She changed Europe

Page 135

"And there's something from Army Minister Dimitri that he asked me to give you." The man handed the document to Alexander II.

In the impending war, the Russian Empire prepared to deploy nine armies on the front lines, including two armies of 100,000 men forming the Caucasus Army Group, commanded by Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich, the brother of Alexander II. Local militias from Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Oshetia, and other regions would also join the Caucasus Army Group, which would adopt a defensive posture in this direction.

The main force, consisting of 300,000 men from seven armies, will be deployed on the Danube front. The Bulgarian militia, commanded by Russian General Nikolai Grigoryevich Stoletov, has also joined the Danube Army Group. This is because the Turkish forces facing them will likely be limited to 150,000 due to their division of forces to suppress the Bulgarians. The Russian army can leverage its numerical advantage of twice that of the Turkish forces to quickly break through the Balkan Mountains and capture Constantinople, the city the world desires, before the West can react, thus securing victory.

The commander of the Danube Army Group was another brother of the Tsar, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich, but the actual command of the operation was given to Chief of Staff Milyutin.

"We have remained neutral on the German question, so I hope that at least the Austrian Empire will remain neutral in this matter as well. As for France, we don't need to worry about France." After all, Napoleon III took away the navy of the former Second French Empire, and for a short time, the French were just like us, unable to swim. Although he was reluctant to admit it, Alexander II was quite aware of the shortcomings of the Russian navy; at least, their naval strength was insufficient to withstand the fleets of France or Britain.

PS1: There's only one chapter left in this volume, and it'll almost catch up with the older books.

Chapter 503 The Two-Headed Eagle's Rebirth: Capter 122 The Ice and Snow Princess (End of Volume)

"Has Anastasia woken up?" Seemingly thinking of his younger sister, Alexander II turned his head to look at the man behind him. It had become a daily routine for Alexander II to inquire about his youngest daughter's condition.

"Your Highness is still asleep." Anastasia Alexandrovna Romanova is Alexander II's youngest daughter, a child who should not have been born in the original history, but in this world she became Alexander II's darling and most beloved youngest daughter.

Four years ago, the princess, who was only 12 years old, awakened her magical powers and became a magical user. She has been in a deep sleep ever since, and there is still no sign of her waking up.

If the problem were caused by illness, Alexander II might not have been so concerned.

But after the doctor told the Tsar that his daughter was breathing steadily and was not suffering from any serious illness that threatened her life, Alexander II began to mobilize the entire empire's resources. In a cave in the Siberian snowfield, they found a sorceress with an Asian face. She used her special methods to ensure that the little princess would not die of hunger while she was in a coma, and to preserve most of the magical energy in her body.

As a result, the witch received respect and courtesy from the royal family.

"Next week is her 16th birthday. I wish she could wake up." Alexander II looked up at the sky helplessly. He ruled over all the land under the heavens, but he was powerless to save his beloved daughter.

"Yes, Your Majesty, the princess will wake up."

"I hope so," Alexander II said with a hint of wistfulness.

"You may leave now, let me have some peace and quiet." Alexander II waved his hand, signaling the man to step back.

"Yes, ma'am." The man carefully stepped off the balcony, gently closed the glass door, and then turned and left the room.

Inside Anastasia's room, a witch in a black cloak closed all the windows, lit candles, and began drawing patterns with chalk around Anastasia's bedside.

"A frog's heart, a slug's bodily fluids, a grasshopper's thigh, and the lingering ice of summer..." The witch gently placed the items at the bedside of the sleeping princess.

“Only your magic can withstand this power. After four years, it’s time for you to awaken.” The witch’s tone was somewhat agitated as she tore off her cloak. The naked woman’s body appeared exceptionally graceful and alluring. Although her skin was as white as snow, it was covered with various patterns drawn in blue ink.

"I will serve as a sacrifice to provide the medium for your awakening and to enter into a pact with you. You will become the Princess of Ice and Snow, bringing eternal prosperity to this kingdom. Anastasia Alexandra Rovna Romanova, your glory is the glory of the Russian Empire." As she finished speaking, the ground beneath the witch's feet gradually froze, and the ice completely encased the room—even though it was summer.

The priestess's body gradually became translucent and deformed until an eerie blue light emanated from the corners of her eyes, and her skin was completely transformed into blue. She slowly walked to the bedside of the princess who was sleeping face up.

He gently stroked her adorable sleeping face, then climbed onto the bed, straddled the princess, and tenderly kissed the girl's sleeping face. Then, a blue light spread throughout the entire room.

"Princess who chases the stars, remember that your enemy is in the West. The one whose soul is a union of East and West is your lifelong nemesis." With these last words, the witch vanished without a trace.

Anastasia had a long dream in which she was in a snowy field. People told her that the Russian Empire had fallen, and she saw her so-called family members being accused of betraying their country and colluding with foreign powers, and about to be executed. No one sympathized with their plight; people spat at them, threw vegetable scraps and rotten eggs at them, and when they were finally shot, the executioners didn't even spare their pet dog.

Twelve-year-old Anastasia couldn't understand why people hated them so much. She had never seen them, and she had never done anything to wrong them.

In the dream, her name was Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova, and her father's name was Nikolai. He lost everything because he led the country into a terrible war.

Just when everything seemed to be over, a ray of light shone on her, and she felt warmth, her body regaining its strength.

"Your Highness! Your Highness!" At this moment, some muffled murmurs reached Anastasia's ears, and she slowly opened her eyes.

At that moment, the door was violently flung open from the outside, and countless fully armed soldiers rushed into the room.

"What...are...you...going to...do...?" Anastasia's tongue had not fully recovered its function due to her long slumber, so she spoke with a slight stutter.

The soldiers stared in astonishment at the princess who had awakened from her four-year slumber, but what surprised them even more was the thick layer of ice that had formed on the walls of the room.

"Are you Princess Anastasia?" The leading officer took a deep breath, stepped forward, and asked with some surprise.

Anastasia didn't quite understand what the officer meant, but she still nodded when she heard someone call her name.

"Go tell His Majesty quickly! Her Highness the Princess has awakened!" The officer turned around and said excitedly to the soldiers behind him.

Upon hearing their commander's order, the soldiers scrambled out of the room and ran toward Alexander II's room.

After all, this is what His Majesty the Tsar cares about most right now...

Anastasia examined her hands and body, then looked up at the officer beside her.

Her sapphire-blue eyes shone with a deep blue light, and her cool face exuded an awe-inspiring majesty, as if she were born to be the ruler of this country.

"Our nemesis, where is our nemesis?" The princess's voice, devoid of intonation, was as cold as the dead of winter.

"In...in the south." Although she didn't understand the princess's meaning, the officer said this after considering the current war situation.

"Then let's go." The boy slowly walked to his bedside, put on his slippers, and then stood up straight.

PS1: The long-awaited Russian faction has finally arrived! She is the Grand Duchess of Russia who appeared in Fate. She was originally supposed to be the daughter of the last Tsar, Nicholas II, but I made her appear earlier.

PS2: She has a connection with the girl from the future, so stay tuned.

PS3: Volume 6 mainly focuses on the Russo-Turkish War and the story of Empress Gisela.

PS1: This volume is finished 0v0!

Chapter 504 The Turkish Symphony of the Vienna Rose: Capter 1 The Heir to the Throne (Seeking Votes)

A prince should possess both the cunning of a fox and the ferocity of a lion: a lion has the strength to intimidate other beasts, but cannot evade a hunter's trap; a fox knows how to avoid a hunter's trap, but lacks the strength to intimidate other beasts. — Machiavelli, *The Prince*

On New Year's Day, 1876, as the New Year's bells rang, the current Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria held a celebration for all his subjects in the square outside the Hofburg Palace. He suddenly announced that he would follow the example of his uncle, the former Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria, and hand over his throne to the current Imperial Princess, his daughter Gisela Louise Marie.

As Gisela's father, Emperor Joseph witnessed his daughter revitalize the impoverished and weak Commonwealth, which was on the verge of collapse. In Italy, she led the empire to victory over the French, suppressed the Italian independence movement twice, and kept the prosperous Italy firmly in her grasp.

Within the empire, she also completely resolved the Hungarian problem that had plagued the empire for centuries, reuniting imperial power and making the empire unified and powerful again, even though this process almost resulted in serious bloodshed. However, compared to the crisis of the empire's disintegration, this matter itself was actually insignificant.

Joseph already considered these two points alone to be remarkable achievements that he himself was ashamed of, and his daughter's extraordinary qualities went far beyond that.

After that, she reconciled the loosely connected German regions, defeated the empire's arch-enemy Prussia, reclaimed Silesia, completed domestic economic reforms, escaped the economic crisis, and incorporated the entire German region into the empire's economic market.

Its groundbreaking significance cannot be directly felt, but the booming industry within the empire, the thriving trade on the borders, and the taxes paid by various provinces and kingdoms already provide a glimpse into the full picture of Gisela's new policies. The abundant national treasury and outstanding political achievements can silence the mouths of most busybodies.

He won't make the wrong choice. He's made many mistakes in his life, but he believes he won't make the same mistake this time.

This news quickly caused a huge uproar throughout the empire, especially among the "old nobles" of the First Society, who protested to Joseph himself, believing that this was the beginning of Emperor Joseph's autocracy!

It's important to understand that Ferdinand I's abdication wasn't a mere formality; it was the result of a collaborative effort between the Habsburg family and various noble families. In reality, Joseph's uncle was dethroned, and his crown was handed to him by the nobles. Yet, Joseph, on the important occasion of the New Year's celebrations, announced his abdication behind their backs, an act that in itself provoked their resentment.

Soon, a debate began in the Imperial Diet regarding the legitimacy of Emperor Joseph's abdication edict.

These old nobles, who symbolize the cornerstone of the empire's rule, would make it difficult for the emperor himself to move forward without their support, so Joseph had to attend the meeting even though he was very unwilling.

"Gentlemen, a century ago, Her Majesty Empress Theresa, the founder of the dynasty, issued the Golden Bull, which established the supreme power of us nobles. Even the imperial power cannot supersede the collective will of our parliamentary nobles." Because the Duchy of Austria and the Holy Roman Empire adopted the Salic law of succession (male succession), and Empress Theresa's father had no male heir, he issued the Golden Bull to ensure his right to inherit the Habsburg territory, thus gaining the support of the German princes. In return, he promised the princes of the Holy Roman Empire greater privileges.

Even so, Prussia and other European countries that did not recognize female heirs eventually engaged in the famous War of the Austrian Succession to the throne in order to win the right to the throne. In order to gain the support of the domestic nobles, the young Empress Theresa offered greater privileges in exchange for the support of the Hungarian and Austrian nobles.

While this world doesn't restrict inheritance based on gender, the issue of succession rights still exists, especially since the old nobles of the empire don't particularly like Gisela. Gisela's supporters are mostly newly emerging nobles, minor nobles rising in the regions, and ordinary commoners.

"Our rights must not be trampled upon!"

"Even His Majesty must obey the edict!" The nobles' complaints and discontent filled the circular hall.

Joseph, standing outside the hall, was already listening silently to the nobles' complaints. Despite being middle-aged, he maintained good health thanks to his healthy lifestyle, and even though he had been standing for several hours, his legs did not feel tired at all.

"We absolutely refuse to accept the fact that the new monarch is a little girl!"

"Yes, absolutely not!"

Upon hearing the nobles' words, Joseph took a deep breath, his expression turning somewhat ferocious.

As the gates were opened by the guards, Joseph entered the hall and saw the nobles who had been shouting and clamoring before the emperor's arrival. The nobles then returned to their seats.

“Your Majesty, our council believes that your…” A nobleman, much older than Joseph, spoke first.

"I will go to Switzerland to spend my later years in peace," Joseph bluntly told the nobles present his plans.

Why Switzerland? Because Eagle Castle in the canton of Aargau, Switzerland, is the birthplace of the Habsburg family and the place where the dynasty's epic began.

"Your Majesty, we are not discussing..." the old man tried to correct the strange topic.

"I said I'm going to Switzerland to spend my old age in peace!" Joseph raised his head and spoke louder, tapping the smooth marble floor with his scepter.

Even a fool could understand the implication of Joseph's words at this moment: his determination to abdicate remained unwavering, and he resolutely decided to hand over the throne to his daughter.

"Your Majesty, our royal family still has many excellent candidates, and many more suitable than Her Highness the Princess. Therefore, I believe that the matter of appointing an heir is still open to discussion." The old man appeared extremely respectful, a basic courtesy befitting someone from a long-established and prestigious family.

"Hmph! My daughter is nothing more than a little brat in your eyes, so what is the Habsburg family in your eyes? Opportunists who rose to power through their lower bodies, or just slightly luckier country bumpkins?" Joseph coldly swept his gaze across the noble lords present. From the age of 18, when he ascended the throne as the monarch of this powerful European nation, he had endured the sneers and ridicule of these imperial pillars. When it came to protecting national interests, they always stayed as far away as possible. When the nation was strong, they constantly displayed themselves like peacocks seeking mates.

PS1: I'm almost at the point where I'll stop updating 0v0!

Chapter 505 The Turkish Symphony of the Vienna Rose: Capter 2 The Incurable Imperial Noble (Seeking Votes)

Where were they when Metternich was besieged by mobs in Vienna? Where were they when the Hungarians forced the empire to adopt a dual system? Even when waging war against Italy, he had to pretend to be constantly thinking of these "cornerstones," just to continue to gain their support.

Joseph's late mother, Queen Sophie, once told him that as a monarch, you must always stand with the right people.

Although her mother was ambitious and tried to control everything, even causing many political conflicts, she was the only one who did not betray her. If it weren't for that woman's mediation and coordination, she probably wouldn't be who she is today.

Therefore, Josephine had shown the utmost tolerance to many of her former collaborators for a long time, but now that she was about to abdicate, she could finally speak her mind and express her grievances.

"I will not dwell on the past, on how you abused your privileges for personal gain and exploited our subjects. I only want to ask: Who defeated the French and the Kingdom of Sardinia in northern Italy? Who was the hero who quelled the rising Italian Republic in southern Italy? Who solved the intractable Hungarian problem for Austria? And who defeated our arch-enemy Prussia in the Ten Years' War?" Joseph questioned the assembled members of parliament.

“Wake up, you high and mighty nobles! Open your eyes and take a good look. I chose my daughter only because she deserves this honor. I would like to ask who here can achieve what my daughter has accomplished?” Joseph looked at the old man who had just tried to question him.

"Lord Fred, think carefully about what I've said. If you want to get along well with your future Queen." With that, Joseph turned firmly and strode out of the council, leaving the hall unusually quiet.

While this may seem like Joseph venting her frustrations, she was actually preparing Gisela for her first lesson as ruler. Joseph herself couldn't handle the situation well, but her daughter might.

However, whether or not they can take advantage of this challenge and opportunity depends on their daughter's abilities.

Our gaze returns to the Hofburg Palace —

Gisela was dealing with a mountain of documents. Although she hadn't been crowned empress yet, her work had already taken over before the ceremony. At this moment, she seemed to understand that her seemingly ordinary father also possessed extraordinary abilities: diligence, and being an emperor. (No wonder he's almost bald.)

He personally handled all government affairs, down to the smallest detail. The mountains of reports piling up every day had left Gisela somewhat disoriented.

"Your Highness, this is a price list for all the expenses of your coronation ceremony next month." Rita placed a large stack of documents on Gisela's desk.

"Your Highness, this is the list of distinguished foreign guests you wish to invite. Would you like to add or remove any names?" Aponia quickly placed a stack of documents on Gisela's desk.

Gisela clutched her head in distress, then looked at Jeanne, who was leisurely lying on the sofa opposite her, eating snacks, with her bloodshot eyes.

Gisela's mood became extremely unstable due to her menstrual period and long hours of intense work. So she picked up an eraser from the table, poured magic into it, and threw it at Jeanne.

A whooshing sound rang out, followed by a loud crash as Jeanne, along with the sofa, spun and fell to the ground, her face slamming directly onto the floor.

"What's wrong with you, you fox!" Jeanne looked at Gisela with disgust.

"Call me master!" Gisela frowned as she looked at Jeanne.

"Why should I call out to you? Are you out of your mind?" You should know that Jeanne has not called out to Gisela in such a humiliating way for a long time.

“You don’t have to call me, then come here.” Gisela leaned back in her chair and stretched her body, the beauty of her breasts swaying with her movements.

"Give me a shoulder massage." Of course, Gisela also wanted to try the chest pillow.

"Can't you just let the two of them do it?"

"No! They worked so hard today, I hate doing nothing." Although Gisela said this, in reality, Aponia and Rita would probably still be willing to give Gisela a massage no matter how tired they were, after all, it might be a reward for them, since they could be intimate with the people they liked.

Although unwilling, Jeanne obediently walked towards Gisela, though she still wore a "sour face".

But life goes on...

Several days later————

Joseph's rebuke did not seem to change the nobles' minds in the end. After that, the nobles quickly reached a consensus to support Emperor Joseph's brother, Archduke Karl Ludwig, who was also Gisela's cousin Lana and Liana's father.

This archduke, who had a mediocre career and stayed away from the political center, was actually less famous than his son, Ferdinand, who was assassinated in Sarajevo.

His son was only 10 years old, so he was unlikely to be the first choice of the nobles. Therefore, the nobles ultimately chose him. Of course, selecting a new successor was only the first step for the nobles.

Using their personal connections and networks within the military, the nobles actively prepared for their next move. Gisela also quickly received information from the Empire's spies about the nobles' secret plot.

While Gisela was soaking in the Royal Baths and enjoying a massage from Shahrador, Rita handed him the documents with a serious expression.

If the nobles chose her uncle Karl Ludwig, and she accepted, it would mean that her two cousins ​​would also join the opposing camp. Even if her uncle was unwilling to participate in the coup, he would still become a figurehead, rallying more people who were hostile to her among the nobles who were dissatisfied with her.

Historically, reformers who rise to power, while adjusting the superstructure, are essentially breaking down existing vested interests to achieve a redistribution of wealth, thereby injecting new vitality into entrenched social classes and revitalizing society. Gisela has already touched upon the interests of those who have already benefited, so she naturally won't sit idly by in the face of their backlash.

Of course, she was not in a hurry to take the initiative to attack the other party.

"Your Highness, what do you intend to do?" Shahrado knelt on the ground, her wheat-colored skin appearing exceptionally alluring only because of the thin shreds of undergarment she wore. This inevitably drew Gisela's gaze to those areas that held a man's romantic allure, but Shahrado concealed her true, secret treasures perfectly, preventing Gisela from gaining any advantage.

PS1: Ra!

Chapter 506 The Turkish Symphony of the Vienna Rose: Capter 3 Gisela and Sahrawi (Vote Requested)

“How about we do nothing? I want to see just how many people oppose me.” Gisela still had enough cards to play to hand the initiative to her opponent. This might be a thorny issue for other rulers, but for Gisela, it was also an opportunity.

When she truly becomes empress, she will begin to genuinely reform the country's political system. This time, it will not be a minor undertaking like in the past; she will thoroughly change the empire's current extensive management model and the elite model where politics is controlled by a small group of nobles.