Chapter 182: The Decision
March 1869.
After inspecting his businesses in Vienna and briefly visiting the Austro-Hungarian royal family, Ernst returned to Heixingen.
The year 1869 was critical. Even just the opening of the Suez Canal at the end of the year would have a far-reaching impact on the East African colony.
The opening of the Suez Canal did not merely signify a change in shipping routes; it affected many of East Africa's affairs. Cape Town's strategic importance would diminish as Britain and France vied for control over the canal. Ernst believed that was also a key reason Britain later allowed Prussia to challenge France—France was currently too powerful.
Now, all the nations of Europe understood that Prussia was building up its strength, and changes to the continental order depended on Prussia's next steps. With Europe's focus fixed there, East Africa would benefit.
Once the Suez Canal opened, the ports of Dar es Salaam and Mombasa in East Africa would lose some significance along the world's major shipping routes. The impact on the East African colony was both good and bad: other powers would be less wary of East Africa, but at the same time, the economic and strategic position of East Africa—and of Africa as a whole—would become more passive.
It's like how the United States pursues relentless encirclement of Russia: geographically, the Americas are somewhat isolated from the rest of the world's "island." If a power like Russia, spanning the European continent, manages to extend its influence across the entire "world island," then the United States would be little more than the ruler of the Americas alone.
Africa is similar. Historically, world trade routes were forced to circle the entire continent; North Africa along the Mediterranean coast was always a major transit route for trade between Europe and the Middle East, while the coasts of East, West, and South Africa lay on the essential path to the Far East. After the opening of the Suez Canal, those regions would fall into decline—unless, of course, sub-Saharan Africa produced a true global power. A sub-Saharan African giant, akin to the United States, could draw the region back into the world trade system and claim a huge share of it; otherwise, South America's trajectory would become the ceiling for Africa's future development.
"Ernst, what have you been up to lately? I've noticed you holed up in the study writing away. Didn't you just return from Vienna, where you established that enterprise?" Prince Constantin walked up behind Ernst, surveying the desk piled high with data and documents.
Prince Constantin had now fully retired from affairs of state and was idle at home, devoting his days mainly to managing his domain. In one year, Constantin would be 70. In the original timeline, Prince Constantin's life had been turbulent—he had no heirs, spent his later years mostly in Prussia, and died in Green Mountain City there.
In this world, however, he had Ernst as a son, and his interest in politics had faded; he was no longer active in the Prussian political scene. In the previous timeline, the famed Hohenzollern House Order had been founded jointly by Prince Constantin and Prince Karl Anton of Sigmaringen, with Constantin showing great enthusiasm for the endeavors of the entire Hohenzollern family.
In this timeline, Prince Constantin devoted most of his energy to raising Ernst, while Karl Anton alone took the lead in establishing the Hohenzollern House Order. Early on, when Ernst was still young, Constantin stayed in Heixingen for his son's sake. Once Ernst fully matured and advanced rapidly, Constantin felt little urge to keep pushing himself. His son was so accomplished—he could simply enjoy his later years.
"Father, I'm working on plans to upgrade and modernize First Town. I want to develop it into a high-level, modern city," Ernst said, flipping through a book on urban construction.
"First Town—that would be the temporary political hub of the East African colony?" Constantin asked.
At present, the Heixingen royal family held two colonial territories: East Africa and Alaska. In contrast to Alaska, where the purchase was officially documented, East Africa was just a royal claim by the Heixingen family itself. The political center of both territories was Heixingen. As the notional owner of these lands, Prince Constantin naturally knew a bit about them.
"Yes, Father. First Town serves as East Africa's political center now and will be our royal family's provisional capital in East Africa. I want to get its development in place early to facilitate our eventual relocation," Ernst said frankly.
"I can see you're really fond of that part of the world. You've decided to place the family's future entirely in East Africa!" Constantin remarked, somewhat moved.
As a European, Constantin certainly felt a deep affection for Europe. Yet his only son wanted to gamble the family's future on some far-flung land, and he wasn't going to stand in his way. For a noble family, the family business always comes first, and from the statistics alone, that region dwarfed their little Heixingen.
Originally, Heixingen was a minor German state, albeit a "nail" that Prussia had driven into southern Germany for strategic reasons, but one that hardly mattered in the present Prussian Kingdom. Once Germany unified, it would have even less influence—unflatteringly, it was just a backwater region. Indeed, much of southern Germany, near the Arls Mountains, has that kind of terrain.
"I have no choice. The benefits in East Africa are enormous, especially as it's grown to what it is now. Anyone who understands its true potential would be tempted," Ernst said, handing Constantin an up-to-date map of East Africa.
"Indeed. Such a vast swath of colonial territory can't stay hidden for long. If the truth gets out, I fear it'll attract attention from those with designs on it," Constantin said gravely as he examined the map, showing the massive territory occupied by the East African colony.
In the past, Ernst had merely offered a "pie in the sky," but now that pie was reality, and Prince Constantin had no choice but to take it seriously.
"Father, here is last year's data for the East African colony. Take a look," Ernst said, pulling a folder from a drawer. Inside were annual reports from 1866 through 1868, three in total.
Prince Constantin dragged a chair over to the conference table and began studying the documents: economics, grain output, resources, population, the military. As he read, his brow furrowed ever more deeply.
A short while later, Constantin set down the papers, his face sober. "It appears East Africa has truly come into its own. What do you plan to do now?"
"Father, I'm considering heading to East Africa within the next year or two, to personally oversee its affairs," Ernst confessed.
"That won't do. East Africa needs someone with enough prestige to keep it in check. Remote control is too risky. I don't believe anything else could be more important than ensuring the Hohenzollern family's hold on East Africa. I can't see how you can remain idle here!" For once, Constantin scolded Ernst sharply.
Ernst fell silent. He did indeed want to fly immediately to East Africa to take command, but he'd been torn among three issues:
First was his only living relative, Prince Constantin. In his previous life, when working in Africa, Ernst couldn't let go of his parents back home. Yet he had to make a living, often traveling abroad for his job. Rootless in a foreign land, he missed them dearly, and eventually died far from home. He dreaded how devastated his parents must have been upon receiving the news. Now, in this life, he treasured his relationship with his father even more, and it remained his biggest psychological barrier to going all in on East Africa.
Second was coordinating the joint development of the East African colony and the Heixingen Consortium. Ernst had tried to convince himself that the consortium still outweighed East Africa, but East Africa's rapid growth was undermining that notion. Its importance to Ernst was now unshakable. Certainly, he also felt deep sentiment for the Far East, but he was a German in this world, and there was no reason for him to interfere in his old homeland's politics from a previous life. Resettling countless impoverished Far Eastern refugees in East Africa was the most he could do for them right now, and he never indulged the fantasy of returning; he knew he truly couldn't go back.
Third, Ernst was waiting for the right moment to officially declare sovereignty over East Africa—at least enough of a moment that most of the great powers would go along with it.
Those were the three reasons for Ernst's struggle. Everyone facing a genuine dilemma has to make sacrifices, and Ernst wasn't a hard-hearted man. The fact that he hadn't exterminated the indigenous people outright showed he wasn't cruel, yet he wasn't weak either, which is why so many of his endeavors had succeeded. If he were a saint, the East African colony wouldn't exist.
"I think I understand your concerns," Prince Constantin said with a sigh.
He saw that his once-proud son had rarely been this conflicted, and he more or less guessed the reason.
"Ernst, remember: life and death are inevitable facts. No one can act on impulse—certainly not us nobles. From the moment we're born, our fate is no longer fully our own; family interests always come first."
"I see. You believe I'm your stumbling block right now, but I'm old, and I see things differently. If you have a plan, go ahead and follow it. I shouldn't be what's holding you back. Every father hopes his child will achieve great things; the last thing he wants is to become an obstacle to his son's growth."
Hearing this, Ernst realized that Constantin might have picked up on that first issue of his worries, but there were still the other two. So he explained, "Father, thank you for your selflessness, but it's not what you think. East Africa is also tied up with…"
Ernst laid out all his difficulties.
"I see. Then it is indeed a tricky choice for you. Yet not going is also a problem…" Prince Constantin pondered after hearing his son's explanation.
"Wait!" Suddenly, Constantin seemed to have an idea.
He stood up. "I think I've found a solution that satisfies both needs. What do you think?"
"What solution?" Ernst asked, puzzled.
"How about I go to East Africa to keep the situation under control for you?" Prince Constantin asked.
Ernst immediately grew uneasy. Certainly, sending his father to East Africa would solve the problem, but the journey at sea wouldn't be kind to an elderly man.
"No, Father. You're too old for a sea voyage. Your body might not handle it," Ernst said flatly.
"Hmph! You underestimate me. I led Heixingen's forces across continental Europe before you were even born. All these years, I've basically been retired in Heixingen for your sake, but my body isn't so much weaker than you young folk. It's just a sea voyage—do you doubt your father's fitness?" Constantin shot back.
"But…"
"No buts. Let's stop arguing. My mind's made up. This isn't just about you anymore; it's about the entire Heixingen royal family and the whole Hohenzollern line. As the current head of the Hohenzollern-Heixingen branch, the decision is mine." With these words, Constantin cut off any chance for Ernst to object.
Originally, Constantin had been a leading candidate for patriarch of the broader Hohenzollern family. But for Ernst's sake, he relinquished it to Prince Karl Anton years ago. A major European family's patriarch had a great deal to handle, and once Heixingen was annexed into Prussia, Constantin also bore responsibilities for both Heixingen and Prussia.
So Constantin let Karl Anton become the overall head of the family, while he remained only nominally employed in Prussia, drawing a salary. When Heixingen was incorporated into Prussia, his ambition faded further. After all, Heixingen had been a small state to begin with—now it was merely a nominal entity. There seemed little reason to keep struggling, especially once he had an heir in this life. In his previous life, without children, he focused on the family's affairs; this time, it was different.
"Arrange a ship right away. I want to head to East Africa and continue our Heixingen royal family's grand enterprise. Don't think I've just been idling these past years. I've actually been itching to do something. As far as I'm concerned, it's impossible to give up power so suddenly. In the past, Heixingen itself limited my reach. But now we have a stage of more than two million square kilometers where I can again fulfill my ambitions. Would you really snuff out your father's dream?" Constantin used a subtle emotional tactic to get Ernst to give in.
As a former king of a small but sovereign state, Prince Constantin had honed his diplomatic skills to the fullest. Ever-shifting alliances were routine, and any country lacking such capabilities wouldn't have survived long. To his father, Ernst's diplomatic talent wasn't bad, but it couldn't match the cunning of an old hand like Constantin.
After a brief father-son struggle, the more experienced Prince Constantin emerged victorious over his "child." Left with no choice, Ernst finally agreed to his father's decision. He did, however, secure a compromise: in the interest of Constantin's well-being and safety, Ernst would make thorough preparations. It wouldn't be possible for Constantin to depart immediately for East Africa. They needed time to coordinate and to arrange the best ships and personnel from the company, and East Africa itself had to quickly prepare a comfortable living environment for Prince Constantin.
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