Iron and Blood: A Triumph of the Will

Time passed by, second by second.

After a long while, Ebert raised his head again, and this time the German Chancellor's face showed no trace of arrogance.

All that remained was endless resentment and sighs: "Fine, consider this money as a way of severing my oath of allegiance to the royal family."

"How much money do you want?" He stared at Joachim with a resentful look.

In the end, it was just a paper tiger; all sorts of things came out at once.

Even though compromise is compromise, they still try to find some glamorous reasons for it.

funny.

Joachim sneered inwardly, then calmly pulled a long list from his pocket: "I don't need much; the total value is 6600 million Imperial Marks."

"How much?" Albert was so startled by the other party's outrageous demand that he almost jumped off his chair.

"6600 million Imperial Marks!"

"Why don't you just rob someone?" After confirming that he hadn't misheard, Albert almost instantly handed the list back to the other person: "I can't possibly approve such a huge number. No exiled monarch has ever received such generous compensation as your father."

"That's absolutely impossible."

"Of course, these things are not given away for free."

Joachim had anticipated the other party's reaction. He pointed to the assets that had been crossed off the list: "The Hohenzollern family owns a total of 60 palaces in Germany, including Belveu Palace, Babelsburg, and a series of other palaces. We can do without these things; they can all become the property of the German government in the future. So, essentially, we are cashing them out, and I can guarantee it to you."

"What guarantee?"

"Members of the Hohenzollern family will not enter German soil without relinquishing their right to the royal succession..."

"Can you speak for your father?"

"Of course," Joachim replied without hesitation.

The latter responded with silence, meeting his gaze.

This veteran German civil servant found it hard to believe what the young man was saying.

Countless kings have been overthrown in the European world today. Although they look all different, they all have one thing in common: they will never give up their throne.

"Can your phone reach the Netherlands?" Joachim broke the silence first, stepping forward and pressing the hand crank.

"The telephone lines between the Empire and the Netherlands are open."

"The word 'empire' is quite apt." Joachim raised his hand and fiddled with the telephone dialer. "Connect me to the Dutch line, then transfer me to Baroness Hermstrasse. I need to speak with His Majesty the Emperor."

"Which emperor?"

"Of course, it's the Emperor of the German Empire."

The moment the call connected, Joachim almost reflexively straightened his back: "Your Majesty, yes, yes..."

"I'm having some trouble here."

"That guy named Albert doesn't agree to this."

Joachim turned to look at him: "Albert, what's your full name?"

"President Albert, His Majesty the Emperor wishes to speak with you personally."

"No need..."

These few words were enough to frighten the president into a state of extreme nervousness.

The information contained in that phone call was enormous; he had only been president for a few days.

If what Joachim said is true, then he, as president, is merely a puppet pushed behind the curtain by the emperor.

The army can overthrow him whenever it wants.

When he didn't answer, Joachim remained silent for a moment.

The list was handed to the other party, who signed it readily.

"Alright, Father has agreed."

After hanging up the phone, Joachim turned to President Abbott: "In addition to these properties, I also need some troops to help us escort them."

"Don't go too far," President Albert said angrily, though his expression betrayed a hint of underlying weakness. "You want the property and the army too. How am I supposed to explain this to the others?"

"That's something for you, the President, to consider, not for me, a prince."

"But shouldn't a deal be beneficial to both of us?" he softened his tone and said tactfully.

"But you're not even qualified to do business with me anymore?"

"Remember your place well, Your Excellency the President."

Joachim stepped forward and patted the other man on the shoulder: "Your good days are yet to come."

"What do you mean?"

"Then you'll have to guess for yourself."

Joachim's words made the other man's expression even more uncertain. But he quickly masked his unease: "Which people do you want?"

"Erich von Manstein, a staff officer of the Eastern Border Guard."

"Walter Model, who served in the west."

"Hermann Holt, Goldhart Heinrich, who is currently serving in the east."

"In addition, there is Erwin Rommel, and Heinz Guderian, who is serving in Breslau."

"I also need 300 soldiers to escort the royal property."

Albert only thought about these names for a moment before readily agreeing to them.

To him, these guys were just nobody, not some famous German generals.

If I had to pinpoint something, it would probably be the honors they have received.

However, he didn't care about these things, after all, he had experienced the trials of World War I.

Many heroes like them emerged in the German army; as the saying goes, heroes are as numerous as carp crossing a river.

As for what Joachim was thinking? Where did he take those properties belonging to the German Emperor?

He didn't bother to care.

He's currently preoccupied with battling the leftists; he doesn't have time to get entangled with the so-called German prince...

......

Trains carrying royal property sped along the tracks to Silesia.

Throughout the journey, Joachim talked with his new friend Manstein, and the two discussed almost everything about the war.

But when it comes to peace, Joachim feels that modern Germans always have unrealistic fantasies.

They always believe that by laying down their weapons, they will be seen as peacemakers, but in reality, they don't even deserve to be on the dinner table.

The only fate awaiting this country is to be chewed up and devoured by those imperialists.

Listening to Manstein's incessant rambling, Joachim, for the first time, waved his hand to interrupt him: "I think there's something wrong with what you're saying."

The latter was so startled that he instinctively straightened his back.

Clearly, the authority of the former royal family was deeply ingrained in this old-fashioned Prussian soldier: "Your Highness?"