After setting sail from Yokohama, Japan, the Crown Prince Hirohito sailed through the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and the South China Sea, and then crossed the Strait of Malacca, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea into the Red Sea.

On December 4, 1918, Hirohito finally set foot on European soil.

On that day, a large number of German officials, including Prince Heinrich, went to Bremen to greet the Japanese crown prince, and Japanese expatriates in Europe came from all over the country, and when Prince Hirohito walked down the gangway, thousands of people bowed.

After a car tour of downtown Bremen, Prince Heinrich accompanied Prince Hirohito to board a special train that stopped outside the train station. According to the itinerary agreed in advance between the German and Japanese governments, the Japanese crown prince will travel to Berlin, Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Warsaw, Hamburg, Kiel Port, Wilhelmshaven, Cologne, Paris, London, and finally Dublin, Ireland, to end his European tour, which will take three months to Germany, Hungary, Bohemia, France, Britain and Ireland.

Prince Hirohito had no objection to this itinerary.

A special train then carried the two princes to Berlin, the political and economic center of the German Empire. Perhaps because of the large age difference, there were not many conversations between Prince Hirohito and Prince Heinrich along the way, but after learning that this prince was actually the father of the current Kaiser, Hirohito seemed very surprised, which is almost impossible in the East.

On the morning of December 6, the special train arrived at Berlin railway station.

This time, the Kaiser personally went to the train station to greet him, and the specifications were high enough to excite the Japanese government and people.

This is the second meeting between Tatsuten and Prince Hirohito, and although the crown prince in front of him is still a little restrained, Tatsuten feels that he has matured much more than the last time they met.

On the way from the train station to the Brandenburg Gate. Tatsuten and Prince Hirohito sat in the same car, but the future Japanese emperor seemed very shy, and only answered Tatsuten's questions mechanically and simply.

"My greatest wish ......," Hirohito looked down and thought for a moment, "to be a good monarch loved by the people!" ”

Is this what Emperor Showa wished when he was young?

Chen Tian had a lot of reveries for a while, according to the original trajectory of history, the current YMCA will work with his Tanaka cabinet to formulate the notorious policy of aggression against China nine years later, 13 years later is the September 18 Incident, 19 years later is the Lugou Bridge Incident and a full-scale war of aggression against China. 23 years later, the war against the United States began, and 27 years later the war was defeated and surrendered. In order to avoid the Allied trial, both the Japanese government and the military ministry claimed that the emperor did not lead the war, that all military operations were controlled by the cabinet and the military department, and that the emperor was only an informant who was powerless to change the status quo, and even did not know many things.

However, anyone who understands the political system of Japan after the Meiji era can easily debunk this lie - the Constitution of the Empire of Japan was formulated in 1889, which stipulates that "the emperor convenes the imperial diet, and the emperor may order it to meet, close, adjourn, and dissolve the House of Representatives", "the emperor may issue an imperial decree in lieu of law when the imperial diet is not in session", "the emperor commands the army and navy", "the emperor has the right to determine the size of the army and navy, and has the right to declare war, peace, and conclude treaties with foreign countries, and has the right to declare smoking cessation, amnesty, amnesty, Commutation of sentence and rehabilitation and restoration of reputation. Awards, decorations and other honours". Since the promulgation of this Constitution. Except for Emperor Taisho, who was unable to govern in person due to health reasons, both Emperor Meiji and Showa had and firmly held the powers granted by the Constitution, and it was not until after World War II that the Emperor ** had no choice but to switch to the emperor symbolic system.

According to historical sources. During Japan's foreign aggression, with the exception of a few incidents such as the Huanggutun Incident and the Zhang Gufeng Incident, which were made by the military department on its own initiative, the emperor participated in the decision-making of important military operations. It can be said that the power of the emperor under the emperor system is far greater than that of the emperor of the German Empire.

"Your Majesty's wish, is it to unify the world?" Hirohito asked softly, but not timidly.

"Hahahaha!" Chen Tian smiled heartily, "No one can unify the world, infinite greed will only bring destruction!" As long as the survival of the country is guaranteed, then the sword should be sheathed! ”

After the translator relayed this to Hirohito, he was silent for a long time.

Chen Tian didn't know if the young man understood his words, but no matter what. He knew that sooner or later he would have to meet the future ruler of Japan and his country on the battlefield. For the living, but also for the departed.

However, Tatsuten will not use this opportunity to kill Hirohito, because it will not only disrupt Germany's strategic plan, but more importantly, Hirohito has two younger brothers, and his death will not prevent Japan from embarking on the road to world hegemony. Looking at Japan in another world, it is not difficult for one to conclude that they should have no ambitions unless they are wiped off the face of the earth.

Come to think of it. Chen Tian couldn't help but grit his teeth with hatred.

Naturally, the young Hirohito couldn't see through Tatsuten's thoughts, and he was completely immersed in Tatsuten's profound words just now.

In a short time, the convoy arrived at Pariser Platz, where Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate was unveiled to the Japanese.

"Such a grandiose ......"

In the morning sun, Prince Hirohito looked at the sandstone building 26 meters high, 65.5 meters wide and 11 meters deep, it was so imposing that everyone who saw it would immediately be in awe. There is also the bronze sculpture of the goddess of victory, which is about 5 meters high at the top of the top of the Brandenburg Gate, which is not only a beautiful work, but also a symbol of victory. The goddess spread her wings and rode a four-horse chariot facing the city of Berlin to the east, holding in her right hand a scepter with an oak wreath and an iron cross with an outstretched eagle on which stood a Prussian crown.

In order to ensure the safety of the future emperor, the German Royal Janissaries also deployed a tight cordon within a radius of 3,000 meters, and snipers were also guarded at all high points, and there was not a single passerby around the entire Parisian square and the Brandenburg Gate. In this case, Tatsuten took Prince Hirohito leisurely through Pariser Platz to the Brandenburg Gate, a huge gatehouse with five gates, the middle one slightly wider was the royal passage, through which only members of the German royal family and guests invited by the emperor were allowed to enter and exit.

After the interpreter explained this rule to Prince Hirohito, he gladly walked two round trips under the Brandenburg Gate at the invitation of Tatsuten. And let his local photographer take pictures of him. It was under this landmark building in Berlin and even Germany that Tatsuten and Hirohito left their first group photo.

Within a few days, the group photo quickly made headlines in newspapers around the world, such as "The Japanese Crown Prince Visits Berlin and Is Personally Greeted by Kaiser Wilhelm III" and "German-Japanese Friendship Under the Brandenburg Gate" was widely publicized by many media.

Of course, the most unhappy about this is naturally the Americans on the other side of the ocean.

When the new American president, Warren Harding, saw the report, he was taking a group of government officials and admirals on a tour of an airship factory in Ohio.

"To borrow an old Chinese saying, these two countries are really in a mess!" Harding didn't know where he heard it. But from an American's point of view, this description is quite apt.

The surrounding officials couldn't help but laugh dumbly, the sphere of influence of the Allied organization has expanded to Europe, Asia, and Africa, and Chile is also ready to move, plus Mexico, which is in a bad situation, it is only a matter of time before the Allies push their sphere of influence to the periphery of the United States.

However, this does not mean that the United States is the weak that needs sympathy. In another world, their dominant NATO has not yet brought its sphere of influence to Russia's doorstep. It's just that feng shui takes turns. Now it's just unlucky for them.

The convoy soon arrived at the site, known as the first airship base in the United States, and from a distance, dozens of huge arched factories stood abruptly in the vast wilderness. Viewed from above, these large gray-and-white houses are neatly arranged, and the road for cars appears insignificant next to them.

In order to welcome the president's personal visit, more than 2,000 workers and guards lined the aisle to greet them, the military band played the national anthem vigorously, and the factory owners, shareholders and managers were even more smiling. It is clear that they have made a lot of money on government orders, and if this inspection satisfies the president and his staff, then more orders will beckon them.

After getting out of the car, President Harding still looked like he was puffing up. The greeting to the greeter was only a few casual words, and what he wanted to see were those airships, those airships that could cement his position. Due to the huge cost of building airships, and the recent suspicion in Congress and among the people, Harding was desperate to gag them with an airship exercise, just as the German airship swarm deterred the Austrians. It's just that the huge airship program will take a long time to complete, and so far less than 120 airships have been incorporated into the active service of the US Navy, and another 50 or so are in a state of test flight and adjustment, which is not enough for Harding.

"How many airships can you complete this year?"

Before approaching the factory shed. Harding asked Mick Jones, the owner of the airship factory, who was close behind him, a 50-year-old British businessman who first engaged in automobile manufacturing and later transformed civilian aircraft, but because the technology and price could not compete with the German export aircraft, he had to switch to the production of probe balloons and small airships, which were generally sold to merchants for advertising amplitude adjustment. In the first round of bidding for the U.S. Navy's airship program, Mick's company lost due to scale and technology, but fortunately, after Harding took office, he developed a larger airship plan, and he only got an order for 60 airships, although it only accounted for less than one-seventh of the total plan, but it was already a super large order of 40 million US dollars.

"Mr. President, it's already December, and although our airship has entered the final assembly stage, the last month ......"

Harding interrupted him impatiently, "Tell me how many airships will be in the sky before January 1st!" ”

"Yes, yes!" Seeing that the president was in a bad mood, Mick hurriedly reported a number: "10 to 12!" ”

"At least 20!" Harding's tone was non-negotiable.

Mick was glad on the sidelines, glad that the number he had just quoted was still slightly reserved, although 20 ships was a bit difficult, but as long as the workers worked two weeks of night shifts, the problem was not very big.

After entering the shed, Harding and his party were immediately stunned by the momentum of the big airship on the side. The giant was lying quietly in this vaulted shed 300 meters long, 50 meters wide and 40 meters high, which also reached a staggering length of 240 meters and a diameter of more than 28 meters, comparable in size to the best German Zeppelin.

"Rest assured, Mr. President, we are using the best materials! You see, the airship keel is made of high-quality aluminum, which is guaranteed to be durable, and the exterior is made of double-layered rubberized skin, so even if it is pierced by bullets, there will be no gas leakage! The airship can hold 65,000 cubic meters of hydrogen, all of which is stored in 12 airbags and 2 auxiliary airbags! After introducing the basic performance, Mick did not forget to say a few words for his product: "So, although it is a bit expensive to build, the performance is definitely worth the price!" ”

Unlike ordinary airships, this large airship has two cabins, a combat cockpit with two machine guns on top of the airship, and a fighter-bombing pod with a crumpled machine gun, two engines and a bomb bay at the lower part of the airship.

"Is it safe up there?" Harding asked, pointing to the semi-enclosed battle cockpit above the airship.

"Safe, of course safe! The two machine gunners on top sit with their backs to each other, and through the belt on the seat, they will not be blown down even if the wind is strong, and they can be covered with canvas when it rains!

Mr. President, according to our research, the top of the airship is a dead end for the fire of the pod, so it is very necessary to install such a combat cockpit! With that, Mick asked two technicians to go up and demonstrate to the visitors. I saw two young men with quick hands climbing up the soft ladder on the side of the airship, and after two minutes they climbed to the cockpit at the top, and then pulled the bolts of the two Lewis machine guns in front of and behind them, and then moved left and right.

It seems that the dead end of the airship's defensive firepower has indeed been eliminated because of this combat cockpit, which makes Harding and his party quite satisfied. Harding also went out of his way to call the Admiralty's staff and asked him to inform other airship manufacturers to adopt this "advanced" arrangement.

In the next few factory sheds, Harding and others were an eye-opener, these airships are almost the same in appearance, they are all big guys with a load of 3 tons, but there are many differences in weapons and equipment. There is a type named "Attack Airship", in which two 37mm infantry guns are installed on the left and right, which is said to be used to attack enemy airships from a distance; On the other hand, under the pod is a small biplane equipped with a machine gun and small bombs, which is the American version of an airship carrier.

By the end of the visit, Harding's depression had been swept away, and he kept telling Mick to finish the airships as soon as possible, and if there was an order next time, he would give priority to the construction of his very creative factory.

Watching the "gods of wealth" go away satisfied, Mir seems to see his infinite "money" path.