"If Germany can defeat Britain and France in this war, then perhaps everything can be changed. But for Germany to win this war… it will be far too difficult," Qin Tian said softly to the quietly flowing Havel River.
As soon as he thought about this, a deep sense of helplessness welled up inside him. He wanted to contribute his strength to Germany, to help it defeat powerful enemies in the coming war.
However, he was only the fifth son of Wilhelm II. He had four older brothers, with the eldest already being the crown prince of the empire. He also had a younger brother and a younger sister, both of whom were more favored by Wilhelm II than he was. Among all of Wilhelm II's children, Prince Oscar could almost be regarded as dispensable. Even if he wanted to participate in Germany's struggle for hegemony, he was powerless to do so.
According to the original trajectory of history, he would be sent to the Kiel Naval Academy, study there for a few years, and then serve in the navy. At best, he would become a civilian official or a low-ranking officer, with almost no future to speak of. When the war eventually broke out and Germany was defeated, the entire royal family would be forced to leave Germany and go into exile in the Netherlands. These once-glorious princes would be stripped of their splendid status and live quietly and humbly until they died in obscurity.
"No, I can't live like that. I can't just eat and wait for death. Otherwise, wouldn't I regret it for the rest of my life?" Qin Tian swore silently."Besides, since God allowed me to be reborn in Germany at this time, He definitely doesn't want me to live such a mediocre life and simply finish it like this."
"There are still ten years left. If we prepare carefully, will Germany have a chance to turn the situation around?" Qin Tian asked himself.
Whether for Germany or for himself, time was essential. Time was needed to prepare for the coming war. Especially for Qin Tian—given his current status—it would not be easy to gain the Kaiser's attention and contribute his strength to Germany.
"I can't waste time going to the Kiel Naval Academy. Four years are enough to do many things—such as making a lot of money," Qin Tian thought.
The development of armaments, the manufacture of tanks and warships—all of this required enormous sums of money. A single battleship cost tens of millions of marks. Even the German Navy's first dreadnought, the Nassau-class battleship, cost as much as 40 million marks. With the limited naval budget available, it was extremely difficult for the German Navy to compete with the British Navy in terms of the number of battleships. If Qin Tian could earn enough money in the next ten years to support the development of the German Navy, perhaps everything would be different.
As a military enthusiast, Qin Tian had thoroughly studied the warships of various countries during the First World War. He knew the strengths and weaknesses of each nation's main warships. This was undoubtedly a tremendous advantage for the German Navy—provided he could gain sufficient authority to put that knowledge into practice.
Yet for someone like him, who had never been favored by Wilhelm II, gaining power was harder than reaching the sky. Moreover, he was only sixteen years old.
"Your Highness, His Majesty requests that you go see him immediately," a young palace attendant said.
"Alright, Carl. I'll go right away," Qin Tian said as he stood up.
The young attendant was named Carl von Jonneret. His family had served the royal household for generations. His father, Essen von Jonneret, was a steward to Kaiser Wilhelm II and held a very high status within the palace. Carl's elder brother was also the head of Crown Prince William's bodyguard. Because they were close in age, Carl and Qin Tian had a good relationship.
"Do you know why His Majesty wants to see me?" Qin Tian asked.
"I'm not sure," Carl replied. "But General Ludwig Birkenhagen just left His Majesty's office."
Qin Tian nodded. He already had a rough idea of what this was about.
Rear Admiral Ludwig Birkenhagen, the dean of the Kiel Naval Academy, had trained many outstanding talents for the German Navy and was highly valued by Wilhelm II.
Since Wilhelm II attached great importance to naval construction, he naturally hoped that his sons could enter the Naval Academy to study, allowing members of the royal family to contribute directly to the strength of the German Navy.
Among Wilhelm II's many sons, the eldest, Crown Prince Wilhelm, was already twenty-two years old and had begun participating in state affairs.The second son, Prince Eitel Friedrich, was twenty-one and currently serving in the army.The third son, Prince Adalbert, was about to graduate from the Army Academy and serve in the Guards.The fourth son, Prince August Wilhelm, had just entered the Army Academy.
As a result, Wilhelm II's dream of building a powerful navy could only fall upon Prince Oscar and his youngest son, Prince Joachim.
"No matter what, I can't waste four years at the Naval Academy," Qin Tian resolved silently as he walked toward Wilhelm II's office.
When he entered, he discovered that not only Wilhelm II was present, but Crown Prince Wilhelm was there as well. Wilhelm II's face was slightly flushed, and he appeared to be in a very good mood.
Qin Tian knew why. Recently, in the struggle for dominance in the Far East, Japan and Russia had gone to war, and the Russians were at a disadvantage on the battlefield. This naturally pleased Wilhelm II.
Russia was allied with France—one of Germany's greatest enemies. Wilhelm II naturally hoped that Russia would suffer heavy losses in the Far East, thereby weakening its strength and giving Germany an advantage in future confrontations.
As Qin Tian entered the office, he overheard them discussing the situation at Port Arthur. The Japanese army had already completed its raid, and although Russian resistance continued, even the Russian Pacific Fleet had been trapped in the harbor. Once Port Arthur fell, Russia would undoubtedly suffer a devastating blow.
"Father, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince," Qin Tian said as he entered and saluted them both.
"Mm, Oscar, you're here," Wilhelm II nodded. Although this son did not particularly please him, he was still his son. He still hoped Oscar would become a useful talent rather than a prince who merely ate and waited for death.
"Oscar, I've already reached an agreement with Dean Ludwig Birkenhagen," Wilhelm II said. "In half a month, you will report to the Kiel Naval Academy. I hope you will study diligently there and become an outstanding naval talent!"