The news of the Royal Military Academy opening large-scale admissions was eagerly reported by Carlo's Spanish Sun and other newspapers, becoming major news around Madrid.
Thanks to such publicity, more than a hundred people applied to the Military Academy in just a few days.
Although only sixty-odd were admitted after layer upon layer of screening, it was still considerable progress compared with the previous Military Academy.
While recruiting new cadets in large numbers, Carlo also ordered the Royal Military Academy to study the Prussian and French officer-training systems and reform the Military Academy accordingly.
Spain's outdated officer-training system was no longer suited to the present age. Were they learning those obsolete line infantry tactics just so Spanish soldiers could line up and be shot?
The good news was that the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War that had erupted in recent years could both serve as subjects of study for Spanish military schools. Prussia, Austria, and France, the nations involved in those wars, were all among the strongest land powers in the world.
Speaking of the Franco-Prussian War, this war that had begun a year ahead of schedule was clearly being fought even more fiercely than in history.
Historically, the Second French Empire had lasted less than two months before Emperor Napoleon III formally surrendered to the Prussian army.
France in this world was not much better. Though it had held out longer, the Prussian army still held the war situation firmly in its grasp.
The French army contained a large number of line infantry regiments. This tactic of lining up to be shot had already lost its usefulness now that rifle ranges were steadily increasing.
Nor was that the French army's only problem. There had been insufficient preparation before the war, and after it broke out, Napoleon III was still agonizing over whether to attack or defend.
Moreover, the French army did not normally maintain corps- and division-level formations. The corps and divisions hastily assembled because of the war found it difficult to display the coordination and combat power they should have possessed.
Facing the well-equipped and experienced Prussian army, which had just come through the Austro-Prussian War, the French army had clearly fallen into a disadvantage from the very beginning.
The only remaining suspense was when Prussia would end the war, and whether a revolution would erupt within France after Napoleon III surrendered.
This was the real focus of Carlo and the Spanish government, since France's circumstances could also affect Spain.
With Carlo's suggestion and Primo's tacit approval, the Spanish government also drew up a plan for building universities.
Over the next five years, Spain was expected to build at least five universities, raising the total number of universities into double digits.
At the same time, most of those universities would focus on science and engineering majors, with mathematics, physics, and chemistry becoming key fields in Spanish universities.
Literature, art, and other less important majors would be consolidated into two or three universities. After all, Spain did not need so many artistic talents.
To encourage Spaniards to apply to universities, Carlo planned to establish a scholarship system for university students.
This would not only allow more children from ordinary families to enter university, but also let them receive the royal family's favor. It could cultivate talent for Spain while raising the royal family's prestige—a win-win situation.
Amid all the bustle, 1869 quickly drew to a close.
1870 arrived on schedule.
If 1869 had merely been Primo's tentative probing into reform, then 1870 would mark the beginning of Primo's true reform phase.
To make Spain stronger, Primo presented a Comprehensive Reform Plan at the end of 1869, leaving Carlo staring at it in stunned disbelief.
In this reform plan, Primo mentioned the necessity of following Prussia's example in implementing Primary Compulsory Education, and declared that he would push for comprehensive Literacy Education across Spain.
Because the target covered more than sixteen million Spaniards, Primo set the implementation period for comprehensive Literacy Education at no more than five years.
Education was only the first step.
The second goal of Primo's reforms was to effectively raise Spaniards' income levels. They did not need to surpass Great Powers such as Britain, France, and Prussia, but they had to exceed neighboring Portugal and reach a level not far below Italy's.
How could such a goal be achieved?
Primo proposed three plans.
First, promote the implementation of the Spanish Labor Law, effectively protecting the wages, benefits, and wage payments of Spanish laborers and other employees of enterprises.
Second, effectively raise the incomes of the agricultural population by reducing agricultural taxes and increasing food production. Primo also proposed that the government establish a food-price regulatory body to ensure that food purchasers protected farmers' incomes while controlling food prices in the Spanish market.
Third, reduce the various miscellaneous taxes left behind from Queen Isabella's era and streamline the tax items paid by the Spanish populace. To reduce pressure on government finances, taxes on businesses and factories should be raised appropriately, balancing the Spanish government's revenue and expenditure.
Just looking at these two goals gave Carlo a headache.
These two goals were indeed intended for reform, and they could also effectively raise Spaniards' income levels.
But the problem was that doing so would also offend Spain's two deeply entrenched powers: religious forces and the big bourgeoisie.
Most of Spain's education was currently controlled by religious forces—in other words, Spain's Catholic Church.
The reason more than seventy percent of the population was illiterate was that the schools founded by the Church not only charged exorbitant tuition fees, but also set extremely high thresholds. Most ordinary people could not afford to attend Church schools.
There was even less need to mention the big bourgeoisie. Capitalists' greed drove them to endlessly exploit the Spanish populace. If Primo wanted to protect Spanish laborers' incomes, he would inevitably offend the big bourgeoisie behind the factory owners and business owners.
If they added the Republicans waiting to make a mockery of the monarchy, as well as the Carlists lurking in the shadows without making a move, Carlo's head was about to explode.
How could such a small Spain have so many troubles? No wonder Amadeo had only lasted three years after coming to Spain before decisively choosing to flee to Italy.
"Prime Minister Primo, isn't your reform plan somewhat too radical?" Inside the Royal Palace of Madrid, Carlo held Primo's plan and asked with a headache.
"But Spain cannot wait that long any longer, Your Majesty," Primo explained.
"This plan directly pushes the Church and the capitalists entirely to our opposing side. Are you confident you can resolve these two troubles?" Carlo looked at Prime Minister Primo and asked with utmost seriousness.
If the troubles from the Church and capital could be resolved, then these reforms would naturally benefit Spain.
But if those two troubles could not be resolved, the hidden Carlists and the Republicans opposed to the monarchy would also seize the opportunity to stir up trouble. Spain's situation might become even worse than expected.
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