1885, I came to save Greece

Chapter 122 New Ideas for Domination

The banquet hall of the Royal Palace in Athens was brightly lit and dazzling.

Beneath the crystal chandelier, elegantly dressed nobles and envoys from various European countries mingled and drank, the air filled with the complex aromas of perfume, cigars, and fine cuisine.

This is the pre-wedding welcome dinner hosted by Constantine for Prince William.

It is also a battlefield without gunpowder.

Sir Charles Harding, the British ambassador to Greece, was holding a glass of champagne and conversing quietly with several French and Russian diplomats. He was slightly overweight, with meticulously combed hair and a professional smile on his face, but his eyes, hidden behind his glasses, occasionally cast meaningful glances in the direction of Constantine and Prince William.

The French journalist beside him was scribbling furiously, recording something. Clearly, the gold coins Mavrodocatos had scattered were beginning to have an effect.

Constantine ignored this.

He was chatting and laughing with Prince William, introducing him to the various Greek ministers and generals. Prince William maintained his Prussian reserve and arrogance, but the scrutiny in his eyes had transformed into pure curiosity.

Halfway through the banquet, the melodious classical music gradually stopped.

As is customary, the next segment was a song and dance performance. The guests put down their knives and forks, ready to enjoy traditional Greek art.

However, Constantine walked to the center of the banquet hall.

"Distinguished guests, Your Highness Prince William," his voice, carried clearly throughout the hall through the ingenious architectural structure, "I do not wish to disturb your enjoyment tonight with traditional song and dance. Instead, I would like to introduce a special guest, a friend who represents the future of Greece."

Everyone was stunned, whispering among themselves, wondering what the crown prince was up to.

Sir Charles Harding frowned, a sense of foreboding creeping over him.

Amidst the bewildered gazes of the crowd, the side door of the banquet hall was pushed open.

A man walked in.

He was wearing a brand-new blue overalls, with a resolute face and a neatly trimmed beard. He had a slight limp in one leg, so his gait was uneven, but his back was ramrod straight.

It was Stavros Vlahopoulos, the lame veteran, the president of the "Greek Workers' Welfare Association".

Upon his appearance, the Greek nobles and oligarchs present all showed expressions of shock and disdain.

To allow a lowly worker to appear in such a noble setting? Has the Crown Prince gone mad?!

Stavros ignored the strange looks. His eyes were fixed only on the two princes before him.

In his hands, he held an item wrapped in red cloth.

He walked to the center of the hall, stopped five steps away from Prince William, and then stood at attention in a manner typical of soldiers, chest out.

"Stavros Vlahopoulos, President of the Greek Workers' Welfare Association, pays homage to His Highness the Prince of Germany!" His voice was loud and powerful.

Prince William was completely captivated by this unexpected arrangement.

He looked at the lame worker with great interest and gestured for him to continue.

Stavros unveiled the red cloth.

It was an exquisitely crafted model of a gear made of brass. Each tooth was polished to a mirror-like smoothness, meshing perfectly together, gleaming with a cold yet captivating luster unique to the industrial age under the light.

"Your Highness of Germany," Stavros said, holding the model with neither humility nor arrogance, "we Greek workers have heard that you, like our Crown Prince, believe that the strength of a nation comes from steel and sweat."

"This gear was crafted by the best technician in our association, using his own hands, over a period of half a month. It may not be worth much, but it represents the respect of Greek workers."

"We hope that the friendship between Greece and Germany, like these gears, will mesh perfectly and turn together, bringing great strength to our nation!"

His words were simple, yet powerful.

The entire banquet hall was completely silent.

Sir Charles Harding's face turned grim. The French journalist beside him had stopped taking notes and was staring in disbelief at the scene before him.

Their prepared script about Constantine's "suppression of the people" and "creating class antagonism" became a laughable lie at this moment.

Prince William stood up and personally took the brass gear model from Stavross's hands.

He examined it carefully, running his fingers along the smooth surface of the teeth, feeling the dedication and pride that belonged to the craftsman.

"A very nice gift, I like it very much." Prince William nodded, then looked at Constantine with great interest in his eyes. "Constantine, your 'Workers' Association,' that's very interesting."

Constantine smiled and began to explain.

"In Greece, we do not regard workers as a burden on the country or as enemies. We see them as the most important partners in nation-building."

"I know that in many countries, the conflict between factory owners and workers is becoming increasingly acute, and strikes and riots are spreading like wildfire."

"But my philosophy is that it's better to actively guide than to passively suppress."

Constantine's voice drew everyone's attention.

"By having the royal family intervene and mediate, establishing minimum wages and maximum working hours, their basic rights can be guaranteed; by establishing welfare associations, they can be provided with medical and pension security so that they have no worries about the future."

"We transformed those who might have become revolutionaries into the nation's most loyal builders. We combined Prussian efficiency with necessary social concern, ultimately creating harmonious labor relations and higher productivity."

Every word of these words struck Prince William's heart precisely.

As the future heir to the German Empire, he had long been troubled by the growing power of the Social Democrats within his country, who were causing trouble in parliament every day. Bismarck's iron-fisted suppression was also not very effective.

Constantine, whom he had initially thought was just a young monarch of a small Balkan state, had proposed such a novel and visionary solution!

The monarch personally intervenes and leads social reforms!

To bring the workers' power under the control of the royal family!

This...this is simply a brilliant idea!

This not only upheld the monarch's authority but also resolved social conflicts and promoted industrial development!

Prince William looked at Constantine, and his expression completely changed.

That was no longer scrutiny, nor curiosity.

Rather, it's an appreciation and excitement of meeting a kindred spirit!

"Snapped!"

He reached out and slapped Constantine hard on the shoulder, making a loud noise.

"Hahahaha!" He burst into hearty laughter, breaking the tranquility of the banquet hall.

"Constantine!" Prince William almost shouted, gripping Constantine's shoulders tightly, his face filled with excitement. "You! You truly understand the German spirit!"

He turned his head, his gaze sweeping across the room, finally settling on the ashen-faced British ambassador, and announced in a loud voice.

"I hereby announce that the German Empire will donate a complete artillery battalion's equipment to the Royal Military Academy of Greece free of charge! Furthermore, I will personally persuade Krupp to sell their latest artillery technology to Greece at the most favorable price!"

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

Constantine maintained a calm smile as he raised his glass to Prince William.

He knew he had won.

In the corner, Alexius Mavrokodatos's face was as pale as a corpse.