Chapter 210: The Clown
"Mr. Lenoir, for this trip to Vienna, I'll have to trouble you a bit more. Please first put together the team over there. In the future, our company can form a dual-core structure in Berlin and Vienna, each side focusing on different things, which will benefit the company as a whole." Ernst said to Lenoir.
"Rest assured, Your Highness. Over these years, I've gained quite a lot of experience. I will definitely help the Heixingen Energy & Power Company develop in Austria," Lenoir promised.
Compared to simply running the company, Lenoir was more passionate about research. But after joining the higher ranks of the company, he realized that by relying on it, he could access more resources to carry out his ideas.
"Carl, I'll leave our Berlin operations to you. Are you confident?" Ernst turned to the young Carl Friedrich Benz.
"Your Highness, I absolutely won't let you down," Benz said excitedly.
Anyone would feel excited to suddenly manage such a big company—especially someone young like Benz. He had spent years learning from Lenoir, the senior expert, and now was ready to handle things on his own. Much of the daily work had already been left to him.
"Rosha, going with them to Vienna means you'll have more responsibility. You have a great imagination, but your execution isn't strong enough yet. Learn more from Mr. Lenoir."
…
From its name alone, "Berlin Energy & Power Company," one can see that Ernst's original goal in founding it wasn't limited to the internal combustion engine. In fact, steam power is also a key project, since most machinery in use still runs on steam.
Now Ernst was partially splitting the firm. Though Berlin had its advantages, like the future benefits from German unification and drawing talent from across Germany, it was necessary to be cautious. Prussia's government was among the most efficient of its time, strongly nationalistic. So focusing entirely on Berlin was risky.
Take railroads, for example. That's a crucial resource, and if the Prussian government or military fixed their sights on it, nationalization became likely. Ernst saw no reason to believe the allure of internal combustion technology was any less than railways. If Berlin Energy & Power Company remained in Berlin alone, it faced serious risks.
Hence he wanted to drop the "Berlin" name. He couldn't rename it after East Africa, so he chose "Heixingen." People already knew that the Heixingen Consortium spanned the German states and Austria-Hungary; this understanding was common among the public. Changing its name to the "Heixingen Energy & Power Company" made sense. Then opening a branch in Vienna would be logical. Vienna was top-notch in higher education, so there would be no shortage of talent.
East Africa's first railway would run on steam locomotives for a time. Ernst had no plan to invest heavily in that area, but still wanted some control. The best way was to seek a partner. No partner suited that role better than the Austrian imperial family. In truth, Ernst always found Austria-Hungary more approachable than Prussia. Prussia had too many states within it, and the Heixingen royal family—due to their background—did have some influence, but Heixingen's small size meant that influence was limited, especially since Ernst had never joined the Prussian army or government. So he was naturally disconnected from Prussia's power circle.
East Africa's future primary ally had to be Austria-Hungary, not Prussia—partly because of the marriage ties, but mainly because Austria-Hungary showed little interest or ability for overseas expansion. For East Africa to grow, it had to choose a powerful partner that wouldn't meddle too much.
The new company would have two headquarters: one in Berlin under Benz, focusing on the new automobile project; the other in Vienna under Lenoir and Rosha, focusing on railway technology. In that, internal-combustion locomotives would form a separate project, while steam locomotives would be jointly developed with Austria.
In worldwide comparisons, Austria's railways were moderate: not top-tier, but not weak either. Because Austria's multi-ethnic empire was complicated, its government paid close attention to railway building. So its many rail companies weren't weak, though not exactly strong. This gave the Heixingen Energy & Power Company a foundation for working together.
By these past few years, the Berlin Energy & Power Company had gained some unique expertise in steam power, which complemented Austria's strengths. There was another advantage in moving the railway project to Austria: it helped with imports to East Africa. Next month, the Suez Canal would open, meaning Austrian ships could travel straight to East Africa. In other words, the whole southwest African sea route would decline, Cape Town's strategic importance would plummet, and East African coastal ports would lose some shipping value. But for journeys from East Africa to Europe, it would be far more convenient.
…
"Ernst, you sure don't pass up opportunities. I heard you were in Austria lately, busy setting up an agriculture company, and never showed your face at the palace. But now that you need something, you run straight here. Is it you who spoiled that rascal Ferdinand?" Franz complained.
"Your Majesty, that's not fair. I'm just boosting Austria's economy. Look at the agricultural company and the Heixingen Energy & Power Company—aren't both major enterprises, each employing so many people and paying Austrian taxes? Isn't that a win-win?" Ernst answered.
"Hmph, you're twisting logic. That last time, Ferdinand just sent me a telegram asking me to stuff more people into the Imperial Naval Academy, and I immediately knew it was your idea."
"Your Majesty, the Archduke Ferdinand only wants to accomplish something. Right now, he's East Africa's naval commander, and learning from Austria's navy, a major sea power, isn't shameful. It's not that I egged him on—he's merely dutiful. That shows the Archduke's integrity and sense of responsibility," Ernst said with righteous confidence, defending Maximilian I.
"Alright, enough kidding. Here's the information on one of the railway companies the royal family invests in. If your so-called Heixingen Energy & Power Company wasn't getting results in Prussia, I wouldn't trust a youngster like you."
Ernst's face lit up. "Thank you, Your Majesty. East Africa won't forget what your country has done for us."
"So, about you and Prince Constantin—when do you plan to form a new kingdom? I heard Prince Constantin already went off to East Africa. Mind giving me a hint?"
"Of course," Ernst said with a pitiful look, "but that depends on you, Your Majesty. You want Princess Karina to become a queen, not merely a princess, right?"
Fuming, Franz blew out his mustache. "You brat! Get out, go!"
"Alright, I'll leave now. I wish you a wonderful life!" With that, Ernst dashed off.
"That kid is still so mischievous…" Franz chuckled. For all his words, he felt comfortable with Ernst. Life at the top can be lonely, and having a "clown" around the serious palace atmosphere brought amusement and relief.
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