"Father Emperor, isn't it somewhat inappropriate to transfer the Imperial Shipyard to Oscar at such a low price? This has dealt no small blow to the royal family's interests. Not to mention that you also agreed to lend him 120 million marks. In the end, you even allowed him to pay with the Battleships he builds. There has never been such a precedent in the history of the German Empire!" Crown Prince Wilhelm's face was filled with furious indignation.
Wilhelm II's transfer of the Imperial Shipyard to Oscar, along with the enormous loan he had given him, had not been disclosed to anyone else. However, as Crown Prince, Crown Prince Wilhelm was still able to learn of these matters through his own channels. Naturally, this left him deeply unwilling and dissatisfied.
In Crown Prince Wilhelm's view, Wilhelm II was plainly giving Oscar his full support. Once Oscar achieved success in shipbuilding, especially if the Battleships he designed were successfully built and proved to possess outstanding performance, Oscar's prestige would surely soar. He might even gain the support of the German Navy. That would pose an enormous threat to Crown Prince Wilhelm's right of succession.
Crown Prince Wilhelm believed that Wilhelm II's support for Oscar lately had simply been too great. It made him intensely jealous. Even as the Crown Prince, he had never received such tremendous support!
Wilhelm II cast Crown Prince Wilhelm a cold glance. He was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with this Crown Prince. Of course, that did not mean he intended to replace him. After all, Crown Prince Wilhelm was first in line to the throne. So long as he had not committed some grave error, it was impossible to replace him. Moreover, Wilhelm II still loved this eldest son dearly and held great expectations for him.
"Prince, as the Crown Prince of the Empire and Oscar's elder brother, do you truly have so little tolerance for others? With such a narrow heart, how will you command this Empire?" Wilhelm II looked as though he hated iron for failing to become steel.
"Ah! Father Emperor, I am not jealous of Oscar. I am merely considering the interests of the royal family," Crown Prince Wilhelm hurriedly explained. He had not expected Wilhelm II to be so forceful on this matter, allowing no one even the slightest doubt. Naturally, this made Crown Prince Wilhelm hate Oscar even more. If not for Oscar, he would not have been reprimanded by Wilhelm II. From childhood to adulthood, the number of times Wilhelm II had reprimanded him could be counted on one hand.
"Hmph! Prince, I have told you many times already: as the Crown Prince of the Empire, you must possess a broad mind. One person's talents are always limited. The Empire's development and strength depend on a great number of elites and the people of the Empire. If your heart is narrow, how can you make those elites willingly give their lives for you? How can you win over the people? I hope you think carefully, reflect properly, and rid yourself of these bad habits in the future!" Wilhelm II said earnestly and patiently. Naturally, he hoped his heir could lead the entire Empire to ever greater strength, rather than decline after prosperity. Therefore, he would do everything in his power to cultivate Crown Prince Wilhelm into a qualified heir.
"Yes, Father Emperor, I understand," Crown Prince Wilhelm said with his head lowered.
As for how much of Wilhelm II's words he could truly take to heart, that was very difficult to say. Crown Prince Wilhelm had inherited Wilhelm II's arrogant and obstinate nature quite well, and he rarely listened to the opinions of others. Even when the person offering advice was his father, the Emperor of the German Empire, it was no different. Such people often placed themselves at the center of everything. Even when they truly made a mistake, they would only shift the blame onto others rather than themselves.
If he had not been Wilhelm II's eldest son, and had not been a little luckier than the other Princes, he might never have become Germany's Crown Prince at all! His abilities were not much stronger than those of the other Princes to begin with.
"As for the Imperial Shipyard, do not bring it up again. A medium-sized shipyard that has suffered losses year after year being transferred for 50 million marks is already a very good result. It is better than having to take money from the royal family's interests every year to subsidize it. As for the loan to Oscar, interest will also be charged. And as for making the Battleships Oscar builds the German Navy's Next-class Battleship, that has a prerequisite. The Battleships he builds must be genuinely powerful and must meet those design specifications. If they cannot, then of course I will not permit those Battleships to become the German Navy's Next-class Battleship. Every bit of funding spent will have to be paid by Oscar. Of course, with the German Welfare Lottery Company's profitability, that is nothing at all.
"If the Battleships Oscar builds truly possess exceptional performance, it will be greatly beneficial in improving the strength of the German Navy. After all, our enemies are too powerful. We must use every means available if we are to have any chance of defeating them. The Battleships Oscar builds will become an opportunity for us, and we must seize it. Besides, even if it fails, we will not suffer the slightest loss."
In order to dispel the jealousy in Crown Prince Wilhelm's heart, Wilhelm II still offered an explanation.
Crown Prince Wilhelm nodded. Naturally, he knew Wilhelm II was doing this for the interests of the German Empire. Yet he was simply dissatisfied with Oscar's repeated successes. He even faintly felt that if Oscar were allowed to continue developing, he would certainly pose a threat to his throne. However, before Wilhelm II, he did not dare reveal it any further. Compared with Oscar, who had already displayed outstanding talent in both business and shipbuilding, Crown Prince Wilhelm's only advantages were perhaps his status as Crown Prince and Wilhelm II's favor.
If he lost Wilhelm II's favor, how could he still compete with Oscar?
Crown Prince Wilhelm was lectured by Wilhelm II for a full hour before finally finding an excuse to leave.
After returning to his room, the smile on Crown Prince Wilhelm's face immediately vanished. In its place was a savage expression that made his handsome face look exceptionally fierce.
"Damn it! Father Emperor is far too biased. He actually supports that fellow Oscar so much. Oscar cannot be allowed to continue developing. Otherwise, the world will only know that the royal family has an outstanding Prince Oskar, and not know me, the Crown Prince of the German Empire." Crown Prince Wilhelm's face was twisted with viciousness.
Oscar's continued success had indeed given Crown Prince Wilhelm an enormous sense of crisis.
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