Chapter 472: Chapter 45, A Dilemma
 

Inside the Mexican French Command Headquarters, General Skiddel was staring blankly at a map. Lately, the rebel army had become as if energized by a stimulant, suddenly becoming active again.

Over the past month, the more than 20,000 French troops stationed in Mexico had suppressed over a dozen rebellions. However, it was to no avail; after quelling a rebellion in one area, another would spring up elsewhere.

It was like cutting weeds: after one harvest, another would grow. Without uprooting them completely, they would always recover. As the rebel army in Mexico could not be completely eradicated, General Skiddel was considering the reasons.

Eventually, he attributed the root causes to two things: The reforms of Maximilian I and foreign intervention.

Deep down, he cursed the predecessor who had signed the treaty with Maximilian I to no end.

Subcontracting the suppression of rebels? Fine, he acknowledged that the terms offered by Maximilian I were indeed generous, but no matter how favorable the terms, they could not cope with the endless emergence of rebels!

His predecessor had enjoyed the merits of securing substantial benefits for France through the treaty, and now he had been recalled to enjoy his life back home, leaving all the trouble to his successor.

For the sake of France’s reputation, the treaty had to be fulfilled. The Greater French Empire had just been established, and abandoning Mexico at this time would hurt morale too much to bear politically.

Abandoning Maximilian I would be easy, but once that step was taken, finding collaborators in the future would become difficult.

In the original timeline, after Napoleon III gave up on Mexico, he disillusioned many of his subordinates, and this was one of the reasons why France was isolated during the Franco-Prussian War.

Currently, France’s situation was much better. Although they were undergoing strategic contraction, the Greater French Empire appeared more formidable, with its deterrence on the international stage greatly enhanced compared to before.

The Americans were causing trouble, doing their best to conceal their involvement, never openly supporting the rebel army.

As for international meddling, General Skiddel was powerless. With the French conducting strategic contraction, it wasn’t suitable to provoke the United States at this time.

This debt had to be noted down, to be settled later when the opportunity arose.

Without much hesitation, General Skiddel decided to confront Maximilian I. Continuing like this, even if France could endure, he, the Governor of Mexico, could not.

The right or wrong of the reforms had become irrelevant, what France needed now was a stable Mexico.

To General Skiddel, capitalizing on the chaos seemed less appealing than securing gains. Most of Mexico’s most valuable industries had already fallen into their hands; stirring more trouble would be counterproductive.

In the palace, Maximilian I was still busily dealing with state affairs, his daily routine. Compared to most emperors, he could be considered a paragon of diligence.

The white hair on his head and the wrinkles on his forehead attested to this. In just a few years as emperor, Maximilian I seemed to have aged twenty years.

Looking at General Skiddel’s ultimatum, Maximilian I’s heart nearly collapsed, and it was only at this moment that he truly understood politics.

It had nothing to do with right or wrong; it was all about interests.

From a long-term perspective, Maximilian I’s reforms in Mexico were clearly positive.

But this held no value. Those whose interests were harmed by the reforms couldn’t see this at all. Even if they did understand, for their own interests, they would still revolt.

Now the French also stood against him, simply because France needed a stable Mexico, and Maximilian I’s reforms were the root of the country’s instability.

Put bluntly, if he halted social reforms and introduced a few laws to protect Conservative interests, the rebel army in Mexico would instantly reduce by eighty percent.

Maximilian I glared at General Skiddel and said sternly, “General, mind your position, you are overstepping your authority.”

Maximilian I also had no fond feelings for the French. In his view, they were a monster leeching off Mexico’s nutrients.

If he hadn’t been desperate for French support, they would have turned against each other long ago.

Mutual disdain was their way of coexisting; the French held no respect for him as an Emperor, affording him only the necessary public courtesies while privately never giving him any face.

General Skiddel retorted sharply, “Your Majesty, I am well aware of that. However, your actions are truly hard to justify. Please stop these senseless antics, the Mexican people can no longer tolerate a disorderly Emperor.”

With a few lightly spoken words, he completely negated all of Maximilian I’s reforms, branding them as “senseless antics.”

The words infuriated Maximilian I beyond measure. He too was a top-tier second-generation noble, unaccustomed to such treatment.

Ever since becoming Emperor of Mexico, things had changed, and his special status was no longer what it once was.

It was not only the French who caused him distress, but the envoys from various European countries also often frustrated him. A weak nation had no dignity, such was the reality of the era.

Even though he had become Emperor, it seemed that his position was not as high as when he was a Grand Duke in Austria.

At least back then, no one dared to point fingers and instruct him in his presence, and he could act as he pleased without having to endure any indignity here.

After years of experience, Maximilian I had grown. If this had occurred a few years earlier, he probably would have drawn his gun in fury and engaged in a duel of nobility. Now, however, he managed to suppress his anger and continue the discussion.

“This is an internal matter of Mexico, and it has nothing to do with your country. And General Skiddel, do not forget that you are a military man; politics is not your concern.”

The faint threat was the only thing Maximilian I could resort to. Military intervention in politics, if made public, could cause an uproar in France.

Unfortunately, the French public loves such excitement. Napoleon III, who came to power thanks to the army, also prohibited military personnel from engaging in politics.

General Skiddel calmly said, “This is Mexico, and besides, this is just my personal suggestion, not an interference in French politics.

Your Majesty, whether you listen or not is up to you. However, you must bear all the consequences that arise from it. I’m just informing you.

From now on, every time our army is deployed, your country must pay the deployment fee in advance, or we can refuse to accept the mission to suppress the rebellion.”

Having said that, General Skiddel left without looking back. Clearly, the conversation had ended on an unhappy note.

General Skiddel attempted to use the suppression of the rebellion as leverage, forcing Maximilian I to compromise, halt social reforms, and soothe relations with the Conservative faction.

The sound of objects being slammed could be heard; Maximilian I was provoked. The dignity of the Emperor was utterly lost at that moment, and compromise came with a price.

Once concessions were made, the Emperor became nothing but a rubber stamp. The already fragile Reformist faction would dissipate due to the failure of reforms, leaving the Emperor truly isolated.

Maximilian I was truly between a rock and a hard place, with any choice likely to result in an unfavorable outcome.

Patient endurance, waiting for an opportunity to rise again, such words did not exist in the vocabulary of a petulant adolescent.

…

In Vienna, Franz did not reply to Maximilian I this time. Putting himself in Maximilian I’s position, he also wouldn’t know what to do.

Had the path reached this point solely due to reforms? Perhaps not entirely. French colonial exploitation was also a factor exacerbating social strife in Mexico.

Although the French government incurred losses in Mexico, French capitalists profited handsomely, and their gains were far from straightforward, often smeared with blood.

If Maximilian I had allied with the Conservatives from the beginning and carried out limited social reforms to ease social tensions, there might have been a glimmer of hope.

Now it was too late. Before the Reformists could grow stronger, the Rebel army had already gained ground. Suppressing the rebels with French help was just a temporary solution.

Limited by financial resources, Maximilian I had not established an army solely loyal to him. At this critical moment, toppling the table was not even an option.

Taking a step back did not always mean vast and open prospects but was more likely a cliff’s edge. After the failure of the reforms, Maximilian I was destined to be completely sidelined, with no possibility of wielding power again.

Under the rule of the Conservatives and subject to French colonial exploitation, such an Empire was obviously unsustainable.

The Empire was doomed, and the rubber-stamp Emperor could not expect anything good. If it were not for his high birth possibly invoking the Habsburg dynasty’s accountability, someone might have already sent Maximilian I to meet God.

Throughout history, many monarchs died due to reforms, with interest group reprisals always filled with bloodshed.

Faced with a multiple-choice question that had no correct answer, whatever choice was made would be the same. In Franz’s opinion, the best thing to do was to let others die; he might as well abdicate in favor of the Crown Prince and return to Europe.

After all, it was not his son; there wasn’t much affection, and if the son was doomed, so be it.

For the Conservatives, having a young Emperor as a rubber stamp was far easier to control than an adult Emperor—everyone would get what they needed.

This answer did not need to be suggested by Franz, as Maximilian I could already think of it himself. At this time, only Maximilian I himself could make the right choice.