When the "Lightning Gallop" drives into the Faith Manor, Natsuki sees Hugh Fir-Fir, with all white hair and beard, wearing a gentleman's gown, standing there talking to a young man in a police uniform. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 infoThe ages of the two are very different, but the contours of their facial features are quite similar.

When Natsuki got out of the car, the young man was still standing beside Old Fez. In addition to being cramped, there seemed to be some embarrassment in his expression.

Old Firth bowed politely to Natsuki: "It is a great honor to meet you on this beautiful morning, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim of Prussia. ”

Natsuki shook hands with him and said, "I hope your Excellency will forgive me for taking the liberty of bothering me in this way." ”

"It's us who is abrupt." Old Firth said neither humbly nor arrogantly, but very sincerely, "You are a noble member of the German royal family, and a true friend of the Irish, and we should welcome you with the most solemn courtesy." ”

Natsuki replied: "Friends don't have to care about the form, not to mention the current situation, less etiquette is less trouble, it's good for you and me." ”

Seeing that Natsuki glanced at the young man in the police uniform twice, Old Fezes introduced, "This is my youngest grandson, David." ”

The young man saluted shyly, "Your Royal Highness, it is a great honor to meet you. ”

When shaking hands, Natsuki said, "We seem to have met. ”

During this era, law and order in Ireland was maintained by the British Army, the Royal Security Corps and the local police. There were about 20,000 British troops stationed in Ireland, stationed in major cities such as Dublin and Belfast, and the size of the troops was adjusted according to the situation. The Royal Security Corps, also known as the Royal Irish Security Corps, is a paramilitary force used to assist the British army in maintaining law and order, with a number of nearly 10,000; Local police are non-armed forces and are formed and paid for by local councils.

On Natsuki's public visit to Ireland, there were local police officers to maintain public order on most occasions.

David Firth smiled and didn't answer.

"You go first, I'll take a walk with His Royal Highness the Prince." Firth Sr. sent his young grandson away.

Messner accompanies him, and Natsuki and Old Firth begin to stroll along the riverside.

"I thought the children and grandchildren of the Firth family were in the candy business." Natsuki said.

"Everyone has their own interests and ideas." Hughes Sr. said gently, "David was a very intelligent child, he was righteous from an early age, and when he grew up, he still decided to fulfill his childhood ideals in his own way. ”

Natsuki speculated that this "childhood ideal" might have something to do with the Irish independence movement, and if that were the case, David Firth might well be a member of some independence movement - theoretically on the same side as himself. And by his face, the young Irish local policeman should be a clever but not cunning, upright but not pedantic.

"Your Highness has done several great things in Ireland lately, and almost everyone I know is complimenting you."

Listening to Old Fez's previous sentence, Natsuki was not in a hurry to be modest, but smiled slightly, waiting for his next words.

After a while, Old Firth said in a gradual tone: "I personally have great admiration for your actions, and I hope that more foreigners will help to improve the living conditions of the Irish people as you do." I think that since Your Highness has come to Ireland, you should have some understanding of the historical environment of Ireland, and the stubborn and unyielding character has been deeply integrated into the blood and soul of the Irish people. We treat those who want to be friends with us with a burning heart, and if they want to colonize or annex Ireland, we will fight to the end with pride. ”

Natsuki turned his head to look at the old Irish gentleman beside him, his hair and beard were all white, his eyes were still bright, his back was a little rickety, and his pace was still steady and vigorous.

"Yes, I know very well that the Irish are like the grass on the cliffs of the sea, and although the environment is harsh, they can survive tenaciously, and the character of the Irish is like the rocks on the coast, which are still hard after thousands of years of wind and rain."

Old Firth said, "This is one of the most apt and well-meaning parables I have ever heard of about the Irish." ”

"To tell you the truth, I have come to Ireland because of my personal feelings and my national interests. As the saying goes, 'the enemy of an enemy is a friend', and we hope to carry out a win-win cooperation with the Irish people on the premise of mutual respect and mutual support." ”

Old Firth nodded: "The crisis in England is an opportunity for Ireland, this is an old adage we reveal. If Britain and Germany go to war, we will inevitably be emotionally inclined to the German side. ”

"Head-to-head confrontation between powerful and emerging countries is inevitable, and war may break out soon, which will inevitably affect maritime trade and transportation, so it is advisable to prepare as early as possible and stock up on as many raw materials as possible."

Old Firth let out a thoughtful "oh". The two walked side by side for a while before he turned to Natsuki and said, "If it were like the two wars of 1866 and 1870, we could cope with it with a little preparation, but if it dragged on for two or three years, like the Boer War, we really need to make long-term and thorough preparations." ”

The other party asked without asking, and Natsuki had no intention of evading: "The longer the war lasts, the greater the loss to the country and the people, and we have no intention of erasing any opponent from the face of the earth, but only treating the war as a continuation of political means, just like the Austro-Prussian War in 1866 and the Franco-Prussian War in 1870." However, no one can predict the course and outcome of the war, and once the two sides form an evenly matched confrontation on the battlefield and are unable to reach an armistice acceptable to both sides, it is not surprising that the war will last for two or three years. If your concern is in terms of funding, Hubert Shipyard can provide this loan, no matter how long it is, without you paying a penny of interest. ”

Old Fezy looked at Natsuki with a puzzled look.

Natsuki replied succinctly: "Candy and chocolate are not only daily necessities, they are also important strategic materials in times of war. ”

Old Firth pondered for a moment: "Your thinking is both long-term and thoughtful, and you deserve to be the genius of Hohenzollern, who is famous in Europe." ”

Natsuki further said, "With the good reputation of the Firth family, we don't need to clarify this obligation on paper, and we avoid the huge risk of leaks. Mr. Messner is the representative of Hubert's shipyard, and you can contact him directly when you have listed the amount of money you will need to raise supplies. ”

Old Firth made eye contact with Messner. It's a joint.

By this time, the sun had just risen above the horizon, and it was about time for breakfast when they turned back.

Old Firth stopped, turned his head and asked Natsuki, "Is Your Highness going to Limerick Secondary School this morning to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new library?" ”

Because it was a public event, Natsuki did not keep it secret, and he was even more outspoken in the face of Old Fez.

Old Firth said meaningfully: "You donated money to build a library and buy books, and the people of Limerick will always remember your kindness, and if you have no other important arrangements, I suggest you return to Germany sooner." ”

"Huh?" Natsuki was quite surprised, he quickly remembered the younger grandson of Old Firth, David Firth, and the subtle expression was intriguing. If the British wanted to disadvantage themselves, they would certainly resort to covert operations in order to avoid a bitter national dispute, and with the position and position of the Irish local police, the possibility of taking part in such operations was very small, but it was not excluded that they had been informed through their own channels or by chance.

Messner on the side also heard the warning in Old Fez's words, and he hurriedly said to Xia Shu: "There is a road north from here to go back to the shipyard, and we can immediately arrange a submarine to send you away safely." ”

Natsuki quickly weighed in his mind: whether the information was accurate or not for the time being, his recent actions had won the favor of many Irishmen, but it was far from enough for them to stand up for themselves in a dangerous moment. At the moment, the independence movement in Ireland is at a low ebb, and if you insist on staying as a hero, you may not even have the opportunity to be a wedding dress for others. The German top brass and people will not sit idly by and ignore their own safety, but if the British authorities place the blame on the Irish, their own lives will be in vain.

So, Natsuki decisively made the decision to evacuate. Before parting, he shook hands with old Fais, without hurrying: "Then I will take my leave, Mr. Feith, and I hope that the next time I have the opportunity to walk with you on such a beautiful morning." ”

Old Fez bowed politely: "Waiting for you at any time." ”

Natsuki and Messner hurried back to the manor, and as soon as they got into the car, they saw Gobert arriving on his bicycle with difficulty. Messner didn't know the spy who belonged to the German Navy, and Natsuki knew there was something wrong with him when he saw him.

"Get in the car!" Natsuki shouted.

Gobert dropped his bike without hesitation, leaning back on the back of his seat, gasping for air, sweat dripping from his sideburns.

"Go the way you said to the shipyard." Natsuki instructed Messna.

Messner then instructed the driver.

After calming down a little, Goebel said, "Your Highness...... Just now...... Miss Charlotte...... Say you're in danger and get you out of here as soon as possible...... Return. ”

With these keywords, Natsuki has a general grasp of the situation. Messner handed the kettle from the front seat, Natsuki asked Goebel to drink it, and looked out the window: If Duke Hill wants to kill him, he doesn't have to wait until now, I think it should be instructed by the British high-level.

King George V?

If there is no preconceived opinion, people's first impression of George V is often steady and generous, hearty and humorous, and through several contacts, coupled with his understanding of various decisions, Natsuki feels that he is a monarch with a tough personality, trying to defend the interests of the British Empire in the changing general trend, and it seems that he is not the same as the ambitious and aggressive Wilhelm II, but in fact has a generous and ruthless imperial heart- He is tolerant and loving to his subjects, but ruthless and unrelenting to his enemies.

After a few sips of water, Goebel finally became coherent, and he recounted how he had discovered Charlotte in the morning and came into contact with her, and reported to Natsuki the division of labor between himself and his companions.

Natsuki was silent, his thoughts were complicated, but there was always a clear main line.

The route chosen by Messner is basically a narrow dirt road in the countryside, and as long as the speed exceeds 40 kilometers per hour, the car will be bumpy and difficult to maneuver, but under the influence of Messner, the driver also feels that the situation is urgent, so he tries to speed up. Seeing that the blue sea was already far in sight, a sentry post appeared at the intersection ahead, and the atmosphere in the car was even more tense because of Messner's words: "There has never been a sentry here before......

The driver then slowed down.

There were six or seven sentries at the junction, all dressed in British uniform, most of them carrying rifles, and a military vehicle was parked next to it, and there was no wooden barbed wire or barricade to block traffic.

Seeing these clearly, Natsuki immediately decided: "Keep up this speed and keep moving forward." ”

As the car approached the intersection at a slow speed of about 25 kilometers per hour, a British soldier raised his left hand in the air and signaled to stop.

Messner rolled down the window and asked in fluent English, "Hey, Mr. Soldier, what's going on?" ”

The soldier who raised his hand walked to the door along with the non-commissioned officer with a revolver at his waist. Seeing that it was a high-end German car, their tone was not harsh.

"Hello, sir, routine check!"

"In the car is His Royal Highness Prince Joachim of Germany, do you still want to check?" Messner asked calmly.

The soldier's surprise reaction was normal, but the non-commissioned officer's eyes were a little wrong, he bent down and glanced at the back seat of the car, hurriedly saluted, and ordered the soldiers to "salute".

Messner then said to the driver, "Drive." ”

During this process, Natsuki always stared straight ahead with a blank face.

After driving through the intersection, Messner kept turning his head to look behind him.

"Their car is catching up."

"Shake it off." Natsuki said coldly.

The Lightning Benz was based on a racing car, the civilian version was much larger, the engine power was reduced from 200 hp to 160 hp, and the acceleration and top speed of the four-cylinder engine still easily overshadowed other cars of its generation, not to mention a slow, old Leyland truck. The driver stepped on the accelerator, geared, throttled, and then geared, and although the bumps in the body were comparable to sailing on the angry sea, it only took a while to throw the tailgator away without a trace.

A few minutes later, the car arrived at the Hubert shipyard. When it came to his own turf, Messner showed his quick and decisive style with ease. He ordered the shipyard security guards to cordon off the entrances and exits, delayed anyone who came, and instructed technicians to refuel and load the trial submarine with necessities. The trial submarine belonged to the Holland VII type, nominally used as a sales display and equipment test, secretly conducted technical surveys of the waters and shipping lanes around Ireland, and secretly helped the Irish independence movement to transport munitions, so that it could sail from Limerick to Germany without encountering bad sea conditions.

The preparations were completed within an hour and were made up of nine experienced German crews. Under the warm sun, Natsuki boarded the boat and left, he was in the mood like a player who left the field halfway, and vowed unwillingly: next time he must let everyone look at him differently!

(End of chapter)