She changed Europe

Page 99

But he remained vigorous, for he had a clear goal and had spent most of his life preparing for it with his trusted subjects. Perhaps for him, even on his last breath, he wanted to see the day when the Austrians were driven out of the German region by Prussia.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Bismarck politely placed her hand on her chest, bowed to the king before her, pushed back the chair in front of her and sat down, handing the letter in her hand to her assistant so that he could pass it on to the old king.

"Your Majesty, this is a friendship from the British Isles, but the price of this friendship is that we must send troops to join the Ottomans in attacking Austria and Russia," Bismarck said solemnly to the King and his ministers, his brow furrowed.

After receiving the letter, the old king handed it to the crown prince Frederick, who was present.

"Come, son, tell me how the British flattered me this time," the old king said to his son in a very calm tone.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Frederick took the letter from his hand, stood up, and looked around at everyone present.

"To the great German Caesar, King of Prussia, Archduke of Brandenburg..." Like the medieval game of boasting about titles, it went on for who knows how long before the content of the letter finally began to get on track, and the content was exactly the same as Bismarck's summary.

"What are your thoughts on this matter, gentlemen?" The king surveyed his ministers, awaiting their reply.

"Send troops! We need to send troops immediately! Take Prague before the Russians can assemble and force the Austrians back to the negotiating table!" Prince Frederick Karl of Prussia, dressed in a bright red hussar uniform, was the first to stand up, expressing his opinion in his own clear and forceful tone. As a leading figure in the Prussian army's war effort, he was more eager than anyone to demonstrate his abilities in the war. Unlike the weak Denmark, this time he would be able to compete with the armies of two powerful nations, Russia and Austria.

He could also establish his unparalleled achievements through war, becoming a legendary commander no less illustrious than Marshal Blücher, leaving a significant mark on the history of the Kingdom of Prussia.

"No! Your Majesty! I object!" Bismarck frowned and stood up, looking at the strangely dressed prince.

"Your Majesty, our only target now is Austria. It would be pointless to wage war against multiple powers. The British have come to us because of the political chaos in France, making us the scapegoats. We should not have been drawn into this war where the cost and the losses are completely disproportionate."

"Nonsense! You woman, you always use diplomatic and political tactics to interfere with the military! If it weren't for your weakness, we would have already controlled the entire Jutland Peninsula!" Clearly, the Prussian officers, represented by Karl Frederick, were not satisfied with Bismarck's overly conservative and cautious approach to the Danish question.

PS1: Voting ballots

Chapter 369 The Fall of St. Stephen's Crown: Capter 85 Bismarck's Own Opinion (Seeking Votes)

"General, I find your folly laughable! If it weren't for our coordination and our grasp of the interests of the European nations, could you have so confidently waged war against Denmark? And then so easily reaped the rewards of victory?" Bismarck wasn't one to swallow her pride. Her personality was the complete opposite of her stunning appearance; she possessed a masculine, spirited side. After all, she had dueled quite a few times during her school days, and of course, she wouldn't cheat by using her magical powers under the principle of fairness.

"You!" Karl's eyes widened, his anger and dissatisfaction seemingly about to overflow.

"Alright! Alright! His Majesty invited you to discuss this, not to argue!" A kind-faced middle-aged man gently tapped the table, signaling Bismarck and Karl to quiet down.

“General Ron! We Prussia cannot miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!” Karl Friedrich placed his hands on the table, looking solemnly at the middle-aged man named Ron. Albrecht von Ron was one of the three founding fathers of the Second German Empire, a great man on par with Bismarck and Moltke the Elder.

He served as Minister of War, and unlike Moltke the Elder, who reformed the command system, his greatest contribution lay in reforming the army itself, such as allowing the army to regain control of the defense budget, reforming the Prussian military system, maintaining the militarization of the country with a universal three-year compulsory military service, and stipulating that the reserve army would defend the country when the regular army was fighting.

Moreover, he was also one of the first important figures to meet the old king and assist him behind the scenes. It was through his recommendation that Bismarck and Moltke were able to be valued by the old king and enter the core of the kingdom's rule to give full play to their talents. So it can be said that without him, there would be no Bismarck and Moltke today.

Therefore, he can be considered the first of the three meritorious officials of the future German Empire.

“General Moltke, what do you think our chances of winning would be if Prussia and Austria went to war now?” Ron turned to look at Moltke, who had been silent from the beginning, with a smile.

"First of all, I strongly support Lord Karl Frederick's view that starting a war at this time might be a good thing for us."

"You!" Bismarck looked at Moltke, who held a view contrary to hers, with some surprise and astonishment. Previously, the two had maintained an astonishingly consistent pace, and this was the first time she had encountered someone who directly opposed her.

“Miss Bismarck, please sit down and let us hear General Moltke’s thoughts.” Ron waved his hand, gesturing for Bismarck to sit down. Even though she was somewhat angry, she would still respect Ron, since he was like a senior and benefactor to Bismarck.

"However, I am still not very optimistic about the chances of winning."

"Firstly, our army can indeed complete its assembly more quickly than the Austrians by utilizing the developed railway network, thus gaining the initiative on the battlefield. However, the Austrians are not currently undefended. Due to the impact of the South Transylvania crisis, they are now in a state of high readiness, especially the troops in Bohemia, which are rapidly assembling. Therefore, our surprise attack may not achieve the expected results."

"Secondly, the Austrian talent that pacified Italy, whether in terms of army morale or other aspects, is unmatched by our army at present."

"Finally, I doubted the British determination to keep their troops in the Crimean War. Were they truly prepared for an impending major war?" At the beginning of the Crimean War, the ground forces were still mainly French, while the British were mainly involved in the blockade of Russian forces in the Black Sea and the transportation of supplies. It was not until the later stages of the war, when the situation was indeed in favor of the Allied forces, that they chose to commit ground troops.

"Of course, the mutual defense agreement between Russia and Austria is not a long-term agreement. According to relevant intelligence, the Tsar himself only wants to carry out short-term cooperation with Austria-Hungary, so we don't need to rush."

"So, General Moltke, you are actually more inclined to decline the British invitation?" Ron nodded knowingly, then turned his gaze back to King William beside him.

"What does Your Majesty think?"

"Ahem! It's up to you to decide, but you must understand one thing, ahem! Our biggest rival right now is only Austria. It would be best if other countries didn't get involved. After all, I don't have the talent of my ancestors, nor do I have the awareness to fight to the death." The old king's attitude was very clear: the focus of the country should not be affected by the current situation, but rather, it should be used to better serve its own interests.

“Your Majesty, I understand. I will decline the British offer, and Prussia will remain neutral in this crisis.” Bismarck bowed politely and then turned and left the room.

Bismarck returned to the corridor, took a cigarette from his pocket, and put it in his mouth.

Then he tried to rummage through his clothes for his lighter.

The Prussian army has begun to spiral out of control. If it weren't for Ron and Moltke's help, she would have been in serious trouble today. She can live for a long time because she is a magic user, but her two friends are already over fifty years old, and His Majesty's days are numbered. It's hard to imagine what Prussia will become after they pass away.

“Miss Bismarck, smoking is harmful to your health, especially for a beautiful lady like yourself.” At this moment, a gray-haired girl stood with her arms crossed over her chest, one leg against the wall, smiling at her.

"Your Highness, did you tell Moltke about the short-term agreement between Russia and Austria?" Bismarck asked, leaning against the windowsill and gazing at the distant square.

“Austria cannot be stabbed in the back by us now. If Prussia wants to gain the true recognition of all the princes in the German region, the only way is to compete with them fairly and squarely and win, rather than relying on external forces.” Chloris’s lips curled up slightly.

"What a high-sounding reason! Your Highness, I don't recall ever teaching you that. But it seems to me that you're simply after that Austrian prince you admire?" Bismarck slowly turned back to look at Chloris.

"Very well! I only hope that Germany can be unified. Now that I have chosen Your Highness, I will naturally accompany you to the end, no matter what the future holds for me." Bismarck put his military cap back on and left with steady steps.

Watching the blonde woman walk away, Chloris took a gold coin from her black lace-trimmed gloves and tossed it into the air.

PS1: The boss can only help Gisela this far.

PS2: I will always love Bismarck!

Chapter 370 The Fall of St. Stephen's Crown: Capter 86 St. Stephen's Crown (Seeking Votes)

"Contempt stings the enemy more than killing." — Victimus, ancient Roman military theorist

Prussia's neutral stance was quickly relayed to London. This time, no one could have imagined that Britain, the world's leading power, would lose a reliable ally (scapegoat) for the first time on the European continent. And the British, isolated at sea, finally paid a heavy price for their infamous diplomatic reputation.

Would the British still wage war against Russia and Austria for the sake of the Ottomans? Anyone with even a basic understanding of politics and diplomacy can see the answer: even if the Prime Minister and the Queen wanted war, persuading Parliament would be no easy task. Moreover, the navies of these countries were simply no match for British naval supremacy.

The outcome was clear: in order to salvage its diplomatic prestige to the greatest extent possible, London ultimately informed the Ottoman Empire to abandon its plans to advance into southern Transylvania. As for the resulting decline in international prestige, the Turks could be used as a scapegoat.

This is an outcome that both parliament and the people can accept. As for the cost of the equipment sent over, let's just consider it "charity".

Thus, with the withdrawal of 20,000 Ottoman troops from the Austro-Turkish border, the crisis seemed to have come to an end. Meanwhile, the rebels, having lost the support of Britain and Turkey, were quickly defeated by the Hungarian army.

It's only a matter of time before the army returns to base.

Gresham Palace in Budapest, Hungary

"Gentlemen! Those damned heretics have been defeated by our holy army, and it's only a matter of time before they return to Budapest." Marash stood up straight and looked at his colleagues with a serious expression.

"You understand what this means. In Southern Transylvania, we have three of our most elite divisions on their way back, and in the east, we have countless troops scattered throughout the country."

"The main force of the Austrians and their princess are still in Italy, and our 'King' is bedridden and unable to govern. I cannot imagine a better opportunity than now to realize our ancestors' long-cherished wish and restore the glory of the Kingdom of Hungary!" Maráš continued to stir up the emotions of the parliamentarians with his impassioned speech.

"Now all we need to do is raise our right hand and cast our own answer for the future of our country, and show our people with concrete actions what Hungary needs: to be an independent nation or an appendage of a deformed empire?" Maráš's voice grew increasingly impassioned as he turned his gaze to Count Andrássy behind him.

At this moment, Count Andraci leaned on his cane and looked solemnly at the man surrounded by councilors. This time, his expression became exceptionally grave.

"My lord, is it really alright to let Lord Marash do this?" His attendant whispered to the count.

“We have no choice. The contents of that newspaper are malicious. Austrians are just like us, but the newspaper only portrays us as the opposite of other nations. I really can’t think of anyone other than the Viennese who would do something like this. They are forcing us to show our cards.” As he said this, the middle-aged man gripped his cane tightly.

“At first, I had two trump cards. First, I persuaded the princess to become the Queen of Hungary, so that Hungary and Austria would become two countries in name only. Then, I would gradually induce conflict between her and her brother Rudolf (Emperor of Austria), thereby dividing the power of the royal family and Vienna. Although this process would be very long, it was undoubtedly very safe.”

"But Rudolf died in Italy, and that princess was not as innocent and lovely as I had seen her. I saw a lion in her clear, watery eyes, and an ambition to smash everything."

"The second card is the one we're playing now. We'll take advantage of the gap between the Empire's domestic and international political crises to force a military rebellion and compel Vienna to compromise with us. The timing of this move is crucial; it's risky, but the rewards are also great."

"You still remember that young lady from that day, right? That lady was sent by Her Highness the Princess to test us. Can you believe she is the Princess of the Sixth Empire?" Count Andrahi was unusually calm at this moment, sharing all his thoughts with the young man before him without reservation.

"So you still condoned what happened today..." The young man looked at the count with great confusion.

“Some things cannot be decided by your or my will. What Marash said is not only the position of all the councilors in this hall, but also the long-cherished wish of us Magyars for hundreds of years.”

Long live the Kingdom of Hungary!

Long live Hungary!

The members of parliament rose to their feet, cheering wildly, as if the Kingdom of Hungary had regained its independence. The 1867 agreement was never the end of the Hungarian struggle, but only a new beginning; four years of dormancy had been for this moment.

They have waited far too long for this.

"Game over, Hungarians." As the hall doors were slowly pushed open, the elegant yet composed voice of a beautiful blonde girl echoed through the Gresham Palace hall.

She had dazzling blonde hair, and her beauty was described by many imperial poets as that of a modern-day Aphrodite, while her sanctity was like that of Artemis. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the young woman walked steadily into the hall, her high heels clicking crisply on the marble floor.

"How could she be here?!" This was the biggest question in the minds of most of the Hungarian parliamentarians present. Logically, she should still be in Italy, but her beauty, her unique fox ears, and the familiar sword at her waist were constantly proclaiming to the world that the princess had returned.

At this moment, Gisela's lips curled slightly upward, and her clear blue eyes held a sense of pride that she had everything under control. She glanced at the astonished Hungarians before her, but instead of lingering in the center of the parliament, she continued up the stairs toward the place where the Crown of St. Stephen was kept.

"Halt! Even if you are a princess, you have no right to approach this crown that does not belong to you." A Hungarian nobleman named Maráš pushed through the crowd and called out to Gisela.

In his view, the crown should have represented him, a Hungarian, and he should have surpassed the weak Count Andrássy to become the new King of Hungary.

"Is that so?" Gisela said coldly, glancing contemptuously at the hopping Marash before continuing to walk with her head held high toward the platform where the crown was kept.

Thus, the Crown of St. Stephen, which is revered as a sacred object and spiritual symbol by the Hungarians, was brought close to Gisela. Unlike the last time she viewed it from afar, this time she could reach out and pick up the crown, then play with it like a toy.

PS1: Ra!

Chapter 371 The Fall of St. Stephen's Crown: Capter 87 The Fall of the Crown

“A crooked and ugly cross,” Gisela commented softly. As a princess of the Habsburg family, she had seen countless crowns far more exquisite than this in the royal treasury.

Even if you searched the entire treasure trove, you probably wouldn't find a hat uglier than this.

"Put down the crown! Even if you are His Majesty the King's daughter, desecrating the crown in Hungary is a capital offense!" Maráš continued to roar. As a typical Magyar supremacist, Gisela's behavior had undoubtedly crossed his bottom line.

Unfortunately, Gisela ignored the noisy man and continued to fiddle with the crown in her hands.

"Guards! Guards!" Marash shouted loudly towards the door. In his opinion, as long as the royal guards arrived, this farce would be over. After all, even if Her Highness was the princess of the empire, she had no reason to make things difficult for them, since they had not actually started any so-called "rebellion" until now.

Gisela turned around, first giving the man a disdainful glance, then slowly picked up the crown with her left hand, and then gently shook the cross on the Saint Stephen's crown with her right index finger.

“I really dislike people like you.” Gisela stared coldly at the man before her, her contempt deeply provoking this man hailed as the “White Knight of the New Era in Hungary.” (This refers to János Hungás; you can search for more information about him yourself.)

"You!" Marash stomped his foot angrily.

"You! What do you mean, 'you'! Kneel down! You lowly and impolite barbarian! I am not a princess, nor the king's daughter. My name is Gisela Louise Marie von Habsburg, the future Archduchess of Austria, and the heir to the imperial throne!" As Gisela spoke, blue flames danced around her, her golden hair turned silver in a way that surprised everyone present, her blue eyes were replaced by purple, and her appearance changed from a young girl to a more mature one. The instantaneous change in her aura and presence caused the Hungarians present to instinctively retreat with a mixture of surprise and fear.

Seemingly in response to Gisela's roar, dozens of women dressed in nuns' habit and carrying weapons quickly entered through the door.

Even more terrifying was that one of the gray-haired women was carrying a scythe used by the medieval Inquisition. The silver-haired woman walked straight up to Marash, kicked him to the ground, grabbed his hair, and dragged him to Gisela.

"Aponia reports to you that the rebels in the royal palace have been completely brought under control, and the St. Stephen's Legion in the city is also gathering at the palace." Aponia said with a slight smile, conveying what was like a judgment to the Hungarian nobles present in her gentle and calm tone.

“Your Highness, what you are doing is illegal. Our Hungarian Parliament has an agreement personally signed by His Majesty the Emperor, which grants us legal rights. You cannot detain us indiscriminately.” A Hungarian noblewoman stood in front of Gisela and said in a questioning tone.

"Is that so? Then how come I remember that the premise of this agreement was that Hungary had to swear unconditional allegiance to the monarchy?" Gisela's implication was very clear: since you wanted to rebel first, then the agreement was naturally no longer valid.

“Hungary will not agree to your behavior,” another member of parliament said.

“No, no, no! Watch your words. It’s not Hungary, it’s you Magyars. Remember, your land isn’t just home to narrow-minded and selfish people like you.” Gisela raised her little finger and deliberately picked at her ear impatiently.

"Gissela Louise Marie! Don't be too happy yet. Our Hungarian army is about to return to Budapest. When that happens, a civil war will break out, and you will be a sinner of the empire!" Even though Aponia had already held his head down, Maráš still swore and showed no respect to Gissela.

"How terrifying! Threatening me with a civil war, hahahaha!" Gisela laughed wildly as he slowly raised his right hand and snapped his fingers lightly in the air. With a loud bang, the entire hall was shrouded in thick smoke, and the crowd coughed violently as they struggled to open their eyes.

A black magical armored vehicle crashed through the roof, leaped into the hall, and stood before them.

"Jeanne de Darc reports to you that the three Hungarian divisions approaching Budapest have all surrendered. These are their regimental flags." Jeanne, piloting her magical armor, knelt before Gisela and threw the three regimental flags to the ground.

Without the support of magic users, the regular troops simply did not have the power to challenge these "gods". Rather than being destroyed by them, it was better to surrender. In fact, the surrendered Hungarian troops did not even receive the order to advance from Budapest, but were just on a normal march back to defend their territory.

Just then, a red-haired girl and a brown-haired woman walked into the hall at just the right moment and knelt down in front of Gisela.

"Your Highness, Rita reports that Croatian troops have marched into Hungary."

“Your Highness, Rania von Brno reports that the Bohemian army has crossed the border between the two regions.” Gisela had already prepared everything; now, all that awaited her opponent was surrender.

"If you have any other ideas, hurry up and say them." Gisela continued to twirl the crown in her hand, looking at the frustrated Hungarian with a look of amusement, but all she got in response was endless silence.

"no yet?"

“Very well then I declare the Hungarian Parliament officially abolished! As for this crown…” Gisela leisurely examined the Hungarian crown, a symbol of wealth and power, before tossing it into the air.

"The history of the Kingdom of Hungary has come to an end." Gisela drew his Saint Stephen's sword, imbued with magical energy that glowed with a pale blue light, and just like that, before everyone's eyes, the crown was cleaved in two.

A thousand years ago, a people from the East arrived here with courage and fearlessness. Their leader used his wisdom to secure land and establish a nation for his descendants. The fame of the Shield of God resounded throughout Europe, and the future of this nation was once bright.

Unfortunately, nations, like people, are always changing. At some point, the Hungarians lost their way, and selfishness and conservatism became the biggest cancer hindering the empire's development. History, however, never seeks cowardly conservatives, but rather the brave who dare to break the old order and its shackles.

Today, the sword of St. Stephen in Gisela cleaves the crown of St. Stephen of Hungary, just as it breaks the shackles that bound this ancient empire. It bids farewell to the past, and a brand new era is rising.

PS1: The very crucial chapter 6903 of the Japanese Exotic III War Machine has been revised for several days, and this can be considered a climax.

PS2: Gisela is having a blast showing off, and this time her harem is unusually cooperative, isn't they? 2333

PS1: I've always liked this part.

Chapter 372 The Fall of St. Stephen's Crown: Capter88 Financial Problems (Seeking Votes)

The day after Gisela announced the dissolution of the Hungarian Parliament, Budapest-Budaburg

At this moment, Gisela was comfortably sitting at her desk, legs crossed, reading the documents in her hands. Behind her, her maid, Aponia, stood elegantly, her ample bosom pressed against Gisela's neck, gently massaging her shoulders with both hands. At Gisela's feet, her best personal maid, Rita, was kneeling on the floor, gently massaging her ankles.

As the saying goes, the greatest joy is the favor of a beautiful woman. With the double enjoyment from two beauties, Gisela was undoubtedly extremely comfortable at this moment. Not only were her fox ears drooping, but even her tail had temporarily stopped wagging. At this moment, she looked as obedient as a kitten, even though foxes are clearly canines.