Chapter 9: The Unstable Youth (Part 1)

  After the ceremony, Berlin held a grand celebration. The dense Friedrichstra?e, Wilhelmstra?e and Unter den Linden were crowded with people, the spacious Platz der Republik, K?nigskolonnaden and Pariser Platz were packed with heads, in front of the Charlottenburg Palace gate, the German crowd who rushed to hear the news sang "Hail to Victory's Laurels" and their not-so-familiar naval military song "We're Sailing Against England", members of the Pan-German League filled the scene, proclaiming their Greater Germany ideal.

  The celebrations continued from dusk till night, and Berlin, with its lights aglow, became almost a city that never slept.

  The Germans have reason to be jubilant. The wars of Frederick, the six weeks' war of 1866, and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 were all short and decisive victories for Germany, and neither Germany nor its army had any experience with a long, drawn-out war. On August 4th, the outbreak of the European war was as bloody as ever, and Germany once again pinned its hopes on a quick victory. However, the Battle of the Marne and the subsequent series of coastal movements resulted in defeat, giving them a severe blow, and it seemed that the Germans had already seen the shadow of failure. In November, the Dogger Bank incident shocked them, but the unexpected naval victory gave birth to a strange and ridiculous idea among the bewildered Germans: perhaps Germany could win the war in another way!

  In Germany, the timing of a formal dinner party is usually very late. At 8 pm, Berlin's lights are just beginning to come on, and the Kempinski Hotel near Pariser Platz is heavily guarded, with Imperial Guardsmen and police cordoning off the area around the hotel, armed soldiers standing at attention as if expecting an attack.

  The Kempinski Hotel was the best hotel in Berlin, and after the old prime minister stepped down, countless ghosts and giants had a great time here. The heavy sky-blue curtains separated the magnificent hotel from the hustle and bustle of Paris Square, under the luxurious crystal seven-tier chandelier in the golden hall, the white tablecloth was filled with Kornegger brandy, Haig champagne, delicious caviar, venison, sturgeon, rolled bread and out-of-season fruit platters. Exquisite porcelain from Meissen and Nymphenburg could be seen everywhere. The high-ranking officials of the Imperial Navy, the heroes of the Dogger Bank Sea Battle, the number one and two military giants of Germany, politicians and members of parliament gathered together, and of course, the daughters of noble merchants were also present, Berlin's number one and two socialites, and Wang He Di naturally became the brightest star at the banquet.

  Twenty years of rigid military life and heavy naval duties had an indelible impact on the introverted personality, and the war atmosphere surprisingly transformed the lazy introvert into a leader with a reputation for being strict. Wang Haitian, holding his wine glass, was overwhelmed by the sudden noise, flattery, and ill intentions, and could only breathe by drinking continuously.

  Three or five cups of strong Rhein white wine down the hatch, the otaku with no capacity for liquor and no connoisseurship has a floating gait, his ancient bronze-colored old face already having added two touches of red flush. Three parts drunk intention, seven parts abandon, spitting out one mouthful of unbridled wildness.

  Raidel knew that Wang Haitian had a bad habit of speaking recklessly when he was drunk, so before the otaku could vomit out the entire prosperous Tang Dynasty, he pulled him away and dragged him back to the reality of being a soldier.

  "Xilem, although I don't approve of you risking your own life, I have to say... well done!" Marshal Ingelor walked over, pressed down the hurriedly raised right hand of the young man, and gave him a marshal's military salute. "Since the Great Ocean Fleet fell from the sky, the Junker nobles and British people have been slandering us nonstop. The Dogger Bank Sea Battle has proven the strength of the Great Ocean Fleet, proven the efforts of an entire generation! Xilem, you are a hero of the Navy!"

  Former Navy Minister Tirpitz and former Chief of the Naval General Staff Hezendov stood not far away, although they kept a distance from each other due to personal differences, but their eyes looking at the young man were full of admiration.

  "The Dogger Bank Sea Battle, perhaps we won tactically, but strategically it was a complete defeat!" Wang Haitian stumbled with her feet, unconsciously swaying the white wine in her hand, and said dejectedly: "In November, the main fleet was at its weakest since the 1898 naval armament competition due to boiler renovations and the distraction of the Spee Fleet. At the same time, two Derfflinger-class battlecruisers and two K?nig-class battleships were commissioned, making the High Seas Fleet possess strong defensive capabilities and not inferior to the main fleet in terms of numbers and main gun caliber. This was the best opportunity for us to heavily damage or annihilate the main fleet, and it may never come again!"

  "Xilem, maybe there's some intel that would interest you..." A group of retired or forced-to-resign old guys with a hint of a smile calmly said: "Just like the poor performance in northern France in 1914, Winston Churchill, who can't bear to be idle, carefully planned a battle that will start in the spring of 1915. The British Mediterranean fleet consisting of two dreadnoughts and several pre-dreadnoughts, two Courbet-class dreadnoughts and several pre-dreadnoughts from the French fleet, and tens of thousands of Allied soldiers will launch an unprecedented landing operation in military history - the Dardanelles Campaign!"

  "Da Dani?" Queen Haidi was stunned for a moment, then leaned against the wall and let out a long sigh.

  ****

  Late January 1914, Istanbul, Turkey, Office of the Minister of War of the Ottoman Empire.

  Wang Haitian, who had been wandering abroad for 16 years, vented his grievances to Enver Pasha, the first of the Ottoman Empire's three giants.

  "Alright, I have no reason to interfere with your decision..." The high-ranking Enzel took back the letter of appointment and gently placed it under the desk lamp, retreating with a hint of regret: "However, what advice does the strategic genius of the German Navy have for the New Moon Flag Navy?"

  "General, the Turkish Navy does not need large warships because no matter how the Crescent Moon Fleet develops, it cannot compare to the British, French and Italian navies with their complete industrial systems." Wang Haitian bluntly counted the Ottoman Empire among the allied nations, reached out and took over the letter of appointment, pulled out a pen and listed a bunch of cheap but practical technical weapons on the back of the letter.

  "Submarines, torpedo boats, enough sea mines, torpedoes and coastal artillery shells!" The young man said seriously: "I know the Ottoman Empire is very weak, but this ancient country has not given up its hope of survival. More than a year of being an instructor has made me fond of Turkish youngsters, this is my last gift to the stubborn Turkish people!"

  ****

  The evening wore on, and Emperor William in uniform and Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg in a dinner jacket made impassioned speeches, after which the stage was yielded to the young men who were eager to show off. Then a group of bachelors who spent their days cooped up in cramped cabins telling dirty jokes could invite the girls at the party to join them in enjoying the thrill of bloodlust and romance.

  The old gramophone played the black vinyl record, and the beautiful music started to play. Rettel jumped down from the dance floor in excitement, leaving Heidi sitting on the sofa. The aftertaste of the white wine from Rheinland-Pfalz was indeed not small, and a strong dizzy feeling came wave after wave, making the宅男 (homebody) feel dizzy and disoriented. At this time, a slender jade-like hand reached out.

  "Lina von Lucknar." A seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl wearing a red dress, curtsied deeply and struck the pose of a lady inviting someone to dance. "Unbeatable Aris, would you like to dance with me?"

  "Miss Luknal, I..." This would have been a different story if it were my past life, a 20-year-old otaku with raging hormones would have fearlessly stood up, but this life's otaku only has the ability to wave his hand, after all, a middle-aged uncle who is already over 40 years old doesn't have a lolicon complex.

  Before Wang Haitian could refuse, the little girl seemed to be getting angry: "Call me Lina."

  A long military career and the smell of gunpowder, day after day of life on board had stripped away the awkwardness and smooth talk of a nerd, adding a hint of decisiveness and tragic elements. Wang Haitian's scalp tightened as he recalled his past life's sweet nothings to his little girlfriend, but was shocked to discover that he had forgotten what nightlife, ambiguity, and romance were. As Wang Haitian was at a loss, the corner of his eye caught a glimpse of a beautiful figure.

  "I've got a dance partner..." The otaku stood up shakily, almost fleeing in disarray, and rushed through the dance floor to Catherine.

  "You look like you're in trouble..." Still wearing a white long dress, Catherine subconsciously reached out to support the stumbling Heidi, stunned for a moment, until an 18 or 19-year-old girl with a pretty face chased after her, Catherine finally understood what was going on, and smiled slyly.

  "See, I have a dance partner now." Wang Haitie said seriously, taking hold of Catherine's smooth wrist.

  Seventeen or eighteen is always an unreasonable age, just like the curiosity of otaku about sex and love, and only regret after being caught by a little girlfriend who sneaked into the forbidden fruit; just like Lina - von - Lukner's curiosity about the perfect hero blown up in the newspaper, the girl looked at Catherine with a slightly provocative look, turned her head to the dance pool and shouted.

  "Felix, someone is bullying me!"

  Accompanied by the sweet voice of the girl, a more terrifying existence than Lina, who was sticky, Felix von Luckner, a 34-year-old earl from the Imperial Navy and Junker nobility, stormed over with a fierce momentum, waving his fists and shouting: "Who is it?"

  Felix von Luckner was a household name in Germany, the eldest son of the noble family of Luckner and Count of Prussia. His family had provided Europe with many brave cavalry generals and marshals for generations. Felix von Luckner was born in Dresden, and from an early age he was full of rebellious spirit, bold and meticulous, good at thinking independently, and ran away from home at the age of 13. He had been a newspaper boy, a kangaroo hunter, a circus employee, an amateur boxer, a servant on a cargo ship, a lighthouse keeper, a railway worker, and a tavern manager.

  Of course, Felix von Luckner's alternative reason for not being a nerd-phobic, the most frightening place of the earl is still quite a headache for the German Emperor.

  Felix von Luckner stormed over, only to stop short at the sight of General Wang Haitie's insignia and salute.

  "General Syleem..."

  "Give me a frigate and I'll show you how to make the British dance!" Before the Earl could speak, King Haitte finished Lukner's famous phrase that had been circulating in the German naval circles, then spread his hands and sighed: "Earl, it's not that I don't want to help you, but I really don't have any sailing ships..."

  "Admiral Ingram and Admiral Pollard both think I'm crazy, if our own people consider such a plan to be pie in the sky, then the British will never think we'll do it, so I think I can give them a lesson with an old sailing ship!" The Earl smiled wryly and said: "General, as the originator of the concept of 'asymmetric warfare', you are highly respected, skilled in breaking through battles and have served as mobilization staff officer for the reserve fleet, perhaps you can help me find a boat..."

  The Earl of Luckner took his eccentricity to an unprecedented level, the greedy otaku was no match for the surging intoxication, and in a daze, he agreed, and the legendary World War at sea began unintentionally.

  Cough, I'll put on a thick face to help "A New History of China in the Sino-Japanese War" shout out a few lines. If you feel sorry for the tragic history of the Beiyang Fleet, then go support this book. The research is thorough, the naval foundation is solid, and it's very powerful.