She changed Europe

Page 36

This was also a first for them, as it was the first time the Empire's diffusion cannon had been unveiled.

For the Habsburgs, who were obsessed with saving face and loved to show off, how could they possibly pass up such a great opportunity to flaunt their power? The idea that decisive weapons and national treasures shouldn't be shown off lightly? Sorry, we Austrians don't have that tradition. What are good things for if not to be displayed!

As the smoke cleared, the three Danish magic armors remained intact, and the massive explosion did not cause any significant damage to them. However, the attack still had a tremendous deterrent effect on the Danes.

"Tsk! Has the magical energy been dispersed?" Clearly, this weapon is more suitable for use when magical attacks are directed at conventional forces...

Gisela clicked her tongue, threw away the magic cannon in her hand, and accelerated towards a higher point in the sky.

"Who attacked!" This was the only question Alexandra wanted to ask at this moment. Theoretically, both Prussian magic users were within their sights. As for the two units from before, she had personally witnessed them being shot down and crashing to the ground.

"Your Highness, the attack is coming from below us." But the three of them did not see any enemy figures below.

Could this be the fifth person? Alexandra simply did not believe that the Allied Forces would hide their strength. After all, having an advantage but not using and expanding it, and only thinking of sending out more people after suffering losses, was a foolish piecemeal tactic that only proved the arrogance and stupidity of the Allied Forces commanders.

"Looking for me, you ants!" Gisela's tone was calm, but her purple eyes held a hint of mockery.

For some reason, Alexandra instinctively disliked the white fox-eared guy in front of her.

"Who do we have here? It's that same fox lying on its back earlier." Alexandra frowned, piloting her magic armor and raising the hammer in her hand. Magic energy flowed into it, and the color of the giant hammer was changing.

She could see the change in the Austrian princess's aura and strength, but her own position prevented her from showing any sign of backing down in front of her, so she uttered those words.

"I'll take care of her. You two continue to hold back the two Prussian magic users," Alexandra said, giving orders to her two comrades.

"Want to face me one-on-one?" Gisela narrowed her eyes, activating her armor to assemble the two movable armor plates on her back. A scabbard-like weapon appeared in her hand. She gently raised her right hand, grasped the hilt, and drew the Sword of St. Stephen. The translucent blade with its patterns silently told the world about the glory and history it carried.

"Hmph! Don't think you're superior just because you wield a magical artifact." Alexandra stretched her arms and gripped the giant hammer tightly, though her nervousness was undeniable.

“No wonder the mage protected you earlier; you’re the one who can wield the Sword of Saint Stephen.” Alexandra bit her lip hard until blood trickled from the tip, the intense pain keeping her on her guard.

This legendary magical artifact is one of the three holy swords in Europe, along with the Sword in the Stone in the hands of Queen Victoria of England and the Sword of Roland in the hands of the current Duke of Richelieu of France (Charlie Jean de Plessy de Richelieu, a descendant of Cardinal Richelieu).

"This is my first time using a rapier, please forgive me if I don't perform well." Gisela yawned and lightly swung her weapon. Although it was a broadsword that required both hands to grip, she wielded it with one hand, clearly demonstrating the terrifying amount of magical energy this woman possessed, elevating the armor's performance to a new level. But what Alexandra found most unbearable was the woman's consistently irritating tone.

"Enough with the nonsense!" Before Gisela could finish speaking, she was attacked by Alexandra. She rushed towards Gisela and, just as before, swung her giant hammer down hard on Gisela.

"Fall again!" Alexandra roared. If she could be knocked down once, she wouldn't mind doing it again. She was absolutely confident in the power of her hammer swing. In terms of the explosive power of the magic armor, she was certain that the magic armor she controlled was the best in Europe.

The sound of air being torn apart rang out again, and the scene from just now reappeared in Alexandra's mind. But just as her giant hammer was about to approach the "Snow Fox," a miraculous sight occurred: the magic-powered armor simply vanished before her eyes.

"How is this possible!" The immense inertia caused Alexandra's magic armor to fly in the direction of the force, spinning twice in the air before returning to its original position.

"Nothing is impossible, it's just that your vision is too narrow, you frog in a well." Gisela's sword tip pierced Alexandra from behind, but was blocked by the magic shield, only hitting the outside of the shield. However, this swift attack still put enormous pressure and mental burden on Alexandra. (Her magic energy was already low after the previous consumption.)

“Tsk, I’ve gotten used to thrusting. A rapier should really be swung like a knife.” Gisela made a somewhat ambiguous complaint, but to Alexandra, it sounded full of sarcasm.

"Sorry, it's still my turn to attack." Alexandra watched the magic armor disappear from her sight again, and quickly looked around. This time, she didn't forget to check her blind spot below, and her magic senses were activated to their limit in an instant.

“Up there!” Alexandra suddenly looked up, fixing her gaze on what was above her.

“You guessed right, but there’s no reward!” Gisela’s pretty, youthful face held a cruel expression, her purple eyes filled with contempt. In her eyes, Alexandra was nothing more than an ant.

"Finally, let me tell you a principle. There's an Eastern saying: 'Treat others as they treat you.' The white light gleaming from Saint Stephen's sword easily pierced Alexandra's already fragile magic armor shield the moment it touched her, then directly severed one of Alexandra's magic armor arms, along with her real right hand."

The gushing blood bloomed in the air like flower petals, accompanied by the Danish princess's piercing scream. The intense pain prevented Alexandra from concentrating on controlling her magic armor; she could only let herself plummet straight to the ground. Gisela wiped the blood from her face, threw away her goggles, and smiled.

PS1: It's so cold, my hands are frozen while typing.

Chapter 130 The Brandenburg Eagle and the Snows of Jutland: Capter 65 The Defeat of the Danes

"Your Highness!" The other two magic users from Denmark immediately abandoned the battle and rushed towards the fallen princess. The battle could be lost, but the Kingdom of Denmark could not afford to lose any of its magic users.

"All living beings are but ants; in terms of slaughter, who under heaven can rival me?" Gisela tossed her silver hair, as if talking to herself. At this moment, she seemed to have returned to her distant homeland, the scene of being revered by all people seemingly right before her eyes.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Princess Su Beiming, formerly the Protector of the Nation, is appointed Grand Protector of the Southern Protectorate, overseeing all military and political affairs in the South Seas. She shall never return to the capital without the Emperor's permission." A silver-haired woman with fox ears, dressed in Hanfu, stood atop the Forbidden City's city wall, gazing at the capital for the last time. Her crimson eyes held only desolation and resentment, for she had lived here for nearly five hundred years.

As a former imperial princess, she was the most noble magic user in the Ming Dynasty. Her long lifespan allowed her to protect the empire in ways beyond human comprehension. From the time of Emperor Yongle (Zhu Di), she fulfilled her promise to protect her descendants until the end of her life.

Throughout the more than five hundred years of the Ming Dynasty, she witnessed too much intrigue and treachery within the Forbidden City. In times of crisis, she personally went to the northern deserts, and when the army was defeated at Tumu Fortress, she single-handedly defeated the Oirat army and rescued the emperor. During the Chenghua era, she followed the Chenghua Emperor in sweeping away the Jianzhou Jurchens, destroying their stronghold and wiping them out. During the Wanli era, she defeated the invading Japanese pirates, and later launched an eastern expedition against Japan, bringing the three islands of Japan into the Ming Dynasty's territory...

Over the long years, she witnessed too much joy and sorrow. She did not interfere in state affairs, but her very existence was a check on imperial power. In the end, she chose to exile herself to compromise with the court, and once she left, she never returned.

Why is she called Taiyin? Because Taiyin is the moon, and the moon symbolizes the night, while she is willing to stay in the shadows to protect the descendants of that girl.

The focus shifts again to the burning city of Guangzhou. Although it is a war between the Ming Dynasty and Britain and France, it seems more like a war between the Zhennan Protectorate and Britain and France. The imperial court not only dispersed its troops and held back, leaving the Zhennan Protectorate to defend itself, but also ordered various regions to withhold the supplies that should have been allocated to it.

She struggled against seven adversaries, but in the end, she could only watch as her people were ravaged by invaders on her own land.

Proud by nature, she only knelt once in her life, the first time being hundreds of years ago to her friend and monarch, the Yongle Emperor Zhu Di. This time, she chose to kneel again, this time to the imperial envoy and eunuch sent by the emperor. She was not kneeling for her own honor, but for the lives and property of the millions of people under the jurisdiction of the Zhennan Protectorate, and for the peace and tranquility of this region of the Chinese nation.

Of course, all that was ever received in the end was ridicule and sarcasm. The emperor and the cabinet clearly just wanted to use the Westerners to get rid of this extraordinary being. After she died, the Ming Dynasty would naturally mobilize its army to deal with the invaders.

"Betrayal, endless betrayal! The one I wanted to protect wanted my life instead?" The thought enraged Su Beiming. Rage consumed her, and she killed the imperial envoy, unleashing her fury on everything around her. As a former princess, she had fought countless battles, her blood flowing like the sea. Killing was nothing more than commonplace to her. Thinking this, "Gisela" raised her weapon, ready to attack the ordinary soldiers at her feet.

"Your Highness Gisela! So you're alright!" The two Prussian magic users called out to Gisela and approached her.

"I...I...I'm fine." Gisela's voice was somewhat tired. Her purple eyes slowly faded back to their original blue, and her silver hair turned back to a dazzling gold. Clearly, "Su Beiming" had returned the body to Gisela.

The flood of memories assaulted Gisela's mind. After a moment, she raised her hand and clenched her right hand, because she seemed to understand Princess Su Beiming's resentment and despondency. When facing those memories, she understood them as if she had experienced them firsthand...

Recalling Su Beiming's words, a bold guess arose in his mind: could he be...?

Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Shouldn't she be Gisela? The increasingly complex information plunged Gisela into a brief silence, but the calls of the two magic users beside her pulled her back to reality.

"How is Miss Goburn?"

"She was seriously injured but is still alive."

Turn your gaze to the battlefield below —

Upon hearing the screams, the Danes stared in horror at the white armor that stood like a god in the sky and Princess Alexandra falling toward the ground. At that moment, their faith crumbled.

Without faith, the Danes were like soulless beings. The fanaticism they had been fueled by Alexandra vanished the moment she fell. Even though their own magic users were still in the sky, the princess's fall utterly robbed the Danes of the courage to fight.

The battle that followed was a one-sided rout, and later that day, when...

The last Danish soldiers laid down their weapons and left the fortifications. The Danish magic users, piloting magic armor, also stepped out of their armors and gave up resistance. The Danish major general, now without the protection of his magic user, also chose to commit suicide in despair in his command post.

1869年1月25日下午15点43分杜普尔要塞沦陷，丹内维尔防线遭到了突破，丹麦首都哥本哈根危在旦夕。

On the night of the fall of Duple Fortress, British Prime Minister Henry John Palmerston received news from Berlin of Denmark's impending defeat. The diligent Prime Minister then drove from Downing Street to Buckingham Palace, also located in Westminster.

"What urgent news, sir, necessitates your late-night audience with the Queen?" Palmerston's assistant was a young law student from Oxford University. Oxford, as Britain's most prestigious and oldest university, has produced many elites who have influenced the British Empire and even the world in various fields. Shelley, Hawking, Wilde, Bacon, Bentham… are all renowned alumni of this university, and of course, the Prime Minister himself is also an alumnus.

"White, do you still remember what your professor told you in your first lesson?" Palmerston asked the young man earnestly. As a new recruit hired by the government, he needed guidance in many areas. However, the Prime Minister's choice of this young man from among hundreds of applicants was not due to any special talent or distinguished background. It was simply because the Prime Minister saw a reflection of his younger self in this naive young man.

PS1: In this version, Gisela's relationship with Su Beiming is more special; it's not the mother-daughter relationship from before.

Chapter 131 The Brandenburg Eagle and the Snows of Jutland: Capter66 Yes, Your Excellency! (Seeking votes and subscriptions)

“(The Lord is my light),” the young man said solemnly. (This is the motto of Oxford University.)

“Of course (make the most of the time).” Palmerston sighed, opened the cover on the carriage armrest, and pulled out a cigar. A well-known heavy smoker, Palmerston was no longer satisfied with cheap cigarettes and his stale pipe. Cigars were his true love; as one of the few things left by the Native Americans worth learning from, cigars certainly satisfied the tobacco cravings of many middle-aged men.

Removing the head and leaving the tail is the most authentic way to smoke a cigar, and the sensible assistant White didn't forget to take out a match to light the Prime Minister's cigarette.

"Time is for those who are prepared, and the same principle applies to politics. Otherwise, why would Great Britain spend so much money every year to support intelligence agencies around the world?" The intelligence agencies of Britain during this era were always strong and powerful, which was inseparable from their emphasis on it. These extremely far-sighted investments became the foundation for Britain's strategic maneuvering and its use of the world as a chessboard.

"My lord, what will you be reporting to His Majesty today, in Europe or Asia?" At present, the British Empire is focused on two issues: one is the "Te Great Game" with the Russian Empire in Asia, and the other is the only war currently raging in Europe, the war between Denmark and Germany.

The political term "Great Game" is a fitting translation from English, meaning "great game." The Chinese translation, "大博弈" (Dà Bó Yì), is very apt, capturing its most important characteristic: competition. It began in 1813 and lasted for approximately a century, spanning almost the entire 19th century, and its essence was a geopolitical struggle between major powers.

Its main stage was the heart of Asia, the vast territory between British India and the Russian Empire. Yes, Central Asia and West Asia, which we are familiar with, were involved. Even the Yaqub Beg invasion and the Crimean War were products of the great power struggle between the two countries.

The grand game manifests itself in two main ways: firstly, war, which is of course divided into direct war and proxy war; and secondly, economic infiltration, which is the means of controlling a country by seizing the economic lifeline of a regime.

I'll stop here, but the broader concept of the "Great Game" still exists in the 20th and even 21st centuries, and can even be seen in the actions of the Soviet Union and the United States in Central Asia, such as Afghanistan. (The "graveyard of empires" in Afghanistan is also a product of the Great Game; in a sense, the rivalry between the Tang Dynasty and the Arab Empire in Central Asia can also be seen as a kind of "Great Game.")

"The situation in Denmark is very complicated." The Prime Minister took a deep drag on his cigarette and then slowly exhaled a smoke ring. This slightly intoxicating way of smoking was Prime Minister Palmerston's favorite, as it allowed him to experience a brief moment of relaxation from his anxiety.

"Wasn't the Danes' defeat a foregone conclusion?" White's statement, though somewhat blunt, reflects the view of the vast majority of the public regarding this war between elephants and ants.

“White, you know, it’s precisely because they’re ants that I enjoy watching them bite elephants.” Palmerston said with a contented expression, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"The British Empire is always the partner of the weak and the enemy of the strong. The only true strongman is us." As the planner of two wars against the East and the organizer of the Crimean War, Palmerston's tough political tactics are well known, and his actions as Prime Minister perfectly illustrate this statement.

"You're absolutely right, sir. We are the partners of the weak and the enemies of the strong." Of course, this statement would be even more perfect if we added, "In the face of the interests of the empire."

"My lord, we have arrived at Buckingham Palace," came the respectful voice of the old coachman from outside the carriage.

“My lord, please let me open the door for you.” White pushed open the door and stepped down from the carriage first. He took the cork from the carriage driver and placed it neatly on the ground.

“White, mind your manners. Her Majesty the Queen dislikes men who lack manners.” Palmerston straightened the young man’s collar with a kind smile, as if he knew Her Majesty very well.

"Yes, Your Excellency."

No one knows Her Majesty's habits better than he, as the Prime Minister.

The two Royal Guard soldiers standing in front of the door also politely raised their arms to salute His Majesty the Prime Minister.

Inside Buckingham Palace, a blonde "young woman" in casual clothes was playing with her beloved cat in her office. The grey and white British Shorthair, well-fed and plump, was lying obediently on her lap, enjoying a comfortable massage from its owner.

"Edward, I'm so annoyed! Being the Queen is so boring, so boring!" The girl frowned, looking at her beloved cat with a very resentful tone.

"I want to travel, I want to fall in love." The Queen's tradition of not being allowed to fall in love forced Victoria to stay away from men of marriageable age as much as possible, because only in this way could she avoid scandals or being troubled by love. Although these methods seemed inhumane, they made the Queen more popular among the people, because the Queen was as pure and holy as a goddess.

1869 marked the 32nd year of Queen Victoria's reign. Although she appeared to be nearing 50, due to her mindset and the age-defying effects of being a magic user, she looked as youthful and beautiful as a woman in her early twenties. (A middle-aged woman in love)

Although Queen Victoria was a spinster past her prime, she was, at heart, a woman who was particularly fond of romantic tales in literature. Aside from her work, her only two daily hobbies were petting her cats and reading romance novels. (Gambling, prostitution, and drugs—the Queen indulged in two of these vices; this great empire is probably doomed.)

"Let's not talk about this anymore." Victoria picked up a copy of "Jane Eyre" from the bookshelf, glanced at it for a moment, and then put it back.

“No, I’ve already read this book nine times.” Victoria shook her head, twirling her hair with her left hand as she continued searching for her bookshelf.

“No! I’ve read Pride and Prejudice sixteen times already! Notre Dame de Paris ten times too, and La Dame aux Camélias…” Victoria was furious. All she wanted now was for her servants to buy her books overnight. A reading slump was a nightmare for her.

“What is this…” Victoria bent down and stuck her head into the gap under the bookcase.

"There seems to be something inside." Victoria struggled to pull out a black-covered book from inside and showed it to me.

PS1: The Prime Minister is the best paperhanger in the British Empire.

Chapter 132 The Brandenburg Eagle and the Snows of Jutland: Capter 67 His Majesty is still very young! (Please vote and add to your collection)

"The title 'Sappho' sounds quite nice. Judging from the name, the author must be a woman." Although Victoria was learned, she wasn't an encyclopedia, so it wasn't surprising that she didn't know Sappho.

People say there are nine Muses among the gods—count them again; look at the tenth: Sappho of Lesbos. —Plato

It doesn't matter if you don't know Sappho, but surely no European is unaware of the name of Plato, this ancient sage.

Upon seeing Plato's assessment, Queen Victoria immediately became interested in the book.

"The first poem is dedicated to my beloved Annadonia..." (If you're interested, search it up yourself; Sappho's poems are incredibly sweet.)

Then our Queen, blushing furiously, became completely absorbed in it. The overly innocent Victoria, though she had witnessed countless acts of love between men and women, was experiencing this kind of "orange love" for the first time. The thrill and the sense of transgression were so intense that she didn't even hear the knocking at the door. (For the Queen, the stimulation was simply too great.)

"Your Majesty, I apologize for disturbing you. I have something to report regarding the war in Denmark." Palmerston pushed open the door after several unsuccessful knocks. After all, this was the Queen's office, not her bedroom; what important privacy could there possibly be? As the saying goes, no one knows better than himself…

Then, after years of navigating the political arena, he was utterly dumbfounded upon seeing the scene inside the room. Leaving aside the novels scattered on the floor, he had no right to interfere with the Queen's private hobbies, but the Queen's flushed face, disheveled clothes, and even hints of tears in her eyes... As a proper British gentleman, the old Prime Minister was so shocked by the sight that he swallowed hard, then expertly covered White's eyes and dragged him out the door.

Clearly, Palmerston, a seasoned lover, immediately understood that Her Majesty the Queen was probably... Although the Queen was about the same age as him, in terms of appearance she was still just an innocent virgin.

"My lord! What's wrong with His Majesty?" White was immediately shielded from the awkward scene by the old prime minister.

"It's nothing! His Majesty is still very young!" The old prime minister's voice was somewhat sentimental, his tone as magnetic as the sound of a bottle of aged whiskey being opened.

No one knows what happened after that day. The palace maids only know that the Queen's screams echoed over Buckingham Palace, followed by the roar of "Do whatever you want with me, I don't care!"

Three days later, a mediation memorandum drafted by the British Empire was placed on the negotiating table by the Dempsey representative.

Meanwhile, on February 2, 1869, in the harbor of Sennerborg, which faces Astor Island across the sea, two beautiful ladies were yawning and slacking off while fishing on the frigate "Prussian".

The silver-haired girl lying on a sun lounger, engrossed in a book, was none other than Major Tirpitz, who had shone brightly at the pre-war conference. Although February in Jutland was not only cold but also the sun was particularly weak, she seemed unfazed by the cold, wearing only black stockings. Her military uniform exuded an air of authority. Meanwhile, the short-haired blonde woman, Miss Tegerthof, Gisela's assistant from Bavaria, leaned comfortably against the warship's railing, fishing with a rod, occasionally taking a puff of the cigarette between her fingers.

Unlike the army, which had been fighting bloody battles, the Allied naval officers and soldiers had always adhered to a strategy of avoiding battle and preserving ships, a strategy known as the "existing fleet strategy."

On the other hand, although the fall of Dupur Fortress a few days ago caused heavy losses to the Danes, Danish Prime Minister Monrad seems to believe that Denmark still has the strength to fight a war, so there has been no real breakthrough in the negotiations.

In order to gain more benefits in the negotiations, Prussian Prime Minister Bismarck proposed the "fight while negotiating" approach to the General Staff, asking Moltke to revise the operational plan for the attack on Arles.

The stalemate at the Battle of Misonde made the Prussian army realize the conservatism and rigidity of its own tactics. If it weren't for the advice of the Austrian princess, they might have continued to waste their manpower on these meaningless attacks, which would have played right into the hands of the Danes.

This time, Moltke, having learned his lesson, abandoned his previous plan. Instead of directly attacking the remaining Danish forces connecting Arles and the Jutland Peninsula using traditional methods, he decided to use the long-neglected navy as the breakthrough point for this campaign. He would feign a deployment of his main force to the southwestern fjord of Arles as bait to lure the Danish army, while the Allied army's elite troops would break through the Danish naval blockade from the port of Sørenburg via transport ships and launch a surprise attack on the rear of the Danish defenses.

This innovative idea was initially opposed by old-school officers led by Friedrich, who did not believe that the Allied navy had the ability to break through the Danish naval blockade.

Ultimately, Moltke's strategy received the support of both princes, making its implementation possible. After all, Gisela's outstanding performance in the previous days' battles had established considerable prestige within the allied forces, and Princess Chloris's request further solidified Moltke's resolve. As for Dauphin Frederick's dissatisfaction with Chloris? Compared to political infighting, it was clear that the vast majority of Junker nobles were more enthusiastic about the honor brought by victory in the war.

Let's turn our attention back to the two "naval personnel" on the ship.

To be honest, despite being naval officers, the two men have very different temperaments. Perhaps it is because Tegthof has spent more time in the military that he is more outgoing, humble and polite. Apart from being a bit carefree, he is undoubtedly a qualified soldier.

Because of her youth (she had only recently graduated from naval academy), Tirpitz was more like a student than a soldier. She not only disliked socializing but also retained some of the laziness typical of students (she would never do anything she could avoid). Despite being the one who was fighting for opportunities for the navy, she was now the one leading the way in slacking off...

Her own laziness wasn't a big deal, after all, it was common knowledge that the Prussian Navy was not valued, but she seemed to have a magical power that her laziness would infect those around her, making others as lazy as her. Obviously, Miss Tegthof had "fallen for it." Even though she was supposed to lead the fleet to attack Yiling I Ni Si Wu Jiu Qun tomorrow, she was still fishing here with her today.

"Little Prussian girl, do you know what kind of fish is best to catch in winter?" As if trying to find a topic of conversation, Tegerthof turned around to look at Tirpitz, who was reading a book behind him.