She changed Europe

Page 57

In order to leave a more authentic photo with his family for his own remembrance, and also to appease the feelings of the old nobles under his command, this sneaky act came about.

Memories flooded back; everything that once was so beautiful had shattered like a dream in the blink of an eye. Joseph gently stroked the youngest girl in the picture.

“My lovely little Gisela…” Joseph’s voice trembled slightly, the scene of Prime Minister Friedrich stepping into his office a few days ago was still vivid in his mind.

"Your Majesty, our Princess Gisela went missing during the battle. Our men went down the Ticino River and found Pavia, but there was still no trace of the princess. Although we will never give up the search, Her Highness may have already..." Prime Minister Friedrich looked at His Majesty the Emperor with a solemn expression. His love for his family made this middle-aged man sometimes seem more like a father than an emperor.

This time, the Prime Minister did not mention Gisela's achievements, after all, he knew very well that for the Emperor, his daughter's life was a thousand times more important than a victory, since Princess Gisela was the only magic user among his offspring...

PS1: Ra!

Chapter 210 Irises Withering in the Alps: Capter71 (Seeking votes)

Princess Gisela may not be the future monarch, but she can definitely become a military commander whose achievements are no less than those of Prince Eugen and Archduke Karl, and that is what His Majesty the Emperor expects of her.

Ironically, the night before the report was submitted to the cabinet, no one dared to report it to the emperor. This is understandable, as the report was enough to cost the person who submitted it their job and even subject them to the emperor's wrath.

Finally, the old prime minister resolutely accepted this "heavy burden." This old man, born in the Duchy of Saxony, lacked Metternich's talent and vision, and Felix's perseverance and persistence. He used his limited energy to help Joseph rule this stagnant empire. Some attribute the establishment of the dual monarchy to his incompetence, but we must understand that it was not he who committed the act of betrayal, but the Hungarians. He simply chose a path that was both helpless and unavoidable.

"This is an April Fool's joke, isn't it, Lord Friedrich?" Joseph looked haggard and sad. In his eyes, his little Gisela was a magic user, and a unique one at that.

"No! Your Majesty, this is the truth." Friedrich took a deep breath and uttered the word that crushed the emperor's last shred of hope. Perhaps he could already see the end of his decades-long political career...

Emperor Joseph did not want to recall what happened next. He roared and drove the old prime minister out of his office, then picked up his chair and angrily threw it out the window. That day, the entire Hofburg Palace could hear the emperor's roar.

Back to the present, Joseph stood up and walked to the brand-new window in his office. He raised his hand and pushed it open forcefully, and the rain was blown into the room by the strong wind, soaking his clothes. He stared at the pool in the distant square, lost in endless thought.

"Knock knock!" After an unknown amount of time, the sound of knocking came again from outside, pulling Joseph back to reality. He frowned and turned to look at the door.

"I am unwell today, so please do not disturb me unless it is absolutely necessary." With such negligence from the diligent Joseph, even a fool would know not to bother His Majesty the Emperor.

Unfortunately, the knocking continued incessantly. Joseph's already unstable and irritable mood was instantly stirred up. He strode steadily toward the door, wanting to see which stubborn fool was being so inconsiderate. If he was so inconsiderate, he might as well go dig potatoes in Transylvania.

"Are you deaf?! There are no celebrations today, and I'm not handling any official business. We can talk about it another day..." Joseph complained as he opened the door. What he saw was a tall, beautiful woman with long blonde hair, who resembled both Gisela and Sophie. If one were to ask what the difference was between her and the former two, it would be that Her Majesty the Queen was more mature in every way.

"Sis...Sis...Why are you here..." Emperor Joseph was somewhat surprised, because although he and Sis were husband and wife, they did not spend most of their time together like ordinary couples, arguing endlessly about all sorts of mundane matters. They each had their own things to do; one needed to govern the country, while the other needed to manage the royal assets and maintain the royal family's image in the outside world.

Especially since Dean Selena appeared, Joseph has tacitly approved of the subtle relationship between his wife and her. After all, they are both women, and both are magic users, so what does it matter...?

"Joseph, don't let such a trivial matter make me look down on you! Our little Gisela is only missing, not killed in action! Just because of this ambiguous and uncertain matter, you're breaking imperial tradition and not even holding a celebration for her 40th birthday?" For centuries, Austria has held a monarch's birthday celebration, an essential event to promote the monarch's authority and to build public support. On this day, the royal family would send a substantial token of condolence to all the citizens of Vienna, so everyone eagerly anticipated this day.

“I’m sorry, Sissi… but I really have some…” Joseph lowered his head, remained silent for a while, and finally uttered these words.

"Her intelligence and resilience are beyond your imagination. Our daughters are even more outstanding than their fathers realize." Sisi looked at her husband in front of her, thought for a moment, and then opened her arms to pull the man into her embrace, letting his head rest against her chest.

A fragrant breeze caressed his face, and the long-awaited embrace was so comforting. This gesture seemed to contain immense power, invigorating Joseph's spirits...

"That's true, but that brat Napoleon III! This time he bullied us like this, so many people bullied our little Gisela, and Freya was so slow!" Sisi's eyebrows arched slightly as she looked at Joseph with a hint of anger.

"So what Sisi means is..." As a good husband, it is his habit to always consult his wife's opinion, provided, of course, that Elizabeth is not around when she is with him.

"I'm going to Italy to beat him up!" (Here, she uses the language of southern Italy). As if to match her tone, Sisi deliberately made a throat-slitting gesture towards Joseph. Joseph, who had long lived in the court, was not immediately surprised by his wife's mercenary and even somewhat rude act.

He was taken aback at first, then gave an awkward but friendly smile.

"Then I will go to Italy too." If Napoleon III could go to Italy, why can't Joseph go?

"By the way, Your Excellency Lady Elizabeth, who taught you that movement?" Joseph asked with a hint of curiosity after bowing to Queen Elizabeth like an old butler.

"A friend I haven't seen in a long time, don't worry, she's also a woman."

Confirming the other party's gender did not make Joseph careless. After all, his wife was too charming, and her suitors were endless. There was only one person, Selena, but he couldn't think of any other magical girl in Europe who was so "bold"!

Meanwhile, far away on the beach in Messina, Sicily, a petite, silver-haired woman sneezed for no apparent reason.

PS1: Just as you guessed, the magic user of the Two Kingdoms is none other than the famous...

PS2: And so the parents went to Italy to avenge their daughter. Historically, Joseph also went to Italy, but the outcome was...

Chapter 211 Irises Withering in the Alps: Capter72 Western Daily (Seeking Votes)

At this moment, hundreds of kilometers away in Berlin—

Unlike Vienna, which was experiencing rain, Berlin was bathed in sunshine on a bright afternoon. After the clock tower in Gendarmenmarkt struck twelve times, tourists and residents who had stopped by the market in the morning gradually left the square to return home or go to restaurants for lunch.

At that moment, a young girl wearing a gray and white plaid casual dress was walking briskly along the road on one side of the square, her high heels clicking on the ground with a crisp and rhythmic sound.

Although she was wearing a dress, this young lady did not seem like those sheltered young ladies who always carried a fancy parasol, deliberately appearing delicate and frail.

This somewhat heroic style attracted admiring glances from passersby. Moreover, the confidence and beauty on her face made her aura even stronger and more perfect. All of this made people curious and longing about her appearance. Of course, there were gentlemen and ladies among them, after all, the pursuit of beauty knows no gender.

Chloris glanced at the foolish looks on the faces of the pedestrians with a cold smile, then continued walking with her head held high into a coffee shop.

"Miss, are you here for coffee or waiting for someone?" The waiter standing at the door bowed politely to Chloris, his professional smile making him appear exceptionally approachable.

“Number 22.” Chloris took off her black lace gloves and pulled out a piece of paper with the letters XXII printed on it.

"Please come this way." The waiter stepped aside, bowed, and led Chloris to table number 22.

The two traversed the entire first-floor lobby and then ascended the central staircase to the VIP room on the second floor. Unlike the first-floor area open to the general public, the second floor had long been reserved for nobles and dignitaries. As the oldest café on Gendarmenmarkt, its history dates back to 1688, when the square was first built. At that time, there was no Kingdom of Prussia; Berlin was still part of the Duchy of Brandenburg.

Of course, both the Duchy of Brandenburg and the Duchy of Prussia are now under the rule of the Hohenzollern family.

"Aren't there any adorable little bees hosting a banquet today?" Chloris asked with a slight smile, half-jokingly looking around the rather deserted VIP room.

"No, Your Highness. The noble ladies did not hold a salon today. As far as I know, they went to Vienna several days ago to attend the celebrations on August 18th." Although Prussia and Austria had many conflicts, their shared cultural heritage fostered a natural affinity among their nobility. Both countries had previously been vassals within the Holy Roman Empire. Unlike the Habsburg family, which had long held imperial power, the Hohenzollern family's nobility appeared rather modest.

The stark contrast between the impoverished Junker nobles and the wealthy Austrian nobles, who, while somewhat disdainful of the former, were quite pleased with the attentive Junkers. The Austrian nobles not only provided them with free food and drink but also funded their social interactions (compensated socializing). Thus, the relationship between the two noble families was extremely ambiguous. Considering this, it's not surprising that Prussian noble ladies attended Emperor Joseph's celebrations.

Why are 19th-century European wars still considered gentlemanly wars? Because the ruling class was largely composed of extended family members, and relatives were reluctant to fight each other to the death. Surrender, especially among the nobility, was generally treated leniently. This changed with the outbreak of World War I, where nations became ruthless, showing no regard for kinship and fighting to the death.

"That's a real pity." As a seasoned womanizer, which beautiful noble lady in Berlin couldn't she get her hands on? Many people probably don't know that even Julia Ludwig von Moltke, the niece of Chief of the General Staff Moltke and a highly promising young genius, was tricked into bed by Cloris (that is, a female version of Moltke).

"Your Highness, that's the way over there. I won't go over there." As an ordinary waiter on the first floor, he wasn't qualified to enter the special observation deck.

"Here, take this." Chloris tossed a silver coin to the waiter as a tip for showing him the way.

"Thank you, sir." After saying this, the waiter left respectfully.

After looking around and finding no one, Chloris walked towards the man sitting at table number 22 reading a newspaper.

“Long time no see, Ludwig.” Chloris walked to the table, tapped the corner of the table lightly with her heel, and then pushed out a chair and sat down.

"Your Highness, you've arrived." The man named Ludwig, upon seeing the lady before him, quickly put away his newspaper, placed his leg down, and then tried to stand up to bow to Chloris, but Chloris stopped him.

"No need for formalities. What newspaper were you looking at just now? That shouldn't be our newspaper, right?" Chloris fixed her scarlet eyes on the newspaper in the man's hand, which had rather high-quality paper. Why did she say the paper was of high quality? Because Chloris didn't smell the strange printing smell that newspapers were known for; instead, it had a faint, pleasant fragrance mixed in.

“No, this is the Western Times.” Ludwig handed the newspaper to the princess sitting opposite him.

"Tai Xi Yi Lin Yi Qi Si (5) Jiu Si Jiu Ge Times?" This name was too strange for Chloris, and she could not guess the founder's intention from the name.

“Yes, Your Highness, this newspaper was supposedly founded by an American named Joe Bradley. It’s a relatively new newspaper, only established two years ago, and its headquarters are in New York.” Seeing that Chloris seemed interested in the newspaper, Ludwig gave a brief introduction.

In just two years, an American newspaper had broken out of the US domestic market and entered the already established European market. This suggests either that Joe Bradley possessed exceptional business acumen, or that he had powerful backing. But she couldn't understand why this powerful entity would go to such lengths to invest in the US, then allow the newspaper to grow so large, before returning to Europe – wasn't that pointless?

"Mr. Ludwig, what is the journalistic stance of this newspaper?" By starting with their journalistic stance, it is easy to see their political inclinations, and it is not difficult to indirectly deduce their supporters.

"Is His Highness and the others neutral?"

"Neutral?" Chloris was somewhat surprised. If they didn't want to guide public opinion, what benefit would they gain from funding this newspaper?

PS1: I have no desire to work, I just want a vacation QAQ

Chapter 212 Irises Withering in the Alps: Capter 73 The Actions of All Parties (ra!)

"you sure?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Recently, in their views on the Italian War, they have offered no support for either side beyond providing basic information." In an era of 19th-century media control, such newspapers were a breath of fresh air and left a lasting impression.

"Fine, I can't be bothered with these trivial matters." It's just a newspaper; it's not worth her time and effort. Even if it's related to Gisela's scheme, it doesn't matter. She's only interested in the little fox-people; her career is her own business.

"Mr. Ludwig, have you found the person I asked you to find?" Chloris's tone shifted, her eyes revealing a chill.

“Of course, Your Highness!” Ludwig gently shook the bell, and a gray-haired girl dressed in a simple dress and wearing a veil walked up to the two of them and bowed politely.

"Lord Ludwig, Your Highness, greetings." The girl's voice was gentle, and if one didn't look closely, she actually bore a resemblance to Chloris.

"Your Highness, please look, this is the substitute I found for you." Ludwig walked up to the gray-haired girl and removed her veil, revealing a face almost identical to Chloris's.

"What's your name?" Chloris asked, resting her chin on her hand and looking at the girl in front of her, who looked almost exactly like herself, with great interest.

"My name is Hannah." The gray-haired girl lowered her head and seemed a little reserved. As an ordinary farm girl, this was the first time she had ever seen a real princess.

"Hannah, is that right? From today onwards, your name will be Chloris Elizabeth von Hohenzollern." Chloris was clearly not a talkative person. She skillfully took off her necklace, pulled Hannah into her arms, and put the necklace on her. Looking at the princess so close to her, Hannah's blushing face could practically be wrung out.

You must know that the princess in front of you is no ordinary princess; she is a Prussian magic user!

"Lord Bismarck and Mr. Ludwig will arrange the rest for you, but please remember to minimize your visits to the palace." With King William still alive, she wasn't worried about what her foolish brother Frederick might do to her. The trouble lay with the old nobles who supported Frederick. If they found out and used it as an excuse, it would inevitably cause her a lot of trouble, especially since she was going to Italy this time.

"Your Highness, I will certainly not let you down." Hannah looked at the princess before her with eyes full of determination. For this princess she admired, she would do anything.

"Your Highness, are you about to depart?" Ludwig asked, looking at Chloris who was turning to leave.

“His Majesty Wilhelm’s health is deteriorating, and as his heir, you shouldn’t be leaving Berlin.” As a confidant of Cloris, Ludwig had to say some things. Unlike the serious and taciturn Miss Bismarck, the middle-aged man in front of him was clearly the kind of person who was a bit “nagging”.

“Ludwig, you’re right. I shouldn’t have left. I might even lose the throne because of this trip, but what is the throne compared to the pain of losing a loved one?” The throne can be seized again, but that Austrian treasure, once missed, may truly be gone forever.

Thinking of this, Chloris licked her lips, recalling the taste of a certain fox's lips, and left the hall with a smile, leaving only Hannah and Ludwig standing there dumbfounded.

"Your Highness is still so capricious, truly a model of loving beauty more than power. But Your Highness! Does that Austrian know your good intentions?" Thinking of this, Ludwig sighed helplessly. There were some things that young people really didn't understand.

Let's shift our gaze further afield to the British Isles. Here in the opulent Royal Baths of Buckingham Palace, Her Majesty Queen Victoria, who "rules the seas," can finally try to rule her own bathhouse after conquering the oceans. Yes, it's time for her favorite bath time.

After a long day of work, taking a bath and enjoying the skills of an excellent massage therapist from India would be the greatest reward for her hard work. Of course, the massage therapist couldn't be a man, since Parliament wouldn't allow Indian men to share a room with their esteemed Queen. After all, these gentlemen never had the opportunity to be the Queen's intimate guests.

"Ariel! Yes, right here. My lower back has been a bit sore lately, it hurts so much..." The Queen pointed her slender, green index finger to her fair back, wanting to confirm with the masseur where she needed a massage. However, due to her lack of exercise and poor flexibility, the movement caused her to writhe in pain, looking as amusing as a wriggling caterpillar.

"Eri, have I gained weight recently? Oscar is falling asleep faster and faster on my lap." Victoria confided her girlish worries to the massage therapist. At this moment, it sounded more like Her Majesty the Queen complaining than the two of them talking. After all, she would never say these things to outsiders, as it concerned the dignity of the royal family.

Just a reminder, Oscar is the name of Queen Victoria's beloved cat. There's a saying that pets grow up alongside their owners, and they become more and more like their owners. Conversely, isn't it also a process where owners become more and more like their pets?

Look how fat Her Majesty's cats have become! If Her Majesty doesn't grow up to be plump and healthy, it would be a disservice to all the "chefs" in the royal kitchen.

Of course, the harmonious atmosphere of the two listening to each other did not last long, as some noise came from outside the bathhouse.

"What's the date today, Airi?" Victoria tilted her head lazily and looked at Airi with a slightly confused tone.

“It’s Sunday the 18th, Your Majesty,” Eric reminded Victoria with a smile and elegant manner, while casually picking up a white bath towel from a chair beside him.

“Sunday,” Victoria continued, repeating Eric’s words in a languid tone.

"No! Sunday!!!" Victoria's tone suddenly changed, and she abruptly stood up from the bench, her fair skin and graceful figure displayed without reservation before Aire. But so what? Not all women are attracted to other women.

“If Your Majesty has recovered, I will open the door for you.” Eric walked to Victoria’s side, handed her a towel, bowed to her, and then turned and walked towards the bathhouse door.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Victoria patted her cheeks, which were flushed from the heat of her bath, took a deep breath, and gradually became serious. She slowly returned to her usual public persona, displaying her superior authority and composure. The lazy, nonchalant aura that had lingered just a moment ago had vanished completely.

　 PS1: Tomorrow is the start of the holiday!

Chapter 213 Irises Fading in the Alps: Capter 74 The British "Secret Chamber" Politics

Victoria sat in a chair wrapped in a bath towel, crossed her legs, and then waved her right hand down, indicating that Eric could open the door.

As the heavy oak door slowly turned its lock, making a creaking sound, four blonde women wrapped in towels entered the room.

The person walking at the front was a short-haired girl with a black bandage over her right eye. The girl's steps were firm and she looked heroic. Following closely behind was a girl who looked very quiet. The two were like two natural extremes, one gentle and the other fierce.

Following the two was a woman wearing red-rimmed glasses, who appeared older and more mature. Her gaze was friendly, yet she exuded gentleness and tolerance at all times. In a sense, she was perhaps the one among the three who best embodied the temperament of a well-bred lady.

“Welcome, Miss Beatrice Hood, and of course, Miss Delia Bridges Rodney.” Victoria stood up and first looked at the woman with glasses and the blonde woman with her hair tied to one side.

The lady wearing glasses is Miss Atris Hood. As the granddaughter of Admiral Samuel Hood, and the 3rd Viscount Hood, her military achievements are considerably less than those of her grandfather, who nurtured Nelson, the man hailed as the soul of the Royal Navy, and her great-uncle, Alexander Hood, who distinguished himself in the Seven Years' War. However, as a mage, she has achieved heights that none of her predecessors had reached—Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy—through her exceptional talent.

Another lady was also born into a prominent family. Her name was Delia Bridges Rodney, and yes, she was a descendant of George Bridges Rodney. As the fourth Baron Rodney, she served as the commander of the Royal Atlantic Fleet (later the Home Fleet).

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Good evening, Your Majesty." The two ladies bowed politely to Victoria, while the Prince of Wales...

"How many times have I told you to take off your blindfold when you take a bath?" Victoria's eyebrows arched slightly as she reminded the short-haired blonde girl wearing an blindfold in the distance with a very displeased tone.

The Princess of Wales, whose full name is Cana Augustus Frederick, is the eldest adopted daughter of Queen Victoria. Those familiar with British royal titles understand the significance of the title Prince of Wales, as it is generally bestowed only upon the heir to the British throne, making her a strong candidate to become the future Queen of the British Empire.

"I know, Mother." The Prince of Wales spoke in a flat tone, lacking respect. He raised an eyebrow, rubbed his golden hair, sighed, removed the black eye patch from his right eye, and carefully placed it on the bench.

The Prince of Wales idolized Nelson, who was hailed as the soul of the Royal Navy, from a young age. In order to "chase her idol," she not only maintained a close relationship with Viscount Nelson, who is now the commander of the Mediterranean Fleet of the Royal Navy, Sarah Nelson, but also commissioned someone to make an eye patch just like Nelson's and wear it on her right eye.

“I heard the other day that you were late for class and left early at Eton College (a famous private school), and that you formed cliques at school and that your classmates called you ‘Big Brother’. Is that true?” Although Victoria was not the Prince of Wales’s mother in the true sense, she had raised him since he was a child, and she was his mother in name only, so it was not wrong for her to exercise the functions of a mother.

"Tsk!" The Prince of Wales clicked his tongue, then secretly wrote down all the people who might have snitched in his notebook, and then arranged for his men to teach them a lesson.

In fact, the discord between Victoria and the Prince of Wales had been going on for some time. Perhaps due to entering adolescence, the Prince of Wales seemed to really dislike being with his single mother.

Victoria looked at the short-haired girl in front of her. Although the girl didn't respond directly, Victoria could still see the answer in the Prince of Wales's indifferent expression. She clearly didn't realize her problem...

Enraged, Victoria gathered her magical energy in her right hand, took a deep breath, and struck the Prince of Wales on the right cheek. With a whooshing sound, a blonde girl wrapped in a towel was sent flying high into the air like a rocket, before crashing to the ground with a "piaji".