She changed Europe

Page 83

"You're from the Holy See?" Garibaldi tilted her head, observing the cloaked man seated in his seat. Several other people, also dressed in black cloaks, stood beside him. From their physiques, the experienced Garibaldi could immediately tell they were women. Unlike men who could only become mage, women in this world were sometimes more dangerous than men, especially when facing the mysterious Holy See; she needed to be even more vigilant.

“Who I am is unimportant; I only hope you can bring peace and unity to Italy.” The man gently raised his hand and then took a piece of paper from the woman beside him. This brief movement caught the attention of the astute Garibaldi, who noticed that the weapon under the woman's cloak appeared to be a retractable lance.

"What is this?" Garibaldi instinctively gripped the hilt of her knife at her waist. Years of military service had given her keen observation skills, and she would never be careless in the face of danger.

"A list of weapons and supplies, the location is Messina. I know you never lack followers. Although you didn't tell those soldiers just now, I know you were strictly selecting soldiers. The reason is simple: your equipment, ammunition, and supplies are not enough to support an expedition of more than a thousand people, right?" The man's words seemed calm, but every word hit Garibaldi's sore spot.

"Then can you tell me why you, as a member of the Papacy, support our revolution? If my memory serves me right, the Vatican has always opposed revolution." This wasn't just Garibaldi's inherent suspicion; after all, the failure of the First Italian War of Independence was largely due to the Papacy's obstruction. As someone who had been through it all, how could he easily trust someone with unclear motives?

“My dear Miss Garibaldi, we are messengers of God, and of course, also humble and selfish human beings. I have had enough of foreigners running rampant on our land. Rather than feigning compliance with them, I would much rather choose your broad road.” The man’s tone was sincere, without the slightest hint of pretense.

"Is that so? Well then, let's hope we can work together happily." Garibaldi nodded. She had no choice but to integrate existing resources, after all, the Kingdom of Sardinia had already failed…

After finishing her sentence, Garibaldi turned around and pushed open the door without saying another word, then left the tavern, which had long been deserted. After all, achieving Italian independence was now her only wish.

"I hope we can meet again in Rome." The man raised his glass, swirled the liquid inside, and watched the departing brown-haired girl through the glass before downing the liquid in one gulp.

"Cecilia, where do you think our lovely Pope is now?" The man's lips curled into a slight smile.

"My lord, once you cross Croatia, you'll reach Hungary." The gentle, intellectual female voice always brings a sense of comfort.

"Those who have gathered us, this new war has now begun."

"As you command, Lord Bishop."

PS1: Cecilia

Chapter 308 The Fall of St. Stephen's Crown: Capter 24 A "Beautiful" Dream (Seeking Votes)

Our gaze returns to the speeding royal train—

As the melodious strains of Johann Strauss II's "The Blue Danube" began to play, the train crossed the natural border of Neletania and then entered the heart of the Danube alluvial plain, which is the territory of the Kingdom of Hungary.

When it comes to Hungary, no one familiar with European history will be unfamiliar with it; it was once hailed as the Shield of God.

In the 9th century AD, the Magyars, a nomadic people from the east, led their people westward from the western foothills of the Ural Mountains and the Volga River bend, eventually crossing the Balkha Mountains and settling in the Danube Basin in 896 AD. For the next several centuries, they remained a formidable external threat to the Catholic world.

Until the year 1000, the millennium year, Archduke Stephen I of Hungary converted to Catholicism and made it the state religion of Hungary. He also became the first Hungarian king to be crowned by the Pope. From then on, Hungary began to shoulder the task of defending the eastern gateway of the Catholic world and maintained an ambiguous relationship of love and hate with the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Kingdom of Poland during the Middle Ages.

The first real crisis faced by the Kingdom of Hungary was the Mongol invasion of the west between 1241 and 1242. This severe blow not only caused Hungary heavy losses, but also nearly led to its conquest by the Mongols. Had the Mongols not withdrawn, the destruction of the country would have been inevitable.

After this, Hungary gradually recovered its strength, reaching its peak during the reign of Matthias Juniotti from 1458 to 1490. Under his rule, Hungary (especially the northern part, which was part of Slovakia) became an artistic and cultural center of Renaissance Europe.

Unfortunately, the glory was short-lived. In 1453, the Purple Phoenix, which had stood on the European continent for a thousand years, was destroyed by the rising Ottoman Empire, and the eastern gateway of Europe was completely exposed to the iron hooves of the pagan army.

In 1526, Suleiman the Magnificent commanded the Turkish army against a Christian coalition at the Battle of Mohács, a decisive battle that ended in a crushing defeat for the coalition. Not only were many Hungarian nobles killed, but King Joseph Lajos himself perished in the fighting. After his death, the kingdom was divided into three parts: the western part was inherited by Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I (of the Habsburg dynasty), who was related to Suleiman by marriage; the southern part was occupied by the Ottoman Empire; and Transylvania in the east became a completely independent principality.

From that point on, the independent Kingdom of Hungary vanished completely from the annals of history. It wasn't until 1699, when the powerful Habsburg dynasty annexed the entire territory of Hungary, that the Magyars once again saw the dawn of unification. Afterwards, the Kingdom of Hungary continued to exist as part of an empire, yet they constantly sought independence, hoping to break free from foreign rule and restore their former glory, even if that glory never truly belonged to them.

Then came the familiar history of the world: troubles in 1849 and 1867. This group of "nomads" had become the most unstable part of the empire. Unlike the imperial government, which pursued a policy of appeasement and tolerance, the Magyars had a serious xenophobic tendency. The Empress Dowager put Gisela in charge of this hot potato. No one expected her to solve the problem. More people just wanted to marginalize her through the checks and balances of the Hungarian nobles.

It's fair to say that Gisela faced a more challenging and severe test than imagined. So, given all this, you wouldn't want to fail and become a princess of a fallen kingdom, would you? So how could you sleep at such a young age?

At that moment, a female voice she had never heard before entered Gisela's mind, startling her so much that she suddenly widened her eyes.

As my vision gradually returned, a beautiful, mature woman's face came into view, so close yet so pleasing to the eye. Her eyes were closed, and the rise and fall of her chest and her soft breathing gave me a strange sense of peace.

Rita, resting her head on her lap for the first time in a long while, looked tenderly at her favorite maid, Gisela, overwhelmed with emotion. Years ago, she herself had also used Rita's soft lap as a pillow, listening to Mr. Blums' lullabies, to get through the initial bewilderment of arriving in this world.

“Rita, Rania, Sissi, Selena, Su Beiming, Chloris, Bismarck, Goben, Tegthof…” All sorts of people interacted with her, forming bonds, or becoming rivals. Of course, she wouldn’t regret it, wouldn’t complain, because she deeply understood the Eastern wisdom of accepting one’s lot as it comes.

"Your Highness, you're finally awake?" Rita slowly opened her eyes as she heard movement between her legs. She smiled and lowered her head, looking tenderly at the princess on her lap.

"Oh, right, Rita, where did everyone go?" Gisela didn't seem to see any of the other ladies besides Rita.

"Them?" Rita's lips curled up slightly, and she reached out her fair and delicate hand with a kind look in her eyes to gently stroke Gisela's forehead. Her tone was gentle, but there was something indescribable about it. The moment Gisela's skin touched hers, she instinctively felt a chill, and alarm bells rang in her heart.

"Your Highness's long golden hair is so beautiful! It's as perfect as a doll in a little girl's arms. And your fox ears are so adorable, and your tail is so lovely." Rita maintained her smiling expression, and although her words were complimentary, Gisela was not happy at all.

"Your Highness is so beautiful and lovely, I, Rita, am absolutely smitten. Why do you still go looking for other women?" A woodcutter's knife appeared in Rita's hand at some point, and Gisela could tell how sharp the knife was from the gleaming blade.

"Why don't you let me cut you down and give me your head? All I need to do is hold you and sleep with you. That way you won't be able to be unfaithful, right? You'll only be able to look at me..." Rita said with a sinister smile as she swung down the knife in her hand.

Driven by her survival instinct, Gisela broke free from Rita's grasp, rolled onto the floor, dodged the machete, and then scrambled to escape.

"Your Highness, don't go! We can stay together!" Rita followed Gisela with unhurried little steps, seemingly not worried at all that she would run away.

"Aponia! Hana! Jeanne! Shahrador! Whoever it is, come save me!" Gisela's fox ears perked up in fright. Seeing Rita, now acting like a yandere following her, Gisela quickly ran towards the front of the train. Even stranger, there seemed to be no one else on the train besides her; even the staff who were supposed to accompany her had vanished without a trace.

PS1: Ra!

Chapter 309 The Fall of St. Stephen's Crown: Capter 25 The Fox and "The Fox" (Seeking Votes)

"What's that?" Gisela seemed to notice something ahead. There was a woman with short silver hair standing in the passageway. Gisela recognized the woman as Jeanne from her figure at a glance.

“Jeanne, save me…” Gisela gently patted Jeanne’s shoulder. The famously proud Duchess of France slowly turned her head back, still holding the strange liquid in her hand.

"Your Highness should take your medicine." Jeanne's eyes were vacant, and her tone was as cold as a doll's.

"Do you really think your black tea is delicious?" Gisela looked at Jeanne in surprise, but Jeanne not only did not respond, but continued to repeat the same words in the same accent.

"Hehe! Your Highness, don't run away..." At this moment, Rita, holding a machete, entered the carriage and quickly caught up with him.

"You idiot Jeanne Alter, get out of my way!" Gisela shoved Jeanne, but it seemed to have no effect.

"Your Highness, it's time to take your medicine."

"Damn it! Are they all possessed?!" Gisela wiped the sweat from her brow, looking at Rita who was getting closer and closer with some fear.

"Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer! Aponiahana and the others will be here to help me soon." Gisela seemed to be stuck in the middle, unable to move forward or backward. Apart from her verbal bravado, she didn't know what to do. The worst part was that she couldn't use her magic power.

“Them? They’ve become my collection!” Rita dragged them one by one to Gisela, carrying a ring of indescribable spherical objects.

Gisela was completely dumbfounded at this moment; her eyes were filled with nothing but fear.

“Yes, Your Highness, just sit there quietly. I only need one cut; it won't hurt.” Gisela watched as Rita walked up to her and gently swung the wood-chopping knife…

"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!" Gisela was jolted awake from her dream by a piercing scream. Her violent reaction caused her head to collide with Rita, who was giving her a lap pillow.

"ah!"

"Well!"

"My head, my head!" Gisela frantically touched her neck, then gasped for breath, her clothes completely soaked with sweat.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?" Aponia asked anxiously, crouching down to gently wipe the sweat from Gisela's brow with a handkerchief. Rita also gently stroked Gisela's forehead, trying to ease her tension.

"Hahaha! You silly princess, you're getting your comeuppance and having nightmares now." Jeanne stood with her hands on her hips, looking smug in her usual style. However, what followed was not Gisela's rebuttal, but rather the reproachful gazes of the ladies, including herself and Gisela.

"Haha..." Faced with the unpleasant gaze, Jeanne awkwardly shrank her neck, but in the end she obediently lowered her head and knelt on the ground silently to await her fate. After all, she was aware of her role as the culprit who caused Gisela's coma.

As the royal train slowly pulled into Budapest Central Station, Gisela gracefully and appropriately disembarked, following the pre-arranged schedule. She was then greeted by Hungarian Prime Minister Count Andrássy and received greetings from prominent figures from all walks of life in Hungary, accompanied by music played by the royal band.

Interestingly, in Budapest, Gisela did not hear the national anthem "God Save Emperor Franz," which was widely circulated in the streets of the empire, but rather the uniquely Magyar "imnsz" (hymn).

This song was composed in 1844 by the Ferenc brothers, Hungarian musicians. The entire piece celebrates the epic history of Hungary's nation over the past thousand years, expressing their pride and sense of identity with their people.

It was precisely because of its strong nationalist tendencies that it was ultimately valued by the Hungarian Parliament and, after the establishment of the dual monarchy, was adopted as the national anthem of Hungary. From then on, the "Hymn" held a status in the Kingdom of Hungary that even surpassed that of the empire's national anthem.

Although they were welcoming a princess from the imperial family, they were playing their own country's national anthem. Clearly, their political stance was very obvious: we are welcoming you not because you are the princess of the empire, but because you are the daughter of our King of Hungary (Emperor Joseph), that is, our princess of Hungary.

The prerequisite for the establishment of the dual monarchy was that Emperor Joseph was forced to compromise and, with the approval of the Hungarian Parliament, the ceremony of crowning St. Stephen (the Hungarian Crown) was repeated.

This seemingly superfluous action was actually telling the empire that the Hungarians had a superior status, equal to the Austrians, and were different from other ruled peoples.

Such actions naturally led to discontent among the people of Bohemia, Croatia, and other countries, which in turn was transferred to the imperial government.

"Welcome, Your Highness." Looking at the dashing middle-aged man before her, Gisela couldn't help but think of this man from history, who in some ways could be considered a powerful and ruthless figure.

“Count Andrzy, the Hungarian people are indeed as warm and hospitable as I heard them say in the court.” Gisela, wearing high heels, walked steadily behind the tall middle-aged man in front of her, her gaze naturally sweeping over the crowd standing to one side.

“Your Highness, you flatter me. We Hungarians are all descendants of shepherds, how would we know anything about hospitality? I’m just happy as long as they don’t embarrass themselves in public,” Count András said to Gisela in a somewhat humorous tone as he led the way.

“No, Lord Andrássy, my attendants always like to tell me the facts, and for someone as inexperienced as myself, my first impression of you and me is that you are loyal and reliable.” Gisela flattered the Hungarian prime minister while emphasizing his attendants’ views and highlighting his own lack of experience in order to reduce the middle-aged man’s wariness of him.

After all, Gisela could make achievements in military affairs with her identity as a magic user, but politics cannot rely on talent. And at such a young age, she could not become a politician overnight. Therefore, in front of the Count, Gisela was still someone who knew nothing about politics.

“Your Highness, your outstanding performance in Italy is enough to demonstrate your unique insight and genius-level command skills to the world. Your words seem rather modest.” Count Andrássy responded to Gisela’s words with a smile. As a cunning old fox in the court, he was not complacent because of Gisela’s modesty. As long as the country was not independent, the count would have to maintain respect for this daughter of Joseph and be wary of the Habsburg family.

Qi Ling Shi Jiu Si PS1: Count Andrashi can be considered a hero of his time.

Chapter 310 The Fall of St. Stephen's Crown: Capter 26 The Earl and the Princess (Seeking Votes)

Some things are tacitly understood by both parties, and as long as the issue isn't explicitly broken, then the superficial decorum must be maintained.

Perhaps thinking of something, Gisela lowered her head to look at her skirt, and an idea formed in her mind.

A moment later, Gisela took a step and deliberately stepped on the ribbon of her dress, losing her balance and falling to the ground. Count Andraci, quick-witted and agile, turned around and caught Gisela's waist to prevent an embarrassing fall, since both of them were still in the public eye.

"Thank you." Gisela smiled and expressed her gratitude to the man who had helped her up, then turned to Rita with a forced smile.

"Rita, come here."

"What is it, Your Highness?" Rita approached Gisela with utmost respect, her every gesture perfectly graceful.

"I told you to prepare this kind of dress for me!" Gisela slapped Rita hard across the face in front of everyone. A red handprint immediately appeared on Rita's pretty face, making everyone present feel sorry for her.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness!" Perhaps sensing something from Gisela's actions, Rita didn't say anything more but simply lowered her head, bowing to Gisela as if she were the one who had truly made a mistake.

"Your Highness, please don't blame this young lady this time." Count Andrahi was also seeing Gisela Louise Marie, hailed as the Empire's genius princess, so willful for the first time, especially in front of so many people. However, this little incident actually relieved him; no matter how illustrious she was on the battlefield, she was still just a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl.

The more inactive and ignorant of politics and diplomacy Her Highness is, the better it is for them. Otherwise, how can Hungary's independence be achieved if a troublesome governor is appointed?

That being said, Count Andrahi still did not completely lower his guard against Gisela, but for Gisela, it was enough to slowly disguise herself through these inconspicuous details.

“I’ll let it go this time for the sake of Count Andrahi, but if you ever find me clothes that hinder my movement or are inappropriate again, I will never forgive you,” Gisela warned Rita.

Of course, during this time, he also winked at Rita as an apology, while Rita looked at Gisela with a smile. Faced with this, Gisela couldn't help but shrink back.

"Please excuse my poor appearance, Count. Where do we need to go next?" Gisela didn't dare to keep staring at Rita, but instead looked at Count Andrahi.

"Your Highness, let's go to the Hungarian Parliament first. As the newly appointed Governor, how can you not make an appearance in the most important place in this country?"

———— Bus boarding boundary line

Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is located in the north-central part of the country, situated on both banks of the middle reaches of the Danube River. Originally two cities facing each other, Budapest was formed in the mid-18th century by the merger of Buda and Old Buda on the left bank and Pest on the right bank after centuries of expansion. This marked the beginning of the epic history of Budapest as a newly emerging city.

Walking through this dreamlike city, you can feel a kind of elegance different from Vienna, and grandeur different from Prague, but a wildness and simplicity unique to the Magyars. The beautiful Danube River is like a mysterious dancer wearing a veil, gently sliding the ribbon in her hand, quietly dividing the city in two, and the bridges connecting the two banks are often the most soulful part of a city.

“Your Highness, this is the symbol of Budapest, the Szcenyi Chain Bridge.” Count Andrássy gently pushed open the carriage window, slowly raised his hand, and pointed to the bridge in the distance. Construction of the Szcenyi Chain Bridge began in 1839, and it was completed in 1849, taking ten years to build. Interestingly, the bridge was completed during the most difficult period of the Hungarian Revolution. After the turmoil of 1848, the Habsburg dynasty, having recovered from the crisis, recalled its army to Vienna and marched to Budapest alongside the Russian Empire's army to suppress the rebellion.

The citizens of Budapest resisted with all their might, setting up defenses along the bridges, and the newly completed Széchenyi Chain Bridge became a key point of defense. Of course, the Hungarian uprising ultimately failed, but the bridge became deeply loved by the Hungarian people because of this glorious period and its unique style.

Of course, in addition to this magnificent bridge, Budapest in the 21st century also boasts eight other famous bridges: the New Pest Railway Bridge, the Árpád Bridge, the Margit Bridge, the Elizabeth Bridge, the Liberty Bridge, the Petőfi Bridge, the Rajmaniusz Bridge, and the Özergöd Railway Bridge. Its reputation as the "City of Nine Bridges" originates from this bridge.

"Wow! How beautiful!" Gisela exclaimed sincerely, leaning against the window like a real 15-year-old girl, while Count Andrahi smiled with some relief.

She was Sisi's daughter, so personally, Count Andrássy had some affection for Gisela. Unfortunately, sometimes his personal thoughts had to give way to national interests.

"Crossing the bridge is the Gresham Palace, the current location of our Hungarian Parliament." Gisela knew that the Hungarian Parliament building only started construction in 1896, and now it is only 1871, which is still two or three decades away from its construction. The Parliament building was converted from the old royal palace.

Although the Habsburg family served as the monarchs of the Kingdom of Hungary for a long time, in reality, very few grand dukes or emperors visited the city of Göreme, let alone used the royal palace there. It was better to leave it to the great nobles of the Hungarian region to manage for a long time. This is why the Göreme Palace, which was clearly royal property, was transformed into a parliament but was little known to the royal family.

The Hungarians' behavior led the empire to completely disregard, or even deliberately neglect, the administration of the Hungarian region, focusing instead on developing and managing its own Neletania region. From a certain perspective, it's no wonder that this provoked the Hungarians' dissatisfaction.

After all, they were neglected by their parents and had to rely on themselves. Their current "darkening" is also related to the policies of Gisela's ancestors. Although Gisela expressed sympathy for the plight of the Hungarians from a certain perspective, sympathy could not bring her any real benefits. In order to better govern the country and complete reforms, some sacrifices were sometimes unavoidable.

Just like the trolley problem, those who choose to save the "majority" are the ones who do so.

“Your Highness, there are two factions in our Hungarian Parliament.” Count Andrássy slowly closed the window, looking at the girl before him with a serious expression.

"Which two factions?" Gisela asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“I prefer to simply categorize their demands as radicals and conservatives. The former advocate overthrowing your father and your family’s rule by violence, while the latter hope to resolve the issue through negotiation with His Majesty.” Count Andrahi spoke while observing Gisela’s clear blue eyes, trying to understand her better.

"Lord Andrachi, which side do you support?" Gisela asked in a soft voice, posing a very subtle question.

PS1: Ra!

Chapter 311 The Fall of St. Stephen's Crown: Capter 27 The Hungarian Parliament (Seeking Votes)

"By the way, Your Highness, would you like to become the Queen of Hungary?" Count András asked Gisela, spreading his arms wide.

"Queen?" Gisela was taken aback by the sudden question, but then she understood the other party's intention. To be honest, becoming a monarch was not a matter that could be discussed casually.

“Yes, Your Majesty, you know that we in Hungary have always wanted a ‘true monarch.’” Count Andrássy’s purpose was simple: on the one hand, he expressed his political demands, and on the other hand, he was testing Gisela. If Her Highness agreed, then Hungary’s path to independence would be one step closer (different monarchs from the same family); if she disagreed, it didn’t matter, since the Habsburg family currently only wanted to maintain the status quo in Hungary and lacked the courage to actively break the deadlock.

"Isn't the current king my father? Shouldn't he be my younger brother, Crown Prince Rudolf, after him? Why are you asking me this kind of question?" When faced with someone's verbal trap, sometimes excessive pretense can easily expose one's true nature. At this moment, Gisela chose an answer that was appropriate for a 15-year-old girl: simply stating the objective facts.

"It's nothing, I just think that Your Highness is so outstanding, it's certainly worth having such a plan. I apologize for asking such a strange question." Andrahi apologized to Gisela with a smile, clearly the old fox was still making his own calculations.

This conversation can be seen as a test between the two, since for Gisela, Count Andrahi, who single-handedly facilitated the formation of the dualistic empire, is clearly a seemingly formidable opponent.

The two stepped down from the carriage and, under the watchful eyes of the Hungarian royal guards, passed through the arched gates of Gresham Palace, then through the fragrant royal gardens, finally stopping before a majestic palace.

"Your Highness, I heard that the magical artifact you use is called the Sword of Saint Stephen?" Andrashi gently raised the pocket watch at his waist, checked the time, and asked.

"Yes, it is a magical artifact once used by our Empire's Marshal, Prince Eugen, but according to the Church's records, its history may be even longer." The Sword of Roland in France, the Holy Sword of Britain, and the Sword of Saint Stephen in Gisela's hands—which one is the best sword in Europe? This is actually a very interesting question.