A horse-drawn carriage ride from the Freeport Zone takes you to Alchit Lake in a short time.

More than 1,000 years ago, the Alster River, which flows through Hamburg, joins the Elbe through a low-lying meadow, creating a huge puddle. As the years passed, this meadow was gradually submerged to form the Alster Lake that it is today.

The modern Alster has an inner and outer lake, but there was only one lake area in this era. The lake is located to the east of the Town Hall Square and is like a pearl embedded in the center of the city, with a picturesque view.

Sailing on the silent and beautiful lake, swans gracefully sparkling in the waves, we wander on the shores of the Alster with great peace of mind. Hua Mei suddenly said, "Qilan, how good you say this place is!" If one day, it would be happy and lucky to be able to live here? ”

I looked at her, didn't say anything, and nodded. Christina, who was next to her, exclaimed, "If you live in this place, I will be sick in less than three days!" My future is at sea! Only the rough waves are my paradise! ”

As he spoke, he looked left and right boredly, jumped to his feet and shouted, "Oops, I can't stand the silence here, I'm going to the bar to drink!" It's yesterday's block mary, you go, you go! ”

After saying that, he ran away with a jump.

Looking at his back, I shook my head helplessly, I was embarrassed to drive her away for the sake of old Tucker's face, but this guy was too casual. Alas, we'll see.

As we walked along the lakeside, we slowly began to discover a few scattered dwellings as the woods grew thicker. Where does Adikan live? I glanced at Wayne Nash, who also said with a bitter face: "I only know that he lives in Hamburg, but I don't know the house number!" ”

I shook my head helplessly and said, "Go ask, go ask!" ”

Wayne Nash nodded and walked over to a house not far away.

It was a flat-roofed house with a simple décor but a lush flower bed. There was a middle-aged man sitting at the door of the house, reading a book and teasing the black cat at his feet.

Wayne Nash stepped forward and saluted politely, and the other party returned the salute very gracefully. Nash asked, and the man stood up, spun around his huge belly with both hands, and pointed his right hand into the woods to say something, Nash nodded, saluted, and returned to our line.

"Captain, the Reinhardt family's estate is ahead. Probably a mile away. Nash said with a treasure-like smile.

I snapped my fingers and said, "Walk!" ”

As the morning fog cleared, we finally found a small but well-groomed manor house in the lush birch forest at the westernmost end of the Alster.

The manor is made of red bricks and white stone, and the crimson glazed tiles are very old, but they are very neat. The gate is made of iron, and the birch trees on both sides are neatly tended like guards, and on the whole, it looks like a middle-aged man who is dressed simply, but he is very neat, standing heroically.

Wayne Nash went up to call the door first, and I waited in the back with the Nine Ghosts Zhengxiao and Hua Mei, and we had the basic etiquette. An old man in his sixtieth year, who seemed to be a gardener, came over and pulled the iron door open a little, said a few words to Wayne Nash, looked at us again, and then politely opened the door completely and welcomed us in.

The pale blue irises are planted on both sides of the corridor in the courtyard, which looks very elegant under the white starry sky.

In the main hall of the manor, we meet the highly respected former Germanic Admiral Reinhardt Adikon.

Although the 37-year-old former admiral has left his post, the seriousness cultivated by his long military career is still strong. When they met, his legs were slightly together, his figure was straight, and his black military civilian clothes with gold trim were full of muscles. His hands hung down and landed firmly at his side, but he seemed to be forever ready to draw his sword or draw his spear!

The face is like a knife carving, with sharp edges and corners; The gray-blue eyes are not angry and self-threatening, and the corners of the mouth are slightly pursed, which makes it even more majestic. The gray-brown hair was combed back to the officer's characteristic back, which made him look even more shrewd and capable.

If I hadn't heard someone else's introduction, just the first time I saw him, I would have felt the momentum of a soldier like a mountain in him, and the momentum that definitely made Xiao Xiao frightened.

"Then please be seated! Ladies and gentlemen. Reinhardt Adikin politely said, "Maggie, give everyone a drink...... I wonder what you want to drink? ”

I smiled and said, "Mr. Adicon, although you should be a guest, I think you must be more willing to taste the taste of Yunnan black tea, a magical leaf from the East." ”

Adicon was stunned for a moment, and then smiled: "That's naturally unwanted!" ”

The nine ghosts handed a bag to the middle-aged maid Maggie, who bowed down to take it and retreated, and after a while, she came up with a saucer and brought us a cup of black tea.

Adicon brought the teacup to his nose, took a deep breath, let out a long "um", took another sip, tasted it for a long time, and then took another sip, three sips in a row, before he raised his head and drank the whole cup of tea. Maggie immediately poured him a glass.

"Marco Polo said that the magical East is full of gold, where there are abundant products, prosperous people, prosperous commerce, and strong military! Just from this cup of tea, and your words and deeds, it can be seen that what Mr. Marco said is true and conclusive! Reinhardt Adicon exclaimed.

I smiled and shook my head, "Mr. Adicon's praise!" Tea is good tea, but people are not more than Erer - listening to Mr. 's words, he doesn't look like a soldier, but more like a politician who has been in the officialdom for a long time! ”

Reinhardt Adikon laughed: "Since I left the military world, I have been studying drama, and it seems to be very effective!" ”

I also laughed and said, "That's also thanks to Mr.'s good foundation, so that I can get twice the result with half the effort!" ”

Reinhardt Adicon frowned, "It doesn't sound like a compliment to me!" ”

We looked at each other and laughed together.

After laughing for a while, and the atmosphere became lively, Adicon put down the teacup and looked at me and said, "Mr. Viscount, I don't know what advice you have for coming to the Humble House?" I hope to make it clear! ”

I looked left and right, and saw a large circular map hanging on the front wall of Adicon's living room, which was the most traditional and basic nautical chart of the Middle Ages, the Mauro Nautical Chart. This map was drawn by the cartographer of the Republic of Venice, Fra Mauro, in 1457~1459. In order to explore the wider world, the Portuguese prince at that time persuaded King Alfonso V of Portugal to draw a larger, more professional nautical chart of the world for him.

In 1457, Alfonso V financed and commissioned Mauro to produce the map, providing all the geographical information obtained by Portugal during its voyages. On April 24, 1459, the map was completed, covering the entire known world at that time, and is considered "the greatest record of medieval cartography".

But for unknown reasons, the original of this masterpiece was not passed down to the world, and unfortunately lost in the course of history. Luckily for it – before Mauro died, someone drew a replica that has been handed down as a treasure of medieval navigators, and is worth more than gold! It is now housed in the Biblioteca della Marciana, Venice, Italy.

The parchment chart of the world in Adicon's living room is circular, more than two meters in diameter, and it must be a treasure and quite old. Seeing me walk up to the map, Adicon's voice came: "Mr. Viscount is also rooted in the sea, and must know the preciousness of this Mauro map. This treasure is a tribute that my grandfather stole from the Spaniards, and although it is no longer of much practical value, it is very precious and very rare. ”

I nodded, and gently touched the slight bumps with my fingers – some in elegant round Portuguese script, some in painted terrain. For a moment, I felt like I was in a trance, as if history was flowing at my fingertips, as if what I was exposed to was not real.

My mind paused for a moment, and after a moment I came back to my senses and turned to look at the people who were staring at me, including Reinhardt Adicon, who was puzzled but still smiling gracefully.

"The future belongs to the sea!" I uttered the first words in a deep voice.

My voice echoed in the wide living room, cascading. This sentence alone made Adicon particularly interested.

"Whoever controls the sea, controls the world! Do you agree? Mr. Adicon? I asked slowly, staring into Reinhardt's eyes.

"Of course! A strong navy creates a strong country and a nation, and this must be the guide of the future world! I agree with you, Mr. Viscount. Adicon sat down and replied loudly.

I nodded, and continued, "The ability to control the sea, let's call it sea power. Sea power includes not only a country's military control over a certain sea area, but also the superior economic status obtained by a country in terms of commercial trade, transportation and shipping based on the sea. The military and economic elements that constitute sea power are interdependent, with a strong maritime military strength being the fundamental guarantee for obtaining overseas economic interests, and a well-developed overseas trade being the basis for building a strong maritime military force. Do you agree with this point of view? ”

I'm talking about the core idea of U.S. Navy Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan's book "The Influence of Sea Power on History" – also known as "The Theory of Sea Power" – three hundred years later. Since Elizabeth I and James I of England, history has proved that Mahan's view of sea power is a classic theory that conforms to the course of historical development. I didn't do much research before, but now, I've benefited a lot from it.

Adicon's eyes sparkled with magic, and he stood up and walked towards me with the characteristic square steps of a soldier, and walked to the other side of the map, before he replied aloud, "Yes! This view transcends national boundaries and is not trapped by faith, and must be the dominant theory of the future marine world! I don't know from the book of that nautical wizard? ”

I smiled very deeply: "I was born by the sea, and I have been threatened by the ocean since I was a child, so I attach great importance to the bits and pieces of the ocean, and I am also very sensitive. If what is said is inappropriate, I must ask Admiral Addiken for more guidance! "Saying this, it is clear that Mahan's work has been swallowed up three hundred years later, but fortunately, no one must have claimed copyright from me!

Reinhardt Adikin saluted me with great admiration and said, "Since my great-grandfather, the countries of the West have been fighting to the death in the Atlantic, the North Sea and the Mediterranean, in order to fight for more living space. But some people chase fame, some people chase profit, but no one can say it so clearly! ”

I thought to myself, "Here's your chance!" He continued to pretend to be deep and said: "If you want to control the sea power, you have to walk on both feet." One is a huge and lucrative ocean trade, and the other is a powerful warship with advanced performance that can control the sea. Now I have both, but I only lack the generals who can make good use of it! ”

Reinhardt Adicon was stunned, he finally understood what I was here for. Smiling, he stretched out three fingers and said, "Your Excellency, I want to ask you three questions!" ”

I smiled freely, stretched out my hand and made a gesture of invitation, "Sir, it's okay to ask!" ”

Reinhardt Adicon took a step forward and asked his first question!