ebookland Chapter 392: The Austro-Hungarian Empire's Compromise Storm Ends
Chapter 392: The Austro-Hungarian Empire's Compromise Storm Ends
In the Austro-Hungarian Consulate, Consul Reed was immersed in his work when a sudden deafening explosion made him stand up involuntarily. The continuous explosions seemed to be announcing something, causing him to feel an inexplicable uneasiness.
Just as Consul Reed was thinking about the cause of the series of explosions, his secretary pushed the door open in a panic. The secretary's face was full of fear and tension, and he spoke tremblingly: "Mr. Consul! It's bad, the troops of the Revitalization Division forcibly blew up the Roman Center Building!"
This news was like a bolt from the blue, and Consul Reed was stunned for a moment. The Roman Center Building was the most conspicuous landmark building in the Austro-Hungarian Concession. Its destruction not only meant that the Austro-Hungarian Empire's power in Beijing-Hong Kong City had suffered a serious blow, but also trampled on the dignity of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Consul Reed took a deep breath and tried to calm his shock and anger. He knew that at this moment he needed to calmly think about how to deal with this emergency. He must immediately negotiate with the Northern Xinjiang government and try his best to calm Su Zhengyang's anger. At the same time, he must also consider how to safeguard the interests and dignity of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in Jinggang City.
Reed sat in the spacious office with a frown on his face. Outside the window, the streets of the Austro-Hungarian Concession formed a sharp contrast with the ruins of the Roman Center Building. The building, which symbolized the landmark of the Austro-Hungarian Concession, had now become a ruin, and the smoke had not yet completely dissipated.
He ordered his secretary: "Go and find out how many casualties there are in the bombing of the Roman Center building. If a large number of expatriate businessmen in our Austro-Hungarian Concession are killed or injured, our relationship with the Northern Frontier Government will never be eased!" Reed's words were full of anxiety and uneasiness. He knew very well that this incident would have a huge impact on the relationship between the two sides.
The secretary left in a hurry. Twenty minutes later, he returned to the office and said with a complicated expression, "Mr. Consul, there were no casualties in the bombing of the Roman Center building. Before the Revitalization Division troops took specific action, they had already evacuated the nearby residents, and all the Roman Trading Company staff in the building were also evacuated safely."
Reed was slightly stunned. This result was beyond his expectations. He thought there would be a large number of casualties, and was even prepared for a complete breakdown in relations with the Northern Xinjiang government. But now, things don't seem to have developed to that point.
Reed pondered for a moment and spoke slowly: "It seems that Su Zhengyang does not want to push the situation to an irreversible point. His action of blowing up the Roman Center building is more of a warning." His tone revealed a bit of relief, but more of it was deep thought.
Although the bombing did not cause any casualties, the relationship between the two sides has reached a freezing point. Reed knows that it is not easy to ease the relationship with the Northern Xinjiang government. He needs to consider not only the incident itself, but also the interests and positions behind both sides.
The sunlight from the window shone through the curtains onto the desk, casting mottled shadows. Reed looked at the interweaving of light and shadow, and had already made a decision in his heart. He had to get in touch with the country as soon as possible, so that the country could issue new orders and decisions as soon as possible. This bombing operation was Su Zhengyang's final warning.
The phone in Reed's office suddenly rang, breaking the silence in the room. On the other end of the phone, Fu Jiang's voice was clear and firm, and every word was like a heavy stone hitting Reed's heart.
"The bombing of the Roman Center building is just the beginning." Fu Jiang's words made Reed's heart sink. He understood that this incident was not just a simple destruction, but a way for Su Zhengyang to clarify his attitude.
"If the Austro-Hungarian Empire still cannot show an attitude that satisfies us before eight o'clock tomorrow morning, we will officially let the entire Austro-Hungarian Concession fall into the flames of war." Reed could not ignore the determination revealed in Fu Jiang's words. He knew that this was not an empty threat, but the true determination and attitude of the Northern Xinjiang government.
Reed's hand trembled slightly as he held the phone. He knew that the severity of this incident was far beyond his control. He had to report this situation to the domestic government immediately to let them know that the current situation could not be delayed.
After hanging up the phone, Reed immediately began to draft a telegram, conveying Fu Jiang's threat to the domestic government without missing a word. He knew that this was his duty as a consul and a manifestation of his loyalty to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The sky outside the window gradually darkened, but Reed's heart was as heavy and gloomy as the sky outside the window. He knew that the next few hours would be the longest and most tormenting time in his life. He could only pray silently, hoping that the domestic government could give a satisfactory answer to avoid this possible war disaster.
The streets outside the window were busy and tense. Soldiers from the Zhenxing Division had already set up camp on the streets. Their movements were swift and orderly, and they were clearly ready to go into battle at any time. These soldiers were dressed in uniform, with serious faces and firm eyes. Their arrival brought a solemn atmosphere to this originally prosperous Austro-Hungarian Concession.
Reed looked at all this, his heart filled with worry and helplessness. He knew that Su Zhengyang's words were not groundless, and the war could really break out at any time. And the gendarmerie of the Austro-Hungarian Concession was indeed as fragile as a piece of duckweed when facing the powerful combat power of the Zhenxing Division, and had no ability to resist.
The people on the street were also panicked by this sudden crisis. They hid in their homes and stayed at home. The originally bustling streets became empty, with only the footsteps of the soldiers echoing. This silence and tense atmosphere made Reed feel an unprecedented pressure.
The situation has reached a critical moment that cannot be delayed.
At three o'clock in the morning, the lights in the office were still on. Reed sat at his desk, awake all night, his eyes bloodshot and his expression showing deep worry. After a long wait, he finally received a reply from the domestic government.
He nervously opened the telegram and read the contents carefully. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was willing to accept a series of conditions proposed by Su Zhengyang and authorized him to handle the incident with full authority to ease the relationship with the Northern Xinjiang government, ensure the safety of the Austro-Hungarian expatriates in the concession, and safeguard the interests of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the Northern Xinjiang.
After reading the contents of the telegram, Reed finally breathed a sigh of relief, as if a huge rock in his heart had finally fallen to the ground.
His clothes were already soaked with sweat and now stuck to his body, bringing a chill. Reed stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the quiet street.
After thinking for a moment, Reed couldn't wait to pick up the phone on the table and dialed the number of the President's Office in Northern Xinjiang. After the phone rang a few times, it was connected. Reed's slightly nervous voice came into the receiver: "Hello, I am Reed, a diplomat from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. I have important matters to communicate with the President's Office."
However, to his surprise, the voice on the other end of the line was actually Su Zhengyang himself. Reed was slightly stunned, then adjusted his tone and said more formally and respectfully: "President Su, hello, I am Reed. Thank you very much for answering my call in person."
Su Zhengyang's voice sounded calm and firm: "Mr. Reed, I know why you called me at this time. We in Northern Xinjiang have received specific information about the telegram from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Congratulations, the Austro-Hungarian Empire made a wise decision and avoided war.
Reed breathed a sigh of relief. He knew the importance of this call. He sorted out his thoughts and said, "President Su, on behalf of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, I express my sincerest apologies to you. We understand that some of our past actions may have touched your bottom line, but this was only the personal behavior of the fool Zalt. I hope it will not affect our friendly relations."
Su Zhengyang was silent for a moment, then said: "Mr. Reed, you are a smart man and you are well aware of the seriousness of the problem. In half an hour, the Zhenxing Division will withdraw from the concession, and I hope you can fulfill your promise on behalf of the Austro-Hungarian Empire as soon as possible."