Thetford, England, is located in the northeast of England, more than seventy miles from London, and it is not by the sea, but in an open hilly area. Nestled northeast of Thetford www.biquge.info Hill Manor House is spread over 600 acres of typical Victorian castle and large green meadows, with long tree-lined avenues leading to the castle evoking fairy tales in Natsuki's mind. Hill Castle is not as grand as Windsor Castle, but it is also a very beautiful building, because it was built in a prosperous and peaceful era, it was completely abandoned to the old fortress for military purposes, the rooms have outward-facing balconies and large floor-to-ceiling windows, cream-white roofs and brownish-red facades that add a dreamy feel to it.

Although he was not very fond of the Germans, the Duke of Hill greeted the Prussian princes and princesses from afar, his eldest son, Robert, who served in the Royal Navy, with high courtesy. Hill and second son Nordin. Hill was waiting at home, important members of the immediate family were present, and the welcome banquet that day was held in a lavish manner. Sadly, such a grand welcome did not mean that the English aristocracy was more tolerant and hospitable than their people, but only followed the established rules of high society.

Back in her familiar surroundings, Charlotte. Hill is no longer the cold little beauty, she always has a soft smile on her cheeks, she shows her youthful vitality with graceful dancing, and she does not hesitate to open her mouth wide to show off her rows of white and neat teeth......

In the splendid grand ballroom of Hill Castle, the ladies were also heavily powdered and sprayed with thick incense, but at least they were not a bunch of and thirsty resentful women, flattering and flattering, and the compliments were just right; The men inherited the family's military tradition, two of the three adults wore Royal Navy uniforms, the older ones were basically above the rank of colonel, and the younger ones also entered the ranks of officers. Coming from such a family, Charlotte must have received a good education and upbringing since she was a child, and she has both the cultivation and connotation that a noble girl should have, as well as the independent and resolute character - if so, Natsuki can give a high impression score.

On this rare and wonderful night, the Prussian prince invited the granddaughter of the Duke of England to dance one after another. From Strauss's Waltz of the Sound of Spring to the Emperor's Waltz, from the waltz to the French court dance, the two danced four dances together before and after, and their abundant energy must be the envy of the middle-aged and elderly people around them. As the dance music progresses, they barely speak to each other, but communicate with smiles and eye contact. In the eyes of others, one of them is tall and handsome, personable, the other is slim, fresh and elegant, their figures, appearances and costumes are very matched, and their brisk dance steps quickly found a tacit fit. When the bright moonlight shines quietly on the marble floor through the windowsill, the two seem to dance to the moon in the woods, light, dexterous, incomparable freedom and happiness, this space belongs only to them, and everything around is an insignificant foil......

At the end of the fourth dance, Natsuki and his dance partner each took a step back, looking at each other's twinkling eyes and crimson cheeks, as if they were both immersed in this indescribable wonderful feeling. At this time, Natsuki suddenly had an impulse, how he wanted to take Charlotte to walk in the garden, watch her princess-like bun glow in the silver moonlight, watch her light skirt swaying on the grass, enjoy her smile alone, and let this youthful affection sublimate in the ultimate romantic feeling. However, before he could make this bold invitation to Charlotte, the eldest son of Duke Hill, Charlotte's father, Robert Hill, invited him to the salon for a drink.

It is inconvenient for Natsuki to refuse the host's kind invitation, not to mention that smoking and drinking in the men's exclusive space has long been an important way of communication in high society.

When he arrived at the salon, Natsuki saw Duke Hill alone, and he suddenly expected it.

Robert. After Hill left, old Hill held a cigar in one hand and gently stroked his gray beard with the other: "Your Highness, order brandy or whiskey?" ”

Natsuki said bluntly: "Thank you for your kindness, but I'm not old enough to drink. ”

"Hah!"

The duke seemed to have heard something unbelievable, and laughed unscrupulously.

Natsuki unhurriedly found a sofa and sat down.

"Oh, look at my memory, I forgot that you are a designer, and most designers are not good at drinking, but smoke is indispensable. Well? The Duke said as he prepared to get the cigar box on the countertop.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not old enough to smoke."

"Do you Germany have an age limit for men to smoke and drink?" The Duke asked, feigned surprise.

Natsuki replied: "On the one hand, it is the advice of medical health, and on the other hand, it is the rules that I set for myself. ”

The Duke withdrew his hand from the humidor and looked at Natsuki with curiosity, looking at him almost twice from head to toe and from foot to head.

"Your Highness is indeed an extraordinary person." In the first half of the sentence, the duke's tone was quite gentle, but the meaning of the second half of the sentence changed sharply: "If Yingde is the enemy, His Royal Highness will be a terrible enemy of ours!" ”

Accustomed to exaggerated and deceitful social occasions, Natsuki sometimes said something against his will: "I sincerely hope that Britain and Germany will be friendly for generations to come." ”

From the standpoint of a professional soldier, the Duke could not delve into this issue, he slowly walked directly across from Natsuki and sat down firmly on the sofa: "Prince George has deep admiration for your genius in the field of speedboat design, and as a member of the royal family from the navy, he can see the amazing military potential of this technology, and can also foresee the terrifying destructive power of high-speed torpedo boats on the battlefield. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has always had a wish that all the ships in the world could be used for the benefit of the people, not for the killing of human beings. ”

"It's a great wish." Natsuki didn't say a word—it was a fantasy that could never be realized.

The previous words were used as a foreshadowing, and the Duke only then made the theme clear: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has a message for you: judging from the perspective of human history, a hundred Alfreds." Krupp is not worth a Leonardo. Da vinci. ”

Painter, allegorist, sculptor, inventor, philosopher, musician, physician, biologist, geographer, architectural engineer – Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most legendary geniuses of human history, and his artistic practice and scientific explorations had a significant and far-reaching impact on future generations. The reason why the British crown prince admires Leonardo da Vinci is nothing more than hoping that Natsuki will use his talents to promote social development and human progress, rather than designing and building exquisite and terrible killing machines. But he seems to have forgotten that Leonardo da Vinci was also a military engineer, and his inventions included reed wheel guns, submunitions, three-barreled cannons, armored vehicles, submarines, double-hull warships, gliders, etc., and a considerable part of them later became weapons of war.

Natsuki pondered for a moment: "If you have the opportunity, please express your gratitude to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince on my behalf, his gift is a great inspiration for me to find my purpose in life." ”

With Duke Hill's life experience, he may not believe that this simple sentence can change a person's life philosophy, but the words have changed, and he is not allowed to say more. The next step was to try to discuss a wide range of topics related to the navy, such as ship design, military career, and some colonial affairs. Two people with very different ages and experiences talked word by word, not warm, but not cold.

For some contradictory affairs of this era, Xia Shu can borrow the "taste", "boiling", and "experience" about history in later generations to make a quintessential response, but he deliberately made the other party feel that he was just a rookie in practice on paper, who neither understood the national strategy nor the essence of naval warfare, so he was familiar with his acting skills. Although this kind of acting skills is still far from the professional level, this seemingly ignorant young face provided him with perfect cover, and the duke gradually relaxed his guard, like an old sailor, telling his legend to the younger generation with pride and pride, and even bluntly saying that no general in the German Navy can have such a proud wealth of life.

"The Royal Navy's unrivalled strength is its endless succession of outstanding commanders, like you, the Duke. It seems to me that even if the Anglo-German navies were to engage in an evenly matched engagement in the North Sea, the British fleet would have a much greater chance of winning than the German fleet...... There is no doubt about it. Natsuki dispelled the other party's vigilance with an almost flattering compliment, and then approached the important question he envisioned step by step:

"If, by the very chance, the German fleet had achieved a balance of power or relative superiority, Britain would have mobilized its entire strength to quickly restore its navy and then regain its honor in the next decisive naval battle, wouldn't it?"

"Of course." A confident smile appeared on the duke's slightly drunken face.

Natsuki's tone changed: "But, why do we have to fight to the death in the North Sea, are the Germans and Anglo-Saxons mortal enemies?" ”

After a moment's reflection, the Duke replied: "The two peoples have been friendly to each other for the most part in the last few hundred years, and the present contradictions and differences are evidently the result of the unwise tactics of some political leaders. Looking at history, the British never had the idea of dominating the European continent, they only wanted to see a peaceful and stable Europe, where expansion and attack were almost always directed at seas and lands outside Europe. ”

Speaking of this, the duke's tone suddenly lowered: "I hope that our two countries will never meet each other." ”

Natsuki agreed, and then tactfully stated: "The American Mahan's theory of sea power seems to be a terrible magic that has fascinated many people with the sea, and this is not only in Germany, but in almost every European power, from rulers to ordinary people, there is a dream of the sea in their hearts...... Sea power is the life of Britain, and it will never give it up easily, so from a certain point of view, war depends on how tolerant it is of other countries to share sea power. ”

After Natsuki finished the last sentence, the duke's brows were already furrowed, but with the previous emotions as a foreshadowing, he did not show strong disgust, but said categorically: "For these countries, sea power is a luxury that symbolizes glory and status, and for Britain, sea power is a necessity for survival. We must not tolerate other countries taking control of the waters around the British mainland, or threatening the shipping lines between our mainland and the overseas territories, and we are happy to accept the status quo, such as the absolute superiority of your Germany in the Baltic Sea. ”

The Duke's words, especially the metaphor of luxury and necessities, had already given Natsuki the answer he wanted. Next, their conversation turned back to those light-hearted, enjoyable topics. When the mood was good, the Duke happily invited Natsuki to race, and if he could win the best rider of the Hill family, he would choose one of the horses in the stable as a gift.

Will Natsuki tell him at this time that he has been a diligent equestrian for many years, is currently the best rider in the German royal family, and that he has beaten 19 challengers in a row at the Royal Racecourse in Brandenburg and is on his way to a 20-match winning streak?

(End of chapter)