Iron and Blood: A Triumph of the Will

"A bystander won't feel the pain unless the knife strikes them directly."

Joachim muttered to himself, lost in thought.

"Yes."

Lieutenant General Hoffman nodded slightly: "Our point is simple: you not only need to create or join a political party in the future, but also to create a mouthpiece. This is how you will consolidate your power in the future."

"General, thank you for your guidance."

"Your Highness Joachim, it is what I should do."

"And in a sense, you also need to break free from the influence of your father's marriage."

"This is a new era. Although your status can still allow you to enter elite circles, it's clear that your spouse can no longer provide you with any assistance."

Lieutenant General Hoffman spoke cautiously, because he himself did not know where Joachim's bottom line lay.

After all, in their view, marriage is something that can be completely discarded, and everything should serve politics.

Do you have suitable options?

Silently smoking, Joachim tilted his chin and said seemingly nonchalantly.

"To be honest, we don't have a suitable option either; it depends on your own arrangements."

"However, there's one thing: she must be of high social standing, with impeccable assets and family background. Most importantly, she must be acceptable to your father; he's always been someone who values ​​marriage between equals..."

"Lieutenant General Hoffman, my father probably hates me now. I ran off with all his retirement money... so his opinion of me isn't very important. Besides, for those of his former loyal subordinates, his current shameful existence is an insult to them."

Joachim’s words were somewhat sinister; he genuinely despised his father.

He never recovered from his defeat, and even in his later years he had an affair with Crown Prince William's mistress.

His behavior certainly doesn't qualify him as a competent emperor.

In his view, the standard for an emperor should at least be that of Emperor Zhaolie, who was indomitable.

How can you become like a useless person and hide in the manor to escape reality just because of one failure?

And that's not even the most ridiculous part. His adoptive father even considered taking revenge on his own people, believing that the German people had betrayed him.

He never considered that it was his fault, and even fantasized about having the German people beg Wilhelm II to become their emperor again.

"Alright, let's skip that topic. Your immediate priority is to form a political party."

"Forming a political party is easier said than done."

Joachim squinted and declined, waiting for Hoffman to throw out his idea.

"That's alright. Have you heard of the German Fatherland Party?"

I've heard a little about it.

The so-called German Fatherland Party was founded on September 2, 1917, and was initiated by the Pan-German Union. Its main purpose was to oppose the 1917 peace resolution of the Reichstag. As for the political spectrum, it was on the right and advocated large-scale territorial annexation. Its current party leader was the "father of the ocean fleet" and admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, and the deputy party leader was Wolfgang Kapp, the mastermind behind the Kapp coup.

However, considering the timing, the German Fatherland Party should have dissolved by this point in time.

Joachim roughly understood what the other party wanted to do.

"From its inception, the Fatherland Party was merely a tool used to oppose the National Assembly."

"But his story is undoubtedly a model that we can learn from."

"But I heard that it has already dissolved, and many people have joined new political parties..."

"It's just the same old thing in a different guise."

"Go on."

"Without a doubt, we are at a disadvantage in the political struggle in Berlin right now because we are the losers, but with you, it will be different. We need a leader."

Hoffman stared intently at Joachim and said bluntly, "Your Highness, we can proclaim everything you've done in Pots as a victory. We need a new banner."

"You know a little about the bloody methods I used in Potsbury, don't you?"

"The right wing doesn't care how bloody your methods are in Potsdam; all we want is victory, a powerful stimulant to the heart."

By this point, Hoffman had finished smoking his cigarette.

As the cigarette was lit again, Joachim saw that he had lit one up again: "For us, victory is all we need. We are not leftists, we don't need to be so glamorous. We only seek the victory of the country and the victory of the nation."

Upon hearing this, Prince Leopold, who had been silent for a long time, laughed, his tone revealing no concealment of his disdain and sarcasm towards Wilhelm II: "Our dear Emperor may have been defeated."

"But we are German nobles, and we absolutely cannot allow those peasants to trample on our heads."

"This so-called republic must be overthrown."

"As for who will be the next monarch, we don't care."

"So we need a new signboard, kid."

"Why not choose my older brother? He might be a good choice, as he is the Crown Prince of Germany and has a stronger network of connections than I do."

Joachim declined, saying that by this point he had already begun to feel a vague attraction to her.

But it is precisely at this time that he needs to take the initiative, and he must also figure things out.

What are these two powerful old foxes thinking?

"To be honest, you are better than any German prince I have ever met. As for that so-called Crown Prince Wilhelm, your elder brother..."

"When he followed in his father's footsteps and fled the country, he had no future."

"If Wilhelm II were to die, perhaps Crown Prince William would indeed be a good choice."

Prince Leopold spoke quickly, but his voice was muffled.

Speaking so quickly was really taking a toll on his body: "But now our Emperor is not dead, he is still alive in disgrace, and that is enough to exclude him, because as long as Wilhelm II is alive, everyone will think of that great war when they mention him, and they will also think of that great war when they mention Crown Prince William."

"But you are different..." Prince Leopold's face revealed a dangerous smile: "Your statement was very decisive. You are a brand new future for us. When people mention the name Johisim, they will only associate it with victory, not defeat."

"So that's why they came to me?"

"uh-huh......."