Iron and Blood: A Triumph of the Will

Chapter 80 February Cabinet

"Of course I will do my utmost; this is my country."

Joachim stood up with a smile, his expression turning serious.

He accepted the letter of appointment with both hands respectfully.

He said this with a double meaning.

"Then I'll leave the specifics to you."

Albert looked at Joachim meaningfully, his expression gradually becoming somewhat complicated.

The young man in front of me seems to have changed again. Before, this guy relied on intimidation and information he somehow obtained.

He swindled so many German officers and so much wealth, yet now he uses those things to dominate the region.

Even now, he still has the audacity to challenge himself with things he has never done before.

His courage is indeed greater than that of his father.

You surpass your father back then...

This is the conclusion that came to Albert's mind.

"I will do my best, Your Excellency."

Joachim was full of confidence and had everything under control.

"Alright, I'm entrusting all domestic and international affairs to you. Let me repeat, I hope you'll do your utmost."

After saying that, Albert ignored him and pointed to his secretary: "Take our new prime minister to meet his cabinet members, and then hold a welcoming ceremony for them..."

"Aren't we going to take a picture first?"

Joachim looked at him, seizing the opportunity to speak: "And I need to confirm one more thing: when I become prime minister, does that also mean I become the Prime Minister of Prussia?"

"It seems you've come prepared, Your Highness." Albert turned his gaze to Joachim again.

"Because whether or not I become the Prime Minister of Prussia means whether I can make great strides in the future."

After a long silence, Albert refused to answer the question.

Because he knew what the Prussian Prime Minister meant, and that it was of great importance to the survival of the republic's regime.

Albert wanted to struggle a bit more, so he turned his gaze to a man who was staring intently at Joachim.

"Former Prime Minister Philip Shedemann will become your Deputy Prime Minister, and he will help you coordinate the Prime Minister's affairs."

"Won't you try to trip me up, Your Excellency?"

Joachim interrupted directly: "And I remember that the Imperial Chancellor has the right to nominate a Vice Chancellor."

"That's the rule of the Empire, not the rule of the Republic," Albert replied calmly, trying to evade the question.

"But you haven't had time to amend the constitution yet, have you?"

"......"

Albert was speechless, stunned by Joachim's interruption, and froze, no longer saying a word.

After a long pause, Albert finally came to his senses and exchanged a glance with Sheldon.

After receiving permission, he spoke again: "So, who would you like to nominate?"

According to the principles of the Second Empire, the Imperial Chancellor could request the appointment of a Vice Chancellor.

This position is officially known as the Chief Imperial Vice Chancellor.

The Vice Chancellor has the same powers as the Imperial Chancellor and can sign Imperial Edicts and Imperial Laws in the name of the Imperial Chancellor.

The Vice-Prime Minister also wields considerable influence within the federal coalition government.

Furthermore, according to tradition, the Vice Prime Minister also serves as the Secretary of State for Internal Affairs, although this is not a strict requirement.

This also demonstrates the importance of this position, so during the imperial period, the position of vice chancellor was usually given to the most important ally of the imperial chancellor.

So Albert could easily guess who Joachim would appoint.

Either Tirpitz or Hugenberg, both of whom are leading figures on the right wing.

Seeking their help can indeed solidify the core position of the German right wing within the German government.

As for those leftists, don't even think about it.

Don't forget who ousted the Kaiser?

Moreover, they didn't believe that someone as powerful as Joachim would create an obstacle for himself.

The temptation of absolute power is something that an ordinary person cannot resist.

However, what Joachim wanted to do next was exactly what everyone expected.

He glanced at Scheidemann, then turned his gaze to Albert: "I propose Philip Scheidemann as my Deputy Prime Minister."

"......"

Upon hearing this, almost everyone present froze.

At that moment, everyone almost stopped breathing.

This kid really knows how to say something outrageous.

What does it mean to propose Philip Sheldman as Deputy Prime Minister?

Are you setting a huge obstacle for yourself?

"What, Your Excellency the President disagrees?"

Joachim pressed his advantage, stating again: "I reiterate my request: I propose Philip Shedemann as my Deputy Prime Minister."

Albert stood there, stunned, his gaze shifting slightly.

He was a seasoned politician; he understood perfectly well why Joachim had said that.

After a long silence, he finally spoke again: "You want to organize a cross-party alliance? Do you think you have the ability to manage it?"

"From the moment I was born, I was destined not to be an insider of the Imperial Council; I was an outsider."

"For me, the so-called political system is completely unimportant."

"What I want is a stable and united Germany."

"We should not have any partisan bias in the face of external crises."

"We should stand together through thick and thin."

"Sharing the same boat? Don't you hold any grudge against us?" Albert said pointedly.

"There is no such thing as hatred; compatriots shouldn't talk about this."

Joachim immediately adopted a right-wing rhetoric. In truth, he didn't feel much about Hohenzollern being dethroned. If Hohenzollern hadn't been dethroned, he didn't know how long he would have had to wait to inherit the so-called throne.

The times have given him an opportunity to change his destiny, and he naturally wants to seize it firmly.

"Some things, once done wrong, are simply done wrong."

"I have no regrets."

At this point, he looked at Sheldman and asked, "Your Excellency, Deputy Prime Minister, do you accept this nomination?"

The most ingenious way to operate power is not by threatening, but by making people feel needed.

This is why Joachim gave Fritsch the cold shoulder, and he was using this method to tell Shedemann.

It wasn't Albert who chose him, but Joachim.

How do you tame a so-called political bureaucrat?

The answer is not a command, but to make him feel chosen.

"......"

Scheidemann paused for a moment, as if deep in thought.

But his gaze never left Joachim.