One day in June 1911, the German warship von der Tann arrived at the mouth of the Thames River and anchored at an anchorage designated by the British authorities. During this period, www.biquge.info type of ship was still classified as an "armored cruiser", but its elegant and vigorous body like cavalry, majestic and powerful armament, and the defense power that greatly exceeded that of traditional armored cruisers were enough to dwarf the warships of various countries moored here, and even the latest Delaware-class battleships in service of the US Navy could hardly overshadow them, not to mention the outdated Russian battleship "Glorious" and the Japanese battleship "Xiangmarry" and those second-rate old ships of second-rate naval powers.

On the side deck of the "Von der Tann", Natsuki, who was wearing the summer white uniform of the German Navy, stood side by side with Charlotte in a white dress, and the line of sight was in front of the British coast.

Since making her promise in front of the Kaiser and the Empress, Charlotte has been working tirelessly in her way for the past six months. She wrote letters to her grandfather and parents, hoping that they would understand her decision; She contributed to newspapers and radio broadcasts, hoping that the British and German people would put aside their old opinions and reconcile; She visited orphanages and aid stations, trying to erase the boundaries between countries and nations with a tolerant and loving mind...... Despite Natsuki's encouragement and help, Charlotte's efforts were still very felt, every reply sent from England made her sad, and newspaper and radio rejections became commonplace, and although the act of visiting orphans and helping the poor won her personal favor with the German public, the puppet show adapted from the story of the prospective princess was also a new drama that German women and children loved, but people deliberately avoided her English identity, and only regarded her as the future bride of the Prussian prince Joachim... …

Almost two years have passed since she left Thetford, and Natsuki can understand Charlotte's sadness about missing her hometown and family, just as Tulip first came to Germany from England. It was an entanglement that was difficult to let go, sometimes faint and invisible, sometimes surging like a tidal wave, making people powerless to resist, and now, the factors that hindered the two of them from achieving positive results had become an entanglement that she could not sleep and eat. On the occasion of the coronation of King George V, Germany was invited to send a ship to participate in the coronation parade, and the Kaiser appointed Natsuki to accompany the ship to explore the strength of the British Navy's fleet.

(PS: King Edward VII died on May 6, 1910, and the 45-year-old Prince George ascended the throne, known as King George V, whose coronation was held the following year according to traditional etiquette.) In order to demonstrate the great strength and supreme prestige of the empire, Britain not only gathered the elite navy, but also invited all countries and places, from the close and close relations of the French and Russian allies to the turbulent Qing Empire on the other side of the world, they were invited to send ships to participate in the coronation parade of the British king. ）

A woman would invite a storm when she boarded a ship, a superstitious belief among pirates in the past. Also accompanying the visit to the UK were Prince Heinrich and his wife, Honorary Commander-in-Chief, and Commodore Franz von Hipper, Captain of the von der Tann, and his wife. Most of the "von der Tann" welcomed Charlotte's arrival, from the captain to the crew, and a few people were worried about her British identity, feeling that the technical secrets of this German cutting-edge warship might be leaked because of her.

Just after the "von der Tann" confirmed its visit, the originally calm international situation changed abruptly. Morocco, a sensitive part of North Africa, was the scene of a tribal uprising against the Sudan. France used this as a pretext to send troops to occupy Moroccan cities, including Fez, so that Morocco was completely reduced to a country under the French bayonet, and the Alchrasis agreement was effectively null and void. France assured the signatories of the Algerassis Agreement that it would withdraw its troops as soon as order was restored in Morocco, but any European country understood that this so-called restoration of order would be indefinite.

Despite the reluctance of the German Kaiser to re-engage in the Moroccan question, intense public opinion at home put a great deal of pressure on the German government, and at the positive suggestion of the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, von Gideren Wachit, agreed to put pressure on France to withdraw its troops or else "act freely".

Confident that the French would back down in the face of Germany's military might, the Kaiser did not ask the army and navy to prepare for war. During the coronation of King George V, the contradictions between Germany and France over Morocco had not yet fully escalated to the level of a war crisis.

On the same day that the von der Tann sailed to England, the newest and most powerful battleship of the French Navy, the Danton, also arrived at the mouth of the Thames.

Thousands of meters from the sea, the German and French naval officers and men looked at each other without making any provocative moves. The two warships were started and commissioned in the same year, and their design tonnage was almost the same, but they were not rivals of equal strength. The German "von der Tann" carried 9 11-inch naval guns in a triple load, and the overload speed reached 28. 4 knots, it can be called the fastest large warship of this era, and fully adopts the subdivided compartment design, the thickest part of the turret armor and main armor have reached 10 inches; The French "Danton" was a battleship with non-full heavy guns, which was armed with four 12-inch first-class guns and 12 9s. A 4-inch secondary gun with a maximum speed of 19 knots and 10 inches at its thickest point of armor. In the context that Britain and Germany have already commissioned two classes of dreadnoughts, and each has two new dreadnoughts in the construction stage, the French Navy has resolutely completed the construction of their "most advanced obsolete ships", and in the next few years, the French Navy can only use these six Danton-class as the core of the fleet, I have to say that before the war began, the French Navy has withdrawn from the ranks of competing with the British and German navies.

Looking at the ugly French battleship, not only Natsuki, but also Prince Heinrich, Commodore Hipper, and the officers with a little vision were clearly aware that Britain was the last and only obstacle on the road to sea power for the German Navy. In the next war, two fleets representing the most advanced technology of the moment will surely engage in a fierce battle of victory and defeat!

Before the coronation and parade, the British royal family held a grand reception for guests from all over the world. Prince Heinrich and Brigadier General Speer attended with their wives, and although Natsuki had many concerns, Charlotte insisted on taking this opportunity to break the deadlock, so she had to agree to go along.

In the magnificent Buckingham Palace, royal nobles, dignitaries, military generals from hundreds of countries and regions around the world are all toasting to the coronation of King George V. On such a high-profile occasion, Natsuki and Charlotte, a handsome young couple, were not eye-catching, but the closer they got to the center of the hall, the more people around them looked at them strangely, until the radiant George V was almost gone, and a burly middle-aged man stopped in front of them.

"Xia Luo, it's really you!" The rough man's tone is not only reproachful, but also full of paternal love.

Charlotte's hand holding Natsuki suddenly tightened, and then let go, only to see her take a step forward and hug the middle-aged man tightly.

"Father's ......"

Because of this move, the attention of many people around was attracted.

Natsuki fearlessly stopped his chest, his fists clenched slightly.

General Hill glanced at Natsuki, his gaze extremely complicated.

Despite the generosity and warmth of this embrace, which is attached to human nature, Charlotte quickly withdrew, took Natsuki's arm again, and said bravely and strongly, "I have decided to marry Jochen, and I sincerely invite you to our wedding...... Father. ”

General Hill has the typical fortitude of a soldier, his expression is arrogant but not domineering, his eyes are fixed on his daughter, and he does not say a word.

At this moment, another important figure of the Hill family, Duke Hill, appeared in a more graceful and gorgeous navy dress. His eyes were full of anger, but he could not escape because of such a scene, so he turned this anger into coldness:

"Charlotte Hill, if you still have the last name Hill...... It's good, it's good, you're finally back in the UK, if it's still your home country......"

"Dear grandfather, I have decided to marry Jochen and sincerely invite you to our wedding......" Charlotte's voice was trembling, her face was a little pale, but her gaze did not flinch.

Duke Hill glared at his granddaughter with burning eyes, and then swept towards Natsuki.

There was a ferocity between duelists in his eyes.

On the other side of the dueling arena, Natsuki was fearless and greeted him with a cold and fearless gaze.

If it weren't for such an occasion, Duke Hill would probably swing his fist at him, and he finally suppressed his anger with the overall situation in mind, gritted his teeth and said word by word: "Marriage? I disagree! ”

Natsuki replied coldly and arrogantly: "We are only here to inform the decision, not to ask for your consent, Your Excellency! ”

Duke Hill glared.

"Jochen!" Charlotte called softly, "Please let me handle it myself!" ”

Natsuki was originally worried that she wouldn't be able to cope with it, but now that she said so, she put away her-for-tat momentum and stood by her side firmly.

Duke Hill turned to Charlotte, and his tone changed: "Your mother's illness is getting worse, Charlotte, I think what you have to do now is to return to her, take care of her, and let her recover as soon as possible." ”

Charlotte had already learned of her mother's illness in the letter, and it was said that at first it was just a lung fever and cough, but it did not improve after a long treatment. She cast a verifying glance at her father, and General Hill's heavy expression seemed to confirm what Duke Hill had said. As for the severity of the condition, it is difficult to confirm from them.

"I will go back to visit my mother and take care of her until she recovers, but I will not give up my feelings for anything, I can only be a wife in this life, no matter what happens, I will be loyal to him and will never change!"

After saying this, Charlotte did not let go of Natsuki's hand, and Duke Hill was speechless for a while, and the two sides were in a stalemate face to face, until this incident alarmed the protagonist of the night, King George V, who was about to be crowned. Having received the report from his attendants, he strode up to the controversial foreign duo and spoke in a polite manner: "Long gone, Prince Joachim, Miss Hill. Your presence here hand in hand is yet another testament to the magic of love, which gives people endless courage to challenge the world and subvert conventions again and again. If I'm not mistaken, the two of you today want to be blessed by all of us present to enter into a sacred marriage, right? ”

These words sounded like appreciation, but Natsuki caught a hint of danger from the cunning look in the eyes of the new king of England, at this moment, he was eager to mobilize every brain cell to analyze and see what trap this guy had laid, but Charlotte was not deeply involved in the world after all, she greeted George V with ladylike courtesy, and then said: "Your Majesty, before marrying Prince Joachim, I want to receive your kind blessings!" ”

"Oh, what a happy thing to get married, we should give our blessings, we should be so!" George V smiled and looked at the people around him, of course, it was impossible for the noble king to change his face on such an occasion, and he immediately stretched out his right hand to Natsuki: "Congratulations, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim of Prussia!" ”

After a moment of hesitation, Natsuki shook hands with him: "I am deeply honored to be able to receive your blessing. ”

George V deliberately raised his voice for a moment: "It should be us who are a Hohenzollern genius like you who willingly won an English girl." ”

Is this a satire on the self-depreciation of the German royal family? Natsuki thought to herself.

George V turned to the embarrassed Duke Hill and said, "Your Excellency, we should all bless this new couple. ”

The Duke of Hill did not dare to raise his eyes to look directly at the King of England, and he said respectfully and obediently: "As you wish, Your Majesty! ”

George V smiled and spread his hands: "Okay, this matter is successfully resolved, everyone, please continue to have fun!" ”

Is the matter settled?

Xia Shu smiled bitterly in his heart, George V's words were vague and evasive, as if they were perfunctory. To be truly complete, they should be bestowed the divine blessings of the royal family and bestowed upon Charlotte a title or title of honorable nature. Now, Charlotte is still an ordinary British, and even if the Hill family reluctantly accepts the marriage, there are still many thorny issues to be solved.

George V turned away in a dashing manner, Duke Hill brushed his sleeves away with a shameless face, and General Hill sighed deeply and left with him. Despite Charlotte's reluctance, there is no way to change the unhappy ending.

(End of chapter)