aircannonsinc Page 38
Page 38
He leaned against the railing and rested for a long time before taking out his key and opening the door. In the center of the room lay a young man wrapped in bandages.
"Grandpa, you've come." The young man's tone was filled with joy, clearly indicating that the person before him was his most beloved relative.
"Andrew, my dear Andrew, I'm so glad you're alright." The old man moved closer to his grandson and stroked his cheek with his aged hand.
"Yes, Grandpa, I'm back, but my brother and my friends couldn't come back." The young man's voice was sorrowful, and tears welled up in his eyes.
"May God bless my dear Lauris, and of course your friends, so that at least there will be no more war in heaven." The old man's voice was tinged with sorrow. Although he spoke words of comfort, the deceased was, after all, his own grandson, a true case of an elderly person burying their child.
"Grandpa! We've been defeated! All our sacrifices have been in vain." As a seasoned soldier, Andrew knew how to suppress his emotions, but all the pain of losing loved ones, the pain of national defeat, and even the physical pain of being torn apart lingered in his heart, making this young man in his twenties cry like a child.
"No, Andrew, your sacrifice was meaningful. We used to read the scriptures daily, earnestly complete our prayers and attend Mass. We realized our faith and loyalty to the Lord through self-reflection. But have you ever thought about it? The Lord is not narrow-minded. He will not only test individuals, but also test an entire nation."
Every nation stumbles and makes mistakes. After failure, we shouldn't complain, but reflect on why we went wrong. We are fortunate because our nation stumbled before reaching the abyss. Understanding the darkness makes us more willing to pursue the light. The old man measured the kindness of humanity with his life and wove the most beautiful fairy tales for children all over the world with his pen. But behind these beauties, Andersen lived in one of the darkest eras in human history.
While capital and industrial steam brought tremendous achievements, they also extinguished the few remaining traces of humanity. As the revolutionary mentor Karl Marx said, "With 20% profit, capital will be restless; with 50% profit, capital will take risks; with 100% profit, capital will risk being hanged; with 300% profit, capital will trample on all human laws!" All the contradictions of human society were conceived in the 19th century and finally erupted in the 20th century.
“I understand, Grandpa. Our sacrifice is to correct the wrong path our nation has taken.” Andrew looked at the old man before him with eyes full of reverence. His grandfather truly deserved the title.
"Oh, right, here you go, Andrew." The old man took off his glasses, wiped the fog off them, and then took out a red notebook from his cloth bag and handed it to his grandson.
“This is…” Andrew looked somewhat confused.
"This is my manuscript. I hope that after you recover, you can travel to villages and cities throughout Denmark to spread these fairy tales. Our nation is going through the most difficult times right now, but our children should not be deprived of the childhood that should belong to them." Andersen's health was no longer sufficient to support him in completing such a task, so passing this on to his descendants was his small contribution to the nation.
“Andrew, remember, look ahead. No matter how fierce the storm or how deafening the thunder, we will face it with laughter.”
"Face it with laughter..." Andrew softly repeated his grandfather's admonition. The winter snow outside the window will melt, and the spring when all things revive will eventually come. In the end, they still have to face the future!
“Grandpa, I understand,” Andrew replied softly.
at the same time--
The war truly came to an end when the last Allied soldier boarded the train and left Schleswig and Holstein. Gisela gazed one last time at the snow-covered plains of Jutland and the fjords of Arles, listening to the howling and biting north wind.
The Kalmar Union once dominated the Baltic Sea, its fleets sailed the North Sea, and the roar of the Vikings echoed across Europe. The southern kingdoms feared its presence. In this harsh environment of ice and cold, the brave Scandinavian peoples achieved glorious accomplishments.
Kalmar's successor, the Kingdom of Sweden, a century after the dissolution of the alliance, taught the once-powerful Habsburg family a lesson in the Thirty Years' War under the leadership of the war god Gustavus Adolphus.
The turbulent times, the brilliant strategies, the arduous struggles of the past—all have vanished like smoke. "No nation prospers forever, nor does it ever escape decline." This is true of the Nordic countries today, and even more so of the once-proud Habsburg Empire. This time it is Denmark that has fallen; they can still exist as a nation on this land. But next time will be the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and that time it will be a complete and utter collapse.
At this moment, Gisela seemed to see Moltke hunched over his workbench, diligently writing war reports and studying maps; Bismarck handling documents nearly as tall as himself in his office; and of course, countless soldiers fighting on the front lines, and workers in factories at the rear. Prussia was a machine, its function dependent on everyone's dedication. Although its internal workings were flawed, a shared goal gave the nation a powerful drive and cohesion, which was the fundamental reason why Prussia was able to unify Germany.
"The empire also needs this kind of cohesion. Although the cost may be high, Gisela is prepared to bring about change to this country at the cost of sacrificing some people."
Where did the Austrian Empire's fate turn in history? Many believe it was World War I, because this war ultimately destroyed this vast empire that stretched across Central and Eastern Europe.
Actually, no. The real turning point in the fate of the empire should be the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 in the original history.
PS1: Ra!
Chapter 138 The Brandenburg Eagle and the Snows of Jutland: Capter 73 The Future of the Empire (Seeking Votes)
The power of the Habsburg crown could come from Germany, because the Austro-Hungarian throne was inherited from the Holy Roman Empire, and the emperor was also the nominal ruler of the German region. The power of the crown also came from Venice and Carinthia, because these regions had large populations and developed economies. The foreign strongholds in these regions best reflected the multi-ethnic nature of the empire. As long as the empire could hold these regions, it could hold them anywhere.
Unfortunately, Emperor Joseph in history was hardworking but mediocre. Although diligent, he accomplished little. During his 68-year reign, he wasted the empire's few opportunities for self-salvation. Ultimately, the balance was broken by the world war that swept the globe, and the weakened empire was completely submerged by the wave of nationalism.
The Austro-Prussian War may have seemed to have resulted in the loss of only the status of the leader of the German Confederation and a small portion of territory, but in reality, it shook the foundations of the empire. History tells us that the key to the survival of a multi-ethnic state lies in whether it has a dominant ethnic group that constitutes the vast majority of the population. The empire once had at least a loose confederation as its backing, giving it a strong appeal to all the states except Prussia.
After the war, this support system disappeared, and the Hungarians stabbed the empire in the heart of the problem. Ultimately, due to the Hungarians' tough and reckless attitude, the influence of his wife, Empress Elizabeth, and the instigation of his incompetent prime minister, Emperor Franz Joseph was forced to accept their demands and turn the unipolar empire into a dual empire. However, in hindsight, the Hungarians were not actually prepared for war, and if the emperor had been more assertive, the situation might have been very different.
Following the dualistic imperial system, Joseph intended to use this opportunity to leave all the problems of Outer Leitania to the Hungarians, while he himself only needed to manage his own Inner Leitania. However, it was precisely this move that caused the empire to lose its once-proud universality. Previously, the various ethnic groups within the empire all supported a so-called emperor and common monarch, but now they supported both an emperor and the King of Hungary.
The Magyars (Hungarians), comprising only one-seventh of the empire's population, held a privileged position distinct from other ethnic groups. The proud Hungarians even forcibly promoted Magyarization in Translethalia, suppressing other ethnic groups and emphasizing their own national identity. All of this completely contradicted the Habsburg family's founding principles of respecting the cultures and languages of all ethnic groups within the empire. (At the time, Hungary did not allow its people to call him Emperor Joseph; they could only address him as King, otherwise it was considered treason.)
This political model naturally exacerbated the conflicts between various ethnic groups within the empire, leading to discontent among the other six-sevenths of the population, who were subjected to unjust oppression. This discontent was ultimately transferred to the imperial government, and from then on, the Ha family embarked on a bad end.
Gisela is much luckier now. The Austro-Prussian War hasn't started, and Italy hasn't fallen yet. If things go wrong, she can still be saved. If things go wrong, then it will truly be a story of a princess who lost her country, and she'll end up like "the swallows that once graced the halls of noble families now fly into the homes of ordinary people."
Of course, this is impossible, because Gisela has already prepared the first move. As long as the American bubble bursts and an economic crisis erupts, the Austro-Prussian War will either break out before Prussia is fully prepared or be postponed. Either way, it will be advantageous for Gisela. After all, although an economic crisis will damage the domestic economy, she has a complete set of countermeasures, as well as covert financial support from the Sixth Empire.
Economic reforms are followed by political reforms. Economic reforms can bring her great prestige, which is also a major basis for her popular approach. After all, the people would rather have a lovely princess who can feed them and let them live in peace than a group of vampire-like old-fashioned nobles, even though Gisela is also a noble in reality.
The first step in politics was to eliminate the Hungarians, giving them two options: either relinquish all power and return to being one-seventh, or let the empire become one (six-sixths) again. The empire was to regain its universality and cohesion. Gisela even came up with a slogan: "The despicable Hungarians have stolen the basic rights that should have been equally enjoyed by every nation within the empire. Now we will take back our rights."
By directing the conflict towards the Hungarians and pitting them against the rest of the empire, we can both alleviate the crisis and divert attention from other conflicts, while also creating a positive example. Today you're all spitting at the Hungarians, but tomorrow you might be the ones suffering the consequences without even realizing it. Of course, if you remain loyal to the empire, it will reward you handsomely.
As soon as Gisela thought about this, a smile appeared on her lips. After all, such villainous thoughts and actions greatly satisfied the restless chess player's heart hidden beneath her cute and charming appearance.
"Your Highness, what are you thinking about?" Rita's voice reached Gisela's ears, pulling her thoughts back to the present. Coming back to her senses, she realized that she was attending a victory celebration banquet for ladies only, and the location of the banquet, of course, was on the special train.
Perhaps Gisela didn't realize that while she was thinking, her gaze casually fell on Miss Goben, who was wrapped in bandages. Perhaps she didn't think much of it at the time, but her actions were still noticed by someone with "ulterior motives."
After all, in Rita's opinion, her prince was at such an age where he was just beginning to experience romantic feelings, and it was easy for him to develop feelings for a lady who had saved his life. Rita was not an unreasonable woman, but she just felt inexplicably uncomfortable about it.
Even if she wouldn't hold a grudge against Miss Goben for this, she had many more methods when dealing with her own nemesis, the prince.
"Your Highness, this chicken leg tastes good. You're still growing, so eating more will be good for you!" Rita narrowed her purple eyes, pursed her lips, and suddenly revealed a "kind" smile. She elegantly raised her hand, picked up the chicken leg with her index finger and thumb, and then forcefully stuffed the chicken leg directly into Gisela's open mouth.
"Huh?!" Gisela was startled at first, then looked at her lousy maid with a look of surprise.
"Ugh, ooh, ugh, ooh..." A foreign sensation filled my mouth, and to put it bluntly, it felt like I was being sexually assaulted.
How dare Rita treat me like this! I am...
Gisela frowned, but unfortunately, she couldn't say anything right now, and her tail could only wag restlessly behind her!
PS1: We need some role models to unite the domestic 0v0 teams! We can also use this to our advantage to neutralize potential rivals.
Chapter 139 The Brandenburg Eagle and the Snows of Jutland: Capter 74 This grudge! I'll remember it! (End of this volume)
Princess Sophie, Tifa, Rita, Tegthof, Goben, and the other ladies were completely stunned by this sudden action. They watched as Miss Rita somewhat "offended" as she stuffed the "chicken leg" into her mistress's mouth.
Interestingly, Princess Sophie's expression was particularly subtle at this moment. After all, the confrontation between the two sisters some time ago made Sophie think that her younger sister had become much stronger than before, and she even felt a little gratified by her transformation. But now, she was "brought back" to her original form in front of everyone, and was even ridden on the head by the cricket maid. The key point is that even she herself had never fed her sister like this.
As if a switch had been flipped, the princess picked up a chicken leg and walked towards Gisela.
In the candlelight, the shadow of the chicken leg was cast on Gisela's cheek, making it appear even larger than usual. Not to mention, when she looked up, her frail and sickly sister stood there smiling at her.
"Damn it! Are you women insane?!" Gisela took a bite of chicken leg, then took a step back, glaring at the two of them, and said sternly:
"Alright! I don't need it anymore, you can leave!" Gisela stood with her hands on her hips, looking very angry. At a time like this, as a man, she didn't care about saving face!
“Your Highness, eat some more so you can grow taller!” Rita replied unhurriedly.
“The one in my sister’s hand tastes even better!” Sophie was equally unconcerned about Gisela’s anger. Instead, she glanced at Rita and took a few steps forward.
Gisela clearly didn't realize that her anger at this moment would look more like a tantrum.
"I said I'm not eating!" Gisela roared again.
Tifa, Tegthof, Goben, and the others skillfully glanced to the side and chatted amongst themselves, though they would occasionally look in that direction out of the corner of their eyes. After all, in their view, it was interesting to see Princess Gisela, who was so brave on the battlefield, having such an amusing scene.
While everyone gathered around Gisela to watch the spectacle, Princess Chloris of Prussia, with a smug look on her face, rested her chin on her hand and watched the “intimate” interaction with great interest through her scarlet eyes.
Finally, perhaps realizing that continuing to bully their younger sister/prince would lead to a decrease in favorability, the two ultimately chose to tacitly abandon their "attack" in order to preserve Gisela's already dwindling dignity and prestige.
"Fine, then don't eat it," Sophie sighed, looking like her good intentions had been taken for granted, and threw the chicken leg that Gisela had only taken a bite of into the trash can.
As for Rita, she didn't mind finishing the chicken leg that His Highness hadn't finished, from a thrifty point of view, but unfortunately Gisela snatched it away...
Gisela knew all about her scheming maid's little schemes. If she could regain her former glory, Rita wouldn't be so arrogant!
"So, is the chicken leg delicious?" At this moment, Chloris suddenly walked through the crowd to Gisela's side and asked as she saw Gisela spitting out bones, looking like she hadn't had enough.
Perhaps it was because the chicken leg juices were so delicious that Gisela's mouth still had a little bit of oil on it.
“Delicious…” If it were anyone else here, Gisela would not hesitate to express her feelings, but since the person in front of her was Chloris, she had to be on guard.
After all, who knows what wicked scheme this wicked woman is plotting by exploiting the loopholes in her words? And recently, she suffered quite a few losses at the hands of this woman who lacks boundaries.
"Is it good? That's perfect..." Chloris smiled slightly and moved a few steps closer.
"Just what?" Gisela squinted, not understanding the woman's intention.
"I also want to try what chicken legs taste like," Chloris said, and in front of everyone, she wrapped her arms around Gisela's waist and leaned in. It wasn't until their lips met that Gisela's mind was struck like a thunderbolt.
Did someone kiss me?
Noticing that the other party was still confused, Yueyi, *Jiuling Liuliu, Erba, became even more outrageous.
Chloris gently placed her hands on Gisela's shoulders and waist. Traditionally, a woman would place her hands on a man's shoulders, while a man would wrap his arms around a woman's waist. Although Gisela didn't react, it didn't stop Chloris from proceeding with her performance as a man.
“You…” Gisela finally tried to speak, but Chloris’s lips curled up slightly at that moment, as if she had anticipated the other’s resistance.
She continued to control the situation, everything flowing smoothly as if she were teaching a class, which naturally threw Gisela into a panic, leaving her on the defensive.
"Ugh!" Although she didn't mind the girl being intimate, with so many people watching her, an unprecedented sense of shame crept onto Gisela's face, and she couldn't help but panic a little.
After an unknown amount of time, Chloris calmly released her hands, then expressionlessly took out a handkerchief to wipe her lips and said:
"tasty!"
"You madman!" Gisela's cheeks flushed red as she shoved away the tall, silver-haired woman in front of her. The thought that this woman was her future rival filled her with shame, and her blue eyes blazed with nameless rage.
“Your Highness…” Gisela suddenly turned to look at Rita, who stood beside her with a dejected expression. Thinking of Rita's feelings for her, Gisela felt even more distressed. But it was too late; anything she said would seem futile. So, she finally sighed and said:
"Chloris, you've repeatedly mocked me! I'll remember this grudge!" As if to bolster her imposing presence, Gisela puffed out her chest, like a truly proud peacock.
"Oh!" Chloris nodded, then turned and walked through the crowd back to her seat, as if everything that had just happened was merely an impromptu performance out of her own interest.
"If Your Highness wishes to seek revenge, I welcome you anytime, whether on the battlefield or in bed." The meaning was quite clear. While both sides appeared to be on good terms, they each held their own positions, and everyone present was intelligent enough to understand this.
Austria had reason to seek revenge against Prussia, because Silesia was still in Prussian hands, and the Prussians also had the ambition to challenge Austria and defeat it to complete the unification of Germany.
“Then we’ll wait and see!” Gisela said, her tone firm, but when she looked at Chloris, a few indescribable emotions welled up inside her.
PS1: Volume 2 ends here! It's late because of some omissions.
Chapter 140 Irises Fading in the Alps: Capter 1 Flowers, Swords, and France
A flower's most beautiful feature is its stamen; a young girl's most beautiful feature is her eyes; an old person's most beautiful feature is their wrinkles. And in France, the most enchanting place is Paris. Here you can witness the glory and splendor of the Sun King, and hear the teachings and reflections of the Enlightenment. The French Revolution began here, and the great achievements of Empress Bonaparte also began here. As the poet Rilke once said, "Paris is an incomparable city."
Paris still belongs to Bonaparte, though no longer to the Empress herself, but to her nephew. The transition from the First to the Second Empire wasn't the straightforward inheritance of blood and glory that many perceive it to be. In the 37 years between them, there was the Bourbon Restoration, the July Monarchy, and the fleeting Second Republic. In the decades following the French Revolution, human society has likely never experienced such frequent regime changes. Today's arrogant rulers might be tomorrow's prisoners. Of course, all of that seems to be a thing of the past.
Although Napoleon III was arrogant and short-sighted, he had to admit that France under his rule maintained stability for at least several decades until Bismarck led Prussia to confront him.
Although it is late at night in Paris, if you observe carefully, you will definitely notice a carriage heading from the old city gate towards the Tuileries Palace. The carriage is moving very fast, and the passengers inside seem to be in a hurry.
Inside the carriage—
"Count of Bordeaux, what is the matter that is so urgent that you had to call me?" The speaker was a young woman with a pretty face, wine-red eyes, and long orange hair. Her serious expression enhanced her competence as a soldier. She also carried a rapier with an ornately engraved hilt. Although such decorations might seem frivolous to soldiers who value the practicality of weapons, in France, probably no one would question the skill of this weapon and its user.
The Sword of Roland, as its name suggests, originates from Roland, the leader of the twelve knights under Charlemagne, King of the Franks. This magical relic accompanied Roland, a symbol of European chivalry, in battle against enemies many times his size, becoming famous for its association with him until the very end. When Roland died, his wife intended to destroy his weapon by smashing it heavily into a stone. This was an unintentional act, but it ultimately resulted in the Sword of Roland becoming firmly embedded in the stone, impossible for anyone to remove unless it finds a suitable master. (In a sense, a French version of the Sword in the Stone.)
The sword and its scabbard were later moved to Reims Cathedral and exist there as a spiritual symbol of France.
Throughout history, many French magic users have drawn this weapon, the most famous being Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years' War. However, the owner of the Sword of Roland in this era was not a descendant of Joan of Arc mentioned earlier, but rather the beautiful lady before us.
“Miss Richelieu, please excuse my impertinence. This intelligence is extremely important, and I wish to deliver it to His Majesty personally. To avoid any unforeseen circumstances, I must have you with me. I hope you do not mind, as this concerns the future of our empire.” The Count of Bordeaux spoke respectfully, clearly showing genuine respect for the lady before him.
The lady she referred to as Richelieu was named Charlie Jean Duplessie de Richelieu. She was a descendant of the famous French Cardinal Richelieu and the current seventh Duke of Richelieu.
Besides the famous cardinal, the Richelieu family has also produced numerous marshals, generals, and high-ranking officials. The fact that the family has survived many political changes over the years is enough to demonstrate its profound heritage.
Moreover, Shirley is only 20 years old and is already active on the battlefield as a new generation of French magic users. Due to her outstanding talent and strength, she is known as the "Sword and Flower of France" along with Jeanne de Darc, the magic user of the Duke of Orléans.
Of course, Charles's affairs are my affairs. "Charles refers to Napoleon III, because the emperor's full name is Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte.
Although both were named "Charles," all of France could see that the son of the Queen's brother, Louis Bonaparte, was far inferior in talent and wisdom to their uncle, Charles Bonaparte, the brother of Empress Napoleon (Polina).
Therefore, many opponents used this as a basis to criticize Louis, arguing that he was merely an outsider bearing the Bonaparte name, and that he did not inherit the Bonaparte bloodline at all, but was the child of Louis's wife Ostan and an outsider.
Interestingly, there is no Frenchman who doesn't cherish the glory the Queen brought to the country, so even Napoleon III's most hated political enemies dared not make a fuss about the Queen herself.
The reason why the Richelieu family was able to remain unscathed during the French Revolution was actually related to their way of dealing with people. Although the Richelieu family was an old noble family that rose to prominence during the reign of Louis XIV, the cardinal himself had once used harsh methods to alienate and isolate the Richelieu family from many nobles in France.
This led the Richelieu family, as an old noble family, to choose to stand with the Republican camp alongside Louis, the former Duke of Orléans, after the French Revolution. Later, after Bonaparte came to power, they remained loyal to the new bourgeois nobles led by the Bonaparte family.
They always chose sides with remarkable precision, which is why the former Duke of Richelieu, Charlie's grandfather, was known as the Richelieu family's chameleon. It's worth mentioning that Charlie's father once considered marrying his daughter to Napoleon III to strengthen the alliance between the two families.
Of course, Napoleon III ultimately rejected this proposal. Perhaps to accommodate the stance of other families in the country that possessed magical abilities, he ultimately chose an ordinary lady of lesser birth as his empress, who is now Eugénie.
In the end, the relationship between the two families remained so good that it was perfectly acceptable for Charlotte to call Napoleon III by his first name. After all, their harmony relied on shared interests, not on the less reliable in-law relationship. The Richelieu family needed Bonaparte's power and influence, while the Bonaparte family needed the Richelieu family's support.
"Who is after this intelligence?" Richelieu was clearly more concerned about the threat to the Count of Bordeaux, the holder of the intelligence, than the intelligence itself.
“Order…” Before Count Bordeaux could finish speaking, the carriage shook violently, and the inertia from the sudden braking caused the count to slam his head against the carriage armrest. Mademoiselle Richelieu also hit her head on the seat frame due to the inertia.
"What happened!" Richelieu lifted the carriage curtain, intending to ask the coachman, but just then he saw a sharp sword piercing through the coachman's chest...
PS1: The previous chapter was blocked, so please read it when it's released. For Richelieu, you can refer to Kantai Collection and Kantai Collection R, depending on your mood.
Chapter 141 Irises Withering in the Alps: Capter 2 Shadows Within Shadows (Seeking Votes)
"How dare you!" This was in the heart of Paris; she didn't believe ordinary assassins could be so arrogant. Thinking this, Shirley instinctively drew her sword, but upon seeing the unconscious Count of Bordeaux, she sighed. She lifted him with one hand, expertly tossing him out of the carriage, then jumped out herself.
Richelieu had barely left when the carriage was hit by a magic cannon and was completely smashed apart like a building that had been hit by an earthquake.