Chapter 150 Ling Xun
At the beginning of 1839, Lingxun arrived as promised.
Because Austria had widened the river before, but Hungary did not widen it in time, and there was heavy rainfall and snowfall in winter, causing ice to accumulate at the bends of the Danube, forming ice dams and reservoirs, causing the water level upstream to rise sharply.
Eventually, as the temperature rose, the ice dam burst and freezing floods broke out. In history, this was a huge storm that had not happened in a century. It destroyed half of Budapest. In Budapest alone, thousands of houses were destroyed and tens of thousands of people were made homeless.
Afterwards, the cold floods flowed freely in the Great Plains of Hungary, destroying countless farmland and houses with devastating force, and did not stop until they returned to the Danube River again.
This diversion of the Danube River left hundreds of thousands of people homeless in Hungary.
The Hungarian government applied for a relief fund of 200 million florins from the Austrian Imperial Government, but was naturally rejected by the Imperial Government.
The nationwide disaster in 1838 had already saddled the imperial government with another 200 million florins of debt, bringing the total debt of the empire to 1.531 billion florins.
In the end, the Austrian imperial government only approved a disaster relief budget of 20 million florins, and required the Hungarian local government to allocate at least 10 million florins for disaster relief.
The intensity of disaster relief at this time was much stronger than at the same time in history. However, when Count Széchenyi returned to Hungary in a hurry, it was devastated. Instead of repairing the damaged houses, they were violently demolished.
Countless men, women, children, and the elderly had to leave their homes because their land was confiscated because they could not pay taxes.
The expropriated land will be turned into new farms or recreational hunting grounds.
Everywhere you look, there are displaced victims, wandering aimlessly on the Hungarian plains.
Some "kind-hearted" factory owners were recruiting indentured slaves, and many victims were beaten to death in order to qualify for an indentured slave.
Occasionally, a few luxurious carriages with escorts would stop on the roadside, announcing that a certain noble wanted to adopt children. In fact, most of those nobles were just here to have fun, or to find boys and girls to satisfy their special hobbies.
Széchenyi was well aware of the shady business involved, and some human traffickers were also involved in sourcing goods for the brothels.
He sat in the center of the carriage and asked the butler beside him.
"How many more people can be accommodated in the home?"
The old housekeeper had watched Széchenyi grow up, and knew that the young master was kind-hearted, so he said more, because he knew that a considerable number of the victims would not be able to reach Széchenyi's manor, and some would die on the way, and some would die on the way. People will run away because they miss their family and homeland
"There are already enough workers in the manor, but if the young master wants to feed more people, a thousand people should be no problem. We still have 30,000 florins in coins, but we can use the expected notes when we get to Budapest, so it won't be a big problem .”
The common people of Hungary did not recognize the Austrian banknotes, but the coinage was the universal currency.
There were seven carriages in Szechenyi's motorcade. Except for two carriages, they were for people to ride on. The last five carriages were all for salutes. Szechenyi and the old housekeeper sat in the first carriage, and in the second carriage. They were four servants responsible for taking care of Szechenyi's daily life, and they were accompanied by a forty-man escort.
The huge team suddenly stopped, and a knight came to Széchenyi's car. The steward briefly explained a few words to the former.
Under the gaze of the people around him, the knight shouted loudly, "Count Szechenyi's family is looking for a long-term worker, three hundred florins a year!"
Széchenyi’s family is very famous in Hungary, and his father is a famous philanthropist. With three hundred florins a year, it is simply a dream job for an ordinary Hungarian.
The old housekeeper also felt that it was too high, but Szechenyi's reason was that all the long-term workers in his manor were three hundred florins, and the victims could not be made to feel that they were being discriminated against.
The old housekeeper could only shake his head helplessly. This young master was very smart and good at making money, but all his money was given to others. If this continues, sooner or later the family fortune left by the master will be wiped out by him. Fortunately, the long-term workers in the manor saved a sum of money for him, hoping that the money would not be used one day.
The quota of 1,000 people was quickly filled. Later, several knights purchased 30,000 florins of food nearby and distributed it to the victims, but it was still a drop in the bucket.
Soon Count Széchenyi arrived at the Hungarian Parliament Hall, which was full of well-dressed nobles. They smoked cigars shipped from across the ocean and drank expensive wine. The atmosphere in the hall was very warm, as if they had just won a battle. War in general.
"Look! Our hero is back! Welcome to the victory, my dear Count Széchenyi. This is another great victory for the Hungarian nation over the Austrian Empire!" Speaker Count Pilar warmly embraced Széchenyi, while the hall There was thunderous applause inside.
Széchenyi was a little confused. There were already people dying of hunger outside. It was obvious that the disaster relief efforts were not enough. There was nothing to be happy about. He should obviously be sad.
"My friend, thanks to you, not only did the Austrians give us 20 million florins, but we also allowed us to pay 10 million florins less in taxes. You are really a hero of Hungary. Now the Hungarian Parliament has decided , confer upon you the Order of St. Stephen’s Crown, the highest honor in the Kingdom of Hungary.”
Count Pilar put the gold medal inlaid with diamonds on Count Szechenyi's chest and hung a ribbon for him.
"But there are countless victims outside waiting for relief. This money should be used." Count Szechenyi wanted to say something.
"What else can we save? Is there ever a flood that doesn't kill anyone?"
"If you want to save, save us! My hunting ground is flooded, and now I can't find a single deer. My son has no choice but to go to the brothel."
"Count Szechenyi, this time our family will get at least one million florins. You are going to treat me to dinner tonight!"
A group of nobles were chattering away. Széchenyi looked at the hopeless people in front of him indifferently and walked up to the podium.
As Count Széchenyi took the stage, everything fell silent. After all, Count Széchenyi is now a very popular figure in Hungary. Although he is a bit deviant, he has done a lot of practical things for Hungary.
When it comes to paying taxes, Széchenyi can be said to be number one in Hungary. After all, Hungarian nobles have tax-free privileges, and every transaction between Count Széchenyi and the Habsburg royal family is reported truthfully and taxes are paid truthfully.
You must know that it is millions of dollars in taxes. If it were anyone else, they would still find a way to keep the money even if they had to fight for their lives.
“This is not a victory for the Hungarian nation, but a tragedy for our nation. A group of elites abandoned hundreds of thousands of Hungarian compatriots for their own selfish desires. Is this what you call a victory?
Why is there this severe flood? Weren’t you the ones who prevented the construction of the Danube dam? If the Austrian Imperial Government and the Emperor of the Habsburg family know that we have embezzled disaster relief funds, who will help the victims next time?
I am not a hero of Hungary, I am a sinner of Hungary. If you are a conscientious Hungarian, please extend your helping hand to save those who are experiencing suffering! I do not accept this medal, I do not deserve it! "
After Count Szechenyi finished speaking, he took off the medal from his chest, slapped it heavily on the table, and walked toward the door of the venue alone.
"Don't worry! Count Szechenyi, come back! The emperor of the Habsburg family is a fool!"
There was a burst of laughter behind him, and Count Szechenyi left the venue without looking back.