Chapter 372 Surprise or not?
London, England.
People in the Palace of Westminster who are going to Russia to contact Russia have also set off and are expected to arrive at the Port of Hamburg in a few days.
(It’s winter in the northern hemisphere, so you can’t take a boat directly to St. Petersburg because the Baltic Sea will freeze.)
The Netherlands, Belgium, and France have all received letters of credence from the United Kingdom, and an alliance against the German Confederation has been formed. On the other hand, British factories that got the news were working hard to produce, and the prices of agricultural products rose by 30% within a few days.
News constantly coming from Hanover also confirms that this gorgeous fireworks will definitely begin, and the British are ready to make a lot of money.
However, this time the Rothschild family, the overlord of the financial world, did not make any big moves. They seemed to be waiting for news from Vienna.
For this missed opportunity, colleagues in the London financial community laughed at them as they were still living in the era of Napoleon. Lionel Rothschild had actually already received news that war might break out.
However, his uncle Solomon Rothschild had repeatedly warned him before that if he faced the Austrian Empire, he must wait for news from Vienna.
Lionel felt that his uncle was a great financier who had made huge profits countless times without spending a penny when he was young.
He has achieved great fame in the business and political circles on the European continent. Even his father did not dare to call himself a king. However, everyone in Vienna called him "His Majesty the King", even Prince Metternich asked him in front of him. Keep your head down and do things.
Although this uncle has been having bad luck in recent years, even if he made money, he exchanged precious metals for Austrian banknotes. In the end, it was difficult to tell whether he was making money or losing money, but Lionel was still willing to believe him.
However, other members of the family could no longer sit still and started some "investments" one after another. They even contacted Chilean saltpeter merchants and prepared to increase the price of this commodity around the world.
Although Lionel knew all this, he did not stop it. After all, he did not want to put all his eggs in one basket. Moreover, the rumors that became increasingly true made him unable to sit still.
Queen Victoria didn't care about politics because as she grew older, she found that all politicians disliked her and all they wanted was power.
And she also found the love of her life, Prince Albert, and at this time, a letter asking for help written by her uncle King Leopold I of Belgium was placed on her desk.
Victoria didn't even open it and sent it to the cabinet, because there was not much emotion in the letter and it was more of a political meaning, so leave it to those politicians.
Prince Albert was an attentive man, and he noticed some changes in Victoria's expression.
"What's wrong? My angel, you seem to have something on your mind."
Victoria leaned forward and kissed Prince Albert's broad chest, then took a firm bite.
"I'm thinking what should I do if one day you don't love me anymore?"
Albert stroked Victoria's long hair and said in a gentle tone.
"My angel, what are you worrying about? How could this happen? I will always love you."
"Then prove it." Victoria pouted.
"Come again? This is the fifth time tonight!"
Albert shouted, but soon saw something wrong in Victoria's eyes.
December 30, 1842, the fifth day after Christmas.
Brussels, Belgium.
Leopold I received another new message.
"Your Majesty the King, the Dutch are preparing for war across the country! The total number is likely to exceed 100,000!" a minister reported anxiously.
"What's the hurry? This is a good thing. The more troops the Dutch have, the more they can share our pressure. Although we are not allied, we do have a common enemy..."
But before Leopold I could finish his words, he was interrupted by the minister.
"According to reports from our lurking people in Amsterdam, the Dutch seem to have sent troops."
This time it was Leopold I who interrupted the minister.
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"They are coming to Brussels," the minister replied intermittently.
"What?! Damn idiot! Are you still trying to take advantage of the situation?!"
Leopold I was really shocked and angry at this time. He really couldn't find the words to describe the stupidity of King William II of the Netherlands, who was simply worse than his father William I.
With the German Confederation on one side and the Dutch on the other, this was truly a moment of crisis. Because Leopold I had previously transferred troops from Brussels to reinforce the fortresses of West Luxembourg and Liège, there were only some new soldiers in Brussels at this time.
But he was worthy of being a hero, and he immediately decided to personally lead the army to stop the Dutch. Leopold I believed that the German Confederate army would not give up the opportunity to attack the internally weak Netherlands.
At the same time, Leopold I sent someone to deliver a message to the UK again. This time he thought that the other party would send troops to rescue them anyway. After all, a strong and complete Netherlands was not in the interests of the UK.
(Netherlands + Belgium = Netherlands)
In fact, theoretically speaking, Leopold I's views and actions were correct. Belgium was still very enthusiastic about fighting the Dutch. In just one day, the newly recruited army and temporary police force were assembled and headed to the front under the command of Leopold I.
However, not long after leaving the city, they collided head-on with a team wearing a flag similar to theirs on the outskirts of Leuven. It seemed that the Belgian flag had been adjusted, but something seemed wrong.
(Leuven, a city west of Brussels, a traffic artery.)
The Belgian flag and the German Confederation flag are both composed of three colors: black, red, and gold. If you put the German Confederation flag up, it will be the Belgian flag, and vice versa.
The flag of the German Confederation was designed in 1818. Since the German Confederation had little sense of existence, its flag had even less sense of existence. At that time, the flag was also associated with liberals, so it was abandoned historically.
King Leopold I did not know all this. He thought it was a defeated army on the front line. Therefore, Leopold I made a judgment as quickly as possible, and he wanted to go to the front to see the situation in person.
As a result, King Leopold I of Belgium rushed towards the opposite team with a dozen trusted cavalrymen.
King Leopold I was furious when he saw these soldiers were neatly dressed, well-equipped, and talking and laughing.
"Whose army is this? Call your commander out!"
The soldiers looked at the high official running over and couldn't help but burst into laughter listening to the somewhat awkward German.
Leopold I was even more angry when he saw this.
"In this time of national crisis, don't you have any sense of shame?!"
The soldiers suddenly became solemn after hearing this. At this time, a man who looked like an officer came over on horseback.
"May I ask you are?"
"Your king!" Leopold I said with a bit of sullenness and a bit of pride.
As soon as this statement came out, all the soldiers were dumbfounded, including the officer. About ten seconds later, the officer said.
"Your Majesty the King, you have been captured. We are the First Army of the German Confederate Volunteer Army Advance Detachment, and our commander is Archduke Albrecht of Austria. Please disarm your troops, and I will take you to see His Excellency the Archduke. "