The Emperor's Satisfaction

"Looks like the navy bears a greater responsibility than we imagined!" Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz sighed.

"Indeed, Your Excellency. But unfortunately, even with His Majesty the Emperor's support, we still cannot secure sufficient funding." Director Birkenhagen sighed as well.

"Your Highness, thank you for your help to the navy. It must be said that one more Battleship will make our naval strength a little greater. Perhaps we may even have a chance to defeat the British." Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz said. Though that chance was exceedingly slim, as officers of the German Empire Navy, they could only press onward in the face of adversity and strive for victory in a future war.

"Your Excellency, defeating the British is not entirely impossible," Oscar said.

Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz and Director Birkenhagen's eyes immediately lit up.

"Your Highness, do you have a way?" A trace of anticipation shone in both their eyes.

"If the navy wishes to defeat the British by competing with them in the number of Capital Ships, that is simply impossible. We can only surpass the British in performance. Every class of Battleship we build from now on must be capable of suppressing British Battleships. Only then can we defeat the many with the few, and overcome the strong with the weak," Oscar said.

Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz and Director Birkenhagen's brows had already drawn tightly together. Competing with the wealthy British in the number of Battleships had never been realistic. But completely suppressing the British in performance would likely be just as difficult!

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency. The Battleship I am donating to the navy this time will be an entirely new kind of Battleship, an epoch-making Battleship. Once it is completed, the Battleships built before it will likely all be swept into the rubbish heap." Oscar wore a confident expression.

The British had relied precisely on the Dreadnought to render their rivals' vast numbers of Pre-dreadnoughts obsolete overnight, allowing the British Navy to maintain its absolute advantage. If the German Navy could take the lead in completing a Dreadnought, then continually improve upon it in the future and build even more powerful Dreadnoughts, the German Navy would not lag behind the British Navy in advanced Capital Ships. Even if there were some gap, it would not be too great. And when the inherent weaknesses of British Battleships were factored in—such as their thin armor and bloated hulls, as well as their shell problems—the German Navy's chances of victory in a decisive naval battle would undoubtedly remain quite high.

Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz and Director Birkenhagen were instantly shocked by Oscar's words. Had anyone else said such things, they would certainly have dismissed him as talking nonsense. But Oscar was different. Oscar excelled at creating miracles. Things they had once believed impossible, Oscar had accomplished.

"Your Highness, are you serious?" Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz's voice trembled slightly. If everything Oscar had said was true, then the German Navy might truly have a chance to defeat the British. To the German Navy, this was undoubtedly a hope.

"Of course, Your Excellency. I would not joke about this." Oscar's expression was solemn. He knew that persuading those stubborn, conservative fellows in the German Navy to build All-big-gun Armament Battleships would be extremely difficult. But if he could first win Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz's support, things would undoubtedly become somewhat easier.

"Your Highness, may I see the design drawings?" Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz asked excitedly.

Director Birkenhagen was equally agitated.

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency, this is not an appropriate time. Let us find another time after today." Oscar smiled.

Though their hearts itched with impatience, Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz and Director Birkenhagen could only nod in understanding.

While Oscar was conversing merrily with Grand Admiral Count Tirpitz and Director Birkenhagen, a hostile gaze was fixed upon them. Its owner was Crown Prince Wilhelm.

"What exactly is Oskar trying to do? Is he trying to win over the navy?" Crown Prince Wilhelm was nearly trembling from fury. As the legitimate Crown Prince of the German Empire and the future Emperor of the Empire, he naturally knew just how important it was to hold military power. Oscar currying favor with the navy had undoubtedly touched his bottom line.

Although he was the rightful Crown Prince of the Empire, if Oscar gained the military's support, could he not launch a coup and drive him from power? Such consequences were not what Crown Prince Wilhelm wished to see.

"No matter what, I absolutely cannot let that brat succeed. There is only one Crown Prince of the German Empire, and that is me. No one else should even dream of snatching the throne from my hands." A flash of murderous intent passed through Crown Prince Wilhelm's eyes.

Though they were full brothers born of the same mother, brothers killing one another over succession to the throne had never been anything new.

The banquet continued until midnight before it ended. However, Wilhelm II did not remain for long. He had almost merely shown his face, clinked glasses a few times with several important people, and then departed.

As Emperor of the Empire, he was undoubtedly extremely busy. Even though it was Christmas Eve, he still had endless official business to handle.

Sitting in his office, Wilhelm II saw a long box resting on his desk.

"Essen, what is this?" Wilhelm II asked.

"Your Majesty, this is a Christmas gift from His Highness Prince Oskar," Essen von Jonath replied.

Wilhelm II could not help shaking his head. "That fellow, even if he has earned money, he should not squander it like this."

Nevertheless, Wilhelm II opened the long box.

He discovered that he seemed to have been mistaken. Inside was not some exquisite jewel or valuable antique, but a sheet of paper. Yet what was drawn on that paper made Wilhelm II's eyes widen.

"This... where did Oskar find this?" Wilhelm II asked.

"Your Majesty, Karl said that His Highness drew it himself. During this time, His Highness has kept himself shut in his office, personally drafting the drawings," Essen said.

Wilhelm II was stunned for a moment, then joy appeared on his face. "I never expected that fellow to possess such talent not only in business, but also in warship design. I told you, how could a member of the royal family possibly be an ignorant good-for-nothing?"

Clearly, Oscar's performance had greatly changed Wilhelm II's impression of him. Naturally, this also gratified Wilhelm II. As a father, he of course hoped all his sons would amount to something. Even though Wilhelm II was the Emperor, he was no exception in this regard.