CHAPTER 516: CHAPTER 508: DIPLOMATIC ORPHAN RUSSIA_2

"Good! I hope the Austrian Empire will not regret this!" Count Orlov gritted his teeth and said to Count Baur.

Immediately turning away from the meeting location, after Orlov left, Count Baur showed a bitter smile to Earl of Clarendon and De Luis, saying, "I hope you can keep your promises!"

"Of course!" Earl of Clarendon and De Luis replied in unison.

Then, without the participation of Count Orlov, England, France, and Austria signed the "Four-point Proposal."

1. Russia announces its renunciation of territorial claims over Serbia and the Two Danube Principalities, placing these areas under the joint protection of the European Great Powers (with the Danube Duchy being solely protected by the Austrian Empire) and the High Gate;

2. The Danube River is opened to all commercial navigation;

3. The Straits Convention of 1841 is amended with the goal of "European Power Balance" (Russia’s navy will lose its dominance in the Black Sea Region);

4. Russia relinquishes its protection rights over Christians in Turkey, with their security ensured through agreements reached by the four nations (Austria, the United Kingdom, France, Russia) with the Turkish government.

The "Four-point Proposal" was published on April 17, and after seeing it, Count Orlov’s last hope was extinguished. He took a train to the border of Austrian Galicia and Poland.

Traveling overnight by carriage through the border region, Count Orlov, guarded by a group of Cossack cavalry, finally reached St. Petersburg on April 22, after a four-day and three-night journey.

Count Orlov, with a face full of grief and anger, reported to Tsar Nicholas I about the Austrian Empire’s treacherous defection to the Anglo-French camp, causing Tsar Nicholas I to share the same expression. First, he stared at Count Orlov in shock, then gritted his teeth, demanding Orlov to report again.

"Your Majesty, we have suffered a shameful betrayal! The Austrian Empire now stands with Britain and France!" Count Orlov said in a tragic tone to Nicholas I.

"I am truly an incorrigible fool!" Nicholas I angrily cursed himself through clenched teeth.

Now, Nicholas I deeply regretted why he had previously come to the aid of the Austrian Empire, treating it with the attitude of an elder brother, only to be repaid with betrayal.

"I shall personally lead an expedition against that shameless country of Austria! I want to capture Franz Joseph and cut open his heart to see what it’s made of!" In a fit of rage, Nicholas I contemplated opening a third front against Austria, amidst the confrontation with England, France, and Austria (Ossman).

"Your Majesty, absolutely not!" Count Orlov hastily stopped Nicholas I from dividing the troops.

But Count Orlov’s words only earned him a fierce glare from Nicholas I, "Why not?"

"Your Majesty! The Russian Empire has already declared war on the United Kingdom, France, and Ossman, and we truly do not have the forces to confront Austria as well!" Count Orlov advised bravely.

"What’s there to fear! I only need three infantry legions and a dragon cavalry corps to crush them!" Nicholas I shouted angrily at Orlov.

At this moment, Crown Prince Alexander (the Second) of the Russian Empire appeared before Nicholas I, holding a letter in his hand.

"Your Majesty!" Crown Prince Alexander hurriedly saluted Nicholas I upon entering the palace.

Seeing Alexander’s arrival, Nicholas I restrained his temper slightly, suppressing his anger, he asked Alexander what news he had to report.

"Your Majesty, according to reports from our reconnaissance units in the Danube River Region, the forces of the Austrian Empire are continuously converging towards Transylvania!" Crown Prince Alexander reported to Nicholas I.

"Since when did this start?" Nicholas I asked Crown Prince Alexander.

"Approximately a week and a half ago!" Crown Prince Alexander answered Nicholas I.

A week and a half?

Count Orlov suddenly realized that the timing coincided with when he attended the Four-nation Talks.

It turned out that the Austrian Empire had already placed its bets on the side of England and France.

"What do you think we should do now?" Nicholas I seemed to be asking Crown Prince Alexander, but in fact, he was questioning Orlov.

"Your Majesty, I just returned from the Ministry of War, and they believe our army should voluntarily withdraw from the Danube Duchy!" Crown Prince Alexander relayed on behalf of Count Orlov.

"Why? Could the Empire’s army possibly be inferior to Austria’s?" Nicholas I asked Crown Prince Alexander.

"The Imperial Army is not inferior to the Austrian Empire, Your Majesty, but we have already declared war on three countries, and really should not declare war on a fourth! If the Austrian Empire joins the fight, I’m afraid the Kingdom of Prussia may also become restless! Moreover, the Polish Region has recently been uneasy, and the Kingdom of Sweden in the direction of Finland seems to be..." Crown Prince Alexander explained worriedly.

"Great! The usually inactive people are now all coming to life! It seems they are truly ready to treat me like Napoleon!" Nicholas I spoke with a tone of contempt.

Well aware of the Slavic nations’ inherent flaws, Nicholas I understood that he could not display any weakness in front of his subordinates.

Otherwise, they would consider you a failed Tsar, and the fate of a failed Tsar is none other than death.

"Your Majesty, you are not Napoleon! The Russian Empire is also not the French Empire!" Crown Prince Alexander gave Nicholas I a way out, saying, "Temporarily retracting the punch is for a better future strike! Our front line in the Danube Region is simply too long, and the supplies from the rear cannot meet the needs of the front line. Instead of wasting resources in the Danube Region, it would be better to retract the punch and wait for the Anglo-French Forces’ offensive. Remember how our army used this method to defeat the invincible French Empire in the past!"

Crown Prince Alexander’s words gave Nicholas I a glimmer of reassurance in his restless heart.

Back then, Napoleon led 600,000 troops to attack Moscow, only to be routed by the Russian Imperial Army.

These current forces certainly wouldn’t be a match for the retracted punch of the Russian Empire.

"Let’s wait and see!" Nicholas I sighed to Crown Prince Alexander.

The unwilling Nicholas I still harbored a sliver of hope in his heart, fearing that if the Austrian Empire’s forces were merely bluffing, his withdrawal from the Danube Duchy would be a huge loss.

Seeing that Nicholas I remained unconvinced, Crown Prince Alexander had no choice but to await the Austrian Empire’s next move to awaken Nicholas I.

According to reports from Gorchakov Envoy at the Austrian Embassy, this action by the Austrian Empire was merely a hope that the Russian Empire would retreat from the Danube Duchy. They did not wish to engage with the Russian Empire.

The source of this statement was the War Minister under Emperor Franz Joseph of the Austrian Empire. Their willingness to report this information to the Russian Empire was likely in hopes of easing relations with the Russian Empire after the war.

Of course, the Austrian military did not hope for the two nations to return to pre-war relations; they just hoped for Austria and the Russian Empire to not harbor excessive hostility.

Considering the future situation the Russian Empire might face, Crown Prince Alexander did not, like his father, offer a direct refusal to the Austrian Empire.

If by chance Nicholas I doesn’t suddenly die in the future...

On April 28, the Austrian Empire’s Foreign Minister, Count Baur, officially issued a warning to Russia.

If the Russian army in the Danube Duchy does not promptly withdraw, then the 200,000 Austrian troops stationed in Transylvania will declare war on the Russian Empire.

[PS: Additionally, it should be noted that the expenses for the 200,000 mobilized troops of the Austrian Empire in Transylvania are borne by every citizen of the Kingdom of Lombardy and Venice. Under the Austrian Empire’s compulsory levy, each citizen of Lombardy and Venice was tasked with paying 30 francs. This act by the Emperor of Austria has caused further resentment towards the Austrian Empire within the Lombardy-Venice Kingdom. Many citizens took boats to flee to French Algeria.]

Upon receiving the Austrian Empire ambassador’s ultimatum, Nicholas I first dismissed Prince Paskevich, who was ineffective in battle, then, after days of solitary contemplation, he dispatched someone to the Danube River Region to convey the withdrawal order to the Danube Army.