. The patriarch had a lot to do, and after the annexation to Prussia, Constantine also had to deal with the affairs of the Hechingen territory and Prussia at the same time.

Therefore, Constantine handed over the position of patriarch to Prince Karl Anton. At the same time, he only held a nominal position in Prussia and received an extra salary. At that time, Hechingen was merged into Prussia, which actually reduced Constantine's employment. Part of the enterprising spirit, after all, Heixing is a small country at all, and it is still in name only, so why fight hard? Moreover, Constantine has a son in this life, and he is no longer keen on participating in Prussian government affairs.

In his previous life, he didn't even have any heirs, so he could only think about his family. This life is naturally different.

"You arrange the ship now. I will go to East Africa immediately to continue the great cause of our Hechingen royal family. Don't think that I have been very idle these years. In fact, I can't hold it anymore. For me, power is impossible." What I gave up is that in the past, Hechingen limited the stage for me to perform. Now there is a big stage of more than two million square kilometers. If I continue to exert my revenge, do you have the heart to cut off the dream in a father's heart?" Constant In order to make Ernst compromise, Ding deliberately began to perform spiritual magic.

As the king of a small country with real power in the past, Prince Constantine, like most European monarchs, had full diplomatic skills. After all, it was common for the Qin Dynasty and the Qin Dynasty to turbulent times. Countries with poor diplomacy were destined not to survive for such a long time.

Ernst's diplomatic talent was just that in the eyes of Prince Constantine. In terms of grasping people's hearts, the old fox was more experienced.

In the end, the father and son had a brief confrontation. The experienced Prince Constantine was naturally not something Ernst, a baby, could handle.

Helpless, Ernst could only agree to Constantine's decision, but he also managed to gain some compromises, that is, for the sake of Constantine's safety and health, Ernst had to be fully prepared, as Constantine wanted to leave immediately. East Africa is out of the question.

The trip must wait until Ernst coordinates and arranges the company's best ships and service personnel, and East Africa must also seize time to prepare an excellent living environment for Prince Constantine.