xymnovel Chapter 61 Germany's Gift! The Prince Returns Home with a Bountiful Harvest!
Chapter 61 Germany's Gift! The Prince Returns Home with a Bountiful Harvest!
Sophia stood before the stone table, stunned.
Her clear blue eyes were fixed on the enormous blueprint before her.
She was born into one of Europe's most prestigious royal families; her mother was a British princess, and her maternal grandmother was Queen Victoria, who ruled half the globe. From a young age, she received the most elite education and was exposed to more national blueprints and development plans than the average person had ever read.
But she had never seen such a plan before!
Unlike the reports submitted by ministers, which are full of empty rhetoric and boastful promises, it is not like those reports submitted by ministers.
It's very detailed!
From the sleeper spacing of each railway line to the maximum lifting weight of port cranes, from the steelmaking process in blast furnaces to the selection of generator sets, every detail is clearly marked, as if the designer of this plan had personally built the entire country!
It's scientific!
The budget for each project was accurate to the single digit of the pound. The return on investment for each investment was supported by a rigorous mathematical model. There was even a hand-drawn analysis chart by Constantine comparing the advantages and disadvantages of alternating current and direct current for long-distance transmission! She had only heard snippets of these things from the top engineers at the Siemens factory.
It is full of vitality!
This is not a cold report; it's a vibrant tapestry! From those intersecting lines, she could see steel dragons roaring across the Greek landscape. From those port plans, she could hear the long blasts of 10,000-ton ships' horns. From those factory blueprints, she could feel the powerful heart of the industrial age about to begin beating on the ancient shores of the Aegean!
She looked up and gazed at Constantine again.
The young man before her was still dressed in those simple casual clothes, standing quietly in the sunlight. But at this moment, in Sofia's eyes, his image had completely changed.
All the previous rumors about him—stubborn, mediocre, an incompetent crown prince sidelined by the generals…
All these impressions built on prejudice and arrogance were shattered at this moment by the undeniable, brilliant blueprint before them!
Sofia felt that the thick ice wall in her heart, built of resistance and alienation, was cracking and collapsing.
Sunlight streamed in through the cracks, warm yet dazzling.
A completely new emotion, like vines sprouting from the soil in spring, silently yet irresistibly grew and spread in her heart.
That wasn't a simple, love at first sight romance.
It was a more complex and profound emotion.
It is an admiration for that wisdom that transcends its time.
It is curiosity about that grand ambition that dares to completely transform a country.
And... a hint of... adoration for the man in front of her that she herself hadn't even noticed.
For the first time, she took the initiative to ask Constantine a question.
Her questions were no longer about the weather and the scenery.
"Your Highness," her voice softened unconsciously, "your industrial zone plan is very ambitious. However, how will we deal with the industrial wastewater and smoke generated by such a dense cluster of factories? We cannot destroy Athens' blue skies while building a powerful nation."
This question is precise and professional, directly addressing the core flaws of industrialization. This demonstrates that she is not a detached, indifferent princess, but rather possesses exceptional political acumen and humanistic concern.
A genuine hint of appreciation flashed in Constantine's eyes.
"An excellent question, Your Highness."
He answered fluently, as if he had already mentally rehearsed the answers a thousand times.
"All heavily polluting enterprises will be relocated away from the main urban area and concentrated in the Labrio mining area. We will build independent sewage pipelines and introduce a three-stage sedimentation filtration system to preliminarily purify the industrial wastewater before discharging it into the deep sea. As for the thick smoke, I am currently entrusting Professor Andreas's office to study the feasibility of an 'electrostatic dust removal' technology..."
What followed was a peculiar conversation that lasted for a full hour in this sun-drenched garden.
Sofia's problems ranged from how to resettle farmers along the railway line, to how to protect the basic rights of workers in new factories, and how to legally guarantee the right of female students to attend school during the popularization of national education...
Every question is full of wisdom and foresight.
Constantine's answers, on the other hand, were always pragmatic, clear, and full of certainty about the future.
At that moment, their thoughts resonated in a wondrous way.
They were no longer talking about ethereal love, but about the future of a country and the fate of a nation.
As the sun set, the tea party was drawing to a close.
Sophia's gaze towards Constantine had completely changed.
There was no longer a trace of alienation or resistance. Instead, there was a deep sense of appreciation, closeness, and a kind of joy...as if they had found their kindred spirits.
"Your Highness," she stood up, extending her hand to Constantine for the first time, a sincere and bright smile on her face, "I am beginning to look forward to becoming a part of your grand plan."
Constantine took her slightly cool hand and smiled back.
He knew that at this moment, the seed of a future steadfast political ally and a perfect wife had been officially planted.
The trip to Berlin was a success beyond expectations.
The engagement to Princess Sophia of Prussia was quickly finalized with the approval of both Iron Chancellor Bismarck and Crown Princess Victoria.
After being bombarded with Constantine's "Dreadnought" concept and geopolitical blueprint, Prince William was completely won over by his young "cousin." He became incredibly excited and immediately announced that he would personally fund a hefty dowry of £200,000 for his sister, Princess Sofia!
He even grabbed Constantine's hand and patted his chest, guaranteeing that once he ascended the throne, all of Krupp's most advanced cannons would be supplied to Greece at a "friendly internal price"!
Upon learning that the Greek Crown Prince had received a credit guarantee from Britain, German bankers, like sharks smelling blood, flocked to Constantine, eager to participate in the underwriting of the "Greek National Reconstruction Bonds."
half a month later.
When Constantine's special train, laden with the friendship and aid of the German Empire and a marriage agreement with a future empress, slowly pulled away from Berlin's Anhalt train station, he was given a hero's send-off.
On the platform, a bright red carpet was laid out, and Prussian military music was played.
Prince William personally saw him off onto the train.
Constantine stood at the carriage door, glancing back at the cold, solemn, yet powerful city.
He knew that Greece, like a sinking ship, had finally found its first solid foundation amidst the raging waves.
A roadbed paved with the steel and gold of the German Empire.
The train slowly started moving.
Constantine's gaze turned to the distant south.
There was no joy of victory on his face.
Because he knew that a new struggle was about to begin.