Chapter 142: Cat and Mouse
A gust of wind blew up, and the dust was rolled up, forming a large haze.
The sand was blown to the windows by the strong wind, making a "crackling" sound.
Bismarck's mood was even more gloomy than the weather.
He knew what it meant once the news fermented.
It's not just as simple as ruining one's reputation, it's more likely that the thing is ruining the family and the family.
Having been mixed all his life and sitting back and waiting to be killed is definitely not Bismarck's style.
Something has to be done!
Walk up to the phone and think about who to call first.
After a lifetime in Prussian politics, his protΓ©gΓ©s were all over the government and the opposition.
Now, it's time to network.
I was about to pick up the phone when it rang first.
"Hey!"
"Prime Minister, at five o'clock this evening, the Imperial Council will be convened at the Empire State Building.
Please arrive on time! β
On the phone, a pleasant female voice came.
"Who are you?" Bismarck frowned.
"I am the secretary to the Speaker, Duke Winter, Helen!
This meeting was presided over by the Duke of Winter. β
"Duke Winter?" Bismarck suspected that he was hallucinating.
Duke Winter's bombed corpse he's seen, see the fucking hell?
"Oh! To be exact, it should be the younger Duke of Winter, the son of the Duke of Winter, who has taken the oath of office at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Munich and succeeded him as Duke of Bavaria. β
"How did I not know?"
"Prime Minister, this is an internal Bavarian affair."
ββ¦β¦οΌβ Bismarck was speechless.
Although Bismarck is prime minister, he can ...... He could not meddle in the internal affairs of Bavaria.
According to the old European rules, the new Duke of Bavaria could only inherit from among those appointed by the elder Winter during his lifetime.
But the problem is that although old Winter has countless lovers and illegitimate children in his life.
But the wives he married in a row died before they could give birth to children for him.
It wasn't until ten years ago that he married the niece of the Duke of Saxony and gave him a son.
The only heir who is eligible to succeed Bavaria is only nine years old this year.
A nine-year-old doll actually wants to convene a meeting of the Imperial Diet.
I can think of it with my ass, and there's a huge pussy in it.
"Okay, I'll be on time."
Although he knew in his heart that something was wrong with this meeting, Bismarck had to take part in it.
Because Frederick was gone, the decision of the Reichstag was final.
I'm there, and I can fight for it.
If they're not there, God knows what they'll be able to come up with.
Once a resolution is made against you, then ......!
I looked at my watch, and I had two hours left to communicate with my subordinates.
Two hours, that's almost enough.
"Knock knock" someone knocked on the oak door of the office.
"Come in!" Bismarck shouted casually with the earpiece in one hand.
The one who came in at this time must be his own secretary.
The door is open!
It was not Bismarck's secretary who came in, but a man in a top hat and trench coat.
"Your Excellency Prime Minister is busy!" Kong Tingxun sat down on the desk in front of Bismarck.
"Hans? Who let you in? Bismarck put down the phone, his brow furrowed into a big pimple.
Kong Tingxun was able to walk into his office without communication!
It's amazing.
If your guards are so lax, you'll soon be dead.
"You let me in, you just said, please come in!" Kong Tingxun smiled and took out a cigarette and lit it by himself.
Bismarck sat up straight, in the past, to give Kong Tingxun eight guts, this guy didn't dare to be so casual.
"Alright! Hans, what are you looking for me? Bismarck subconsciously pulled open the drawer, and there was a small pistol inside.
The pistol was much smaller than the usual revolver and could only be loaded with two bullets.
But this bullet, but it's a sturdy nine-millimeter bullet.
At such a close distance, not to mention people, even wild boars can be knocked over.
This thing called palm thunder was a gift from Zhang Huangyan, the first assistant of the Ming Dynasty when he went to Daming last time.
In Zhang Huangyan's words, this thing represents the superb processing technology of the Ming Dynasty.
Bismarck never thought he would use it, and it looks like he might use it today.
"Don't bother, Master Bismarck." Kong Tingxun took out two bullets from his pocket and threw them on the table casually.
Bismarck was out of breath for a while, and this kind of extended nine-millimeter bullet was a special bullet used in palm mines.
"What the hell are you going to do?" Bismarck panicked.
Being able to take bullets out of his gun proves that someone around him has defected.
Moreover, it was his own close people who rebelled.
"Wittman!" Bismarck shouted outside.
Wittman, the secretary, didn't come in, and there was no response from outside.
Kong Tingxun took off his gloves and shook them casually, his eyes looked up at the ceiling, and he touched everywhere.
"Hans, what are you going to do? I am the Prime Minister of the Prussian Empire, and you are committing a crime by doing so. β
Bismarck stood up with his hands on the wide desk, and looked at Kong Tingxun like a lion.
"I know! Know!
It's okay if you sit down and talk, you're so old that you'll get dizzy when you stand up suddenly. β
Kong Tingxun waved his hand to Bismarck very casually, quite a cat and mouse.
Bismarck gritted his teeth in anger, but there was nothing he could do.
"As you may know, His Majesty Emperor Frederick has gone to see God.
The regime, now it is up to us to take over. β
"You bastard, who confessed to letting you take over." Bismarck's angry retort.
"Prime Minister, don't be so angry. It's not good for the body!
You should know that if I dare to put you under house arrest and dare to talk to you like this, I must be sure of victory.
Let me tell you this, we have taken control of Berlin. β
"What a big deal, Franz and Hermann are both people I trust."
"You trust, but you're also General Moltke's men.
Franz, as General Moltke's bodyguard. Now he is the chief of the Berlin police!
Hermann was a distant nephew of General Moltke, and now he was the commander of the Berlin garrison and also the commander of the Praetorian Guard.
So......! β
"Moltke, impossible! How could Moltke betray us, didn't Moltke go back to Denmark? β
"General Moltke did not return to Denmark, and he is very unhappy that you have abandoned him."
"Where is he, I'm going to talk to him."
"General Moltke is at Fort Madgar, where there is a lot to deal with.
He has a very large number of old ministries there, which is very convenient to deal with. β
Bismarck sat in his chair, and if Moltke did fall on them, it would be another story.
Frederick trusted Moltke for ten years and appointed Moltke for ten years.
Ten years as chief of the General Staff has made his protΓ©gΓ©s, former officials, cronies and nephews all over the army.
When Moltke stepped down, he reminded Frederick.
But Frederick was very confident in his ability to control the army!
Unexpectedly, Moltke actually fell to the Bavarians.
"Alright! You've won, what do you want to do with me, a bad old man?
Kill me? Or exile? Or, put me in jail until I die? β
In the end, he is an old and refined character, who has been mixed with politics all his life, and his mental quality belongs to the existence of reaching the top.
When it came to the end, Bismarck relaxed.
He leaned back on the wide seat and squinted at Kong Tingxun.
"We won't do anything to you, you have worked all your life for Prussia, without merit and hard work.
So be it!
How about you go to the Netherlands, where there is an endless sea of tulips.
It's also a pleasure to live there. β
"Let me go to Holland, will you be so merciful?" Bismarck was a little unconvinced, and his result was exile to the Netherlands.
This result is so surprising!
"Of course, there's one more thing you have to do for us." Kong Tingxun enjoys this game of cat and mouse.
After all, in front of him is Bismarck, who is known as the iron-blooded prime minister.
Not only in Europe, but even in the Ming Dynasty is quite famous.
When he was studying at the Shanhaiguan Army Military Academy, he had heard of this old gentleman.
At that time, the words of the instructor were still in my ears, and I was a rare politician in Europe.
There are not many opportunities to play with such an old fox like a mouse.
As long as it's because there are too few old foxes!
"What conditions, say it!" Bismarck chuckled, he knew that behind such a generous treatment, he must have to do things on his own.
"Our condition is that you nominate Adolf as the new Prime Minister at the Imperial Council this evening.
When Adolf is elected Prime Minister, you can retire to the Netherlands with honor. β
"Adolf?
You've only been in Prussia for two years, when did you get involved with the National Socialist Party? β
After saying this, Bismarck regretted it.
Of course, Kong Tingxun would have mixed up with the National Socialist Party, whose stronghold was Bavaria.
In Munich, Adolf has ten times more followers than Berlin.
It is not surprising that Kong Tingxun and Adolf got mixed up.
"It's useless for me to nominate him, he needs two-thirds of the votes of the Reichstag to become prime minister.
You guys......! β
"We got more than two-thirds of the votes, Adolf said.
Politics is nothing more than an exchange of interests!
He got the parliamentarians, very simply, just give them what they want. β
Bismarck closed his eyes in pain, he had been mixed all his life, he was one of the founders of the Prussian Empire.
Of course he knows what virtues those bastards are!
As long as they are given benefits, they can even sell their wives, let alone the votes in their hands.
After thinking for a while with his eyes closed, Bismarck opened his eyes helplessly.
"Okay, you have to keep me and my family safe."
"Absolutely, now your family is waiting for you at the airship landing field.
As long as you have finished the Imperial Council, Mr. Adolf has been elected.
You can fly directly to the Netherlands in an airship and live your retirement.
Every month, the government will also give you a stipend until you die, being the former prime minister of the empire.
What do you think? That's not bad, isn't it? β
The task was completed very well, and Kong Tingxun was also very excited.
Just now, he was afraid that this stubborn old guy would refuse.
Though from every point they looked, they had the old guy in their hands.
But he's Bismarck, and who knows what else he'll do.
Now, as long as he is brought to the Reichstag, and he proposes Adolf to be the new prime minister, the whole plan to seize power will be considered a happy end.
From now on, Prussia will be theirs.
Soon, Adolf would replace Frederick. And his position is where Bismarck is now sitting.
At five o'clock, the Reichstag opened on time.
Sitting at the top is the new Speaker of Parliament, the new Duke of Winter Jr.
However, when he was only nine years old, the task of presiding over the meeting was helped by his brother-in-law Kong Tingxun, who was standing beside him.
According to the agreement of that year, the post of Speaker was not for people, but for Bavaria.
Whoever is the Duke of Bavaria, then who is the Speaker.
Even if he is in a vegetative state, there is nothing wrong with it. Because, the speaker can propose an assistant to help him complete the mission.
"Now, I give the floor to Prime Minister Bismarck."
After a long process of red tape, Kong Tingxun finally waited for Bismarck to speak.
"Distinguished Members and Friends!
Your Majesty the Great Emperor Frederick, leave us behind.
As a loyal courtier of His Majesty the Emperor, I, Otto Edward Leopold von Bismarck, am also old.
Looking at the gray hair in the mirror and the wrinkled face, I decided to retire.
I am honored to serve this great empire. Assisted by one, the Great Emperor.
Today, I am officially announcing my retirement. β
There was not a single sound in the huge conference hall.
Everyone watched the iron-blooded prime minister's final speech!
"Before I retire, I am going to nominate the next Prime Minister, in accordance with the responsibilities entrusted to me by the laws of the Prussian Empire.
I'm nominating ......
Adolf was Prime Minister of the Prussian Empire.
Thank you!
Long live the great Prussian Empire! β
Bismarck bowed deeply to the audience, and then stepped off the podium.
The moment he stepped off the podium, the aging Bismarck seemed to be much older.
Kong Tingxun, who had been staring at Bismarck, was greatly relieved when he heard Bismarck say Adolf's name in person.
The task of seizing power was completed by 50 percent.
"Ahem......!" Kong Tingxun cleared his throat.
"On the proposal of Prime Minister Bismarck, the nomination for the next Prime Minister is Mr. Adolf.***.
Now, on Chancellor Bismarck's proposal, we will vote on it.
Agree with Mr. Adolf.***, to become the new Prime Minister, please stand on my left-hand side.
If you do not agree.*** Mr. will become the new Prime Minister, please stand to my right hand.
Now, give everyone five minutes to think. β
Kong Tingxun now hates this guy who has set a five-minute thinking time, and immediately votes to vote, and it will be over if he directly elects Adolf.
Why do so much bothering!
These five minutes are simply the longest and most difficult five minutes.
Kong Tingxun's eyes stared at the clock in the council hall almost without blinking.
"It's time, now is the start of voting."