Holy Roman Empire

The sudden turn of events caused a rift within the defenders, who were originally prepared to fight to the death. Who would choose death when there’s an opportunity to live?

As the war has unfolded thus far, even the most optimistic person wouldn’t believe that the Ottoman Empire could make a miraculous recovery.

With the Ottomans gone, naturally, no one would hold them accountable for desertion. As for what to do afterward, that is a matter for the future.

Unlike Ankara, which was surrounded on all sides with no place to flee to, leaving Baghdad meant they could seek refuge in Persia.

In fact, by this stage in the war, many people already wanted to desert. However, having offended so many, they feared fleeing abroad would lead to them being devoured without a trace.

One only needs to glance at the newspapers to realize that migration is a journey fraught with sin and bloodshed, and it’s incredibly difficult for outsiders to find their footing.

Not to mention nobles from the Ottomans, who are shunned by mainstream society—even nobles from the European nobility face risks when migrating abroad.

This is the fundamental reason why Austria has found it so easy to recruit migrants in the Germany Region. Within their own controlled areas, they may not mention other aspects, but safety is guaranteed.

Since announcing a three-day evacuation, the artillery fire had stopped. To show their sincerity, Mörck even ordered the Austrian army stationed outside the city to withdraw five kilometers.

An elderly man dressed in traditional attire tapped the floor twice with his cane and said, "Gentlemen, we don’t have much time left; we must make a decision quickly."

"Respected Hediff, how can we ensure that the Austrians will keep their promise? If they break the agreement, once we leave the city we won’t even have the ability to fight back."

(Hediff: A title in the late Ottoman Empire, similar to that of a governor.)

The old man glared at the middle-aged man and retorted, "Aziz, do you think everyone is as lacking in credibility as you are?

If there was no assurance, the commander on the other side wouldn’t stake his family’s reputation.

You should understand what family reputation means in that conservative country, Austria?"

Faced with the elder’s rebuke, Aziz lowered his head and said nothing. In his foolish youth, he had coveted profits without discretion and had inadvertently earned a reputation for being untrustworthy.

It only takes a day to ruin a reputation, but it is not so easy to restore it. Of course, Aziz had never really tried to redeem himself.

A slender man spoke up, "Respected Hediff, at this point, we have no other choice.

I’ve heard that Ankara is also surrounded. Our enemy is too powerful this time, and it seems unlikely that the Ottoman Empire will survive this ordeal.

Over the years, we have accumulated too much hatred with the four nations of the Anti-Turkish Alliance. If they take over here, there will be no place for us.

Our defeat is inevitable, and further resistance would only result in more casualties. So, for the sake of..."

He had a plethora of reasons, but the core message was to flee at once!

The old man nodded and slowly said, "I have already made contact with the British. As long as we pay a sum of money, they can help us migrate abroad."

In those days, holding an official position in the Ottomans was not possible without the support of the great powers. Without backing, one could be dismissed within minutes over international conflicts.

The elder was not only able to give orders because of his high official rank, but more importantly, because of his close relationship with the British.

Otherwise, they, a bunch of homeless dogs, would just be plump sheep without protection. It was estimated they would not even make it out of Persia without being devoured alive.

A man clad in military attire asked, "Respected Hediff, what about the regular soldiers in the city once we leave?

To leave them behind would be to send them straight into the enemy’s mouth; the Anti-Turkish Alliance will not forgo an opportunity for retribution.

To take them along seems beyond our ability." Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The elder explained unhurriedly, "There must be sacrifices. It’s not that I don’t want to take them with me, but their numbers are too great.

Transporting nearly a hundred thousand troops across borders is something the Persian people would never allow since they must justify it to the Anti-Turkish Alliance.

Even if we pay a heavy price and somehow get the Persian Government to let us pass, how would all these people survive after leaving the Ottomans?

Moreover, the wives, children, and elderly of these soldiers are all in the Ottoman Empire; they might not be willing to come with us."

Hediff himself wanted to lead an army away. After all, these troops were capital for establishing himself in a foreign land, but it was truly impossible.

The Anti-Turkish Alliance wasn’t blind. They might overlook a few inconsequential fugitives, but if tens of thousands of troops escaped, they would stop at nothing to eliminate them completely.

Chasing down those who fled into Persia was a standard operation. The great powers of those days were accustomed to dominance and had no habit of respecting others’ sovereignty. Cross-border warfare was a common occurrence.

Persia would only shied them from its gates if it didn’t want to be caught in the crossfire.

...

Once the stance was unified, everyone began to prepare for their escape. With such limited time, they could only take some liquid assets; there was no time to transfer their industries.

This time, the process was expedited. Mörck gave them three days, but they managed to pack up and gather a considerable convoy on the very first day, and majestically set off.

This spectacle left the Austrian Army outside the city dumbfounded, as a continuous stream of carts both big and small rolled out. Were they fleeing a disaster or merely moving house?

However, a given promise could not simply be retracted. Both family reputation and national credibility compelled Mörck to honor the agreement.

...

In the Vienna Palace, news of the events in Baghdad had already spread.

The anti-climactic defense of Baghdad reshaped Franz’s worldview yet again.

It proved that everyone has a price, even enemies. As long as the price is right, a deal can be struck.

"Lives and partial wealth" — that was the price Mörck offered. That’s a bribe? More like a threat, right?

Normally, this would be a joke. But in times of survival, such occurrences couldn’t be more common.

Franz shook his head, "Letting these people go has indeed sped up our progress.

But these fellows, bearing hatred, even if they are exiled abroad, still pose a potential problem. It would be best to find a way to get rid of them."

Standing as the commander in the Middle East War Zone, Mörck faced no issues, managing to win the war with minimal cost.

Unlike the Sultan Government in Ankara, which was a threat that had to be eliminated, the officials in Baghdad were but small fry.

Not to mention rallying the entire Ottoman Empire, they couldn’t even stir up the Iraq region. Their influence was limited to the area around Baghdad, thus they were considered secondary targets.

From a capability standpoint, these individuals could at most plan terrorist attacks; instigating widespread chaos was out of the question.

Austria wasn’t lacking in farmland. If needed, they could over-interpret the "Land Fallow Law" to revert the entire Mesopotamia back to forest and grassland. Stay connected through empire

Without agriculture, the local economic system would collapse, and without livelihoods, naturally, no one would stay.

With the population gone, even if careerists wished to instigate unrest, they wouldn’t have the conditions to do so.

As for terrorist attacks, Franz never took such trivial annoyances to heart.

How could one aspire to be a world leader without facing some bombings?

Not only future United States but even present-day Britain, France, and Austria frequently suffered terror attacks.

Which colonial empire was not hated? It’s just that current methods of terrorism were very primitive, mainly involving vandalism and murder, and suicide bombers had not yet been trained.

Due to logistical challenges, most attacks occurred overseas. Penetrating the mainland of various countries to cause trouble was not something the average person could achieve.

Lack of social concern was mainly because governments deliberately downplayed the situation. Strengthening security measures was sufficient.

Foreign Minister Weisenberg said, "Your Majesty, it would be very difficult to eliminate them all, but leaving most behind would be easy.

We only promised to let them leave, not that they would be free from blame. As long as we don’t act within the Ottoman borders, we are keeping our agreement.

Judging by their route, they seem to want to travel through Persia.

Since ancient times, wealth has moved hearts. The more the Ottomans take with them, the easier it would be for us to leverage the Persians to eliminate them en route.

It would be best if the military sent people to the Persian region first. If the Persian Government rejects our proposal, the military could take care of sending these people on their way.

Once the fact is established, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can handle the aftermath."

Such was the style of the great powers. Even if Austria acted against these remnants on Persian soil, the Persian Government could only watch helplessly.

Otherwise, a misunderstanding could happen, and the Anti-Turkish Alliance, while hunting for rabbits, could accidentally eliminate them, leaving no time for tears.