Chapter 4: Old Foes and New Enemies (Three)

  "Is that all right?" The newcomer pouted and took away the flowers, deciding to throw them again. Catherine hesitated for a moment, but eventually came over, asking in a low voice, and then answered on her own initiative instead of Heidi: "Hey, this question is really too boring, you're doing great, the newspaper is full of your news. Congratulations, Deputy Commander of the First Reconnaissance Fleet, General Heidie-Selim!"

  The wedding of Captain von Weydandt caused a sensation in Germany, and naturally the great merchant of Kiel, Herr Dick, and his lovely daughter, Catherine, were among those invited. It was many years since they had last met, and Catherine, in a long gown, was as fascinating as ever, but with the passing of time, the radiant beauty of youth had gradually faded away, leaving on her exquisite face the pale imprint of years.

  "Maybe..." Wang Haitian smiled freely, the triumphant headlines in the newspaper, the white bones behind the victory, and the political struggles after the naval battle, the Ministry of Navy's promotion and demotion, and the new opponents he had to face... everything that Wang Haitian experienced like a roller coaster ride over the past four days seemed to have melted into that calm smile, dissipating in the joyful church.

  ****

  "Heidi Xilem promoted to Rear Admiral, appointed as Deputy Commander of the First Reconnaissance Fleet; Helgoland Bay Defense Command abolished, surface ships formerly under Helgoland Bay Defense Command now under command of Second Reconnaissance Fleet; General Mas appointed concurrently as Commander-in-Chief of Helgoland Patrol Fleet; Heligoland Island Command established, airship and aircraft squadrons and coastal defense troops formerly under Heligoland Island Defense Command now under command of Heligoland Island Command!"

  On August 25, the day after the Battle of Heligoland Bight, at an emergency meeting convened by the Berlin Admiralty, Admiral Georg von Müller, the conservative flag officer and Minister of the Naval Cabinet, triumphantly reported on the brilliant August offensive of the Imperial Army in France and the bright prospects for the war, then read out a series of personnel appointments on behalf of Emperor William.

  The nerd has been promoted again. Wang Haitian's life trajectory is always so wonderful, from a reserve lieutenant officer graduating from military school to a popular navy lieutenant in just a few months. After the 1898 Congressional debate, the popular nerd fell to the ground like a punctured balloon, and then wandered overseas for sixteen years, only to be promoted to Navy Captain; In early 1914, under the efforts of Hipper and Raeder, Wang Haitian finally returned to the High Seas Fleet from Istanbul, and his military rank rose like a rocket with the accumulation of large-scale European war clouds in Europe and twenty years of military service. From Navy Captain to Chief of Staff of the First Reconnaissance Squadron, Navy Colonel, it only took four months; Less than a month after the outbreak of war, Wang Haitian finally crossed that threshold that countless people could not achieve in their lifetime, and pinned a brilliant general star on his shoulder with his outstanding achievements.

  "Is this a consolation prize?" Rear Admiral Wang Haitie, already seated in the front row of the Navy Headquarters conference room, took over the appointment letter with the seal of the Minister of the Navy, turned her head to look at General Franz-von-Hipple and smiled wryly.

  The commander of the Kherson Defense Command, although a colonel's rank, is not as high as the deputy commander of the First Reconnaissance Fleet with the rank of major general. However, in terms of actual authority, the Kherson Defense Command is far more substantial than the fleet's deputy commander, which has only an empty name. Moreover, the nature and function of the Kherson Defense Command have determined the enormity of its tasks and the frequency of battles, and only through war can military personnel and travelers obtain honors, glory, and victory that are within reach.

  It was clear to everyone that this was the Imperial Navy Department's revenge against Wang Haitian for his series of arbitrary and provocative actions during his tenure as the commander-in-chief of the He Wan Defense Command. This could be seen from the tightly furrowed brow of Colonel Erich Raeder, the operations officer of the Naval General Staff. Under the hype of the Imperial Propaganda Department and the Navy Department, Wang Haitian, who had never been defeated in the North Sea since the start of the war, had become a German version of Nelson. It was not timely to suppress the national hero at this time, but the Navy Department had many ways to deal with an arrogant young man, and giving him a nominal position was the best evidence of the Navy's politicians' smooth political skills!

  Wang Haitian didn't give up, having been suppressed and put on ice by the Navy Department more than once or twice. From being in a state of panic in 1898 to now being carefree and natural with a strong foundation, nearly twenty years of wandering life has given Wang Haitian experience and wealth that is not insignificant.

  On August 23, the Battle of Heligoland Bight shattered the myth of the invincibility of the Royal Navy. The low morale of the Grand Fleet since the start of the war was swept away, and now the naval officers and men are in high spirits. They are no longer satisfied with taking a tentative step into the open sea, and young sailors are eager to challenge the authority of the Royal Navy, test the mettle of the British Empire, and overturn the fleet that sails across the seven seas.

  In the face of the brilliant victory brought about by the efforts of the young naval officers led by Scheer and Hipper, the conservative strategy of avoiding war before it was too late was shaken to its foundations. The horrors of a prolonged blockade war, the defeat of Bernhard von ?den's East Asian Squadron at the Falkland Islands, the exhausted 1918, the sailors' mutiny, and the "rainbow" in Scapa Flow that kept Queen Heide awake at night - all these nightmares that had haunted the German Empire for so long finally began to clear, revealing a glimmer of hope.

  Wang Haitao was confident that he had already gotten what he wanted, and no one could take away his future, whether it was old rival Tirpitz or Müller, who was used to boasting but lacked great talent, or even the soft-boned Ingelohl!

  Just as the houseman was basking in triumph, General Friedrich von Ingenohl stood up, accompanied by the triumphant laughter of Georg von Müller. The commander-in-chief of the High Seas Fleet, who had a higher position and a softer bone, read out the first naval order prepared by the Minister of the Navy Cabinet with no joy or sorrow.

  "The opportunity for a major naval battle is not yet ripe, the Imperial Navy should hold out in the northern ports and river mouths until the army achieves a decisive victory or the Royal Navy suffers significant losses. Except for scouting fleets, no main fleet of the Grand Fleet may move on its own initiative, violators will be dealt with by military law!"

  Did the army win a decisive victory? Without command of the sea, would John Bull, who had risen to power with the navy, be eager to surrender, or did the General Staff expect the army to swim across the English Channel?

  Did the Royal Navy suffer heavy losses? Without a naval initiative, are we to expect that the British will use their super-dreadnoughts to test the area and power of German minefields?

  After a brilliant victory, the victorious side defended the port and did not take the initiative to attack. Is this not the consistent style of a certain great power in later generations?

  Wang Haitie's boiling dog blood suddenly solidified, and that proud young heart inexplicably thudded, feeling stars in her eyes.

  The emergency meeting of the Navy ended hastily in a stifling atmosphere, with the dejected young faction and the dominant conservative faction dispersing like the tide after exchanging hostile glances. In no time, the empty conference room was left with only Wang Haitie and Ingelnov. General Ingelnov savored his coffee leisurely, while Wang Haitie, sitting in the old chair at the front row of the conference room, had a face as changeable as the weather in Kiel in June.

  After General Ingénue read the first naval order, contrary to everyone's expectations, young and vigorous Wang Haitian did not jump out to refute at the first time, but sat on a slanted chair with his eyes closed and said nothing. Wang Haitian's silence not only made Heipel and Scher slightly uncomfortable, who were ready to intervene, but also left the naval minister, who was ready to take advantage of the situation, somewhat caught off guard.

  After a long time, the old chair in the conference room finally creaked, Wang Haiting let out a long sigh, and her scattered gaze gradually solidified. She took several swift steps towards the outside of the conference room.

  "Xī Lài Mǔ, can you tell me the reason why you chose to be silent?" Ingénue had put down her teacup and called out to the hastily departing Haidi. "Silence is not Heidi-Xilem's style!"

  "General, what do you want to hear? Do you want me to jump around like a clown, performing a lonely monologue or a drunkard's ravings, only to be ridiculed and oppressed by you?" Wang Haiting's roar almost shook the empty conference room: "Fine, as you wish, for my fate is already tied to the German fleet. Whether you believe it or not, there are some things I must say!"

  "The East Asian Squadron of Admiral von Spee will tie down the British and French fleets in Far Eastern and American waters, while Rear-Admiral Souchon's Goeben will keep the British and French Mediterranean fleets pinned down in the Aegean Sea. Of the three fleets defending the British Isles, only the Grand Fleet remains capable of putting up a fight: the Harwich Force was nearly annihilated at the Battle of Heligoland Bight, the Channel Fleet is stuck in the mud of submarine and mine warfare, and Admiral Fisher's departure has left the Grand Fleet in a state of flux. The remaining months of 1914 will be the best - indeed, the only - chance for the High Seas Fleet to challenge the Grand Fleet!"

  The hermit's muttering was loud and clear, and Ingénue smiled, a smile that bore no hint of mockery. "General, how will you save the German Navy?"

  Wang Haiting had almost given up on the conservative and ignorant Navy Department. Those high-ranking naval officials who had been stuck in their offices for years, with a gloomy atmosphere, did not understand Mahan's "The Influence of Sea Power upon History" and the competition at sea in the era of big ships and guns, nor could they foresee how devastating economic blockades would be to a country's war potential. They simply made decisions based on cold intelligence data and chess-like strategic planning with the shadow of the sailing era, determining the strategy for the steam-era ocean fleet.

  "Perhaps the only one who can save all this is Hohenzollern!" Queen Heidt looked at Friedrich-von-Ingnor, who had also been passionate about the navy ten years ago when it was first established, and said coldly.

  In 1898, the reason why Kaiser could escape his premature retirement was simply because he was exiled overseas, and it seemed that there was a blessing from the German Emperor. In 1914, the reason why Kaiser could escape from Istanbul's purgatory seemed to have something to do with Raeder's words in front of the German Emperor. When he was at his wit's end, Wang Haitang thought that persuading Emperor Wilhelm to change his mind would be his only and last chance!

  "No, Seydlitz, you are mistaken!" General Ingelow, known as the "Emperor's Echo", paused in his smooth tone, his narrowed eyes occasionally flashing with sharp light. "This world is dirty, and under the sentimental packaging of politics, what you see and hear may not necessarily be the truth, just like agreeing to send the High Seas Fleet out to Jeddah Bay was your sworn enemy Tirpitz, just like that old man resigned from the Emperor two days ago, just like..."

  Ingénue's words came to an abrupt halt, seemingly leaving something unsaid, yet stubbornly refusing to reveal even a single word.

  "Xilaim, remember that in this world only your kin and your wisdom will not deceive you. You must first be a politician before you can become the most outstanding naval commander! This is the advice of an old general on his deathbed!"

  I didn't think it through, and a big bug came out. I treated the convertible as a jeep... I apologize, and I'll change it back in the middle of the night to avoid fake updates; I'm really nervous, I don't know if these chapters will be criticized or not. As soon as it involves the protagonist's psychology, Xia Yu becomes timid and fears that everyone will have different opinions. Finally, I recommend a book again, Beihua's "When the Dragon Tongue Orchid Blooms", a literary website book with good writing style and flavor.