novelSusiti Chapter 52 The Humiliation of William II: The Blood of Hohenzollern, Not for the Poor
Chapter 52 The Humiliation of William II: The Blood of Hohenzollern, Not for the Poor
The next morning, the sun had just risen over Mount Lycabettus.
In Athens, a peculiar scene unfolded outside the temporary office of the chief aide-de-camp.
At the entrance of this simple room, converted from a storage room, stood a row of generals who usually looked down on everyone else.
The one leading them was Papagiorou.
He took off his medal-laden dress and put on a simple training uniform. Holding his military cap, he stood respectfully outside the door, like a primary school student waiting for his teacher to summon him.
Behind him, several other generals, also at the division commander level, stood solemnly, not daring to utter a sound.
When a sleepy Metaxus opened the door, she was startled by what she saw.
"General, you..."
"Your Excellency Metaxas!" Papagiorou stood at attention, his voice loud yet full of respect. "We are not here to disturb you! We...we just want to request that you allow us to listen in and see how you...write the budget report."
Metaxas was stunned.
Looking at these military leaders who had looked down on him yesterday, now acting like eager students, he suddenly understood His Highness's deeper meaning.
Last night's simulation not only shattered Papagiorou's arrogance, but also the backbone of the entire old Greek army.
Now, His Highness the Crown Prince will personally replace the backbone of this army with a brand new one forged from steel and science!
And he, Metaxus, is the one who wields the hammer!
Meanwhile, in the royal study.
Constantine placed a brand-new report in front of his father, George I.
Draft Budget for Modernization Reforms of the Royal Greek Army, 1886-1888.
"Connie, you got him to produce this in just one night?" George I asked, picking up the report with some surprise.
"No, he put into practice what I had taught him over the past month in just one night."
King George I opened the report.
The more he looked, the more serious his expression became.
This report is less like a financial document and more like a cold, hard surgical guide.
The first strike was aimed at the cavalry.
"...Eighty percent of the cuirassiers will be eliminated, with a small number of dragoons retained for reconnaissance and harassment. The purchase of expensive thoroughbred Arabian horses will be halted, as will the replacement of the costly cavalry parade uniforms. The estimated savings are...two million drachmas."
As George I's fingers traced the line, he could almost hear the wails of those cavalry officers who valued honor above all else.
The second strike was aimed at the fortress.
"...Stop the repair and expansion of 'defensive' fortresses in Athens and the surrounding area. These structures, now obsolete in the face of modern siege artillery, have proven to have no military value other than serving as picnic and hunting grounds for officers. The expected savings are..."
The third cut, the fourth cut...
Every strike draws blood!
Every strike was aimed at the deeply entrenched old system, which involved the interests of countless nobles and officers.
The "dismembered" flesh and blood—the funds—were unhesitatingly injected into a new body.
"...purchase three basic loads of 75mm rapid-fire field guns from the German Krupp Company to establish Greece's first modern German-equipped model division."
"...Establish three modern military academies, respectively for training junior non-commissioned officers, artillery observers, and staff officers. Textbooks will be compiled and approved uniformly by the Chief Military Attaché's Office..."
"...All recruit training camps must add courses in 'map reading,' 'distance measurement,' and 'basic mathematics'..."
King George I put down the report and remained silent for a long time.
In the study, only the ticking of the grandfather clock could be heard.
He looked at his son, the crown prince who had once worried him and seemed too silent, but now he saw a strange light in him, a light that even made him feel a little afraid.
He saw more than just numbers and terms.
He saw a completely new form of warfare.
I saw the battlefield roaring with artillery fire, and I saw the enemy being covered by precise firepower and reduced to dust.
A highly efficient, professional, and ruthless war machine is beginning to take shape between the lines of this report.
"You won the prediction last night," King George I finally spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse.
"It wasn't me who won, it was science that won," Constantine corrected.
King George I shook his head, picked up the report, went behind his desk, took the seal representing the king's power, and without hesitation, pressed it down heavily.
"No."
The king looked at Constantine with an unprecedented solemnity.
"You've won. You've proven that you're not just a strategist who can see into the future, but also a monarch who can discover talent and let it shine."
He pushed the stamped report back to Constantine.
"Go for it, Connie. This army is yours now."
Constantine felt no joy at receiving his father's full authorization; he knew this was only the first step.
King George I smiled with satisfaction as he looked at his composed demeanor.
"It's time, Connie."
The king took out a beautiful portrait from a locked drawer. It depicted a blonde, blue-eyed, and noble-looking young woman.
"Princess Sophia of Prussia, daughter of Emperor Frederick III of Germany and granddaughter of Queen Victoria, possesses the lineage, upbringing, and wisdom to be the perfect candidate for the future Queen Mother of Greece."
"We've been planning this marriage for a long time. Now, you've proven yourself and the future of Greece. This marriage must be finalized as soon as possible."
However, fate seems to always like to throw the coldest bucket of water on people when they are full of pride and success.
Just then, the chief valet Alexandros rushed in, carrying a top-secret telegram that had just been delivered from the telegraph room.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, from Berlin."
When the deciphered secret letter was laid out before the king and his son, the previously warm atmosphere in the study instantly plummeted to freezing point.
The letter was sent by the Greek ambassador to Berlin.
The content was filled with humiliation and unease.
"...His Majesty Kaiser Wilhelm I is old and frail, and the power of the Empire has fallen into the hands of Chancellor Bismarck and Crown Prince Wilhelm..."
"...Prince William, a man of eccentric character and extreme arrogance, made no attempt to conceal his contempt for our country at several salons in Potsdam Palace, repeatedly referring to Greece as 'the downtrodden of Europe' and 'the beggar of the Balkans'..."
"...He even declared that the marriage to the Greek royal family was a 'stain' on the bloodline of the great Hohenzollern family! He once told his friends that once he ascended the throne, the first thing he would do was to tear up the engagement!"
At the end of the letter, the ambassador wrote with deep concern:
"...His Majesty William I's health is worrying, and I fear his days are numbered. If a marriage cannot be finalized before his passing, I'm afraid...the future looks bleak."
"Snapped!"
King George I slammed his fist on the table, causing the portrait of Princess Sofia to bounce.
"Arrogant! Insolent! This is outrageous!" The king was so angry that his face turned pale.
This is a blatant insult!
Constantine picked up the portrait and gently brushed away the dust with his fingertips.
His face showed no anger, only a terrifying calm.
"Father," he began.
"What do you intend to do, Connie?" George I sat down wearily. "Are we supposed to beg him?"
"No."
Constantine put down the portrait and walked to the huge map of Europe.
His gaze fell upon the location of Berlin.
"You can't just show a proud, powerful Prussian eagle how plentiful your barn is and beg for its mercy."
Constantine's fingers traced a path from Berlin, across the Balkans, and finally stopped in Constantinople.
"You must also show it that you are a raptor with sharp claws and teeth. A kinsman capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with it, tearing flesh from the decaying giant bear of the Ottomans!"
King George I stared blankly at his son's back as he stood before the map.
That indomitable spirit made even the king feel a pang of fear.
"I will personally lead the delegation to Berlin," Constantine said, turning around with an unquestionable tone.
"I want to propose to Princess Sofia in front of that arrogant Prince William."
"I want him to see for himself whether the 'down-and-out' he sees truly deserves the Hohenzollern family's respect!"