Chapter 68: No Risk, High Reward

Even now, he is not allowed to back down. Gritting his teeth, Robert said: "Your Excellency Marshal, there are many innocent people in this rebellion who were taken in by the rebels, and are now under arrest. They all have a family to support. When do you think they will be released?"

Marshal Radetzky said: "This is indeed a problem, but you do not have to worry. We are in the process of judging, but it will take some time. As for the needing to support their families back at home this is easy to handle, the Venice city government has started to release food, everyone can receive a ration, and they will not be hungry!"

It is not something that can be done overnight to find out who are the real insurgents and who are the people who are being held in.

The enemy is about to attack. At this time, stability is of the upmost importance. Marshal Radetzky does not want to take risks, and Franz is even less likely to take risks, that is the reason why upon the first chance, the Vienna government decide to capture everyone.

Most of these people are workers anyway, and it doesn't matter if they make a mistake. When the government pays them back and arranges them in state-run factories, it will be enough to quell their grievances.

With a little guidance, the target of their hatred can be shifted to the rebel party. After all, if it wasn't for those rebels to pull them into the mud, such misfortunes would have never happen to them.

Of course the government has to be righteous, even if they make a mistake, the goverment will continue to pay wages, correct? The jobs are also settled incidentally. No matter what the state-run factories are, they are much better than how the capitalists treat them.

If there is no comparison, there is no harm. People are realistic, especially these ordinary people who worry about eating, drinking and sleeping every day.

This point has been confirmed. Haven't the serfs who started the revolution in Venice are now loyal supporters of the Habsburg family?

Marshal Radetzky was able to easily deal with the Venetian rebels because of the defections of the serfs? As long as you help the government army suppress the rebellion, you can divide the land among themselves. Who was going refuse?

The hype that the revolutionaries brag about, in fact, when it comes to specific measures, they have not considered the interests of the people at the bottom at all. Whether it is independence or freedom, such words and expression wasn't something they can fill their stomach with.

Under the strong request of Franz, this time the Austrian army strictly implemented the policy of suppressing the rebels and dividing the land. In addition to dividing the land, the government also took out the agricultural tools and food that were taken from the nobles who rebelled and given them out willingly to the people.

The countryside in the Venice area is now stable, and the remaining aristocrats who have escaped the disaster have to be cautious, for fear of being related to the rebels.

Now that the serfs have been forcibly liberated, these newly freed peasants are staring at these nobles, hoping that they will also rebel, in that way they will get a share of the food, tools, and land.

This is also the reason why these nobles did not revolt or make any noise after the Austrian government started killing the noble rebels, because at this point of time they were truly frightened.

There is no other way, the Austrian Italian region has always been unstable, and it is an unpopular region in the Austrian Empire. The politics has been severely suppressed, thus naturally the right to speak out is suppressed as well

When Marshal Radetzky order killed the killing and execution in this region, that it can form a lake, and yet the Vienna government did not respond. It was a deep lesson to the rebels and the people in the region to tell them who is the person in charge.

In this short period of just over a month, the nobles of rank nearing 7th in Venice have been stripped of their titles, and the capitalists that have 8th rank have had their homes raided. These people have either escaped from Venice or have been executed.[1]

For the remaining capitalists, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. With so many competitors down, it would be foolish not to seize the market.

Anyway, no matter who rules Venice, the capitalists need to pay taxes. As long as they don't run into rebels or decide to rebel, they won't be affected by the current situation.

With the Austrian government going on a spree of execution this time. Was it because some people thought that just because they have some weapons and funds they can be thick-skinned enough to be allowed to rebel? Well, in fact, these are not impossible to do. As long as you are a little careful, you will be fine if you are not caught by the Austrian government. Blame these people for being too arrogant.

These people think they have nothing better to do and decided to just go around pretending to be like the French and starting a banquet and mingling with the Revolutionary Party?

The ones who survived are all smart people. Seeing that the Robert family and the Marshal Radetzky family having some friendship, in order to resume production as soon as possible and seize the market, the capitalists are now recommending him as a representative to negotiate.

After listening to the words of Marshal Radetzky, Robert knew that he was in trouble, but he still fought hard.

"Your Excellency Marshal, since the rebellion broke out in the Venice area, the local economy has been hit hard. If production cannot be resumed as soon as possible, I am afraid that this year's tax revenue will become an issue!"

Marshal Radetzky looked at him and smiled, then said calmly, "Robert, aren't you stating the obvious? Because of the war, the local economy has been devastated. I have already reported to the Vienna government, requesting that this year's tax be exempted. Could it be that if I return those who are captured, you will be able to guarantee that the tax revenue in the Venice area will not be reduced this year?"

Robert replied hesitantly: "No, I can't guarantee!"

He really didn't dare to promise that this year's tax revenue in the Venice area could receive one-fifth of the previous year's, which would have a God's blessing.

What to do with the remaining difference, will they make them pay it make up with other goods? They are not Thirteen Factories, they don't have a huge commerce system![2]

Marshal Radetzky bewitched: "I understand your purpose, our war with the Kingdom of Sardinia is about to start, and in order to ensure the stability of the Venice region, these people will definitely not be able to come back before the review is completed. I also understand your desire to take the opportunity to expand production and seize the market. Don't worry, when we defeat the Kingdom of Sardinia, your revenue will be even greater. Since the capitalists in the Lombardy region have all decided to side with the Sardinian kingdom, they are naturally not qualified to continue to exist. I think you can fill the gap left by them!"

This is a stark implication that as long as Austria wins the war, the main business circle of northern Italy will become Venice.

Robert could barely controlled his emotions and said, "Your Excellency Marshal, what price do we have to pay?"

"It's very simple, you just need to build momentum in the Kingdom of Sardinia and let them send troops to Venice in advance!" Marshal Radetzky replied calmly.

Roberts is overjoyed that this is a low-investment, high-return, and zero-risk investment.

If you fail, it's a big deal to pay a little publicity expenses. If you succeed, everyone's industry can be doubled, or even several times higher.

[1] I don't have a good way to word this. Essentially noble ranks are similar in old China and Old Europe like all of them have lords, count, viscount, earl, duke, prince, etc. But China has another which is defined by rank like count has 3 ranks and so does the ones higher up. Think of it as like Generals in the military there are 1-5 stars, if someone reading understand history enough, you can help me clarify and I'll re-write this, that sentences.

[2] Ok, I thought this was another saying in Chinese. But it is not. History time: The Thirteen Factories was a special commerce system that the Qing Emperor created and appointed to officials to handle back in 1820. Many of the today's modern G20 was part of this commerce including the US, Spain, Britain, Russia, France etc. This commerce at that time became one of the largest centers of world economy amounting over 20% of the world's money flow. This made many countries wealthy especially China. China became so wealthy at that time that British being the greedy piece of sh*t they are decided to start the Opium war 2 decades later. So yea, it was a very big deal 2 centuries ago.