Vienna, Hofburg Palace.
The Austrian army, returning from the Eastern Crusade, paraded through Vienna before setting off for their respective garrisons. For the foreseeable future, they would need to remain at their bases awaiting the completion of replenishment work.
During this period, Laszlo had no intention of launching any wars.
Although the Eastern Crusade was organized through a method close to crowdfunding, the financial pressure borne by Austria was still considerable.
Military expenditure was one aspect, and the other was road construction; the latter consumed no less gold and silver than the military budget.
In the past few years, the main roads connecting Vienna to Trieste were largely completed. However, the maintenance and condition of secondary roads, which were entrusted to local authorities, varied widely.
Laszlo planned to find an opportunity later to inspect the quality of this Austrian "National Road," but for now, the most important thing was naturally reuniting with his family after a long separation.
Even Empress Dowager Elizabeth, who had settled in her homeland Hungary, returned to Vienna with Laszlo this time.
"Look at this, my dear Laszlo, my Emperor, this is a precious gift bestowed upon you by the Pope."
Joanna was overjoyed by her husband's return, and she was even happier that the Pope had also acknowledged Laszlo's achievements.
She held a Golden Rose in her hands, delighted like a child, presenting the rare gift to Laszlo as if it were a treasure.
The Queen's fervent gaze made Laszlo feel slightly unnerved.
"The Pope's Messenger wished me to convey the Pope's invitation to you. He said Rome welcomes your visit anytime."
Laszlo glanced down at the silver, Gold-Plated Rose in Joanna's hand, his expression unusually calm.
"I will go to Rome, and we will go together when the time comes," Laszlo took the Golden Rose from the Queen's hand. "As for this gift... it hasn't changed at all over the years."
Elizabeth, standing nearby and smiling at her son and daughter-in-law, felt a brief moment of daze upon hearing this, but then her smile widened, and her eyes, fixed on Laszlo, were full of satisfaction.
"My child, I remember you have four of them in your Treasury. Now, with this one, you have enough to make a bouquet, don't you?"
"Yes, my grandfather had two, my father had one, and I have two. The Pope's 'award' doesn't seem so precious anymore."
Laszlo was extremely familiar with this thing.
Although Sigismund suffered a devastating defeat leading the Gan Army at Nicopolis, he still received a consolation prize from the Pope: a Golden Rose.
Subsequently, he led five Hussite Crusades, largely crushing the resistance of the Huss-Tábor faction, thus receiving another gift from the Pope.
Albrecht II also received the same gift due to his victory at Belgrade.
As for the two Golden Roses Laszlo received, they corresponded exactly to his two Eastern Crusades.
The Pope usually bestows this gift upon individuals who have made outstanding contributions to faith and public welfare, and Laszlo perfectly fit this description.
Of course, this was also likely a means for Paul II to curry favor with him, as their relationship was currently very close.
"Regardless, you are the first person to receive two Golden Roses since your grandfather. If your grandfather and father knew of the achievements you have made today, they would certainly be proud and overjoyed for you."
Not only the Previous Emperors who left Laszlo a massive inheritance, but also his mother and wife currently by his side, were filled with joy over his victory and safe return.
Even Joanna, who had previously spoken about maintaining Marital Chastity, now displayed extreme enthusiasm toward Laszlo.
By Laszlo's own feeling, this was no longer the enthusiasm expected between husband and wife; it had escalated to a level of reverence and admiration.
To be honest, he had abandoned his new wife less than a month after marriage to embark on the Eastern Crusade, disappearing for nearly two years. He had expected their relationship to be cool, if not outright hostile, upon his return, especially since this carefully chosen Political Marriage had no emotional foundation.
However, the current situation was much better than he had imagined.
He had only known that Castilians were zealous; were the Portuguese also like this?
Recently, rumors circulated across Europe that he was a Christian Emperor blessed by God, destined to rule the entire Christian world... These rumors were, of course, thanks to the scholars he employed, and it seemed Joanna, the devout believer, had actually taken these lies to heart.
He didn't know what to make of this situation.
Laszlo didn't dwell on these issues too much; he immediately shifted his attention to the children standing nearby.
"Father, congratulations on defeating the Heathens once again and returning in triumph."
Christopher continued to be Laszlo's steady source of reassurance. Since Leonor's departure, he had voluntarily taken on the responsibility of caring for his siblings, becoming mature and responsible under the guidance of Cardinal Georg.
Although the education he received taught him to restrain his emotions, the joy and excitement of reuniting with his father could not be hidden.
"Welcome home... Emperor."
In comparison, Maximilian's demeanor was much colder; he only offered a welcome to Laszlo out of courtesy.
This child used to be closest to Leonor. Perhaps because he was handsome from a young age, he received long-term pampering from his mother and the Court Attendants, making him difficult to manage now.
In short, he was going through his Rebellious Phase.
Especially after Laszlo married Joanna, Maximilian's relationship with him deteriorated further.
The boy hardly concealed his dislike and aversion towards Joanna, his Stepmother and cousin, a situation that gave Laszlo a massive headache.
Joanna had been married into Austria for almost two years. The political education she received since childhood allowed her to handle the duties of the Austrian Regent with ease.
However, she was merely a young woman who had just turned 18. Asking her to manage five children alone in the Viennese Imperial Palace, two of whom were teenagers only a few years younger than her, was indeed too difficult.
Laszlo sighed softly, feeling like a deeply sinful man.
He turned to look at Joanna. The young Queen's eyes darted away; she seemed to blame herself for Maximilian's unusual behavior and was worrying inwardly, afraid of incurring her husband's displeasure.
"You've truly worked hard over the past year or so."
Laszlo took his wife's hand and comforted her softly.
"No, Your Majesty, it is you who truly suffered hardship fighting the Heathens in the East. I couldn't even manage a small matter..."
Joanna was very touched by Laszlo's concern, but when she glanced at Maximilian, she saw him staring at her with a hostile glare, which made her mood sink further.
Laszlo also sensed that the atmosphere was turning awkward. He frowned and patted Maximilian's shoulder. The boy remained stiff, lifting his head to stare defiantly back at him.
Helena and Kunigunde, standing behind Maximilian, nervously scrutinized their father, who traveled frequently and returned to see them only after long intervals. They were both adorable, but their shyness outweighed their desire for closeness, so they dared not approach Laszlo.
Just as Laszlo was worrying about how to interact with his children, the intrusion of an Attendant interrupted the family's rare reunion, and Laszlo saw a ray of liberation.
In terms of being a father, he was likely a failure. He was always busy with various matters, shamelessly leaving his children to his mother, his wife, and the Tutors he had selected for them.
It seemed he needed to do something to make up for his previous absence.
However, if an opportunity to escape presented itself, he would flee the scene that made his scalp crawl, just as if following a path of least resistance.
"Wolfgang, what is it?"
Laszlo feigned displeasure as he questioned the Attendant.
Wolfgang's expression tightened, and he quickly lowered his head to report: "Your Majesty, the Duke of Armagnac requests an audience. He brings urgent news from the Duke of Burgundy."
"Urgent... fine, take him to the Reception Room."
Laszlo could only bid his family a temporary, apologetic farewell.
Before leaving, he thought he heard Maximilian mutter something, but he didn't catch what he said.
In any case, he had plenty of time later; he would eventually have the opportunity to resolve these issues.
Inside the Reception Room, Laszlo met the dusty Duke of Armagnac, who Laszlo guessed had just rushed back from Burgundy and hurried to see the Emperor without even taking time to rest.
"Your Majesty, Duke Charles of Burgundy is very eager to meet with you."
The Duke of Armagnac, with a serious expression, directly conveyed the message Charles had entrusted him with.
"Hmm? I've just finished a long journey... Tell me the reason he wants to see me."
Laszlo felt a headache coming on. His planned trip to Rome hadn't been finalized, the next Imperial Conference was still being scheduled, and now Charles was stirring up trouble again. Did he truly think Laszlo was a Traveling Emperor?
Laszlo only hoped that one day, the Pope, the Imperial Princes, and his allies would proactively come to Vienna to meet him, instead of him having to travel constantly and exhaust himself.
However, this was probably just a thought; if it were to actually happen, it would likely overturn the world's perception.
"According to Charles, he wishes to negotiate with you again regarding the transaction that was never completed."
The Duke of Armagnac could vaguely guess what Charles was referring to, but only the Emperor himself knew the full details.
"A transaction? The transaction between him and me—the Crown of Burgundy! Ah, Charles hasn't forgotten about this yet."
"It seems only this matter could make him so invested. So, is he truly planning to completely break with the King of France and lead Burgundy out of France?"
"They broke off long ago. He even claimed he was Portuguese, which is completely unlike his Ancestors."
Laszlo saw it clearly: Charles's Great-Grandfather and grandfather spent most of their lives entangled in the power struggles of the French Royal Court. In that era, Burgundy was undoubtedly one of the most vital parts of France.
By the generation of Charles's father, Philip III, although he intended to break free from the constraints of the King of France, he could not firmly resolve to completely separate from France.
He attempted to restore the Duke of Burgundy's residence in Paris and ease relations with the King of France to maintain his highly autonomous privileges.
As for Charles, not only had he already led two League of Public Weal Wars that left the King of France in a sorry state, but he even publicly claimed that he was Portuguese, like his mother, and not French.
Undoubtedly, this move was alienating the French Populace, but Charles didn't care. In his eyes, all of France outside of Burgundy was foreign land.
Once freed from the constraints of ambiguous national identity, Charles's ambition to become king could no longer be suppressed.
"Do you plan to meet him? Charles is willing to travel to the location you designate for the meeting.
Furthermore, he hopes you can bring Prince Christopher, and he will bring Miss Mary. There might be some matters regarding the Marriage Contract that need discussion."
"A meeting is certainly necessary. As for the location, let's set it in Innsbruck; that will be more convenient."
Laszlo certainly wasn't going to trot off to Trier to meet Charles like Frederick III did in history. After all, Charles was the one seeking a favor now, so the initiative was naturally in Laszlo's hands.
"However, what does this have to do with the Marriage Contract? Is Charles planning to use an already finalized agreement as a bargaining chip?"
"Perhaps he intends to manipulate the timing of the fulfillment of the Marriage Contract. You see, Miss Mary has turned twelve, and His Highness the Prince will soon be fourteen.
According to the regulations of the Holy See, they have reached the age of marriageability."
"Is there a need to rush like this?" Laszlo was dumbfounded. That was Charles's only child; how could she be married off so early?
Logically, shouldn't he be dragging this out as long as possible, and then holding out for a better price?
After all, Marriage Contracts in this era generally had little binding power; fulfillment depended entirely on the relationship and integrity of the two parties.
However, Laszlo reconsidered: the risk Burgundy would incur if they broke the contract was enormous.
Once they abandoned the Marriage Contract, they would inevitably face the hostility of him, the Emperor. At that point, Burgundy would have France to the west and Austria to the east. If they weren't completely routed, it would be a miracle.
Since Marie was destined to marry Christopher, and given that Charles was in his prime and had remarried an English Princess, he was likely confident that he could produce a male heir.
At that point, Marie's value would be greatly diminished, resulting in a loss for Charles. It would be better to sell her off now while she still carried the golden signboard of the Duke of Burgundy's sole heir.
Seen this way, the Duke of Armagnac's Conjecture certainly held some merit.
Laszlo wasn't sure if Charles could still father children, but Miss Mary's dowry included half of Franche-Comté and two hundred thousand florin, and Laszlo was quite greedy for that money.
"Very well, then invite Charles in my name to meet me in Innsbruck. I will subsequently order the issuance of an Imperial Pass and instruct the Princes along the route to receive and grant him passage."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Duke of Armagnac accepted the order and departed.
Laszlo sat at the table, looking distracted. If all went according to plan, his son would soon be getting married, which made him sigh at how quickly time had passed.
Soon, however, his thoughts shifted to other issues, such as whether three sons were enough to manage the vast territories he had conquered.
The conclusion was that it was probably not enough. Laszlo decided to work harder with Joanna that evening.
After all, the main branch of the Habsburg Family had nearly ended with him. Deep within Laszlo's heart lay an unconscious desire to expand his lineage.
As for that rebellious boy, Laszlo planned to find another opportunity to deal with him later.
After agreeing with Charles to hold a meeting in early June, Laszlo began to deal with the affairs of Austria.
During the time Joanna served as regent, the situation in Austria and Bohemia was relatively stable, and the ministers of the Privy Council whom Laszlo had arranged to assist in governance were all very conscientious.
However, following the death of Finance Minister Jakob Fugger, two other ministers also successively chose to retire and return home.
Eyczing, who came from a minor noble family, was appreciated by Albrecht II and Frederick, and later served Laszlo diligently as his Chief Minister. Now, he was also afflicted by illness and could no longer shoulder the heavy responsibility of presiding over the Privy Council and leading foreign affairs.
Klement Talgut, an assistant he had personally trained, took over his position, but did not fully replace him.
Laszlo appointed him Minister of Foreign Affairs and ordered him to separate the subordinate departments responsible for diplomatic affairs within the Privy Council to form a brand new specialized foreign relations agency called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As for the Privy Council and the Privy Council Meeting, they continued to fulfill their functions of overall coordination and decision-making, led by the Chief Minister, who could only be appointed by the Emperor.
This Chief Minister could be selected from among the ministers of various government departments, or could be a consultant personally designated by the Emperor.
The person who took over the position of Chief Minister after Eyczing was Cardinal Georg, the Court Chancellor. Laszlo had not yet found a more suitable candidate than this famous jurist.
The other retiring minister was Field Marshal Adolf, the leader of the Court Military Commission. The old marshal was advanced in age and felt his time was short, so he requested Laszlo's permission to retire and return home.
Laszlo agreed to his request, as the old marshal was already over seventy years old—indeed quite ancient.
The replacement for the old marshal was not a general from the army, but Baron Ulrich von Grafenegg, who had previously served as his deputy.
Although this Baron's talent in warfare was truly mediocre, the [Recruitment Officer]
characteristic was exactly what Laszlo desperately needed now.
This Baron could find able-bodied men suitable for joining the army not only from all over Austria but even from the regions of Swabia and Rhineland for Laszlo.
No matter what others said, Laszlo still wanted sheer numbers... Laszlo still hoped he wouldn't face the dilemma of manpower exhaustion.
As for the Austrian Auxiliary Soldiers who followed him back from the East, Laszlo's Recruitment Officers quickly registered their specific information one by one. Afterward, the Emperor's officials distributed rewards such as land, money, and even commendation certificates, and, according to prior promises, granted their families several years of tax exemption, while serfs regained their freedom and were allocated a plot of land sufficient to support their families.
These individuals became the focus of attention in the Recruitment Registers established by the Recruitment Officers across various regions, as they had received perpetual exemption from corvée labor. In exchange, they would be conscripted into the army and sent to war earlier than other eligible men.
The garrison forces in various castles and the Urban Militias were also very welcoming of these "veterans" who had returned from the East, their hands stained with the blood of infidels.
However, in the post-Black Death era, few people wanted to become a soldier if they had a choice, especially a local militiaman.
Of course, the Emperor's army was an exception; many Austrians still voluntarily joined it, as the difference in treatment between the Standing Army and Local Militia Corps was immense.
For every lucky one who returned safely home, there were naturally unfortunate casualties.
A considerable number of their remains were buried in the East, with only a small amount brought back to Austria for burial.
The families of the fallen received generous pensions and some additional preferential treatment, an advantage also enjoyed by warriors who became disabled due to injuries sustained in combat.
Laszlo personally prayed for thousands of the fallen in St. Stephen's Cathedral, after which Archbishop Georg declared to the people that the brave men who sacrificed their lives in the Holy War had ascended to Heaven guided by angels.
This certainly brought some psychological comfort to those who had lost family members, but after Laszlo personally visited several families of the fallen, his mood still became incredibly heavy.
The only thing worth celebrating was that of the nearly 20,000 Austrian volunteers he took to the East, over seventy percent survived. Besides a small number who voluntarily chose to stay in the East, more than ten thousand people returned to Austria with him.
If all these people had perished in the East, Laszlo estimated he would have completely lost the support of the people in Austria.
Currently, these measures quickly won him a great deal of popular support, though they also nearly emptied the spoils of war he brought back from the East.
Public construction, military expenditure, maintaining the government and the court—the places requiring money were countless. Fortunately, the Austrian government's revenue was also steadily climbing, especially after forcing Venice into submission and thereby activating the Vienna Trade Hub, trade revenue, which had always been a weakness in government income, was rising year by year.
This greatly satisfied Laszlo, but he still wouldn't miss any opportunity to make money, such as this negotiation with Charles.
The massive entourage slowly proceeded south along the Emperor's Grand Avenue, which had only been completed in recent years, heading towards Graz.
Laszlo did not ride in a carriage with his wife and children; he rode a fine steed, using his eyes and body to gauge the road's construction quality.
Currently, this avenue met his expectations. Although it could not compare to the expensive and sturdy flagstone roads extensively laid by the wealthy Romans, at least it wasn't bumpy and obstructed like the previous roads.
His only concern was whether this road, built on rammed earth foundations, could withstand the dense trampling of thousands of people.
This time, he brought his entire court, traveling to Innsbruck under the protection of the Imperial Guard, partly to complete the meeting with Charles and partly to prepare for his next trip to Rome.
It wasn't until the entourage reached Graz at a very fast pace that Laszlo received no reports of unexpected incidents, which finally relieved him.
The road ahead was not so easy. Graz is located on the western border of the Hungarian Great Plain; further west, one enters the foothills of the Alps, specifically the hilly area of Styria.
Past Styria, one enters the mountainous region of Tyrol, where the roads are even more rugged and difficult to traverse. Even though Laszlo had invested money to improve road conditions in some of these areas, the journey still made him feel nauseous.
Charles and his companions, who had traveled a long distance, felt the same way.
The Duke of Burgundy's entourage traveled all the way from Brussels to Cologne, then proceeded southeast along the Rhine River, passing through dozens of principalities large and small, finally arriving at Constance.
From there, they took a boat across the lake to the city of Bregenz, and then plunged into the Tyrol mountains, slowly advancing toward their destination, Innsbruck.
Charles, who had spent years marching and fighting on the plains of Northern France, finally experienced the treacherous nature of the Swiss-Austrian Mountains.
This journey even slightly shook his ambition for Western Switzerland, and made him feel even more grateful and respectful toward Laszlo.
Back then, to support his war against the King of France, the Emperor personally led a large army deep into the mountains and crushed the Swiss Confederation.
After a long and arduous journey undertaken by both parties, the Emperor and the Duke of Burgundy finally arrived at Innsbruck, the summer retreat of the Habsburg Family, during the appointed high summer season.
In the courtyard of the Royal Castle, Laszlo and his family received the visiting Duke of Burgundy and his family.
Charles had brought both his wife and daughter, and Laszlo had done the same.
As soon as they met, the two exchanged a bear hug. As the closest pair of "allies" on the continent, Laszlo and Charles enjoyed a remarkably good personal relationship.
After all, the flaw most often cited by those who disliked Charles was his arrogance, yet Laszlo had never felt arrogance or contempt from Charles.
Who was he to be stubborn? Charles was unwilling to bow even before the King of France, but he would not be so obstinate when facing Laszlo.
"Your Majesty Laszlo, it has truly been a long time since we last met. I hear you have won several more great victories and captured a prisoner of noble status. Congratulations."
Charles's expression was full of envy. He had heard that the Emperor had brought the Ottoman Sultan and his son here, and he was eager to meet the Sultan.
His grandfather once knelt at the feet of Ottoman Sultan Bayezid I, begging for mercy and saying many degrading things to save his life. Although Charles always spoke of avenging the humiliation, he never imagined that he would truly have a day like this, where he could meet an Ottoman Sultan who had become a prisoner—and the famous Al-Fatih, The Conqueror, at that.
"You will have a chance to meet him, Charles. Let's go inside and talk."
Laszlo and Charles walked side-by-side toward the castle.
The two young ladies looked after the children, following behind them. Christopher and Mary, each led by their respective stepmothers, curiously examined each other.
Christopher quickly noticed that the beautiful girl across from him had her gaze completely drawn to his younger brother, which made him feel slightly dejected.
Laszlo was unaware of this, chatting casually with Charles as they walked.
"I heard you erected a statue for my father in Constantinople?"
"Yes, not just Philip III, but also my current father-in-law Alfonso V, and of course... myself. This is to commemorate the last Crusade."
"We both deeply regretted not being able to take Constantinople at that time, your father and I."
"I must express my gratitude, Your Majesty," Charles's mood perhaps darkened as he thought of his father, his tone tinged with regret. "If I had known the war with that scoundrel Louis would turn out like that, I would have been better off taking the main Burgundian army and going East with you."
If he had truly gone East, his vows to avenge his ancestors would no longer be empty words, and he would have enjoyed the glory of capturing the Sultan alive.
In short, Charles was currently filled with envy and regret.
Laszlo patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't say that. Actually, your contribution to this Holy War was considerable."
"Contribution? What contribution could I have made?" Charles looked at Laszlo, puzzled. He hadn't even managed to kill Louis XI, and he felt utterly inadequate compared to Laszlo's great achievements.
"Although Mehmed II vehemently denies it, the intelligence gathered by my Secret Agents indicates that Louis XI had an agreement with the Sultan that if one side fell into a critical situation, the other must find a way to offer assistance."
If you hadn't tied down Louis XI in the West, who knows what mischief he would have caused behind our backs.
Therefore, your efforts contributed to the smooth success of my campaign in the East."
"Oh? I certainly like the sound of that," Charles smiled then. "What you say does sound exactly like something that cunning villain Louis would do. He will get his retribution sooner or later."
"Ah, I think so too. Speaking of which, Charles, is that my little niece?"
Laszlo turned his head to look behind him, his gaze quickly locking onto the little girl following beside Lady Marie.
The girl was wearing exquisite velvet attire and was adorned with quite a few pieces of jewelry despite her young age. However, what was most striking was her fair skin and delicate features—she was undoubtedly a budding beauty, and she was even wearing makeup.
It was hard to imagine that a rough, large man like Charles could have such a beautiful daughter.
The famous Mary The Rich, the existence that drove countless European men mad. Even Laszlo couldn't help but recall some long-sealed memories.
1444: He who marries Mary gains the world... The reason Mary was so highly sought after was because she would inherit a rich and powerful Burgundy upon Charles's death.
Anyone who married her and could hold onto her astonishing dowry could easily rewrite the political landscape of Western Europe.
"Ah, yes, that's her. Well, are you satisfied with her?"
Charles probed Laszlo's intentions.
"Of course. It is Christopher's good fortune to marry such a beautiful wife."
Laszlo was naturally full of anticipation for this marriage; as soon as Mary married into the Habsburg Family, the seed of Seizing the Inheritance would be sown.
As for when it would bear fruit... Laszlo glanced at the relieved Charles beside him and felt that the day he anticipated was not too far off.
"Then, about my coronation as King of Burgundy..."
Charles quickly grew impatient. He was always so restless, and Laszlo was somewhat used to it.
"Don't rush, Charles," Laszlo said, smiling and changing the subject. "First, give me a chance to properly host you. We will have an opportunity to discuss this later."
Although Charles was eager, he knew that what he wanted was currently in the Emperor's hands, so he had no choice but to nod in agreement.
That day, a grand banquet was held at the Royal Castle in Innsbruck to entertain the Duke of Burgundy.
Over the next few days, Laszlo also arranged hunting and touring activities for Charles and his entourage, even taking him to the Innsbruck Arsenal.
However, this arsenal failed to capture Charles's interest; its scale was far inferior to the artillery factories in the Low Countries.
After several days of interaction, the relationship between the two families grew closer, though Charles alone lived in torment during these days.
He desperately wanted to be a king.
Finally, on a hot afternoon, Laszlo called Charles to his study and began a secret negotiation.