Holy Roman Empire

After Napoleon III annexed the Kingdom of Sardinia, Victor Emmanuel II, who had fled to London, established the Sardinian Exile Government with the help of the British.

Later, when the French annexed the remaining Italian territories, Victor Emmanuel II reluctantly became the leader necessary for the anti-French movement in Italy.

The reason was simple, the barefoot are not afraid of those with shoes, and Victor Emmanuel II, who had nothing left to lose, had the courage to fight to the death with the French.

In contrast, the situation was different for the other sub-state royal families. Although the French had taken their countries, they still nominally wore the crowns and received an annual pension.

Against this backdrop, everyone was very dissatisfied, but nobody had the courage to openly confront the French, and they merely engaged in petty schemes in secret.

Initially, the Sardinian Independence Organization was only supported by the British, and its organizational structure was generally stable. Later, when it expanded to become the Italian Independence Organization, the situation began to change.

Austria also became a supporter of the independence organization; with another financier, many things became complicated.

In 1878, after the death of Victor Emmanuel II, his nine-year-old son inherited the throne. Such a young child naturally lacked the ability to settle internal conflicts.

The Italian Independence Organization existed in name only and gradually split into four groups, representing the Kingdom of Sardinia, the Papal State, Naples, and Tuscany.

As a result, the Italian independence movement also fell into a low period. Even when the Paris revolution broke out, their subsequent uprising was but a flash in the pan.

When a lion fights a rabbit, it still uses all its strength. With a European war imminent, Franz naturally sought to ally with any force he could.

Although the Italian Independence Organization was weak, it had strong appeal among the Italians!

Just imagine, during a critical moment in the Franco-Austrian War, if the Italian soldiers in the French Army suddenly laid down their arms—it would be a comedic sight.

Without a doubt, the most powerful and influential within the Italian Independence Organization was the direct line of Victor Emmanuel III's Sardinian Independence Organization.

Despite the Kingdom of Sardinia being annexed by the French and an additional crown placed on the Emperor's head, Victor Emmanuel III was recognized as the legitimate King of Sardinia by European nobility.

No matter how powerful France was, a crown obtained illegally was not acknowledged by the European Nobility Circle. In this aspect, Franz also played a major role; the Habsburg family was at the forefront of denying the Bonaparte family's legitimacy to the Sardinian throne.

In a country estate in Suburban London, an old man and a young man were fishing. It was evident that their minds were elsewhere; even as the floating objects on the water were continuously tugged, they paid no heed.

The Austrian Envoy to London, Jonas: "Your Majesty, the outbreak of a European war is imminent, and your chance for restoration has come."

The young Victor Emmanuel III smiled faintly, "That is still only a chance. The French powers are still formidable.

Italy's liberation from the rule of France is still very difficult. Unless your country can heavily defeat the French on the battlefield, relying solely on the strength of the Independence Organization is sheer suicide."

This was the key issue and the focus of contention.

Jonas hoped the Italian Independence Organization could launch an uprising first to shake the morale of the French troops, increasing the Austrian army's chances of victory on the battlefield.

Victor Emmanuel III, on the other hand, hoped that Austria would defeat the French on the battlefield first, and then the Independence Organization would launch an uprising.

Jonas shook his head, understanding Victor Emmanuel III's wariness, as the King of Sardinia and Austria had always had a strained relationship.

If they drove away the French only to welcome the Austrians, it would be swapping a tiger at the front door for a wolf at the back.

"Your Majesty, there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. To attain national independence without paying a price is impossible.

I know what you are worried about and understand your feelings, but you should know that Austria never mistreats its allies.

Since we have made a promise to support your country's independence, we will fulfill our commitment.

However, Austria also believes in quid pro quo; the price paid will determine the spoils gained.

If you wait until the situation is decided before joining in, we can no longer guarantee the territorial integrity of your country."

This was an outright "threat." Evidently, Jonas had determined that Victor Emmanuel III would not collaborate with the French and must gain Austria's support for restoration.

Victor Emmanuel III's color changed drastically; he was still too young to maintain his composure in the face of such emotions.

"Your Excellency, maintaining the territorial integrity of the Italian Area is our bottom line! If that cannot be achieved, then there is nothing to discuss."

Envoy Jonas reminded, "Your Majesty, you are only the King of Sardinia and do not have the authority to speak for the other three sub-states.

"In fact, we've already reached an agreement among the representatives of three nations, and now we're just discussing the King of Sardinia with you,"

In these years, Italy is merely a geographical name, internationally recognized as four Sub-States. The Italian Independence Organization is just a makeshift troupe, holding no legal significance.

Hearing this answer, Victor Emmanuel III's face grew even darker.

As the leader of the Italian Independence Organization, he had thought that driving out the French would make him the King of Italy.

However, reality was a harsh blow. Jonas clearly told him that this was impossible.

The Italian Independence Organization didn't represent much; Austria only recognized Sardinia, the Papal State, Naples, and Tuscany.

Without Austria's recognition, there was no talking of an Italian King. Victor Emmanuel III was extremely unwilling, yet he lacked the clout to turn the tables.

He did not wish to cooperate with Austria, but there were plenty of others who did. Don't assume that members of the Independence Organization are above it all; everyone needs to eat.

Even as king, living in exile abroad allows for a lavish lifestyle, but his followers below him are the ones truly suffering.

Even those who were wealthy have been worn thin after so many years of struggle; those from poorer families have already started taking jobs in London, struggling to survive on the meager subsidies the Independence Organization doles out.

Over the years, the once fiery youth have been ground down by life, and restoration was their only chance to turn things around.

Whether for Italy or for the King of Sardinia, as long as they have the means to establish power, they could instantly become high and mighty rulers.

That last straw, no one would let go. Anyone who stood in the way was an enemy to all, even Victor Emmanuel III, the nominal leader, was no exception.

After pausing for a moment and gathering his thoughts, Victor Emmanuel III slowly said, "Your Excellency the Envoy, we can find ways to restrain the French, but we lack the power to confront the French Army directly."

Seeing his goal achieved, Jonas replied with a smile, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, Austria does not betray friends.

Once the war breaks out, you just need to cause havoc to the French logistics from behind the scenes, there's no need to engage directly on the battlefield.

For example: spreading rumors to shake the moral of the French troops; calling upon Italians not to sell their lives for the French; sabotaging roads and bridges, organizing labor strikes...

To minimize losses, you can also encourage non-violent non-cooperation among the people, all these will count as contributions."

Relieved by Jonas's explanation, Victor Emmanuel III could breathe easier. Slogan chanting was their forte, and the Independence Organization's weakness lay in military matters.

As long as there's no fighting with the French, they could still do some behind-the-scenes sabotaging.

After a brief pause, Envoy Jonas added, "The contribution you make to this war will determine the benefits you'll receive afterwards. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire

If your contributions are significant enough, territories, war reparations - you will have them. Those disputed territories between the former King of Sardinia and France could also be in your grasp."

This was not just empty promises. As long as they won the war, regardless of their performance, the disputed territories would be marked for the Kingdom of Sardinia.

Austria had no appetite for annexing France; after the war, the enmity between France and Austria would undoubtedly deepen, potentially remaining unresolved for decades.

For the stability of the western front, the Austrian Government must weaken France. Besides the possibility of Italian independence, mainland France was still very stable, basically impossible to divide.

Even if it were forcibly split, it would likely reunify within a few years; Franz was not one to engage in futile efforts.

Under such circumstances, aside from courting neighboring countries for a joint partition, there weren't many good options for the Austrian Government.

Moreover, what was being divided was not just land, but also the accompanying hatred.

If they took land from the French, they would have to be prepared for a bitter struggle with France. Besides clinging to Austria's coattails, there were simply no alternatives.

Without any hesitation, Victor Emmanuel III responded resolutely, "Rest assured, Your Excellency the Envoy, we'll do our utmost to cause trouble for the French!"

The terms were very generous indeed, much better than what Victor Emmanuel III had anticipated, and Austria had no designs for the territories of the Kingdom of Sardinia.

The only regret was that Austria opposed his unification of the Italian Area, but for Victor Emmanuel III, this wasn't a major issue.

Having begun his life in exile, Victor Emmanuel III too had experienced hardships, and despite his youth, he was not naive.

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