Chapter 459: Obligations of the Coalition
The expected deafening bang didn't occur.
Both Basel and Baron Walter simultaneously stared at the pistol, then realized—it hadn't fired.
Although flintlock muskets were quite mature by now, the flint striking the frizzen produced scattered sparks, meaning there was a certain probability that none would enter the flash pan. This was why flintlock muskets consistently failed to achieve a firing rate above 90%.
And Basel had just encountered that unlucky 10%.
Walter froze for a moment, then yanked the courtesan beside him, turning to flee into the room while shrieking:
"Help! Someone's trying to kill me!"
Basel angrily pushed aside the frizzen and cocked the hammer again. As he raised the pistol, he saw the terrified Fini blocking the scoundrel.
Unwilling to accidentally harm the woman, he stepped forward and pushed her aside, only to see Walter overturn a table and hide behind it.
At the corridor entrance, Walter's bodyguard heard the cries for help and frantically rushed towards them.
The bodyguard moved with practiced ease, drawing a dagger from his waist and throwing it at Basel.
Simultaneously, the music teacher finally reached the wooden table, pointed the pistol downwards, and squeezed the trigger with force.
However, with a soft "thwip," his body lurched slightly as something struck him. At the same time, the pistol spat fire, and a bullet grazed Walter's thigh before embedding itself in the liquor cabinet behind him.
Wood chips flew everywhere, and Walter let out a shriek of pain.
A flicker of joy crossed Basel's face, but then a sharp pain erupted in his back. He felt as if all strength had drained from him, and his head slumped as he collapsed to the side.
His vision blurred, and he vaguely saw the scoundrel covered in blood, screaming incessantly.
"Flower of Vienna, I have killed the devil..." His body convulsed, yet a few words escaped his lips, "I love you, I hope you can be free..."
The bodyguard darted in, glanced at the dagger lodged in the assassin's upper left back, then felt for a pulse in his carotid artery. Confirming he was dead, he moved to Baron Walter, who was slumped in the corner:
"Where are you injured, sir?"
"N-no, I don't know, it hurts so much! I've been shot! Ah, ah—"
The bodyguard righted him and examined him closely, confirming there were only splinters embedded in his waist and legs, and a piece of wood had pierced his palm. There were no fatal wounds, which made him sigh in relief.
Schönbrunn Palace.
Joseph II, on his sickbed, heard the words his brother Leopold II whispered in his ear. He immediately opened his eyes wide and struggled desperately to sit up.
The attending physician immediately stepped forward to support him, and then heard His Imperial Majesty, who hadn't spoken in nearly a week, utter with difficulty:
"Good! Good! Lieg...nitz, dinner, I..."
Leopold II quickly interjected:
"Your Majesty, are you planning a banquet to celebrate the recapture of Liegnitz?"
Joseph II nodded weakly, trying to raise his hand at the same time:
"Commend... Lacy..."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I have already sent Marshal Lacy's commendation order to the front lines," Leopold II replied. "Currently, nearly 70,000 Coalition Forces are fiercely assaulting the fortress of Breslau."
"Good, good!" Joseph II's pale face was filled with a smile. "I want Silesia..."
With that, as if all his strength was spent, he leaned against the physician and fell asleep.
The latter quickly checked the emperor's pulse, then nodded to Leopold II:
"His Majesty is simply too weak. Perhaps I should perform a bloodletting treatment for him."
"I leave it all to you then."
...
In a suite on the second floor of Schönbrunn Palace, Archduchess Ludovika of Austria watched her brother with a pained expression. He was covered in bandages, especially his left hand, where only two fingers remained; the others had been amputated by the doctors.
A sudden burst of cheers drifted in from outside the window, and Baron Walter turned his head to look:
"Cousin, what are they doing?"
"They must be celebrating the great victory at Liegnitz," Ludovika replied. "Supposedly, Marshal Lacy won a decisive battle there, eliminating nearly 2,000 enemy troops, and is now at the gates of Breslau."
Walter clutched his waist wound and asked with a mix of surprise and doubt, "How is that possible? Last week, they were saying the situation in Silesia was unfavorable, that the Prussians had even broken through our lines... How could it change so quickly?"
"Marshal Lacy's report says that French forces suddenly appeared on the flank of the Prussian army attacking our lines, splitting the enemy..."
Walter stiffened immediately, then quickly asked, "Weren't the French forces besieged in Oberon?"
Ludovika sneered, "Who knows? They just suddenly broke through the encirclement."
Walter grabbed her arm. "So, the French Crown Prince wasn't captured?"
"No," Ludovika pursed her lips. "His Majesty even had a letter written to express his gratitude to him."
Walter's eyes suddenly widened. 'So it was him...'
"Who? What are you talking about?"
"The assassin mentioned him at the time. I thought he'd been captured or killed, so I didn't pay it any mind."
Walter's expression was filled with dread. 'Now that I think about it, that assassin was sent by him! Yes, that woman must have wanted revenge on me, so she asked him to kill me...'
Ludovika looked at him anxiously. "Who exactly are you talking about?"
"The French Crown Prince!"
...
Liegnitz.
Joseph was comfortably watching the Austrian army arrive to relieve his troops when Berthier approached quickly, bowing to him and saying:
"Your Highness, Marshal Lacy has sent a consignment of supplies for the troops, and some women... Also, he requests that we proceed to Breslau as soon as possible."
He then lowered his voice:
"From what I've heard, his offensive there isn't going very smoothly."
Joseph nodded:
"Please reply on my behalf, thanking Marshal Lacy for the supplies. As for going to Breslau..."
He recalled the time. It was already February, and although he couldn't remember Joseph II's exact date of death, it had to be close.
"Tell him that our army, after prolonged intense fighting, requires two weeks of rest. After that, we will immediately go to reinforce them."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Berthier was about to turn and leave when Joseph called out to him again:
"Oh, and please issue a secret order to General Kellermann, instructing him to prepare the baggage train for an immediate return to France."
Currently, over half of the 30,000 French forces under Kellermann are with Marshal Lacy, attacking Breslau.
"Huh?" Berthier sounded surprised. "Can you tell me the reason for this?"
Joseph smiled faintly. "We cannot get too deeply entangled in Silesia. It's time to leave."
Berthier was greatly alarmed. "Your Highness, such a move would severely impact the Franco-Austrian alliance."
"Please don't worry. I will handle the diplomatic issues."
...
Britain.
London.
St. James's Palace, Parliament Hall.
James Fox, leader of the Whig Party, slammed his hands on the table and declared loudly:
"France has effectively entered the war! They have over 50,000 troops in Silesia. Now is the time to fulfill our military obligations to our Prussian allies!"
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