NOVPUBJerusalem, with the arrival of Franz, this ancient city was once again infused with new vitality.
The crowds of pilgrims from all over the world made Jerusalem prosper overnight. Inns were overwhelmed with guests, and every building within the city had been turned into temporary guest rooms, yet it was still not enough to meet the demand.
To solve the housing crisis, the city administration committee had no choice but to set up temporary lodgings outside the city.
This coronation was of great significance, and naturally, the guests who came to attend were of considerable importance. Nearly all the great nobility of Europe sent core members to participate, with more than a dozen monarchs present.
Well, this is a Shinra characteristic. With a large number of sub-states, naturally, there is also a large number of monarchs.
No matter the size of the sub-state, since people had come to support the event, the expected treatment of monarchs could not be lacking. Hence, the reception became a problem.
The Jerusalem Palace had limited space, and it already seemed somewhat cramped with Franz’s large family residing there, let alone having the capacity to accommodate guests.
This "cramped" is relative, for no matter how modest, it was impossible to make these important personages share rooms with several people each.
Every monarch, at the very least, needed a luxurious estate, one with dozens of rooms, otherwise how could their entourage be accommodated?
Jerusalem did not have so many luxurious estates available, and even though the city administration committee had temporarily carried out renovations, it was still not enough.
The great nobles required prestige, and when they traveled great distances to attend, the reception could not be sloppy.
Limited by conditions, it was understandable if the treatment was slightly lacking, but the basic protocol of matching status with treatment still had to be meticulously observed. 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝙗.𝒄𝒐𝒎
Then, Franz had a headache. Under Ottoman rule, Jerusalem was just a small town, and suddenly being flooded with so many people, reception became a major problem.
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Berlin, after ascending the throne of Poland, Wilhelm I was happy for a day, and then could never find happiness again.
The previous Polish government was overly idealistic, enacting a series of seemingly beautiful but actually toxic policies, leaving behind a mess.
Poland’s natural conditions were not bad, and under normal circumstances, as long as the government did not sabotage itself, achieving a balanced budget should not be a problem.
Wilhelm I was indeed capable, as he immediately abolished a series of "idealistic policies" from the previous government after his accession, significantly reducing government spending.
The reduction was significant, but it was still not enough to get the Polish government out of financial distress, with debts left by the predecessor being the main factor of the fiscal crisis.
To increase fiscal revenue, Wilhelm I carried out internal government reforms in the Kingdom of Poland. Regrettably, the Polish government’s bureaucratic fighting capacity was too weak to complete the tasks he assigned.
This outcome was inevitable; any reform is bound to touch the interests of some, and while pushing for reforms, Wilhelm I also compromised the rights of the bureaucrats.
For example, Wilhelm I’s new economic policy had the core idea of selling off loss-making public enterprises, reducing the government’s financial burden, and stimulating the development of the capitalist market economy.
The state-owned enterprises in the hands of the Polish government dated back to the time of independence when they confiscated the properties of Russians, which inevitably had strong ties to the Russian Empire.
After Poland’s independence, commercial trade with the Russian Empire almost came to a halt, and businesses lost their original markets, already struggling to survive.
At this time, they faced a group of idealistic officials, and the outlook was certainly not optimistic. Soon the enterprises became divorced from the market and relied solely on government subsidies for survival.
Poland was not a planned economy, and in a free-market capitalist system where enterprises wholly obeyed government administrative orders, the outcome was predictable.
Due to the rigid management of the Polish government, over time, interest groups gradually emerged, and corporate losses became increasingly severe.
The losses weighed down on the Polish government’s finances, plunging it into a predicament, with this deficit growing larger day by day.
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The people below concocted a bunch of data, masquerading as an industrial powerhouse, and deceitfully obtained funding for phantom projects. Such tricks could fool the inexperienced Polish Government, but they couldn’t decieve the cunning Wilhelm I.
The lies were exposed, the problem came to light, and reform became imperative. The stakeholders, unwilling to accept defeat, naturally launched a counterattack, and the internal political struggle in Poland intensified.
There was no way around it; the Kingdom of Prussia’s annexation of Poland wasn’t an overnight affair, and the Polish Government still retained an independent administration.
For the sake of political balance, the confidants Wilhelm I promoted to manage the Kingdom of Poland also had to be Polish.
This greatly narrowed the field of choice, and often it was necessary to make compromises, the direct consequence of which was fierce fighting between the Reformist and Conservative factions.
From a monarch’s perspective, such a struggle was in the king’s interest, as it ensured his lofty status.
For the nation, however, this level of political strife interfered with the government’s normal operations and affected the country’s development.
The contradictions didn’t end there; after selling off the Rhineland region, the Berlin Government worked hard on immigration locally. These immigrants weren’t all settled within Prussia; a substantial portion was placed in the Kingdom of Poland.
This move indeed fostered ethnic integration but also led to a series of problems. For instance, the local Polish couldn’t compete with these immigrants for jobs.
The night deepened, yet the lights in Berlin Palace remained brightly lit as Wilhelm I continued to tend to state affairs with a weary body.
It wasn’t just the king who was still at work; the Berlin Government’s top officials also appeared in the palace.
Foreign Minister Geoffrey Friedman: "Your Majesty, the situation has matured. The attention of all European countries has been drawn to Jerusalem. It is time to promote the unification of the two countries."
The Kingdom of Prussia had long sought to annex Poland. The groundwork had been laid for many years, and now it was time to close the net.
Wilhelm I’s expression was impassive, an unwavering mask; yet those who paid attention would notice a flicker of pleasure in his brows, albeit well-concealed.
Prime Minister Maoqi voiced his support: "Your Majesty, it is indeed a rare opportunity. With Franz being crowned King of Jerusalem and the Vienna Government’s high officials in the Middle East Region, the Austrians don’t have the energy to interfere with the Prusso-Polish merger.
We have already given up the Rhineland region. All countries are mentally prepared for the Prusso-Polish merger, and even if there is resistance, it won’t be too strong.
Aside from the Russians, I estimate no one will oppose vehemently."
Giving up the Rhineland had its pros and cons, the greatest advantage being that it freed the Berlin Government from the threat of France; they no longer had to worry about the French.
After a moment of silence, Wilhelm I began to speak slowly: "The Prusso-Polish merger is imperative, but before that, we must do one more thing.
The immigration work in the Rhineland is very problematic, and it won’t be long before we hand over to the German Federation Empire. By that time, it will be difficult for us to recruit more people.
The first problem we will face after the Prusso-Polish merger is ethnic tension. We have historical experience in this area, and we could learn from what the Austrians have done.
If the principal ethnic group can hold an absolute advantage, then pushing forward with ethnic integration work later on will become much smoother."
Assimilating the Polish was a great feat for the Kingdom of Prussia, with at least three million Poles assimilated, constituting a classic case of ethnic integration in Europe.
These successful experiences certainly bolstered the confidence of the Berlin Government. Without such successful precedents, with Bopo so active, who would dare target them?
Prime Minister Maoqi explained with gritted teeth: "Your Majesty, the slow progress of immigration is primarily due to settlement issues. It is easy to move a large number of people, but providing corresponding employment is a challenge."
This was a real problem; had it been feasible to resettle everyone, the Berlin Government would have long since ordered the locals to vacate.
Clearly, it was impossible to create over a million jobs overnight. The immigration work so far had resulted in the settlement of more than four hundred thousand people, an impressive achievement for the Berlin Government.
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