Chapter 2: Laughing at the World

  Bismarck was sizing up Feng Chengqian, and Feng Chengqian was also sizing up Bismarck. Both of them had their own thoughts and neither of them was in a hurry to speak.

  After a while, Bismarck had to admit that this young man, who looked only twenty or so years old, was unusually calm and composed, a rare quality among his peers.

  Bismarck did not know that Feng Chengqian's thoughts had long since flown to the ends of the earth.

  Arriving in this era was unexpected for Feng Chengqian. As the last survivor of the doomsday war, Feng Chengqian should have been sent to the early 20th century to eliminate the technological discoveries that later destroyed human civilization. Unfortunately, the space-time transmission was too hasty, and the target point had a deviation of several decades.

  Fortunately, when he came to this era, the first person Feng Chengqian saw was the seriously ill Crown Prince Frederick.

  Feng Chengqian knew that after he met Frederick and cured him, the wheel of history had already taken a drastically different turn, and the future he was familiar with no longer existed. He thought about retiring and living out his life in peace and quiet, relying on the rewards given by Frederick.

  However, being an unknown person is not in Feng Chengqian's nature.

  If you want to get something, you have to pay for it.

  The fate of the Second German Empire has changed, and now Feng Chengqian wants to change his own fate as well as that of the nation with whom he shares a common bloodline.

  The road ahead is fraught with difficulties, but Feng Chengqian can only do his best.

  Now, Feng Chengqian is facing a hurdle that he must overcome.

  No matter how much the emperor trusted him, even if he made a blood oath, in order to stand firm in the Second German Empire, he had to fully rely on the Junker group led by Bismarck.

  "Your Excellency, do you think I look familiar?" Feng Chengqian couldn't help but speak up first.

  "The Earl smiled and said: 'Haven't we met somewhere before?'" Bismarck waited for Feng Chengqian to speak first.

  "No, I have never met the Prime Minister before today."

  "So be it..." Bismarck felt that this topic was meaningless and changed the subject, saying "I heard that the Count cured Your Majesty's illness?"

  "It's just a small effort, no need for the prime minister to take action."

  "So, I suppose the Earl is a skilled doctor?"

  Feng Chengqian smiled and said: "Don't worry about the prime minister laughing at me, I'm not good at treating illnesses, but rather good at governing the country."

  Bismarck's eyebrows twitched a few times, and he couldn't help but size up Feng Chengqian. To dare to utter such arrogant words, one must either be a self-aggrandizing madman or have a deep strategic mind. Bismarck hoped it was the former, but he felt it was more likely the latter. Frederick was mature and seasoned, and wouldn't easily trust anyone; that Feng Chengqian could gain the emperor's trust and receive heavy responsibilities in just one short month clearly indicated that he wasn't an ordinary self-aggrandizing madman.

  "Of course, I am just starting out and there are many things that I still need to learn from the prime minister."

  "So, Your Majesty has misused someone?" Bismarck smiled and said, "This old minister is already advanced in years, yesterday submitted his resignation to Your Majesty, it won't be long before the Count can have his wish."

  "The prime minister misunderstands; in today's world, I can barely cope."

  "Really?"

  "It is said that France will provide a loan of 400 million francs to Russia."

  Bismarck was secretly shocked and looked at Feng Chengqian with some disbelief.

  "I also heard it from others, but this matter has not been settled yet."

  Bismarck smiled and said that for the past month, Feng Shengqian had been living in the imperial palace. The "others" he referred to were obviously Emperor Frederick III.

  "What does the prime minister think about this?"

  "The union of France and Russia has long been a foregone conclusion, but 400 million francs may not be enough to move the Tsar's heart. The alliance between France and Russia still needs time."

  "So we can rest easy now?"

  "What does the Earl think?"

  Feng Chengqian smiled and said: "In front of the prime minister, I dare not speak wildly."

  "The Earl has been a Minister of War for Your Majesty, and it is his duty to share your worries. He should do his best, why decline three times and refuse four?"

  "The prime minister's words are extremely correct, in my humble opinion, the empire is likely to be attacked from both front and back."

  "Really?"

  Feng Chengqian thought for a moment and said, "Since the color is one war, the former emperor was crowned in Versailles Palace, the empire was founded, and we have been sworn enemies with France. In the more than ten years since then, the prime minister has worked hard behind the scenes, and the empire has risen day by day, already becoming the number one power on the European continent."

  Bismarck smiled, and even if it was just a flattering remark, it still made him feel much more at ease.

  "The situation of the empire is not optimistic."

  "How did the earl come up with this?"

  "It cannot be denied that Your Majesty is wise and will make peace with the Kingdom of Great Britain, but it is also the country on the European continent, and also the one across the North Sea."

  Upon hearing this sentence, Bismarck's eyebrows immediately furrowed.

  "I have heard that the Prime Minister and Your Majesty have differing views on governance, but the Prime Minister is aware that when it comes to matters concerning the empire's interests, he and Your Majesty are ultimately of one mind."

  "The meaning of Earl is..."

  "Whether pro-British or pro-Russian, whether liberalist or iron-blooded policy, all are aimed at nurturing and accumulating strength to create a period of peaceful development for the empire."

  Bismarck smiled and had a new opinion of Feng Chengqian at the same time.

  Although only a few words were exchanged, every sentence hit the vital spot and penetrated to the root of the matter. Even Bismarck took many years to understand these things.

  "In my humble opinion, peace in Europe can last for at most another thirty years."

  Bismarck was taken aback and said: "Does the Count mean that there will be another war in thirty years?"

  "No, of course not. That would be a total war that would sweep across all Europe, and even the whole world, enough to bring down several empires."

  "The earl is also being overly alarmist, isn't he?"

  "Only war can wash away all the hatred." Feng Chengqian took out a cigar from the sandalwood box, looking even more relaxed. "After the establishment of the Empire, undercurrents are surging in Europe. France dreams of revenge, reclaiming lost land and becoming the number one power in Europe again. Russia has great ambitions, eager to become the master of Europe. Austria is weak and poor, unable to do much. Italy is restless, always trying to take advantage of situations, but may not achieve great things. Britain watches from across the shore, hoping that the European powers will fight each other to the death, so it can reap the benefits. Does the Prime Minister think that the current situation is an opportunity or a challenge for the Empire, or perhaps both?"

  "The Earl's words are perfectly reasonable, and naturally, everything is logical. However," Bismarck's gaze lingered on Feng Chengqian for a few seconds before he continued, "in the Earl's view, if this is both an opportunity and a challenge, how can we overcome the challenge and seize the opportunity?"

  "Strive for self-improvement and be fully prepared to respond to unexpected challenges."

  "What is certain and what is uncertain?"

  "We have a proverb, 'Don't have the heart to harm others, but don't lack the heart to defend against them.' Since our great enemy is before us, the Empire should not forget the lessons of history. From top to bottom, we must unite and work together to face the challenges that are about to come. With the Empire's strength, even if France and Russia form an alliance, it will not be enough to make us fearful. The key lies with Britain." Feng Chengqian puffed on his cigar twice, then continued, "If we handle this properly, we will surely establish a foundation for a thousand years. If there is the slightest mistake, I fear..."

  "So, does the Earl also advocate an alliance with England?"

  Feng Chengqian smiled and said: "Unfortunately, Britain has never formed an alliance with a strong continental power."

  Bismarck also smiled, apparently Feng Chengqian had hit the nail on the head.

  "The prime minister must not misunderstand, although I am close to Your Majesty, I am not close to the British. The prime minister should also understand that Your Majesty's pro-British stance is a necessary measure. Feng Chengqian took a deep breath and said, 'At present, the empire needs Britain to balance the European continent, but it must be more vigilant against Britain.'"

  "What's wrong?" Bismarck's face looked a bit better.

  "As the prime minister thought, Britain is indeed a great worry."

  "I didn't say anything and I didn't think of anything either." Bismarck burst out laughing, and the atmosphere relaxed a lot.

  "Of course, it's just my humble guess. However...” Feng Chengqian leaned forward slightly, his expression serious as he said, “Since the time of Napoleon, Britain's basic national policy has been to prevent a powerful country that poses a mortal threat to its interests from appearing on the European continent. Whether it was France in the past or the Empire today, as long as they become strong enough to pose a threat to Britain, they will become a thorn in Britain's side and a stab in their heart. A powerful navy is enough to ensure the safety of the British mainland, while Britain's stance can influence the situation on the continent."

  "Does the Earl mean that England will be an enemy of the Empire?"

  "Maybe it will, maybe it won't." Feng Chengqian paused for a moment and smiled, "The key is to see what kind of empire the Empire is."

  Bismarck also smiled and nodded in understanding of Feng Chengqian's unspoken meaning.

  "The Chancellor has devoted himself to hard work for decades, and his ideal empire must not be just a powerful country in Europe?" Feng Chengqian said while paying attention to Bismarck's expression. "In the past, when the Chancellor proposed that the Empire should acquire 'land under the sun', it had already shown its mentality. The ideal empire will inevitably be a global empire, and it will inevitably be an empire that can dominate the global pattern, not just a powerful country in Europe."

  "Has the Earl ever said this to Your Majesty?"

  "Of course, otherwise I wouldn't have dared to mention it to the prime minister."

  "The meaning of Earl is..."

  "The prime minister should understand that as the ruler of a country, Your Majesty must weigh the pros and cons in handling matters, and it is inevitable to have difficulties. Fortunately, the prime minister is broad-minded and will not hold grudges." Feng Chengqian paused for a moment before continuing, "The future of the empire depends on the unity and cooperation between the ruler and his ministers. If they are at odds with each other, even if there are great opportunities, it's likely that they will slip away. The prime minister is wise and naturally understands this principle."

  "Do you know, if it's really like that, then..."

  "There are no challenges, where do opportunities come from?" Feng Chengqian smiled and said, "The prime minister has been in power for decades, from the fortress of Dippel to Sedan, the brilliant victories achieved by the empire, which one was not obtained after overcoming the challenge? Without challenges, there would be no empire today!"

  Bismarck nodded thoughtfully and said, "What the Count says is quite right, Your Majesty has not misjudged him."

  "The prime minister is overthinking, Your Majesty has only given me a nominal position." Feng Chengqian knew that he had already reached an understanding with Bismarck, and now was the time to strike while the iron was hot, letting Bismarck put down his guard. "According to Your Majesty's instructions, I am only in charge of military development, other matters are still to be handled by the prime minister and the chief of staff."

  "So to say..."

  "I am a man of shallow talent and hope that Your Excellency will give me more guidance in the future."

  "Your Majesty is fortunate to have the Earl's assistance, which is a great blessing for the Empire."

  "The prime minister is overpraising."

  The two men burst out laughing at the same time, and although there was still a rift between them, Bismarck also gained a deeper understanding of Feng Chengqian.